A Morning Laugh Chases Away Woes

Previously

…Barnaby stared. His jaw, which had been set in a grim line of determination, slackened. His eyes, usually twinkling with innocent mischief, were wide with a mixture of disbelief and, dare he admit it, amusement. Bartholomew, his precious, irreplaceable starter, was being pampered by a family of prickly bath enthusiasts. The sheer, unadulterated absurdity of it all washed over him, a wave of relief so potent it almost made him dizzy