Hide and Seek by Rhian Tracey

Author:Rhian Tracey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Piccadilly Press
Published: 2024-02-28T00:00:00+00:00

25

‘They’re asking for a Picture of the Week. Never mind Picture of the Month!’ Mr Howse clapped Ned on the back as he arrived in the chippies’ cavern.

It was a big day for them. They were being entrusted with one of the National Gallery’s most precious paintings. All Ned knew was that it was a man on a horse, which didn’t sound precious, but he didn’t care. He was on cloud nine after Sunday night’s success in the chapel. Everyone wanted to talk to him when he walked through the village with Anni and Kip. People he’d never noticed before stopped him in the street to say how much they’d enjoyed the painting and to thank Anni for inviting them. Or to praise Harri’s playing. And to ask when he’d be doing it again.

Their plan to bring the village together after the shocking leak to the papers seemed to have worked. He and Harri had done it! And Anni had done a fine job inviting everyone. He didn’t yet have permission from K, who in turn would need permission from the big boss, C, but when K and his mother came back from London he was going to pluck up the courage to ask. The Picture of the Month, in Manod and London, had to help K and C realise that he and his mother were trustworthy and valuable members of staff. Not outsiders under suspicion!

His mother had left for London that morning on the post train. Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait was her choice as March’s Picture of the Month at the National Gallery. She had even said she was going to copy Ned’s idea about music and asked a mutual friend of hers and K’s, a woman called Myra, if she would be willing to play the piano.

‘Who was the fella on the fiddle?’ Mr Howse asked, interrupting his thoughts about last night.

The chippies were waiting to be told that the painting they next had to work on was ready for them. Apparently, it was too big to fit in the chippies’ cavern. They were going to have to travel to wherever it was being kept in the quarry.

‘That’s Harri. And it’s a cello.’

‘Will we be hearing from him again, then? Is K going to trust you with another of his precious jewels? Has the monkey got the nod from the organ grinder?’ Mr Howse rubbed his face; it didn’t look like he’d had time for a shave.

Ned assumed that if the organ grinder was C, then K must be the monkey. He wondered why Mr Howse didn’t like K.

‘I don’t know. I haven’t asked him. K’s gone with Mum to London.’ Ned stopped; was Mr Howse supposed to know this level of detail?

‘It’s ready for you, Bob,’ one of the security guards shouted across the cavern.

‘Well, time waits for no one. Let’s be having you, fellas. Got to see a man about a horse, as it turns out.’ Mr Howse slicked back his hair and placed his hat on his head.

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