Page 107 of All Wrapped Up
‘The best,’ she agreed. ‘Though I do feel bad for not noticing anything was wrong when you did, Clemmie.’
Joanne waved Lizzie’s upset away. ‘I daresay you would have done,’ she grinned, ‘if I wasn’t always being such a pain in the—’
‘Now,’ Lizzie cut in, ‘why don’t you pop next door, Clemmie, and pick up a pastry to celebrate? If I’d known you were here, I would have nabbed three.’
‘She can have mine,’ Joanne offered. ‘I’m too excited to eat this morning!’
‘Thank you, Joanne,’ I smiled. ‘And I would rather stay put, if that’s okay, because I want to see how a workshop works in its entirety right from the get-go. As I’m still considering your offer, Lizzie, I’d like to help with the setting up and clearing away.’
‘Don’t forget, you helped with the clearing up last time,’ she reminded me.
‘Oh, you’re right,’ I winked. ‘So you can do that today, Joanne.’
‘Of course,’ she said. ‘Whatever you say.’
‘No, you’re all right,’ I laughed. ‘I’m only teasing.’
‘I don’t mind,’ she smiled. ‘I know I have some bridges to mend.’
‘You don’t actually,’ I smiled back. ‘Because your gaff last week has been a blessing in disguise.’
‘Really?’ She blinked.
‘Really,’ I told her.
‘In that case,’ she grinned, ‘we’ll do the clearing up together.’
‘Well, before we can even think about clearing up and putting away,’ said Lizzie, as she finally put the café tray on a table, ‘we need to get it all out and set up. Grab an apron and we’ll get going.’
We’d just started arranging everything when Jemma came rushing in to the gallery waving a piece of paper.
‘I can’t stop because we’re rushed off our feet in the café,’she panted, ‘but look what I’ve just found sat on top of the ballot box!’
She thrust the folded piece of paper towards me and I took it.
‘Read it,’ she urged and I unfolded it. ‘I was going to put it in the box, but then realised it wasn’t a voting slip.’
I read the few words that had been printed rather than handwritten and gasped.
‘What does it say?’ Joanne asked.
‘?“Dear festival organisers,”?’ I read aloud. ‘?“My mate dared me to take the other voting box for a laugh, but it turned out it wasn’t funny and I’ve been feeling bad ever since. I’ve got rid of the box, but wanted to say sorry.”?’
‘No way!’ Joanne also gasped.
‘I don’t believe it,’ said Lizzie.
‘That’s what it says,’ I told her, turning the paper around so they could all see it.
‘So, it was some kids’ prank, then?’ Lizzie said, shaking her head.
‘By the sounds of it,’ I said, turning the paper over again. ‘And I daresay they’ve printed this so no one could try and identify their handwriting.’
‘That was smart,’ said Joanne and we all gave her a look. ‘It wasn’t good that they took the box obviously, but at least they’re feeling bad enough about it to apologise.’
‘As they should!’ Jemma said, making for the door again.
‘No chance you saw who left this, I suppose?’ I asked her.
