Hortensia was sitting high up in her favourite fir tree, the wind was blowing all around and the great branches tossing wildly, 'Oh what fun to be free' she balanced on a branch with her hair streaming all around 'how I love to feel the wind!' She settled back against the trunk and closed her eyes as she rested and began to listen to the roar of the branches and for any news that the wind might be bringing.
'Oh my, dear oh dear, best be home as fast as possible!' and with that Hortensia started swinging her way down the trunk and was soon heading back at top speed.
It was a wild looking Hortensia that burst through the door at Persimmon Heights, 'Archie, Archie, Eleanora is coming to visit, she is on her way and nearby!'
'Blast and bobbins' Archie had stood up so quickly that his stool fell over, 'best spread the word, not much time for preparations!'
Hortensia went to the door and started blowing on her trumpet, not an emergency call but an 'alert, big news' call that soon had everyone running to their front door wanting to know what was happening!
As she passed out the mint humbugs, Hortensia shared her news. 'Eleanora is coming to visit, she is nearby and should be with us by nightfall!' Archibold and Stephanotis, Isabel and Aunt Mildred and Uncle Humperdinck all sucked furiously on their humbugs as they thought through what had to be done.
As close family relatives, she would of course be staying with them, but then there were the welcoming suppers and a Meeting of The Venerables to be arranged, and the new planting schemes to show and a visit to Mrs Partridge's garden to be planned,
Baby Harriet who had been listening keenly was overjoyed at the news. Auntie Eleanora was one of her very favourite people and she knew in her heart, that the main reason that she was coming was to see her!
