©Geraldine Banks2022
The next morning Cross headed out to see the ” family lawyer” and Tedi headed off back home to Mr and Mrs Graham as he did not want them to worry about him. Cross let Tedi out for what he thought was just a toilet break , but Tedi ran off across the grounds. Every now and then he looked back at Cross calling him , but he kept going. Cross knew that Tedi lived close buy from the Post Code on his collar tag, but he didn’t know exactly where. For now the priority was to speak to the Lawyer, which he was happy to do so , he had a feeling the little dog would be back. The Palace was his inheritance.
Tedi bounded through the small garden of Mr and Mrs Graham’s cottage.
Mr Graham spotted him before he got in the house and stopped him in his tracks.
” Where have you been, we’ve been worried sick, little one”
Tedi sat down and gave his paw to Mr Graham and looked up with his big eyes.
Mr Graham’s heart melted. ” Oh , you, I don’t know what you’ve been up to all night, but I for one am glad that you’re back safe and sound. Now don’t do it again, you hear! Come on let’s tell your mum ,you’re back she’ll be over the moon. You and I might get sausages for breakfast eh? ” The man and his dog headed into the kitchen.
Later that afternoon the Graham’s got a phone call; it was Cross , by making a few enquiries in the village Cross had established where the little puppy lived and arranged to visit Mr and Mrs Graham at their cottage and explained over a cup of tea the momentous news.
Tedi was the rightful owner of the Palace , and all the Estate relating to it. Everything was in Trust for him. There could be no legal challenge against the Estate as the paperwork quite clearly stated that it was a Trust for the Benefit of Marmaduke and his heirs. Tedi was Marmaduke’s heir there was no doubt about it. It would take a couple of months to remove the incumbent Australians, but their skullduggery had been discovered and they would be moving out and Tedi would take up his rightful place. Tedi’s adventures were just beginning.
That morning over a cup of tea, toast and sausages, the Graham’s couldn’t believe what they were hearing , but with the sad realization that their puppy most likely would be a visitor to their house , rather than “their little dog”. Tedi would have a much bigger role to play in the village and possibly further afield. They both agreed that Cross was the man to help him fulfil his destiny, and The Graham’s were grateful for that and the fact that as Cross explained, the threat of losing their home had gone forever.
It took a few months to remove the Australians , the Law was quite clear, however , and once the Media heard about the story then Cross and Tedi’s life became hectic and the villagers looked at the Papers excitedly when they saw pictures of those wicked Australians being evicted.
Before the Media Onset, Cross had researched through the Dogs Trust what had happened to Tedi’s brothers and sisters, as Marmaduke was known to have had a litter with his beloved Maisie. He was able to trace all the litter and once the owners heard the story, they were more than happy for their dogs to live in the “Big House ” as long as they were allowed to visit their dogs ocassionally. So , soon Tedi was reunited with Tizzie, Duke, Trinnie, Blaze and Marmie. Cross told their owners not only could they visit , but the House had a lot of rooms and they were more than welcome to stay for a Holiday with their dogs should they so wish.
And so began life at the big House for all the dogs and the people who knew them.
thenotsomightyom 