I don’t like to ask Ruby if she knows when Alex will be back. She rolls her eyes if I even mention his name. Maybe I could stroll over there and not mention Dream Boy, just sort of see if I could use my feeling talents, or see if anyone accidentally mentioned him. I may as well.

Dibdobs has gone knitting with the boys. As I passed the village hall, I heard the needles clacking. There’s a notice: ARE YOU A KNIT WIT? COME ALONG AND KNIT WITH US! next to the poster for The Jones’s gig.

When I got to The Blind Pig I saw Beverley Bottomly coming out of the shop eating a doughnut. She looked at me and then she pointed two fingers to her eyes, and then pointed the fingers at my eyes and then she went off backward pointing the fingers at her eyes and then mine. Why is she doing that?

As she went off down the road she called out, “Ay, Lady Muck. I’ve got my eyes on you. Think on. Leave our lads alone. Or else.”

Ruby was on her way out to dog obedience classes with Matilda. I’d forgotten she still goes. She’s been going since summer. I can’t say that it seems to make much difference to Matilda’s obedience skills.

Ruby said, “Last week we did ‘heel,’ didn’t we, Matilda? She is right good at it. Tha knows when you say to your dog ‘heel’ and it comes and walks behind thee? Like this. I’ll show thee what we’ve learned. Let’s show Tallulah what you can do, Matilda. Watch, Lullah.”

She took Matilda onto the green and shouted at her, “Right then. Here we go. Heel!! Matilda, heel!”

Ruby slapped her side and shouted, “Heel!!!”

Matilda put her head on one side and looked at Ruby. Ruby said, “Good girl, HEEL!”

And Matilda lay on her tummy with her legs all splayed out. Like a grilled chicken. With fur on. And a collar with a big bow on it. And looked with her moony eyes at us.

Ruby shouted, “You daft lummox, I said ‘heel’ not ‘hoof.’” She stamped her foot and said, “She’s as much use as a chocolate teapot—that’s what she does when she wants a hoofy treat. Come on, Matilda.”

And she went and grumpily picked Matilda up and put her over her shoulder. As she stamped off she called back, “Is tha going to The Jones’s gig? It’s definitely on. I saw that Seth, and he said they were going to do it. Even though Ruben and Cain aren’t talking. I bet it will be brilliant. There might be a reight big fight.”

And she went off whistling.

I couldn’t just hang around without having her as my excuse but as no one was about I had a quick look through the pub door. No sign of Alex. Thank goodness Mr. Barraclough was out because … just as I was thinking that, he appeared in his pinnie.