The Snow Puppy and Other Christmas Stories Page 11

  “I wonder who he is,” said Neil. “Penny, do you know him?”

  Penny shook her head. “Most of the extras are village people, but I’ve never seen him before.”

  Neil reached down for another bauble and fastened it carefully to a branch. “It’s weird, because he helped Prince when the set collapsed, and he got on fine with Jake. I can’t think why Prince has taken a dislike to him.”

  Penny shrugged. “Oh, well . . . That’s not the big problem, though. What I want to know is who’s trying to wreck the film. Verity told me what happened with the paint.”

  “Brett Benson was up there,” Emily said. “And he was the one who found the paint spots on Prince.”

  Penny frowned and shook her head. “I can’t believe it’s him. Nobody’s that stupid!” She fished in the box again. “Here’s the star to go on top. Can you reach that far, Neil?”

  Neil took the star and climbed up to stand precariously at the top of the ladder. While he leant over to fix the star to the topmost branch of the tree, he said, “I’ve been thinking. Whoever’s doing this has to be able to come and go in the castle without anybody asking questions.”

  “That means the whole of the film crew,” said Emily.

  “And the people who live here,” said Neil.

  “But none of us would do it!” Penny protested. “We want the film to be made. The money’s going to pay for all sorts of things.”

  Neil still wasn’t used to the idea that a lord who owned a castle could be short of money, but he knew that Penny was right. Lord Ainsworth really needed the fee from the production company.

  “Yes, but . . .” An idea was nagging at Neil. A few things he’d ignored were starting to fit together. “You know, Adrian was up in the Long Gallery about the time the paint was spilt. He looked a bit funny, too, as if he didn’t want to be seen up there.”

  “But Adrian’s nice!” Emily protested. “And he was keen on the film from the start.”

  “I know.” Neil tweaked the star into position and climbed down to where he felt safer. “But that’s not the only thing. He was supposed to be looking after Princess yesterday, when she got into trouble for chewing Jeff Calton’s notes.”

  “He took Jake for a walk,” said Emily.

  “I just wonder if that’s the only thing he did.”

  Penny had stopped unpacking the decorations and stood still, staring up at Neil. “That’s . . . stupid,” she said. “Why would Adrian try to spoil the film?”

  “Not spoil it,” said Neil. “Just delay it. You said yourself, your dad needs the money. And the longer the film crew are here, the more they’ll have to pay to use the castle. I’m sorry, Penny. I’m really sorry. But Adrian—”

  Penny had suddenly gone red with anger. “It’s not Adrian – he wouldn’t! I know he wouldn’t! You are so arrogant, Neil Parker. You always think you’re right, but really you don’t know anything. I think you’re horrible!”

  She spun round and ran out of the door, slamming it behind her.

  7

  “Neil, you’re an idiot,” said Emily. The sound of the banging door drifted away. “How could you say all that in front of Penny?”

  Neil came down the ladder. He felt awful. “I was just thinking aloud,” he said. “I didn’t want to upset her, but it’s true, all the same. It could be Adrian. He’s Lord Ainsworth’s steward – it’s his job to keep an eye on everything. He can go anywhere he likes in the castle and nobody would think twice about it. He might even think it’s not really wrong, because the money would be to help Lord Ainsworth.” He paused, and when Emily didn’t say anything he challenged her. “Don’t you think I’m right?”

  Emily was still playing with Princess, running the little dog’s silky ears through her fingers. “Maybe,” she replied. “But it’s hard to believe.”

  “I like Adrian as well,” Neil said defensively. “But if he’s innocent, why did he look so guilty this morning?”

  Emily didn’t answer. Neil put the lid back on the box of decorations; they couldn’t carry on without Penny, and with so much bad stuff going on it was difficult to feel the proper excitement of Christmas. He remembered that in another two days they were supposed to be going home. He wasn’t even sure that he would enjoy his own Christmas at King Street if he had to leave an unsolved mystery behind him. The quarrel with Penny made it even harder. Neil couldn’t help thinking it was going to be the most miserable Christmas of his life.

  The buffet lunch for the film crew was soup and sandwiches in the castle dining hall. Actors and crew were sitting on either side of the long dining table. Neil hoped to see Penny there because he wanted to apologize, but there was no sign of her. Making friends again would have to wait.

  Max was there, drinking a mug of soup, with Prince sitting at his feet and looking up hopefully at the sandwich in his other hand. He grinned when he saw Neil and Emily.

  “Hi. Things went really smoothly this morning. No problems at all.”

  “That’s great.” Neil fetched a plate of sandwiches to share with Emily, and they found themselves seats.

  “I see you’ve got Princess,” Max went on. “Thanks. Would you mind keeping her this afternoon? We’re filming that scene again – the one where the inn collapsed.”

  “You’d better make sure it doesn’t collapse again,” Neil said, watching Emily give Princess a delighted hug.

  “Jeff said he’d inspect it personally.” Max drained his mug and put it down as Suzie, his chaperone, walked over, pointedly looking at her watch. “I’d better go. I’m due on set, and I have to visit make-up first.”

  He rushed off, followed by Prince. Neil fished a dog treat out of his pocket so that Jake wouldn’t mind missing out on the sandwiches, and gave one to Emily for Princess.

  “She’s lovely!” said Emily. “Max is so lucky – apart from having to leave her and go off to film all the time. Oh, and wear all that yucky makeup!” She stroked the pup’s tiny head. “We’ll have fun, though, won’t we, girl?”

  “Make-up!” said Neil. He’d just thought of something, and he couldn’t believe it hadn’t occurred to him before. “You’re right, it’s disgusting stuff. Nobody goes around in their make-up unless they’re in a scene.”

  “So?” said Emily.

  “So what was that guy – that weird extra – doing in make-up yesterday? They were repairing the village set and none of the peasants were needed. But he was in the make-up room first thing, and later on, when we saw him in the woods, he was still in costume.”

  Emily was tickling Princess’s stomach. The little dog lay on her lap with her paws in the air, wriggling happily. “Maybe he likes being a peasant.”

  “Get real, Em! This could be important. Whoever’s doing this doesn’t want to be noticed. If you see somebody wandering around in costume, you just think he’s something to do with the film.”

  Emily started to take him seriously. “You mean he isn’t?”

  “I don’t know. But a peasant costume is a good disguise, with all that gungy make-up. Maybe he’s wearing it so that nobody will recognize him.”

  “But why?” Emily asked. “What does he get out of wrecking the film?”

  “We won’t know that until we know who he is.”

  Neil felt like kicking himself. He’d wasted time suspecting Brett Benson, and he’d even upset Penny by accusing Adrian, when all the time the most likely solution was staring him in the face.

  “Prince doesn’t like him, either,” Emily said. “He runs away from him!”

  Neil nodded. “He knows something’s wrong, Em. I really wish he could talk!”

  “Prince the dog detective!” Emily said, laughing. “Hey, Princess . . . don’t kill my sweatshirt!” The tiny pup had seized her sleeve cuff and was tugging at it, growling fiercely. Emily gently took it away from her. Suddenly looking serious, she went on, “OK, Neil, suppose you’re right. What are we going to do?”

  Neil’s first instinct was to tell Brian Mason, or Jeff Calto
n. But he’d got into enough trouble with Penny by not knowing when to keep quiet. This time he would have to be more careful.

  “Whenever I’ve tried to talk to that extra, he’s avoided me,” he said. “This time I’m going to track him down. I’m going to find out who he is and what he thinks he’s up to.” He wolfed the last of his sandwich and stood up. “Are you coming?”

  “Just try to stop me!” Emily replied, gathering up Princess in her arms. Jake followed them.

  On their way to fetch their coats, they passed the old scullery which was being used as a make-up room. The door was open, and the same make-up girl was there, tidying away sticks of greasepaint.

  Neil raised his eyebrows at Emily, who gave him the nod. “Hi,” he said, going in. “Do you remember, yesterday – really early – you were making up one of the peasants? I wondered whether—”

  “Now look,” the girl interrupted. “I’ve told you before, I’ve got a job to do here. I don’t want you in this room unless you’re being made up. And I certainly haven’t got time to answer stupid questions.”

  She turned away. Neil could still see her face in the mirror. It looked hot and angry.

  He said, “Sor-ree,” and left the room. “You see?” he said to Emily. “There is something weird about that guy – and I bet she knows what it is!”

  Muffled in coats and scarves, Neil and Emily trudged across the causeway and down the footpath towards the village set. Snow had started to fall again. Princess, tucked up in her favourite place inside Emily’s jacket, licked at snowflakes that fell on her nose.

  “This is what I reckon,” said Neil. Jake followed him at ankle level. “We’ve got Princess, so he can’t try anything with her, which means he’s going to be hanging around where Prince is.”

  Instead of going straight down the path to the set, Neil steered them into the woods, working his way round towards the trailers on the far side. He thought they would have to hang around for ages, but as they emerged from behind the location catering van on the edge of the set, they almost collided with the extra going the other way.

  Jake gave a welcoming bark, and bounced up to him. The extra ignored him, but Neil got his first really good look at the man’s face. He couldn’t help feeling that he should recognize him.

  “Hello,” he said. “I didn’t know the peasants were filming today.”

  The extra turned away, muttering something.

  “Just a minute,” Neil said, wanting to delay him as he tried to remember where he had seen him before. The man ignored him, and started to walk away.

  Emily said determinedly, “We wanted to ask you something. Are you—”

  “Clear off. I’m busy,” the man interrupted, an irritable expression on his face.

  The bad-tempered look suddenly reminded Neil. He stood there gaping. When he spoke, he wasn’t sure that his voice was going to come out right. “Harry Jenkins! That’s who you are!”

  The man ducked his head, and gave him a shifty look. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Oh, yes, you do,” Neil said. “I remember you now. You’re Harry Jenkins. You were Prince’s dog trainer when they filmed The Time Travellers at Padsham Castle.”

  Emily’s eyes were like saucers. “Neil, you’re right! I don’t believe it!”

  Neil went on. “Yes, you nearly wrecked that episode because you couldn’t handle Prince. Are you trying to wreck this one as well?”

  Harry Jenkins didn’t answer.

  Neil was furious. Prince had taken the blame last time as well, until the truth had come out. “Does Jeff Calton know that you’re on the set?” he asked. “I bet he doesn’t. But he soon will.”

  “We’ll see to that!” Emily added.

  “Interfering kids,” Harry Jenkins said. “It was your fault I had to leave my job last time.” He prodded Neil in the chest. “I haven’t worked since. Everybody knows what happened, and nobody will give me a job as a dog trainer now. So I signed on as an extra. So what?”

  Neil almost felt sorry for him. Last time he’d lost his nerve because a dog had bitten him, and that wasn’t his fault. But he had been wrong to try to carry on with his job and then blame his problems on Prince. And Neil was beginning to feel certain that Harry Jenkins was to blame for all the recent disasters.

  “That’s not all, is it?” he asked. “You’re not just an extra. Is it you who’s been causing all the trouble? Just so you can get back at Prince for what happened. Did you mess with the stairs on the set, so the whole thing fell apart? Did you put Princess where she could chew Mr Mason’s notes, and—”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Harry Jenkins interrupted.

  “I think you do.”

  “No wonder Prince doesn’t like you,” Emily said. “He knew who you were all along!”

  “It’s got nothing to do with me,” Jenkins insisted. “I just needed the job. And if you go round saying it’s my fault, you’ll find yourselves in trouble. So keep your mouths shut!”

  He shoved Neil to one side and stormed off through the trees.

  The man’s stern words didn’t frighten Neil. He stood watching Jenkins until he was out of sight, and then whistled for Jake, who had run a few paces after him and now stood looking back as if he didn’t understand what was going on.

  “We’ve got to tell somebody,” said Emily, gently soothing Princess who was still tucked down her front.

  “Right,” said Neil. “Brian Mason’s on set, so let’s go and look for Jeff Calton. We’ve got to make him see that none of these accidents are the dogs’ fault.”

  When they got back to Ainsworth Castle, Jeff Calton was standing at the end of the causeway, talking to a couple of people in a car. They were in uniform; Neil thought they must be the security staff Jeff had sent for.

  He gave Emily a glance and went up to speak to him. “Mr Calton—”

  Jeff Calton didn’t look at him. “Not now, Neil.”

  “But this is important.”

  “I said, not now. I have to brief these people.”

  “But—”

  Ignoring him, Jeff got into the car and said to the driver, “Straight ahead. I’ll show you where to park.”

  The car swept off, across the causeway and under the arch into the castle courtyard.

  “Well!” said Emily indignantly.

  Neil stared after the car in frustration. He’d solved the mystery of why so much was going wrong with the film, and now the producer wouldn’t listen to him. How long would it be before Harry Jenkins thought of something else to do?

  Then he heard a voice calling his name. He turned to see Max and Prince making their way up from the village. “It went great!” Max said, smiling. “Brian was really pleased.” He tickled Princess on her nose. “Hi there, midget! Have you missed your dad?” Then his smile vanished as he saw the expression on Neil’s face. “Is something the matter?”

  “You bet. Listen to this.”

  As they walked towards the castle, and Neil talked, he could see that Max was getting just as furious as he was feeling himself. “Harry Jenkins!” he said. “He nearly got Prince dropped from the show! And this time it’s worse – Prince could have been hurt.”

  He squatted down in the courtyard and hugged Prince. Prince, not understanding, put his paws up on Max’s knee and slurped his tongue across his face.

  Max laughed. “Oh, Prince, you’re great!” Then he looked up at Neil, his laughter vanishing. “What do you think we should do?”

  “We’ve got to make somebody listen,” Emily said indignantly. “We’ve got to get rid of that man somehow.”

  “Where’s Brian Mason?” Neil asked.

  “Still on set. He’s filming a scene with Morgan and the Black Knight.”

  “Then we’ll tell him when he’s finished. He’ll have to do something. And while we’re waiting . . .” he paused, “let’s give the dogs a good run!”

  Neil hung around in the castle courtyard while Max changed out of h
is costume. Emily had gone to find Penny, to tell her everything and make up the quarrel. Neil was sorry he had ever suspected Adrian, and he hoped that Adrian himself would never find out. All the same, he still wanted to know why the steward had been so hot and bothered that morning in the Long Gallery.

  Jake gave a welcoming bark as Max and Prince hurried down the steps from the main castle entrance. Max was carrying Princess, but he put her down once he was in the courtyard. She sniffed at the slush and tried to shake it off her paws, and then skidded after Jake and Prince as they headed out under the archway.

  “That’s better,” said Neil. “They haven’t had a good run all day.”

  He was beginning to get over his anger as he followed the dogs across the causeway and took the footpath that led alongside the lake. It was good to get out with Jake and forget about the problems of the filming.

  Max felt the same, Neil was sure. After a few minutes he found a stick for the dogs to chase. Both Prince and Jake bounded after it, barking madly and sending up flurries of snow. Princess scampered along after them, adding her high-pitched yapping, her floppy ears flying up and down.

  Max laughed as Prince brought the stick back to him, feathery tail wagging. “Good boy! Let Jake have a go this time. Go, Jake – fetch!”

  “Oh, no!” Neil exclaimed. “Look at Princess!”

  The little pup had given up the race for the stick. Someone had built a snowman by the lake, and Princess hurled herself at it with shrill barks of delight, tugging at the brightly coloured scarf around its neck. As she pulled, the head of the snowman rolled off and plumped down into the snow, half burying the tiny dog.

  “Hey, she’ll hurt herself!” Max said, running towards her.

  “No, she’s fine!” Neil ached from laughing as he watched Princess scrabble out of the snowdrift with the scarf draped around her neck.

  Max scooped her up and took the scarf off. “Terror! Look what you’ve done.”