oh Mummy, does it mean... ”
“It means that something’s happened to your mother’s sister—your Aunt Pat,” said Miss Pepper, getting up at once. “Don’t worry too much, my dear—we’ll drive straight off to a telephone box, and find out what’s wrong.”
“Oh dear—what can have happened?” said Mrs. Lynton, looking very pale. “I’ll have to go back—I’ll have to go to Pat. Oh, I feel quite dazed.”
The children felt dazed too. What a dreadful thing to happen in the middle of a lovely holiday! Poor Auntie Pat—what could have happened—“Dangerously ill”—that sounded very frightening.
“You two children stay here in the caravan,” said Miss Pepper briskly, taking charge as usual. “I’ll drive your mother to the nearest village and we’ll telephone. We’ll get back here as soon as possible. Cheer up, Diana—don’t look so upset, dear. It may not be as bad as it sounds.”
In two minutes Miss Pepper was driving the car down the lane, the children’s mother sitting silently beside her. Roger and Diana went outside the caravan, and sat down in the heather. It was a very light night, and, although they could not see to read, they could just see each other’s faces. Diana was crying.
Roger gave her a quick hug. “It mayn’t be so bad,” he said. “I expect Mummy will have to go back, though. We’ll have to as well, I suppose.”
“But how can we?” wept Diana. “Cook’s away now, and the house is shut up. There’d be nobody there.”
“I’d forgotten that. And what about old Snubby?” said Roger. “He can’t stay at Auntie Pat’s if she’s ill—or gone to hospital. What’s to happen to him?”
“And to us too,” said Diana. “Mummy will certainly stay to look after Auntie Pat. She’s so fond of her. Oh what an awful thing to happen in the middle of such a lovely holiday!”
It seemed a very long time before their mother came back with Miss Pepper. The children heard the car coming in the darkness and stood up at once. They ran to it as soon as their mother got out.
But it wasn’t their mother! It was Miss Pepper—and it wasn’t their car either, it was a taxi!
“Oh—what’s happened? Where’s Mummy?” cried Diana.
“Gone off in the car to see to your auntie,” said Miss Pepper, paying the taxi-driver. “She’s had a fall and hurt her head, and the doctors thought she might die. But they’ve just given your mother a better report of her, and have asked her to get back as soon as she can, as your aunt keeps calling for her.”
“Oh! Poor Mummy!” said Diana, thinking of her mother driving fast through the night, all alone, worrying about her sister. “Oh, Miss Pepper—do you think Auntie Pat will be all right?”
“From the doctors’ latest report, I should think she will,” said Miss Pepper, comfortingly. “So don’t fret too much. It’s silly to cross bridges before you come to them. Mummy sent you her love, and says she’ll give us the latest news in the morning, if I go into the village to telephone. It’s not very far.”
“Will Mummy come back here, and go on with our holiday?” asked Roger.
“No. No, I think I can say that quite definitely,” said Miss Pepper. “I’m pretty sure she will want to stay with your Aunt Pat till she’s really on the mend. We had no time to decide exactly what to do—but I’m afraid you’ll have to put up with me for a bit, my dears! I promised your mother I’d be with you till she can have you home again.”
“But—but what are our plans now, then?” asked Roger feeling rather dazed. “We’ve this caravan—but no car—and our house is shut up. Will we leave the caravan here and go and stay with you, Miss Pepper?”
“I really do not know, Roger dear,” said Miss Pepper. “Shall we leave everything till to-morrow? Things like this do happen, you know—and then we often find out how strong—or weak—we are! Your mother now, was full of courage as soon as she got over the shock; she was ready to face up to anything!”
“What about poor Snubby?” said Diana. “He’s staying with Auntie Pat. Oh, Miss Pepper—Auntie Pat didn’t fall over Loony, did she?”
“No—she slipped off a ladder,” said Miss Pepper. “Now—I’m going to open a bottle of orangeade, and find those chocolate biscuits and macaroons we had over from lunch—and we’re going to have a nice little supper.”
The two children felt glad to have Miss Pepper with them. She was cheerful and brisk, and even made one or two little jokes. Roger felt more cheerful too, after his supper, but Diana was still scared and upset.
“Roger, would you like to sleep in your mother’s bunk to-night in the caravan with Diana and me?” Miss Pepper asked. “I expect Diana would like you in here with us to-night.”
“Yes. Yes, I’d like to sleep here instead of in the open,” said Roger, and Diana nodded, pleased. Now if she was awake in the night and felt scared and sad, she could talk to Roger. Brothers were good to have when things went wrong!
Soon the caravan was in darkness, while three people tried to get to sleep. What news would the morning bring? Good—or bad? And what was going to happen to their holiday?
CHAPTER THREE
GOOD OLD BARNEY!
Next morning Miss Pepper was up bright and early, and woke the two children. “Wake up!” she said. “We’ll have breakfast and then I’ll pop down to the village and telephone your mother. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, I did,” said Diana, rather surprised, for she had felt sure that she wouldn’t sleep at all. Roger had slept well too, and both of them felt more ready to face up to whatever news they would hear.
Miss Pepper made the tea, and Diana cut the bread. Soon they were eating cold ham, and drinking the hot tea. “Though really, why we don’t have orangeade this hot morning, instead of this scalding tea, I can’t think!” said Diana.
Immediately after breakfast Miss Pepper set off briskly to the village. She was back in half an hour and the children, who were anxiously looking out for her, ran to meet her, most relieved to see a smile on her face.
“Better news,” said Miss Pepper at once. “Your mother arrived safely, and your aunt was so glad to see her—and she has taken a turn for the better already.”
“Good, good, good!” said Diana, thankfully.
“Apparently she fell from the top of a ladder when she was tying up some ramblers on the wall,” said Miss Pepper. “And she hit her head on the stone path. Nothing to do with Loony at all! She’s in hospital, and your mother is with her. And I’m afraid your mother will have to stay away for quite a while, because there is no one to look after your uncle—so your mother says she’ll spend part of her time seeing to your uncle and the other part with your aunt.”
“Oh. Then what’s to happen to us?” said Diana at once.
“Well, I suppose I’ll have to try and hire a car and take the caravan back to my own home,” said Miss Pepper. “You’ll have to come with me, I’m afraid, as your own house is shut up. I’m sorry, dears—very very sorry. This is a horrid end to what was going to be one of your very best holidays. But I honestly don’t see what else we can do.”
“I don’t either,” said Roger, gloomily. “And I think it’s jolly good of you to take all this trouble for us, Miss Pepper. I’m sure you don’t want us in your little house! Oh dear—isn’t this all horrid!”
“Diana can come with me to find out about a car,” said Miss Pepper as they cleared up the caravan and made up the bunks. “And Roger can stay here with the caravan. That be all right, Roger?”
“Of