‘I’m sorry, who?’ It took Murray a moment to register it, but then the pup tumbled up to Kellie’s feet and he watched as she scooped her up into her arms.
‘Poppet, eh?’ said Murray, grinning.
It didn’t long to sort it all out. Poppet was old enough to leave with the Timmony family today, if they wanted, and Kellie said she’d hoped he was going to say that because they’d already bought her some stuff from the big pet store out of town.
Murray had only just finished waving the family and their new dog away in their car, with Kellie beaming with joy in the back seat holding her little Poppet, when two things happened at once.
Firstly, Murray felt himself wanting to cry, thinking he couldn’t give a second puppy away, determining that even if she had to stay here with Nell, who no one seemed to want to adopt anyway, and be a repair shop dog forever, he’d see to it that happened. And secondly, a lurching, limping figure in a coat with the sleeves flapping like wings behind him was stumbling through the gap in the wall.
Murray scrunched his eyes and blinked in disbelief, then flew into a panic, because what on earth was he doing in town?
‘Finlay Morlich! Have you hiked yourself all the way down that hill, in your condition?’ But he was smiling, just like Finlay was, even if the ranger looked fit to pass out.
‘Get inside here, you silly, silly person!’ Murray marched the breathless man into the mill house kitchen and made him sit at the table.
Murray was busy pouring him a glass of water when they heard scratching at the door and he had to go and let Nell in too.
The ranger tried to drink his water while Nell shoved at his legs and bounded in leaps of happiness at seeing her friend again. Finlay had to put his glass down to pet the dog.
‘Are you going to explain to me what all of this is in aid of?’ Murray demanded.
‘It’s just that I…’ Finlay paused, suddenly unsure of himself. ‘It’s just I… I missed… this stupid big dug, and I thought to myself, I wanted to see her. So, I got my boots on…’ Murray’s eyes fell to his unlaced hiking boots, the tongues lost inside. ‘And I came down to see you, I mean Nell. I came down the mountain to see Nell.’
Murray’s smile broadened. ‘I see. And had you any plans beyond that?’
Finlay shook his head. ‘Well, not really. Only, I actually did miss the mutt and wondered if the offer still stands to… take her off your hands? Do you a favour, like.’
‘Ah, a favour to me? Right.’ Murray nodded. ‘I think that could be arranged.’
For the first time in a very, very long time, at sea level, Finlay smiled too, and he patted the dog’s head. ‘Daft creature,’ he told her.
‘Yes, you are,’ agreed Murray, talking directly to Finlay. ‘So, is that it? You’ve done everything you came to do?’ He folded his arms, standing over the mountain man and his newly adopted best friend.
Finlay gulped and with some effort, got to his feet, before sitting sharply back down again. ‘Actually, can you give me a hand getting these boots off? My feet are killing me.’
Murray kneeled before him, making quick work of it, and once his boots were off, staying down there to rub the places his feet must hurt. ‘You were about to say…?’
‘I was about to say,’ Finlay began, ‘that maybe it wasn’t just the dog I was missing.’
Murray stifled a laugh. ‘I’d only been gone three days.’
‘Four whole nights, actually,’ Finlay corrected. ‘And I was thinking how, it doesn’t matter where in the world your job is posting you to, I’ll be here waiting for you when you get back.’
‘You will?’
‘I will,’ Finlay said simply. ‘But I’d still like to know, pretty sharpish, where in the world you’re planning on going. I’m assuming you do know by now?’
Murray abandoned Finlay’s feet and stood before him. ‘Iamgoing to Bali, as it happens, for three months starting in September, though I’ve said no to the Texas job.’
‘Why?’
‘Too far from you, I suppose.’ Murray shrugged. ‘And the other contract, I accepted as well.’ He could tell Finlay was putting on a brave face, preparing for worse news. ‘It’s in Ballater.’
‘Ballater? Ballater as in, an hour down the road, Ballater?’
Murray nodded. ‘Overseeing community heat sink projects. Three months, starting at the end of February. Home in the evenings.’
Finlay Morlich looked as though he was about to pass out, so Murray reached for him, and with steady hands lifted him to his feet.
