A Christmas Deliverance by Anne Perry

Author:Anne Perry [Perry, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2022-11-08T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

Scuff was putting away newly washed pots and pans when he heard a noise. He turned to see who was there. Crowe had told him of Mattie, the little girl from a few days ago. This must be her. And this time she was not alone. She held in her arms, rather too tightly, a calico and white cat, very small. A kitten, in fact.

“I brung you a present,” she said, looking up at Scuff. She unfastened the kitten’s claws from her sleeve and held it out.

For a moment, Scuff froze. “It’s very little,” he stated.

“She’ll grow,” Mattie replied. “Her name is Rosie. She’ll catch mices for you, and rats.”

What on earth could he say? The little creature, barely weeks old, was wriggling and likely to fall. He took it from her and held it in his arms. It fastened its needle-like claws into his woolen sweater. When he put his hand around the kitten to make sure he had hold of her, she started to purr. Her whole body was vibrating, and her blue eyes were closed in pleasure.

“Rosie,” he repeated. He didn’t want a cat. He had no time to look after a baby animal.

“She likes you,” Mattie said with a shy smile.

“Are you sure it’s a she?” he asked. Not that it mattered, but it was something to say while he thought about the best way to handle this.

“Always are, when they’re this color,” said Mattie. “She’ll grow up to be a good mouser!”

He had no idea if that was true, but it sounded reasonable. He swallowed hard. Here was this child, with no apparent family, giving him probably the most precious thing she had—her friend, a tiny cat who was as alone and as dependent as she was. Without thinking, he stroked the soft little head. It would need milk every day! And what else? Meat? It was far too small to catch any mouse at all, let alone one that was big enough to feed it.

Mattie watched him, her eyes full of trust, but slowly her expression changed. Scuff was certain she was realizing that perhaps he didn’t see the kitten as the same precious thing that she did.

“You have to come here and feed her for me.” Scuff heard his own voice and could barely believe it. What was he doing?

“I can do that!” she said, her face shining with hope again. “I’ll look after her all the time.”

He felt the heat rising up his face. “We’ll find a place for her to sleep. Are you sure she won’t run away?”

“No, she won’t,” Mattie said with certainty. “Not if you feed her.” She looked at him curiously. She was a child of the streets, he could see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice. He should recognize it! He had been about her age when he first spent a night on the riverbank, cold, hungry, and alone.

“If I get some milk now, will you feed her for me?” he asked.

Mattie nodded vigorously.

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