Dot and Suzie and Bill Com are on a day trip – to see Dendringham Hall, the home of the d’Auberley family and a totally historic (as Mr Mouse would say) stately home. But it’s a stately home with a difference – it’s interactive with your computer.
And much, MUCH more…!
“And THIS” said the lady with the curly grey hair and the tweed suit “THIS is the grand drawing room!”
She beamed at the group she was leading round from her jolly red face.
Dot tried not to yawn. The lady was really nice, and going round Dendringham Hall really had been interesting – for the first hour. She’d helped make a syllabub in the kitchen – a kind of yummy pudding made with cream and sugar – and they were going to collect what she’d made when they were leaving, to have as a pudding for their family Sunday supper that evening.
She’d been allowed to brush down one of the big shire horses in the stables, called Champion Montacute (the groom who helped her just called him Monty!)
That had been fun too, though they’d had to tie Wiz up outside because the sight of all those HUGE horses had worried him.
But now… it was all getting a bit too much…
“This is where the great occasions for the d’Auberley family all happened” the red-face lady went on, still smiling away. She obviously loved her job. “Here it
was that Ralph d’Auberley, the oldest son of the fourteenth Earl, told the family he’d gambled away all the family fortune playing poker in Tombstone City in the Wild West! Here - ”
Dot sighed to herself and made sure she was holding Wizzie firmly on his smart lead. One of the things that was really nice about Dendringham Hall was that you could bring your dog in – it said so by the door to the hall – because the d’Auberley family were all big dog-lovers, and even bred a funny looking dog called a Bedlington Terrier.
She sneaked a little look at Mum who was totally loving the tour. She was just crazy about old houses, which was why they’d been here for TWO HOURS already.
It was the only thing really that Mum did just for herself, Dot thought. All the rest of the time she put everyone else first – like giving the best bits at mealtimes.
She’d once watched Dad swopping his plate back in the kitchen so Mum got the best, and then Mum changing it back when he wasn’t looking, and then Dad swopping it back again… till they caught each other out and burst out laughing!
“And here in the 1920’s” the lady in the tweed suit went on, “The Honourable Archy d’Auberley and his friends from Oxford would play Round The Room – where you have to go all the way round a room without touching the floor. You can still see the scratch mark one of his shoes made as he jumped from the Chesterfield” – she pointed to a big old leather sofa – “onto the Chippendale sideboard here so he didn’t lose the game!”
Suzie Com gasped. “A Chippendale?” she said, her eyes wide open. Dad winked at Dot. “A CHIPPENDALE? Let me have a look!”
She went over to a big piece of furniture at the side of the room – it was all curved and shiny, with a huge vase of flowers on top.
“What’s a Chippendale?” whispered Dot to Dad.
“It’s a very VERY expensive piece of furniture” Dad whispered back. “Or a chap who… never mind!”
Mum came back, shaking her head and tut-tutting. “What a terrible thing to do!” she said. “You should just see the mark! Mind you, they’ve tried to get it out a bit. Doesn’t look too bad now.”
“Suzie” said Dad “is there any chance we could have a cup of coffee, or something? My feet are beginning to tell me I need to stop for a bit!”
“Well….” said Suzie, leafing through the big guide to the Hall (£15.95! Ouch!) that they’d bought. “There’s still the state bedrooms to go… oh, and the nursery… and… ”
No coffee for anyone just yet then!
