A few minutes later, Florian entered the gatehouse and swept off his big floppy hat with a double flourish at the wounded badger. The friends were determined to cheer Cregga and not let her dwell on her sadness, or her injury.

“Ahem, marm, ’tis only m’goodself Wilffachop come to inform ye that your carriage waits without!”

Cregga turned her face in his direction. She was not in the best of moods after an uncomfortable night. “I know ’tis you, hare, and stop waving that hat about, you’ll disturb the dust an’ have me sneezin’. Now, what’s all this about a carriage outside? D’you think I’m a helpless Dibbun?”

Janglur nudged Skipper gleefully as he popped his head around the door. He announced in a loud officious voice, as if talking to nobeast in particular, “One actors’ cart waitin’ to transport a wounded Abbeybeast. Er, is there a passenger in ’ere?”

The big badger struggled upright from the couch, grabbing a broken spearshaft, which she waved threateningly. “Just let anybeast try to get me into a rickety actors’ cart an’ I’ll give ’em a headache they won’t get over for ten seasons!”

Janglur clapped a paw to his mouth to stifle laughter, while Skipper called out in a voice dripping with sincerity, “Ho, marm, ’ow can you say such things? All’s we’re thinkin’ of is yore ’ealth. After you’ve ’ad a nice ride in the cart we’ll carry you up to yore room an’ let Sister Sloey feed yer on a nourishin’ lunch of ’erb broth an’ elderflower water.”

That was enough for Cregga. A deep rumble of anger burst forth from the mighty badger. Grabbing Florian and lifting him as if he were a babe, she stumped resolutely out of the gatehouse, with the helpless hare protesting volubly.

“I say, marm, bad form, put me down, wot! Don’t stand there grinnin’ like ticks at a tea party, you chaps, help me!”

Cregga almost walked straight into the cart, which was drawn up just outside the gatehouse door. Feeling its contours with her paw, she dumped Florian unceremoniously into the seat and gave the cart a mighty shove. It flew off across the lawn, with the hare still yelling.

“Most uncharitable of ye, marm! I’ll make a note of this peevish behavior, you can jolly well bet I will! Yowch! Heeeeeelp!”

His pleas went unheard as Cregga raised a threatening paw at the other helpers. “If you’ve got any sense you’ll stay clear o’ me. I’ll walk back to the Abbey alone. Oh, an’ you can tell Sloey if she wants to see another season she’d better not mention herb broth an’ elderflower water while I’m around. I need proper food an’ the comfort of my own room for a day or two!”