Sorry for the delay in updating, I seem to have three fics on the go as well as attempting to write my own story idea (ha ha ha). Still I got there in the end! Hope you enjoy :)
"Look. I happen to be the treasurer! I suggest you go and have a word with Elsie Hughes, Charles Carson or Anna Bates about your bloody marked off spots." Elsie heard Thomas snap as she reentered the office feeling a little silly. She had settled all her dogs and left Isobel and Dr Clarkson to keep an eye on them and had gone to watch Charles. They'd had quite a large entry of Bloodhounds and when Bruno had won Best of Breed she and Ivy had applauded loudly and jumped up and down earning themselves some very strange looks from the judge. So she disappeared to fetch herself some coffee and have a quick look around all the stalls, stopping to chat to a few people she met along the way. By the time she had made it back to the office she discovered Sarah O'Brien and Phyllis Baxter standing there with identical looks of fury etched onto their faces, while Thomas did his best to ignore them both
"What's all this?" Elsie asked suspiciously
"Miss Baxter here has stolen half my taped off space which I marked off on Thursday." Sarah snapped, glaring at the woman in question
"I am behind her tape!" Phyllis defended herself, returning the glare "its not my fault if she didn't mark off enough space."
"Oh please, everyone knows that you leave a meter behind the tape!"
"Actually I've never heard of that before. Stop making up rules just to suit yourself."
"You're just jealous because I imported Lang"
"Why would I be jealous? My stuff is good enough without having to import."
"Enough!" Elsie interrupted loudly "for heavens sake you're the only two people in this country with Lhasa's, why can't you work together?"
The two woman blinked at her in surprise
"You've got to be joking" Sarah snapped. Elsie sighed
"Fine, where are you supposed to be sitting?" Elsie asked icily, marching out and heading towards the Utility ring. The two woman followed her, still muttering insults at one another under their breath.
"For heavens sake, you've roped off enough for two people here Sarah, how much more space do you need?" Elsie asked in an exasperated tone
"I'll have you know that I have entered four dogs!" Sarah replied, although she was looking slightly embarrassed now. Still, Sarah O'Brien never backed down easily
"That is enough space for ten Irish Wolfhounds" Elsie replied "Phyllis is fine where she is. Now I suggest you start your grooming because they're already halfway through bulldogs."
"But-"
"No Sarah. I am not getting into a debate about this. Lay a formal complaint with the show manager if you must. I don't know what you would do overseas where your dogs are benched."
Sarah and Phyllis had always been at one another's throats, both chasing best of breeds with their dogs. Elsie wasn't sure why they couldn't work together to produce something that could really do some big winning but with their constant bickering there wasn't a chance in hell of that happening.
Sarah scowled and starting rummaging roughly through her grooming box, muttering under her breath.
"Are you still hiding behind tents Elsie?" Tom Branson teased, coming to stand next to her as she paused to watch John Bates in the Flat Coat Retriever ring. She shot him a withering glance and ignored his question
"How is Sybil?" She asked instead
"Very well thank you, although I think she's ready to kill Mr Carson." Tom replied "Sybbie caught sight of his blood hound and hasn't stopped talking about him all morning."
"She offered him a lollipop" Elsie supplied "Bruno that is, not Mr Carson."
Tom went a little pale
"Don't tell Sybil that, I had to bribe Sybbie to get in the car this morning." He whispered causing Elsie to bite back a laugh.
"Be off with you" she chuckled shivering as the wind picked up a bit. She hoped everyone had pegged their tents down firmly, the last thing she needed was a flying gazebo and a pack of lose dogs.
Charles came out of the ring beaming. Ms Hughes had been highly entertaining the way she and Ivy had bounced up and down outside the ring before they both hurried away. He fed Bruno the rest of his chicken as a reward before sitting down to people watch. Mosley was wandering around with his pincher talking to it in an extremely high pitched tone, Mr Bates was giving his flat coat a last brush over and Ms O'Brien and Ms Baxter seemed to be having a set to about god only knows what. He watched with interest as they stalked towards the office. They returned a few moments later followed by a very irate looking Ms Hughes who pointed at the ground and judging by the look on Ms O'Brien's face had sorted it all out. Ms Hughes then caught sight of Mr Bates and wandered over to watch, joined shortly afterwards by Tom Branson.
"Do stop staring at her Charles, its unnerving" Richard Clarkson grumbled good naturedly, coming up behind him and bending down to greet Bruno
"I wasn't staring at anyone!" Charles protested while Bruno wagged his tail at Dr Clarkson from his crate
"Oh please" Dr Clarkson grinned "its as clear as day that you fancy Elsie. Even your dog adores her."
"Bruno likes everyone." Charles replied shortly
"Well that's true I suppose" Dr Clarkson agreed while Bruno thoroughly washed his fingers "but he absolutely adores her." Charles glanced at his dog and then at Elsie
"Even if he does, that doesn't mean I fancy her."
"No of course not, you just stare randomly at woman." Dr Clarkson said sarcastically "I don't know why you don't just ask her out. You're both single, and you both clearly adore one another."
"Because I'm a hundred and eighty two" Charles answered "and she'd turn me down flat."
"She turned me down once" Dr Clarkson mused "said it wouldn't be fair to lead me on when she fancied someone else."
"Well there you are then."
"Oh honestly Mr Carson!" Richard huffed "it was very clear that she was talking about you!"
However before Charles could answer a strong gust of wind blew through the show grounds causing various things to blow off tables. Both Dr Clarkson and Charles glanced up at the roof of the tent to make sure it was staying put
"Just exactly how do you come to the conclusion she was talking about me?" Charles asked when everything had quieted down again
"Because she almost said your name and stopped herself just in time" Dr Clarkson told him "so stop beating around the bush and do something about it before fate steps in and does something for you."
Charles swore from that day on that Dr Clarkson had a peculiar power over fate because no sooner had he spoken those words an even bigger gust of wind came up and neatly picked Mr Mosley's tent off the ground. Charles shot to his feet in alarm but before he could utter a word of warning the one tent leg hit Elsie on the head from behind and he watched in horror as she hit the ground.
Please review all you fabulous doggie people!