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Her mum just hugged her.
Ellie couldnt see Megan, but she could hear her, and she sounded unhappy. She scrabbled frantically at the bars of her cage with her paws, desperate to get back to Megan.
As the car pulled away down the road, Ellie barked and barked.
At last, when it hurt to bark any more, she stopped. She pressed her nose against the door of the travel cage.
Gran had taken her away from Megan, and Megan hadnt wanted her to go.[72] Of course she hadnt! Ellie was Megans dog. Ellie didnt understand what was going on, but she was absolutely certain about one thing.
She had to get back to Megan.[73]
* * *
At Grans house, everything smelled different. Ellie had been there before, but only with Megan, when it had been fun. Gran was doing her best shed taken Ellie for a walk when they first arrived, to stretch her legs after being shut up in the car. But Ellie had trailed along behind her with her ears drooping, and in the end Gran had turned back.
But it was worse in the house. Ellie didnt want to be here, and she hated cats. Sid was huge and black and old, and very grumpy. He didnt like dogs at all, and he really didnt like dogs who barked and jumped around all over the place. He stood on the back of an armchair and hissed angrily when he first saw Ellie. With all his fur standing up like that and his tail fluffed up like a brush, Sid was nearly as big as she was.
Gran carefully made sure they were kept apart after that, shutting Ellie in the kitchen. But then the phone rang, and she forgot to close the kitchen door when she came out to the hall to answer it. Ellie trotted out after her she might not want to be here[74], but Gran was her one link with Megan.
Sid was sitting in the middle of the hallway like a furry black rock.
Ellie bounced at him bravely and barked, but Sid shot forwards[75] and scraped his claws across her nose. Ellie yelped. Shed chased cats before, or tried to anyway Megan didnt like her chasing things. But the cats had never fought back before. She stared at Sid worriedly, and he hissed again. It was a clear warning.
Ellie crept behind the sofa and stayed there, sulking, until Gran tempted her out with a handful of bone-shaped biscuits, the ones that Megan always gave her. Even those just made her miss Megan more. Gran took her back into the kitchen away from Sid and tried to make a big fuss of her, but Ellie didnt really want to play. She was too confused.
Perhaps Megan would come and get her soon? She had been here with Megan before, after all. And she definitely remembered Sid, and the way this house smelled so strongly of cat. Megan must be coming later, Ellie decided hopefully. Every time footsteps went past on the pavement outside she pricked up her ears and wagged her tail. But as the afternoon wore on[76], she stopped bothering[77]. It never was Megan, and now it was getting dark.
She padded over to her basket and stared at it miserably. If Megan was coming to get her, she wouldnt need her basket. Her food bowls were here too, and her toys. Why would they be here if Megan was coming to take her home?
* * *
Can I talk to Ellie, Gran? Megan asked, gripping the phone tightly.
Im not sure thats a very good idea, Megan, Gran said gently. It might upset her. Shell be fine. Im going to put a hot water bottle in her basket, and shes got her blanket and all her usual things. I expect shell have settled down by the morning.[78]
Which means she hasnt settled down now, Megan thought unhappily as she said goodbye. Ellie was hating being at Grans, just as Megan had thought she would[79].
They were having fish and chips for tea[80], as a treat, so they didnt have to cook, but Megan hardly ate anything. It wasnt the same without Ellie lurking hopefully under the table in case anyone dropped a chip.
She was feeling so miserable she went to bed early, but it took her ages to get to sleep her room was full of boxes, and they all looked strange and gloomy in the dark. Only till Tuesday, Megan told herself. Todays Sunday. Tuesday afternoon, Ill have Ellie back.
* * *
That night, Ellie was left alone in Grans kitchen. She had her own familiar basket and her blanket, which was wrapped round a cosy hot water bottle, but she was still desperately homesick.
She whined unhappily for a long while, but Gran didnt come down. Ellie was tired, but her basket felt wrong with the hot water bottle in it. It had cooled down now, and it sloshed and wobbled when she moved. Ellie tried to scrabble it out, but it was heavy, so she picked it up in her teeth and dragged it instead. Still it wouldnt budge. She tugged again and the water started to leak out over her blanket.
Ellie howled. Why had Megan abandoned her?
Chapter Four
Ellie woke up in her damp basket. She eyed[81] the hot water bottle worriedly. People didnt like it when she chewed things. She looked up anxiously as the kitchen door opened, wondering if Gran would be very cross.
But she only laughed. Oh dear, they did say[82] you liked chewing things at the moment. Its all right, Ellie, I know you didnt mean to be naughty. It was probably silly of me to let you have it. I just didnt think. Dont be sad, little one, youll see Megan again soon.
Ellie stared up at Gran with mournful eyes, as she tidied up her damp things. Even though Gran was being friendly, she didnt want to stay here. If only[83] she could go back home to Megan.
Ellie was good at[84] finding things, and she was best at finding Megan. She smelled special, and Ellie could always find her. She knew when Megan was coming home from school she could just feel it. She somehow knew when it was time to go and sit by the door, so she could be there to see Megan as soon as[85] she got inside.
So it would be no problem to find Megan, Ellie was sure. But finding her meant she had to get out first, and she wasnt at all sure about that.
Gran fed Ellie, then let Sid into the kitchen to give him breakfast. After that, she left the door open so Ellie could get out of the kitchen too. Gran watched them anxiously, but this time the cat and the puppy stayed out of each others way.
After a while, Ellie crept out of the kitchen, watching carefully for Sid. She was fairly sure he was in his favourite place on the back of the sofa, so he could look out of the window and see exactly what was going on in the street[86].
The front door was very big and very solid. It had a handle, which Ellie couldnt reach, even standing on her hind legs. The letter box was at the bottom of the door, but even though she could get her claws into it to scratch it open, it was only big enough for her nose and even that hurt. Ellie sat staring at the door hopelessly, then she gave her ears a determined shake. If she couldnt open it, she would just have to wait until someone opened it for her.
She hung around the hallway all morning, waiting for the door to be opened and half-playing with her squeaky fish toy.
She was just scrambling underneath a chest of drawers, trying to reach the squeaky fish, when there was the shrill sound of the doorbell. Ellie jumped, banging her head on the bottom of the chest.
She could hear someone shifting around on the doorstep. This was her chance!
Ellie wriggled herself round under the chest, so that her nose was sticking out, and watched as Gran hurried to answer the door. It was the postman with a parcel. Gran opened the door wider to take the sheet of paper she needed to sign, and Ellies ears pricked up as she saw what was beyond it. Grans didnt have a fenced-in front garden like Megans house did, just a flower bed and then straight on to the pavement. As Gran turned away from the door to rest the sheet of paper on the very chest[87] Ellie was hiding under, Ellie darted out[88] of the door.