Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 130255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
He disappeared swiftly, and I blinked after him, then slowly turned to Max. “I guess I have to bet on the pig.”
Max chuckled and turned me towards the door. “Come on. Luckily for you, I think I know who’s going to win this year.”
“Wait, what happens if you win? If the money is for charity, how does the betting work?” I asked, walking inside.
“The local restaurants donate vouchers. You get one that entitles you to a free dinner,” he replied, shrugging. “Well, up to the value of fifty pounds. It’s one of those things that’s great if you bet two quid, not so great if you’ve dropped a hundred on a duck in a speedo.”
“Have you ever done that?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” He blew out a breath.
I dipped my head, laughing.
Yeah. I couldn’t say that would something I’d want to relive, either.
Also, a duck in a speedo was so going into a book at some point. I didn’t know where and I didn’t know when, but I knew I’d figure something out.
“All right, what are you betting?” Penny asked, grinning. “Another speedo duck venture, cousin dearest?”
“No, no, I won’t be trusting Gerald Hawkins again,” Max said grimly. “Ellie’s brother wants ten pounds on Bernadette’s pig.”
She looked at me. “Really? The pig?”
I held my hands up in response. “That’s what he said.”
“Mmkay.” She opened a betting book. “His name?”
“Kevin Aarons.”
She scribbled it down with the amount, then looked to me. “And you?”
“Uhh…”
“Betty’s donkey,” Max said, handing her what looked like a hundred pounds. “I’ve seen his costume.”
Pen took the notes and counted it. “And you think everyone thinks you’re a grumpy old git and not generous at all.”
He stared at her. “Shut up.”
She grinned, putting the money in a tin. “Well, Ellie? What about you? Do you fancy the pig? A duck? A donkey?”
“I cannot believe I’m having this conversation,” I said, pulling two twenties from my purse. “I’ll go for the chicken in a tutu.”
Pen laughed. “Nugget is rocking that tutu this year, that’s for sure. Good choice.”
I was glad someone thought so.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
ELLIE
Total Eclipse of the Heart
“I’ve always liked free food,” I mused, looking at my voucher that entitled me to up to fifty pounds of free food and non-alcoholic drinks at any restaurant in Windermere. I’d also managed to win a bottle of wine from the raffle that was currently sitting in the boot of Max’s car.
Max side-eyed me. “Don’t brag.”
“The chicken was a good call,” Fred agreed, sipping his beer. “That was one fancy chicken in one fancy rainbow tutu.”
I did have to agree. I was surprised the chicken had won when the donkey dressed as a camel had shown up—no wonder Max was so salty. I’d thought for sure Doris the donkey was going to win.
It was a pretty impressive costume.
Still one of the strangest things I’d ever experienced, but impressive all the same.
Now the karaoke was about to start, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I was almost expecting something super weird and kooky, and there was a good chance the vagueness had made my expectations a little too high.
There was an impressive stage area set up on one side of the pub, and by all means, it was completely packed in here. I didn’t even know where my brother was—the last time I’d seen him he was with Esme talking about animals.
I didn’t know if that was the safest place for him to be. Esme liked acquiring animals, and my brother liked rehoming them, so it was going to go one of two ways.
No matter how it went, I wasn’t going to be responsible for it.
“When is this—” I was cut off by the lights going out, and two seconds later, a spotlight appeared, focused on the central point of the stage where Penny was standing.
“Good evening, Windermere!” she said into a mic, holding up her hand. “I hope everyone enjoyed the always-entertaining Windermere Farm Parade, and I’m pleased to share that we’ve raised well in excess of two thousand pounds for the Windy Animal Rescue!”
Everyone cheered.
That… was impressive. Seriously impressive, actually, for a village of this size. That was a lot of money, and I knew from experience just how far that money would go.
“So thank you all for that. You can continue donating all night at the bar or the raffle table out back. The final amount will be counted tomorrow and will be shared in Monday’s edition of The Windy News.”
They really went in on the whole ‘windy’ thing here, huh?
“For now, it’s karaoke time!”
Another cheer went up.
Wow. This lot liked their karaoke.
“First up is the one, the only, our beloved duchess, Esme!”
“Oh, shit,” Max muttered. “That’s why she was in the attic earlier.”
I turned to ask him what on Earth that had to do with the karaoke, when the sparkles on the makeshift stage answered the question for me.