4.5: Pebble

Happy to have her foot back under her own jurisdiction, Lottie is out the next day, playing in the woods as usual. Lottie has ‘tutorials’ in the Potting Shed in the mornings with Lois-the-Hippo’s taciturn brother (who has a silly name Lottie refuses to use) but gets to spend the afternoons as she likes. 

(She assumes that Alcock has cleared this with the education authority but sometimes suspects that, because she arrived in what were after all sudden and mysterious circumstances, he may just have told no one about her. Since she’s happy as things are, best not to ask. Who has ever heard a good thing about a social worker?!)

She tries to avoid spying on Masongill and pTravis in their silly den - why didn't they invite her along? - but cannot help playing nearby. But then something distracts her. 

A lovely little stone! With bright eyes and a cute expression. 

Wait: a stone with a cute expression?!? 

But this one seems entirely lovely. She decides to call it ‘Pebble’ and keep it as a pet. All the same, she decides that it is best not to tell anyone else.