The Kingdom Of Carbonel Part 18

When Rosemary reached home, she was just in time to take John's dinner in to him on a tray.

*It's chops and peas and new potatoes!' she said as she removed the cover.

*Good!' said John. *Have you got the cold cure?'

Rosemary nodded and told him about Mrs Cantrip and the green mixture. The idea of Rosemary as the old woman's apprentice he seemed to think very funny.

*But I've got some news for you, too. The attack will be in two days' time!'

*How do you know?'

*Mr Featherstone came in to see me. He's staying to lunch. He had seen it announced in the local paper. He said that instead of the two towns being ashamed of a disgraceful piece of ribbon development, they were actually going to celebrate its being finished with what the newspaper called a Friendship Ceremony.'

*What's ribbon development?' asked Rosemary.

*He said it was building a lot of houses along the roadside without proper planning. Anyway, there's to be music and speechifying, and he said would we all like to come and see it. Then your mother could celebrate finishing the Julius Caesar clothes.'

*What did Mummy say?'

*She laughed and said, "What nonsense," and that she liked making the acting clothes anyway. But she looked pleased, and it's all settled. We must let Blandamour know as soon as possible.'

*She's coming this afternoon,' said Rosemary. *To see the kittens and say thank you to us. I met Woppit as I was coming home. We had better have a council of war up here.'

It was three o'clock before Blandamour arrived. She was followed by Merbeck and Woppit, and to their surprise Tudge came trotting behind at a respectful distance. He had called to see his sister.

Rosemary had brushed the protesting kittens until their coats gleamed. Calidor's white socks were spotless. Every whisker was in order. They both sat on John's bed rehearsing the Kitten's Welcome to His Parents which all well-bred animals use. It begins: Accept my warm, respectful purr,

Clean, my paws, and trim, my fur.

But when their mother walked through the open door they got no further than *Accept my warma' before they scrambled off the bed and ran helter-skelter to her. They rubbed themselves against her snow-white sides, mingling their shrill, quick purrs with her deeper, steadier hum.

*My children! My little children!' said Blandamour as she licked their upturned faces. Both Calidor and Pergamond were telling their adventures at the same time, in shrill, excited voices. *Hush! hush, my dears. Later,' said their mother and turned to John and Rosemary.

*I have no words with which to thank you for all you have done!' she began.

*That's all right, Your Majesty,' said John awkwardly. *Don't bother. Besides, we haven't really got time. The attack will be in two days. We've just heard!'

While he told her what he knew, Blandamour leapt on to the bed, closely followed by her Councillor. The kittens scrambled up the bedspread and began jostling for the place nearest their mother, until she silenced them with a scoop of her paw. There was a scuffle as Tudge tried to leap up, too. Woppit's voice could be heard coming from under the bed, making such remarks as *Like your impudence!' and *The likes of us.' At last they all listened to John in silence. He told them of the activity among the Broomhurst cats that he had seen from the back of the lorry, and the conversation he and Rosemary had overheard near Adelaide Row. At last Merbeck spoke.

*Some of this we knew already. What we did not know was when the last little gap in the wall would be finished and the Cat Causeway completed. That is the news we have been waiting for. Now, we can act!'

*Two days doesn't seem very long to get ready when the others have been stirring up their followers for weeks!' said Rosemary anxiously.

*Do not worry. We have not been idle,' said Blandamour. *Contented, well-governed cats do not need to be brought to heel with bribery and fiery speeches.'

*We have two advantages,' said Merbeck. *First, Grisana does not know that we are warned and well-prepared; secondly, they will have only one road of approach, the newly finished garden walls of Broomhurst Road.'

*But how do you know that they won't come pouring across the fields on either side?' said Rosemary.

Merbeck turned his grizzled face toward her. *Because if cats begin fighting on human ground, then humans will join in, and when that happens, in their blundering way they set about every cat in sight, with brooms and buckets of water and even hose pipes. I've seen it happen. How are they to know which cats are which?'

Tudge's voice from under the bed was heard to mutter, *Daft creatures, humans!' to be hastily shushed by Woppit.

*Cat troubles must be decided in cat country, and beyond a scuffle or two the humans will know nothing about it,' went on Merbeck. *Now, as I see it, the enemy, not knowing that we shall be alert and watching every movement, at a given signal will pour into Fallowhithe.'

*And you will fall silently on them as they arrive along the causeway and finish 'em off!' said John bouncing up and down in bed. *Easy!'

*Not so easy!' went on Merbeck. *Already many enemy cats have slipped into the town a" lawless, insolent creatures, urged on by their wicked Queen. Provided that they still think themselves unnoticed, it seems to us that there will be some prearranged meeting place where they will plan to meet the newcomers. The main body of animals, who will come pouring along the Causeway, must at all costs be stopped from joining the others at this meeting place. Where that will be it is for us to find out.'

The hair on the ridge of the old cat's back was bristling, and his tail was lashing fiercely from side to side.

*Will you have enough cats to turn them back?' asked Rosemary anxiously.

*We are a highly organized society, my dear young lady!' said Merbeck. *Every road, square and terrace has its cat guardian. They have had their instructions for some days. Every ten houses has at least six able-bodied animals who would fight to the last claw, cat and kitten, for their Queen, and their families. "The choice of the best hearthrugs for Broomhurst animals" indeed!'

*But what about Mrs Cantrip and Miss Dibdin?' asked Rosemary. *Aren't you forgetting them?'

*I don't think we need bother about Miss Dibdin,' said John. *She wasn't much good anyway, but without her book of spells she can't even try to do anything. As for Mrs Cantrip, you said yourself, Rosie, that she had practically nothing left in her magic cupboard.'

*There were only two things left, a little bit of Flying Philtre in a tine, but Miss Dibdin said she had finished that on the broom, and a pinch of brownish powder in a pickle jar, but I can't remember what it said on the label, M-i-na something.'

*Well, whatever it was, I shouldn't think she could do much damage with a few grains.'

Rosemary frowned. *I wonder what she meant when she said she'd still got a shot in her locker then? She kept her word to Grisana about the kittens, and she may still try to "kidnap" Queen Blandamour.'

*You talk as though I am as feeble as a kitten with its eyes closed!' said Blandamour. *I can defend myself!' she added proudly.

*I hope that will not be necessary,' said Merbeck. *From now on you shall be guarded night and day!'

*Don't you think a"' began Rosemary uneasily.

*I think you're fussing!' said John.

*I will be careful,' said Blandamour, *I promise you that.'

*And speaking of the royal kittens!' went on Merbeck thoughtfully, *it seems to me that while they are here they may still be in danger. Would it not be better to hide them?'

*But where?'

Promptly from under the bed came the voice of Tudge. *At Turley's Farm for sure! Oh, leave me be, Woppit, you old busybody!' he added in a hoa.r.s.e whisper.

*Come here, my faithful Tudge!' said Blandamour.

Tudge heaved his ungainly form on to the bed, ducked awkwardly but respectfully at the white cat and said, *If you'll pardon the liberty, not never before having even pa.s.sed the time of day with royalty, but willing to serve you, ma'am, and them royal kits to the last whisker.' He took a deep breath. *Now I was thinking, at Turley's cats and kittens is as common as pebbles on a gravel path, and if so be I was to say my sister Woppit was come from the town with her two kitlings for a holiday, n.o.body wouldn't think twice about it, if so be Your Majesty wouldn't take it as a libertya' his voice trailed off.

*My good Tudge, it is an excellent idea. With you and Woppit to guard them, I am sure they will come to no harm.'

*But I want to defend Father's kingdom, too!' complained Calidor. *I'd give it 'em!' He pounced violently on John's toes which John had moved unwarily under the bedclothes. Pergamond did not seem pleased at this arrangement either.

*Nasty, common, country cats!' she complained with a toss of her tortoise-sh.e.l.l head.

Blandamour for once looked really angry and she gave her a cuff that sent her rolling. But the farm cat did not seem offended.

*Common and country maybe, little royal ma'am, but nasty, no! Now come along with old Tudge, and perhaps he'll tell you about some of the adventures he had when he were at sea aboard the Mary Jane.'

Calidor struggled down the trailing bedspread on to the floor. *Were you at sea?' he said.

*Ship's cat, I were,' said Tudge. *Together with my mate Wyb. High old times we had, what with the flying fish.'

*Flying fish?' said Pergamond, and scrambled down, too.

*Ah, my pretty, like sardines with wings, but not so tasty. Now, there was one night when a storm blew upa'

The two kittens trotted off, one on either side of Tudge, listening eagerly. Before he went through the door, he turned and winked broadly.

Woppit tossed her head and bowed at the same time, hoping that this would show both respect for Queen Blandamour and disapproval of her brother's low manners. Then she followed the kittens.

*I suppose we couldn't help when the attack comes?' asked John.

Blandamour shook her head. *That would be very unwise. Grisana cheated by enrolling the help of Mrs Cantrip. You have done for us what we could never have done alone. If they must quarrel, cats against cats and humans against humans, that is the order of things.'

*If we can arrange for you to be present we will send a message,' said Merbeck. *But now we must go. There is so much to do!'

27.

The Friendship Ceremony

Mrs Brown kept John in bed all the next day, but before breakfast on Friday, Rosemary went to fetch the milk. She ran quickly downstairs, and as she picked up the two bottles the milkman had left for Mrs Brown, a young cat with a glossy black coat and a white face trotted briskly up to her.

*Name of Rosemary?' he asked.

*Yes, that's me.'

*Message for you from Councillor Merbeck,' he said importantly. Then he looked around cautiously and lowered his voice. *The attack is planned for midnight tonight. Be at the Green Cave at half past eleven.'

*Yes, buta' began Rosemary.

*Can't stop, too much to do!' said the black cat and hurried away.

*Good oh!' said John when she told him. He was dressed and making the toast for breakfast in front of the gas fire in the sitting room. *I hoped they wouldn't forget us. I do want to be in on the attack.'

*I don't think I want to be there much,' said Rosemary. *But on the other hand I should be miserable at home not knowing what was happening.'

*Anyway, we've got this Friendship affair this afternoon,' said John.

It was due to begin at half past two. At two o'clock, after a very merry lunch, for Mr Featherstone had joined them again, John carried down the picnic basket. They were going to make an outing of it.

*Why, Mummy!' said Rosemary, as her mother got into Mr Featherstone's ancient car, *what a lovely new dress!'

*I think you look gorgeous!' said John.

*I couldn't put it better myself,' said Mr Featherstone gravely. *Gorgeous is the word!'

Mrs Brown went quite pink, but she laughed and said she was sure it was time they started.

When they reached the new houses of Broomhurst Road, there was no doubt where the ceremony was to be held. A long row of cars was parked on either side, and a loud speaker van was playing *Land of Hope and Glory'. The completed houses stretched in an unbroken line. Nearly all of them had curtains at the windows, and the corner where John had hidden from Mrs Cantrip behind the half-built wall already housed a washing machine.

A crowd had collected round the one unfinished part, a short stretch of garden wall. Behind it stood the Mayors of Broomhurst and Fallowhithe in their mayoral robes, supported by a number of important local people. When the loud speaker had finished playing, the Mayor of Fallowhithe made a long speech about what an historic occasion it was for both towns and one which he hoped would bind them more firmly together in a bond of friendship and healthy rivalry. Then the Mayor of Broomhurst replied in much the same way. The speeches were rather long, and John, whose attention was wandering, suddenly nudged Rosemary.

*Look! Over there in the front row!'

It was Mrs Cantrip. She was listening very solemnly and clapping from time to time rather more loudly than was necessary. At last the speeches were over and the Mayor of each town took a trowel and some mortar, and amidst some laughter, laid two bricks side by side in token of the cementing of the friendship between Broomhurst and Fallowhithe, and Mrs Cantrip clapped so loudly that people turned and stared.

*Who is that extraordinary old woman?' asked Mr Featherstone. Both John and Rosemary thought it better not to tell him. Then the Mayors shook hands and the loud speaker van played *Jerusalem', followed by *G.o.d Save the Queen', and the crowds began to move away.

*There's nothing more to wait for,' said Mrs Brown.

*Let's wait a bit longer,' said Rosemary, who felt unwilling to go.

*There's nothing more to see,' said Mr Featherstone, *except the man who is finishing the wall.'

A bricklayer was skilfully and rapidly filling up the rest of the gap. Rosemary thought it was the same man to whom they had talked on the day they had found the rocking chair. Thinking of the rocking chair reminded her of Mrs Cantrip. She looked around, but the old woman was gone.

*Just look at those two cats!' said Mrs Brown.

They were sitting behind the workman, apparently half asleep, their eyes nearly closed. But there was an alertness about them that did not deceive Rosemary.