Maison Majella chapter 4: "I don't think Satan would call his dog Mary Puppins"
The search for a well does not go, well, well.
I’m not surprised Rocky knows the local water diviner. What I am surprised by is her hushed assertion that he’s a proxy of the devil.
“Majella,” she whispers, clutching my arm and dragging me back into the mobile home by my sleeve. “Tom says he once saw him floating over a puddle. You have to be careful with these types of supernatural gifts.”
If I don’t leave now I’m going to be late for my 8.30am meeting with the principal about the lead paint in the third class toilets. Unless they’re licking it, it shouldn’t really be a problem, but you couldn’t trust them.
“Rocky, you have to stay off the mushrooms. My father has known Dowsey Delaney for years. He’s not the devil. He has two King Charles spaniels and their names are Boobles and Mary Puppins. I just don’t think Satan would call his dog Mary Puppins.”
Not for the first time that week I feel a pang of guilt as I kiss Baby Aisling goodbye in Rocky’s arms and pick my way through the muck of the building site towards the car. I know she’s happy with Rocky but I’m just not sure how much tarot card tummy time is too much. Finding out that Baby Ais is the most chaotic star sign – Gemini with a Pisces moon – does explain a lot though.
This is the second day Dowsey is coming to the site with his magic wishbone-shaped hazel stick trying to find water. Daddy swears blind there’s a well somewhere and I’m trying not to lose the head after finding out this really should have been sorted before the foundations were even dug. Dowsey had no luck yesterday so Rocky’s fears that he’s born from the fires of hell should really be assuaged. I have an appointment to look at Quooker taps at lunchtime today but I’m wasting my time if we can’t find water and what’s the point of even building a house if you can’t have a Quooker tap? We made the kids in school do a sponsored skip last year to get one for the staff room after the Department turned down our request claiming instant scalding water would