' They stared at her silently and she added gently: "Look, I'm on your side, you know," and was rewarded by the speed with which they polished off their meal.

The search disclosed nothing, at least nothing of Neptune.

True, a ball which had been missing for months came to light in a great chest on the landing outside the playroom, and a pair of woollen mitts which Jacomina had been missing since the winter were found in the pillow cupboard in the hall.

By the time the children had to go back to school, they had peered and poked into almost all the house; there were still the kitchens, the drawing room and their father's study, but Alethea said that she would take a look there and then search the garden.

She hoped devoutly that she would find Neptune in the house, because it was pouring with rain and the gardens were quite large with potting sheds, wheelbarrows and the like, all of which would have to be searched.

But there was no sign of him indoors; it had taken a long time to look around the drawing room and even longer in the kitchens, even with the help of Mrs McCrea and Nel.

There was nothing for it but to search the garden.

But first Alethea decided to go back to the playroom and make sure he hadn't turned up.

For once Nanny didn't scowl at her, but shook her head, and Alethea crossed to the window to look unhappily at the teeming rain outside.

It was the faintest possible movement in the big ash tree which towered close to the house wall outside the playroom which made her throw up the window and lean out.

She couldn't see anything, what with the rain whipping the hair round her face and the wind blowing, but she was almost sure that she heard a faint mew.

It was quite possible that Neptune had gone on to the windowsill and jumped the short distance from it into the tree.

She wondered if she dared to do the same thing, and decided against it.

She hadn't climbed a tree in years and it wasn't something she enjoyed doing, but Al wasn't there, Nel had gone home for the afternoon and Mrs McCrea was hardly the build.

She managed to convey to Nanny where the kitten was and went downstairs.

Slacks first and something to tie up her hair, and gloves in case Neptune took exception to being rescued.

She went to the kitchen next to tell Mrs McCrea, but since that good soul was having a doze by the Aga, Alethea hadn't the heart to wake her, so she scribbled a note on the kitchen pad and went out of the back door.

For a summer day, the weather was shocking.

She bent her head to the wind and the rain, gained one of the sheds, found a short ladder and carried it to the ash tree, where she found that it reached only half way up its great trunk.

She would have to stretch upwards and pull herself up to a higher

branch.

She wasn't very good at it; it took several attempts before she was actually astride one of the lower branches, and now she could see Neptune, clinging to a much smaller branch above her head, his fur in spikes, his eyes like saucers.

She would have to climb higher.

That took a long time too, or so it seemed and now she was up there, she wasn't so keen on heights.

She forbore from looking down and wondering how she was ever going to

reach the ground again, and concentrated on getting hold of Neptune.

She managed that too, more by good luck than skill, for the little creature slipped and as he hung she was able to catch hold of him.

But now how to get down?

She took one horrified peep below her and then averted her eyes.

She would need both hands for a start, so where was she to put

Neptune?

She had on a thick sweater over her slacks, but it had no pockets.

She would have to stay where she was; Mrs McCrea would wake up and

someone would come and look for her; Nanny knew where she was.

She looked up hopefully, but the leaves were too thick and she could

see nothing, and unless Nanny had the window open, which she strongly doubted, no one would hear her shout.

But she did shout all the same, just in case.

Nanny might hear.

Of course Nanny didn't, but all the same her powerful cries were heard;

she nearly fell off her branch when Sarre let out a bellow below her.

"What the h.e.l.l are you doing up there?

' he wanted to know, and she was so surprised to hear the rage in his

voice that she didn't answer for a few seconds.

"Neptune's up here I've got him safe, but I'm not sure how to get down.

' She heard what sounded like a rumbling laugh.

"Just stay where you are," commanded Sarre.

"I'm coming up.

' He was obviously better at climbing than she was.

He was there, close beside her, within seconds, and while she was still

wondering what they would do next he had scooped Neptune up and tucked him inside his jacket.

"Now come down," he told her.

"You can't fall, I'm right behind you and you'd have to knock me over first.

Let go of that branch, you can't take it with you.

Now catch hold of that stump and let yourself slide.

' If Alethea hadn't been so breathless with fright she would have

rounded on him; ordering her about in such a callous fashion when she was petrified!

She set her teeth and did as she was told.

After what seemed aeons of time Sarre said: "Here's the ladder, stretch out your left foot.

' She slid it cautiously downwards and felt the rung beneath her

shoe.

Which was all very well, but that foot was stretched to its utmost and the rest of her was sprawled on the tree trunk.

"You can't fall," said Sarre's patient voice,

"I've both feet on the ladder and my arms are stretched on either side of you.

' He sounded amused.

"Have you got your eyes closed?

' "No, but I wish I had.

' She lowered herself a few inches and felt Sarre right behind her, he

felt a bit like a tree trunk himself and she suddenly didn't mind any more, and when he said abruptly: "Jump now," she did so, landing neatly in his arms.

He didn't let her go at once, and she stayed squashed up against him, listening to the steady thud of his heart and Neptune's urgent mewing.

She could have stayed there for ever, rain and all, but after a few moments Sarre let her go and hurried her in through the kitchen door to be met by Mrs McCrea and Nanny.

He handed the kitten to Nanny with directions to dry and feed him and then turned to look at Alethea.

"All right," she said crossly,

"T know I look quite awful.

' Sarre laughed, "T think you look rather nice," and kissed her wet face.

"Run along and get into a hot bath and then come and have tea in the study.

I've some work to do, but I can drink my tea at the same time.

' Normally she would have stayed in the bath for hours, now she was in and out again in minutes, deciding what to wear.