Paw Tracks in the Moonlight

Author:Denis O’Connor [O’Connor, Denis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781780332840
Publisher: Constable & Robinson
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

It was the final day of the summer term at Alnwick College. The setting of examinations, the marking of exam scripts and the endless committee and qualification board meetings had served their ritualistic purposes to the full. Now, and for the next ten weeks, the college would be closed and the Duke of Northumberland’s castle would belong solely to him, his family, the tourists and, of course, the ravens. I was greatly relieved to be going home to the peace and quiet of the cottage after the hectic term that had just finished. I arrived home to find one of my colleagues, Diane Forester, who taught Art and Craft Design, waiting for me at the entrance to my drive. As I got out of the car to open the gates she rushed forward and began speaking urgently as if she had no time to lose.

‘Sorry that I didn’t catch up with you at college,’ she said. ‘I got your address from the office. Could you do me a real big favour and look after my horse, Fynn, for the summer? She’s no trouble really and I believe you rode her a few times when she was at Moorgate Stables.’

Somewhat taken aback by this full-frontal approach I stared at her with apprehension, while she had a look of anxiety doubled with desperation. She looked genuinely all hot and bothered. Obviously, she was experiencing some kind of emergency otherwise she wouldn’t have come to me as we really didn’t know each other at all well. In the meantime Toby Jug was pacing up and down, rubbing himself against my legs and trying to remind me that it was his dinner time. I invited Diane into the cottage and got the whole story whilst I fed Toby Jug.

The following day she was due to go on holiday abroad for several weeks with her family. Unfortunately, the arrangements for the care of her horse, a dark grey Connemara filly which I rode a few times before she bought her, had fallen through and someone at the college had suggested that I might be able to help her out. I could see that she was on the verge of tears as she sat on the edge of a kitchen chair clutching a handkerchief tightly in her fist.

‘Of course I’ll pay you for your trouble,’ she began and I waved dismissively with embarrassment. I told her that as I didn’t intend going away this summer I was prepared to look after her horse to the best of my ability. With that her eyes suddenly lost their intensity and heaving a sigh of relief she sat back in the chair and accepted the cup of tea I offered her.

Then she noticed Toby Jug who, having finished his meal, was busy washing himself. She leaned forward and stroked him but he wasn’t sure of her and swiftly moved away to lie down by the door. I had noticed before that cats tend to avoid people acting nervously.

‘Fynn was very fond of the stable cats at Moorgate,’ she said as she groped for something to say.

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