It was nearly two weeks since Simon had hurt his knee, in order to get him back to work, Henry had sent his chauffeur to collect Simon. We had a tearful parting, although I knew he’d be back for Christmas. He’d also hidden the keys to his Jaguar, where I could get them in an emergency. No one else was to touch it.

Stella was driving her Fiesta, although the way Puddin’ was growing, or the flotation tank he was in, driving was less than comfortable, as she wanted to wee as soon as she sat behind the wheel.

We’d had a couple of visits from social workers. I know it’s a dreadful job but someone has to do it. It’s like mine, but without me who’s going to save the dormouse? I tried to be tactful and polite, but they each left making me feel I was trying to do something underhanded or illegal.

“Just because you’ve got money, doesn’t mean you haven’t got to go through the same channels as everyone else who wants to foster children.”

Neither of them would believe that it had happened by chance, or so I thought. They didn’t like Mima calling me her mother, they didn’t like anything, but Dr Rose’s support was holding them off at the moment. He was apparently the Senior Consultant in Paediatrics in the county, and his word carried a lot of weight.

My lawyer was delighted he’d support us continuing our custody of the child. He seemed really pleased that Mima was walking again and agreed that she seemed happy with Simon and me. He’d even visited to assess the house as suitable, he met Tom and realised Tom and his father had been at Edinburgh together as students.

It was now the twentieth of December and I was growing increasingly stressed by the forthcoming judicial review. Stella had dragged both Mima and me out to the best shops in Southampton, to buy a new suit to appear in court, and for Mima to wear something angelic. We found a lovely little dress for her which she adored, in blue and white with lots of ribbons and bows. I thought it was a bit OTT, but Mima loved it, and besides we had to buy it–she wouldn’t take it off.

I decided I’d wear my YSL suit, the one that Stella had given me, that I’d been filmed in and also had a dormouse pee all over. It looked like that was sorted. We were about to head for home, when my mobile rang.

“Hello?”

“Cathy?”

“Yes, who’s that?”

“Alan, what did you think of the film?”

“I haven’t seen it.”

“You’re joking?”

“I wish, I found it irritating that Henry had seen it before me.”

“I sent a DVD to you over two weeks ago. I wondered why you hadn’t got back to me.”

“I haven’t received anything.”

“Well it would have been signed for.”

“Hang on.” I spoke to Stella, “Do you recall something arriving for me that required a signature?”

“No, oh, there was that CD thing, Mima was bringing up to you.”

“I didn’t get it, that’s the dormouse film.”

“Oh no! Where did she put it?”

“Sorry Alan, we appear to have lost it this end, my foster-kid seems to have hidden it.”

“I’ll send another by courier, you’ll get it tomorrow. It’s nearly the finished product, if you like it I’ll tidy up the sound track and we can start Erin flogging it around the terrestrials. I know the Beeb want it, maybe we can get one of the US or Canadian stations to buy it, they know we make the best natural history pictures in the world.”

“Are ‘Mericans into dormice, then?”

“They will be with you selling the narration.”

“Ha ha, very funny.”

“It’s no laughing matter kiddo, once people see it, they will want you doing more–I can almost guarantee it.”

“Don’t be silly.” I was blushing.

“Move over Sir David, make way for Lady Cathy.”

“Have you been drinking?”

“Only tea, your ladyship. I’m serious, you come over as sexy and knowledgeable–the perfect combination. You wait until you see it.”

“I’m not saying anything until I’ve seen it, I can still sink it.”

“Don’t go all iceberg on me, Cathy, this is the best thing I’ve ever done, and if you love dormice, it’ll be the best thing you’ll have ever done, too. Now what’s this about a kid?”

“I’m fostering a young lady, who’s mother had to dash off abroad.”

“Oh, get rid of her soon, we have more films to make.”

“I’ll do no such thing. I’ll give up the films first, every time.”

“So dormice mean nothing to you after all.”

“Yes, of course they do, but so do children.”

“Bloody women, bloody children. Don’t do this to us, Cathy. This is the biggest opportunity you’ll ever have to save the planet, don’t blow it.”

“This young lady is relying on me, I can’t let her down.”

“I’m relying on you, Cathy, so is the world if not the universe.”

“I’m not Flash Gordon, Alan.”

“I know that, you are an amazingly talented presenter and scientist, and the sexiest female on two legs.”

“I didn’t think you’d know about such things.”

“It wasn’t me, it’s the team I’ve had helping me, they all want to marry you or something like that.”

“I have to go, this young woman needs her tea.”

“Okay, get back to me as soon as the film arrives and you’ve seen it.”

“Okay, I will.” I switched off my mobile and shoved it in my bag, and went back to pushing the buggy to my car. “Can you believe that man?”

“Why? What did he say?” asked Stella.

“He said his team thought I was the sexiest thing on film.”

“Blind, were they?”

“Probably, at least some of them might have been, they’ve been doing a sound track.”

“Oh come on, Cathy, you are a real beauty who lights up when you start talking about dormice. Of course they think you’re sexy, you are.”

I blushed, how could anyone say that of me? Surely she was joking? What will the tabloids do, will it affect the custody thing when my origins come out yet again?

“Are you okay, Cathy?”

“Yeah, I suppose so. Let’s go home.” I’d just strapped Mima in her car seat when my mobile rang again. I nearly didn’t answer it. “Hello?”

“Cathy?”

“Yes, who’s that?” I vaguely recognised the voice.

“It’s Neal, we’ve got a problem with the dormice, can you like, get your arse down here pronto?”