The Unexpected Consequences of Love (36 page)

As they approached Piper's Cottage, they spotted the children playing with a watering can in the front garden, taking turns to spin around holding the watering can at arm's length and spraying each other with water.

“Viewers of a nervous disposition may wish to look away now,” said Lottie. “This is where I go into scary mother mode.” Raising her voice, she called out, “Hey, you two. Put that watering can
down
.”

The children looked at their mother, promptly abandoned the watering can, and, giggling wildly, shot up into the branches of the apple tree overhanging the front wall.

“I know what you did.” Reaching the garden, Lottie peered up into the tree. “And trust me, you're in
big
trouble.”

From the depths of the leafy branches, an innocent voice said, “We were just watering the flowers. Otherwise they'd die.”

“I'm talking about my clothes. That wasn't funny, Nat. Running off with someone's clothes is no joke.”

“We didn't do it,” Nat said immediately.

Ruby chimed in, “It wasn't us.”

Tyler looked over at Lottie Carlyle. Maybe he'd made a mistake. Catching his concerned expression, she rolled her eyes. “Please don't believe them. They always say that. You can catch Nat with a mouthful of chocolate and he'll still swear blind he hasn't had any.”

“But it
wasn't
us,” Nat repeated.

“We didn't do it,” said Ruby, “and that's the
truth
.”

“The more guilty they are, the more they deny it.” Lottie sensed Tyler's unease. “Last week they were playing with a slingshot in the bathroom and the bathroom mirror happened to get broken. But guess what? Neither of them did that either.”

“Mum, this time we really didn't take your clothes,” said Ruby.

“No? Well, this man here says you did. Because he saw you,” Lottie explained, “and unlike you two, he doesn't tell lies. So you can climb down from there and go and get my clothes this minute.”

“We don't know where they are!” Ruby let out a wail of outrage.

Without a word, Lottie disappeared inside the cottage. Through the open windows they heard the banging and crashing of cupboards and wardrobes being opened and shut. Finally, triumphantly, she reemerged carrying a scrunched-up pink dress, a pair of flat silver sandals, and a yellow-and-white-striped bath towel.

“It wasn't us,” Nat blurted out.

“Really. Funny how they happened to be in the back garden then, isn't it?” As she spoke, Lottie was shrugging off the miles-too-big suit jacket, handing it back to Tyler, and wriggling into her crumpled sundress. “Now listen, taking my clothes was bad enough. Telling lies and denying it is even worse. So you can forget about going to the balloon festival this weekend and you won't be getting any allowance either.”

“But it was somebody else,” squealed Ruby.

“This man says it was you. And out of the three of you, funnily enough, I believe him. So get down out of that tree, get into the house, and start tidying your bedrooms. I mean it,” said Lottie. “This minute. Or I'll stop your allowance for the next six weeks.”

First Ruby, then Nat dropped down from the branches. Dark eyes narrowed in disgust, they glared at Tyler. As Ruby stalked past him she muttered, “
You're
the big liar.”

“Ruby. Stop that.”

Nat, with bits of twig caught in his hair, looked up at Tyler and said with a scowl, “I'm going to tell my dad on you.”

“Ooh, he's so scared.” Lottie deftly swept him past Tyler. “Inside. Now.”

Nat and Ruby disappeared into the house. By this time feeling terrible, Tyler said, “Listen, maybe I did make a mistake.”

“They're children; it's their job to get up to mischief.” Knowingly, Lottie said, “I'm guessing you don't have any of your own.”

Tyler shook his head. “No.”

“Look, they hate you for snitching on them.” Lottie's eyes sparkled. “They're doing their best to make you feel bad. But you never have to see them again, do you, so what does it matter?” As she spoke, someone inside the cottage burst into noisy, heaving sobs. “That'll be Nat, standing by the window to make completely sure we can hear him. I'm surprised he didn't tell me an eagle flew off with my clothes then dropped them in our back garden. Anyway, I'd better go. Thanks for the jacket. I hope it isn't too damp.” She paused, raking her fingers through her wet hair, then broke into a dazzling smile. “It was kind of nice to meet you.”

“Waaaaahhhh,” bawled Nat, evidently inconsolable.

“Kind of nice to meet you too.” Tyler had to raise his voice to be heard over the heartbreaking noise.

“Hurh-hurh-hurh-WAAAAAHHH!”

“Well, thanks again.” Lottie paused as a thought occurred to her. “Um…did you hear me singing earlier?”

“That was you?” He grinned. “More to the point, that was
singing
?”

Her dark eyes danced with mischief. “I sound a lot better underwater.”

As a fresh round of sobbing broke out inside the cottage, Tyler said, “I'll take your word for it.”

With over five million copies sold,
New
York
Times
and
USA
Today
bestselling author Jill Mansell is also one of the hottest selling authors of women's fiction in the UK. She lives with her partner and children in Bristol and writes full-time. Actually, that's not true; she watches TV, eats gumdrops, admires the rugby players training in the sports field behind her house, and spends hours on the Internet marveling at how many other writers have blogs. Only when she's
completely
run out of ways to procrastinate does she write.