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“Rowww,” he lamented, stretching his front leg out so it was hanging awkwardly over my arm.
It reminded me of when you slept on the edge of your bed and your arm just sort of hung there, suspended in mid-air, ready for the under-the-bed demons to drag you to the underworld.
I hoisted Winston into a one-armed grip while I locked the barn doors, then readjusted him to a proper one as I set out towards Greygarth Lodge. It was a beautiful evening—the sun wasn’t quite setting yet, but there was a haze of low cloud on the horizon that hadn’t quite burnt away in the hot afternoon sun.
It didn’t take long to reach the lodge. I had no idea if Ellie was even in there, and I doubted there’d be a door left open for Winston to return to this time, so I sat on a bench that was just out of view of the house and put the cat next to me.
Unbothered, he licked his paws.
I pulled my phone from the pocket of my shorts and opened the text message thread with Ellie. We’d only texted once, but this seemed like a good place to start.
ME: Are you at the lodge?
Her response came almost immediately, making me jolt with a bit of surprise as my phone pinged.
I quickly put it on vibrate.
Ellie: Yes. Why?
ME: I’m sorry.
Ellie: For what?
ME: Answer the door in about thirty seconds.
Ellie: What? Why?
I hauled Winston up, snapped a selfie of us both, and sent it to her.
Ellie: I cannot believe you just took a selfie with my cat.
ME: He’s been catching mice.
Ellie: Better those than crows, I suppose.
ME: He’s been most helpful.
Ellie: I doubt that. I’ll come and open the door.
I tucked my phone away and carried Winston over to the lodge. Ellie opened the door right as my foot hit the bottom step, and she pursed her lips.
“Winston. We just discussed this this morning.”
“I don’t think he listened to you.” I handed him over.
“You don’t say.” She held him at arm’s length, glaring at him.
“Meerw,” Winston mewled.
“Go and get your food, you little bugger,” she muttered, putting him down.
He sauntered into the house like he was on a kitty catwalk and disappeared into the kitchen.
Ellie tucked her fiery auburn hair behind her ear and gave me a small smile. “Thank you for bringing him back. He didn’t bother you, did he?”
I shook my head. “No, he really did earn his keep today. He caught at least two mice and kept watch over the goat barn all day. If you can count sleeping as keeping watch.”
Her lips twitched into a slightly bigger smile. “Well, I suppose I’ll let him go if he’s only catching the mice. Besides, now I really do know where to find him.”
