Chapter 70
Daisy was worried that the walk back to the boat was going to be awkward. That the silence that had hung over the table when Yvonne had been talking about Harry would return, but Yvonne seemed happy enough. Or at least, she was putting on a good show.
‘I’m looking forward to slowing the pace tomorrow,’ she said as they reached the towpath. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I know we have a schedule to keep to and everything, but those last couple of days on the river were a little hair-raising.’
Daisy stopped so fast, she jerked Johnny’s lead.
‘You found it hair-raising? I thought you said it was all normal? Fine?’
‘Well, it was an adventure, wasn’t it?’ Yvonne said, casually glossing over the issue.
They walked far more slowly on the way back. Even now, Daisy loved having a nose through the windows of the other canal boats, looking at the different layouts, where they put their galleys, how they had arranged the living room. Yes, that sudden urge to start another renovation project was back again. Perhaps this time, she should take a little longer to look at all the options out there. Who knows, if the coffee shop kept going through autumn, she might even have a bit of a budget this time.
‘So, how do you think Theo is going to feel about you turning up at his workplace with no warning?’
‘His workplace? I hadn’t thought of it like that.’
Daisy hadn’t considered that her surprise could disrupt Theo trying to do his job. Back when he lived at Wildflower Lock, he had worked on the canals there too, but his job had taken him all along the canal network, up as far as Chelmsford, not to mention some occasional work at local marinas. It would be the same in Slimbridge, she hoped. Her turning up at the canal wasn’t like turning up at someone’s office, was it? Daisy shook away the feeling of doubt that was creeping in. Theo would be thrilled to see her. She was sure of it.
As they approached the area of the canal where the September Rose was moored up, Johnny began pulling on his lead, barking loudly.
‘Stop it, Johnny,’ Daisy said sharply, tugging him back to heel, but unlike at the pub, where a simple word from her had been enough for him to toe the line, this time he wasn’t stopping. ‘Johnny, what’s wrong with you?’
He was tugging her so hard, she could feel her arm straining at the socket. If he pulled any harder, he’d end up dislocating her shoulder, but she could hardly let go of him. There was no way she could drop his lead and let him run wild on a canal path where other dogs and children were walking. That just wouldn’t be safe.
‘Johnny, what is wrong with you? Stop it, now!’
His barking continued, though he lessened his force by just a fraction. Daisy looked down at him, crouching down to her knees.
‘What is wrong with you? We’re nearly home. You’ll get your food in a minute. Really, the sooner we find you another home, the better.’ Daisy got to her feet.
‘It’s like this dog’s got a dozen different personalities,’ she said to Yvonne, although rather than responding, Yvonne was squinting into the distance. ‘What is it?’ Daisy asked, following Yvonne’s line of sight, although she couldn’t see anything.
‘I think somebody just came out of the September Rose,’ she said.