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They found Merryn clutching a basket of eggs and standing by the hen coop. When they explained, Jago took the basket from her as she was quivering with excitement so violent he thought she’d drop them.
Tom led them back to house saying the dog was in the farmhouse being looked after by his mother. He warned Merryn she’d have to be calm and quiet so as not to frighten the puppy. They walked into the kitchen where an older woman was sitting at a huge, scarred table reading a broadsheet newspaper.
‘This is my mother, Joan,’ he explained. ‘She’s been keeping an eye on the pup.’
‘Hello, greetings all,’ she said in a low voice. ‘The little one is over here. Hello,’ she addressed Merryn. ‘You must be the animal whisperer Tom has told me all about. Are you ready to meet her?’
Merryn nodded, wide-eyed.
‘Come on then, through to the boot room. She’s having a snooze in her bed. Come in quietly though.’
The others followed, standing in the doorway to give Merryn and the dog some space. A scrawny black and white spaniel was curled up, watching with twitchy defensive eyes. Joan knelt on the quarry tiles and beckoned for Merryn to join her by the dog’s bed.
‘Hello,’ Merryn crooned.
The spaniel regarded the little girl, and Merryn sat perfectly still, waiting for the dog to come to her. Everyone held their breath. Time ticked by slowly. Eventually, she was rewarded by a sniff and then a lick and then, a tiny wag of a tail.
‘Here,’ Joan said gently, ‘try a biscuit.’
Merryn held out the treat. The dog wolfed it down, frantically sniffing her bed for crumbs. Finding none, she licked Merryn’s hand and then planted two enormous paws on the girl’s shoulders and licked her face. Merryn responded by getting into the dog bed and cuddling her.
‘Think it might be a match,’ Joan said, standing up stiffly. ‘You did exactly the right thing. Youarean animal whisperer. If you ever want a job here at the sanctuary, you know where to come.’ She glanced up at the others and said, with tears in her eyes, ‘This little thing has been to the ends of hell and back but I think she’s found her home.’
Behind him Jago heard his mother sniff.
‘I think she has too,’ Avril said.
While Merryn played with an increasingly confident puppy, Joan took them back into the kitchen, made them all tea and distributed more biscuits, this time for human consumption.
‘I’m sure Tom’s explained she’s a sweet little thing,’ she said, as she poured tea from an enormous flower-patterned teapot. ‘We’ve worked hard on her potty training and she’s nearly there. She can be timid around strange men and new experiences but, once she’s got the measure of you, she’s fine. She’ll soon be bouncing around at home with you all.’ She held out a plate of chocolate digestives. ‘Lots of socialisation, I think. Just as you would with a new puppy. And, if she shows any nerves, gentle reassuring and lots of treats and, if that doesn’t work, take her out of the situation. That would be my advice.’
‘We had a springer when I was a child growing up in Cornwall,’ Avril said.
‘Ah well, you know the spaniel breed then. I mean, they all vary but fundamentally they’re all inquisitive, highly intelligent and eat like billy-o,’ Joan tapped her nose, ‘and have their brains in their noses.’
Avril laughed. ‘Oh yes. I remember that about Pip. Pip was my springer. Ever-so biddable until she caught a scent. And then she was off.’
They listened for a minute as the sounds of Merryn trying to teach the puppy to ‘give paw’ floated through from the boot room.
Joan beamed. ‘I think you’ll all be very happy. And we’re always here to answer any questions, don’t forget.’
Tom kept hold of the puppy while they made an emergency dash to a pet superstore and bought a bed, treats, collar and lead, food and everything else needed. In the car on the return trip to the sanctuary to collect her, Merryn decided on a name.
‘I wanted to name her Holly,’ she announced. ‘But that would be too confusing seeing as Holly is my best friend so I think we ought to call her Ivy.’
On the journey back to Christmas Tree Cottage Merryn sat in the rear cuddling a whimpering dog all the way and talked to her softly.
As they released an anxious-looking dog into the kitchen, Jago said, ‘Now remember what Tom and Mrs Catesby said. We don’t want to overwhelm her,’ he warned. ‘Let Ivy settle in her bed, have a drink and a sniff around. Maybe, in a minute, we’ll take her out in the garden to see if she needs a wee.’
Avril, hands on hips, looked at them all. ‘Just as well we have tiles on the kitchen floor, is all I can say.’
‘Why, Mum?’ Merryn asked.
As Ivy sniffed around and then squatted, the reason became apparent.
CHAPTER10
‘LAST CHRISTMAS’ – WHAM
