by Lucy Daniels
The crowd stayed quiet. Mandy was aware of Reverend Hadcroft beaming over the heads of the children, and of Jack’s face reduced to two huge eyes and a mouth like an O. Dancer seemed oblivious to the fact that she was the centre of so much attention.
The boy playing Joseph raised his hand. ‘Can we call the calf Jesus? Please?’
Mrs Ponsonby, who had been behind Jimmy in the pew next to Mandy, seemed to swell into sight like a balloon. ‘You cannot possibly call a baby reindeer Jesus,’ she insisted in a loud stage whisper. ‘It’s not right.’
Mandy tried not to laugh. She thought Jesus would be a fabulous name for a reindeer. But she took pity on Mrs Ponsonby, who had her heart in the right place.
‘Don’t worry, Mrs Ponsonby,’ she said, then turned to the children. ‘Lovely as the name Jesus is,’ she told them, ‘I’m afraid I don’t think it would suit this new baby.’ She tried to hide her grin as there came a chorus of ‘Why not?’ and ‘Awww, Miss.’ Holding a finger to her lips, she hushed them. ‘It wouldn’t suit this new baby,’ she said, ‘because Jesus is a boy’s name. And this little calf is actually a girl.’
A murmur of laughter ran through the audience. Jimmy’s face was split in two by his broad grin. ‘Why don’t we call her Mary?’ he suggested. There was a chorus of assent from the children.
‘What a lovely name.’ Ania Legg smiled at Jimmy. ‘What do you think, Ed?’ She turned to her husband.
‘I think it’s perfect,’ he said. ‘And that we were very lucky that Mandy was in the audience to help out.’ He smiled his thanks. ‘But I also think we should get Dancer and Mary home, so they can get to know one another in peace.’ Mandy looked at Dancer, who was starting to look distracted by the rows of faces watching. Mary the calf needed to start feeding, but Dancer’s milk would only come down if she was relaxed.
Ed was frowning. ‘I think we’re going to have to make two journeys,’ he said. ‘We can’t take all three of them in the trailer.’
Mandy stepped forward. ‘If it would help,’ she said, ‘I could take Blitzen back to Hope Meadows for the night. He’d have to share the paddock and field shelter with some donkeys, but I’m guessing he wouldn’t mind.’
Ania smiled at Mandy. ‘That would be great,’ she said. ‘If you’re sure. We can collect him any time it’s suitable.’
Reverend Hadcroft ushered the children aside as Ania and Ed guided Dancer and Mary back up the aisle. Mandy, Jimmy and Blitzen followed. Behind them, the crowd closed in like the Red Sea, following them all the way to the door and into the snowy churchyard.
‘Merry Christmas, everybody!’ Ed and Ania turned and waved once doe and calf were safely loaded. There was a chorus of greetings in return, then the crowd of nativity goers turned to filter back into the church. There was still the rest of the performance to see, minus the reindeer guests.
‘I guess we’re going to miss the mince pies this year,’ Jimmy said, his words making puffy cloud breaths in the clear night air. Beside him, Blitzen seemed perfectly calm as they made their way up the lane.
‘Actually, Gran brought me some round yesterday,’ Mandy said. ‘We can take them back to yours, if you like.’
The Milky Way glittered overhead as the two of them released Blitzen into the paddock. Holly and Robin trotted over to greet the newcomer, fascinated by this new creature with his fur-covered nose and velvet antlers.
Jimmy filled the rack in the field shelter with hay. ‘I hope Santa doesn’t mind missing a couple of his reindeer,’ he joked.
‘Maybe next year Holly could be in the nativity,’ Mandy suggested as she watched the three animals start pulling at strands of hay. ‘She’d be better behaved than the hobby horse Mary was riding.’
Jimmy grinned. ‘Shall we head off?’ he suggested.
Mandy took a last glance around the field shelter. The ground was strewn with clean straw. The two donkeys and one reindeer looked very comfortable as they ate side by side, a row of fluffy grey-brown backs, two pairs of tall ears matched by a spectacular set of antlers.
Without Adam and Emily at home, the cottage seemed very quiet and Mandy was glad she wasn’t going to spend the night there. Jimmy clutched Gran’s tin of mince pies on his knee as Mandy drove up the lane. It felt right to be heading back to Mistletoe Cottage. Tomorrow would be Christmas Eve. Jimmy was seeing Abi and Max. Not wanting to get in the way, Mandy had arranged to spend the evening with James, who was popping in on his way to stay with Paul’s parents. Mum and Dad had arrived safely in Scotland and Stuart Mortimore was behind bars. For the first time in weeks, Mandy could properly relax.
Chapter Thirty-One
It was lovely to wake up slowly and naturally. For once, Mandy hadn’t set the alarm. Opening her eyes, for a moment she wondered where she was, but then Jimmy stirred beside her. Sitting up in bed, she gazed out of the window. Christmas morning and there was still snow on the ground. Bunches of living mistletoe hung heavy from the apple tree in the garden. Beyond the fence, a blackthorn hedge sloped away, following the line of the lane.
‘Merry Christmas.’ Jimmy’s sleepy eyes held a smile, as if he was amused and delighted to see her there. He opened his arms for a hug. ‘Ooof!’
Sky, whose bed had been placed in the corner, took a flying leap onto the bed, landing on Jimmy’s midriff. He laughed as the excited collie dashed straight over him and into Mandy’s arms, licking her face.
‘Typical!’ Jimmy said, rolling his eyes. ‘Using me as a trampoline and then stealing my hug, just to add insult to injury.’ He looked hard at Sky. ‘Dogs these days,’ he grumbled. ‘You should know your place, young Sky.’
Hearing her name, the collie stopped fussing over Mandy and stretched over to lick Jimmy’s ear.
‘She does know her place.’ Mandy reached over and pulled Sky back into her arms. ‘Her place is right next to me at all times.’
Jimmy grinned. ‘I guess we’d better get up,’ he said. ‘The way that dog’s trying to eat you suggests to me she’s hungry.’
It was all still very new. Standing downstairs in her dressing gown and slippers, Mandy had to wait while Jimmy grabbed his keys from a bowl in the kitchen and let the dogs out. She would find her way around soon enough, but for now, she watched out of the window as the three excited animals raced around the garden and Jimmy put the kettle on for coffee.
Her mind wandered back to yesterday evening. James had been delighted with the present she had given him. She had commissioned a portrait of him on his wedding day, with Paul, Seamus, and Lily. His eyes had filled with tears when he had seen it.
The dogs pattered back into the kitchen, their tongues lolling out, tails wagging. Carrying a tray with coffee and cream, Jimmy led Mandy into the sitting room. To her surprise, there were three bulgy hiking socks hanging at the side of the fireplace. She was even more amazed, when Zoe and Simba rushed over to the stockings, sniffed them, and then rushed back to Jimmy. Simba let out a single ‘Wuff!’
‘Okay, okay!’ Jimmy held up his hands as the two dogs glanced up at him, then rushed back over to inspect the stockings again. Following them, he took down the stockings. ‘One for you.’ He lay Simba’s down on the rug. ‘One for you.’ Zoe examined the sock from end to end, then began to try to burrow inside. ‘And this one,’ Jimmy’s eyes were laughing as he gazed across the room, ‘this one’s for you, Sky.’
Mandy glanced down. Sky was standing close to her, looking up as if requesting permission. ‘Go on, then,’ Mandy told her. Zoe and Simba seemed to know exactly what to do with their stockings, but Mandy had to help Sky to retrieve the gifts inside hers. There was a hide chew toy, some healthy snacks, and a fluffy mallard which quacked when it was squeezed. Sky seemed a bit puzzled. Mandy wondered if she had ever had a present before. Maybe next year she would rush in to her stocking, as Zoe and Simba had done.
Jimmy had heated up some Danish pastries to go with their second cup of coffee. When he came back from the kitchen, he was clutching something under his arm. Sett
ing the tray down on the coffee table, he held out the package towards Mandy. ‘For you,’ he said, sitting beside her on the sofa.
It was immaculately packed in red and gold giftwrap. Mandy removed the Sellotape and unfolded the paper to reveal a book. ‘British Birds of Prey,’ she read. On the front was a photograph of a red kite, its wings outstretched. ‘Thank you.’ She reached over and kissed Jimmy on the cheek. ‘It’s beautiful.’
Handing over her presents for him, she watched as he ripped them open. He laughed when he saw what she had bought him. ‘Thermal underwear,’ he said. ‘To keep me warm when you’re not here …’ He unwrapped the second. ‘And a vegetarian cookbook for when you are. Just what I always wanted.’ His voice was teasing and he continued to smile as he kissed her in turn.
They all went together to Hope Meadows. To Mandy’s pleasure, Nicole had left presents for all the animals. Pull toys for the dogs, little balls for the cats to bat around. She had even left plant-based chew toys for the rabbits. Mandy missed the sweet sound of the guinea pigs, but she had no doubt they would be having a wonderful Christmas with Rachel and Brandon.
Holly and Robin seemed delighted with the extra Christmas carrots Mandy had brought them. She and Jimmy stayed for a while, just making a fuss of them. How different they were from a few weeks ago, when they would have run away as soon as anyone arrived. Mandy found herself wishing they had red velvet collars like the reindeer.
Ania and Ed had called in yesterday to take Blitzen home. Mary was doing very well, they said. Dancer too.
Lastly, Mandy took the rescue dogs into the orchard. For once, she let them all out together. Albert, Twiglet, Flame and Birch galloped round and round with Simba, Zoe and Sky. It was a wonderful sight as they dashed around in the snow, bowing and leaping, chasing and playfighting. Their coats were shiny. Birch’s ribs were no longer standing out.
‘They are a credit to you,’ Jimmy told her as Sky bounded up to them, then raced away again after Birch. ‘You should be very proud of yourself. The last few months can’t have been easy. Lots of people would have given up.’
‘I had a lot of help,’ Mandy protested, but he just put his arm around her and gave her a squeeze.
‘Well, whatever you say, I’m proud of you,’ he insisted.
Mandy looked round the paddock for a change of subject and soon found one. ‘Look at Zoe,’ she said with a laugh. The husky had dug her nose right in under the snow and had pulled out an old carrot that must have been buried. She was now parading round the orchard, looking very pleased with a large clump of snow balanced on her nose. The orange vegetable hung at a rakish angle from her teeth.
‘Maybe she’s going to build a snowman and she needed a nose,’ Jimmy suggested. They stood there a long time. When Birch started to look a bit shivery, Mandy took them all back inside for a special dinner with hot salt-free gravy and some pieces of potato. It was almost too difficult to leave them, but Mandy satisfied herself that all her charges were comfortable before heading back up to Jimmy’s house.
When the phone rang on the way back, Mandy jumped. With all the festivities, she had almost forgotten that she was on call. Pulling in to the side of the road, she stopped the car. Her heart sank a little as she pulled the phone from her pocket, but it was Emily’s number. With a sigh of relief, she pressed the button.
Emily had the phone switched to loudspeaker. ‘Merry Christmas,’ she said and Adam called, ‘From me too.’
‘How are you getting on?’ Emily sounded worried, but then she laughed, saying, ‘Stop it, Adam! I’m allowed to ask!’ Mandy could imagine her father making faces at the question.
‘Everything’s fine,’ Mandy replied. ‘Quiet so far.’
‘That’s good. How are all your charges doing? How’s Tango?’ Her dad sounded as if he was still grinning.
‘Tango is just fine, Dad. He’ll be waiting for you when you come back.’ Mandy had pulled into the side of the road beside the hedge. She could see a sparrow among the bare branches outside the car window.
‘I’m sorry you’re working over Christmas.’ Emily’s voice again.
The sparrow flitted off. In the back of the car, Sky stood up, her head on one side as if she was trying to listen to the voices on the other end of the phone.
‘There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,’ Mandy assured her mother. ‘And I’ve got a very useful assistant to help me.’ Beside her in the car, Jimmy grinned. ‘So how about you?’ Mandy asked. ‘How’s the hotel?’
‘It’s absolutely wonderful.’ Emily was enthusiastic. ‘We’ve got a view of the loch from our room. There’s a peat fire in the lounge and a wonderful library. I’m going to read until my eyes squint.’
‘Sounds lovely,’ Mandy said.
‘Maybe we could come back in the summer. Is Jimmy there?’ her mum asked.
‘He’s here. We’re just on our way back from Hope Meadows.’
‘Well, I’m glad everything’s going well. Please give my love to Jimmy.’
‘They send their love,’ Mandy told him, after the call was ended.
Back at the cottage, Jimmy led Mandy into the kitchen. Opening the fridge and then the freezer, he showed her the food he had bought. There were frozen roast potatoes, cabbage and swede mash, Yorkshire puddings, onion gravy, vegetarian sausages, and a roast, which declared it was handmade from pistachios, lentils, and porcini mushrooms. They had been planning to make lunch when they returned, but the weather was so lovely that Mandy found herself wishing they could spend some more time outside instead.
As if reading her mind, Jimmy closed the door of the fridge and turned to face her. ‘I know we said we’d cook when we got back, but it’s such a lovely day. What would you say if I suggested a walk and we’ll cook later when we get back?’
‘That would be wonderful’ Mandy found herself beaming up at him. ‘I can’t go too far from the car, just in case a call comes in, but we could take the Land Rover up and go for a wander up towards the Beacon?’
‘Sounds perfect,’ Jimmy told her.
‘I’ll just go and get changed.’ Galloping up the stairs two at a time, Mandy grabbed her walking boots, waterproof trousers, and a jacket. She put two lightweight fleeces into a rucksack for good measure.
Despite her warm clothes, it was bracing as they made their way through the snow. It had crusted over, after yesterday’s sunshine. In places it was firm, but in others it had softened in the sunshine and they sank in, as if walking on sand. It was hard going, but the view as they climbed was stunning. Mandy stopped to catch her breath. Behind her, Jimmy also halted, though the dogs continued to explore, trotting up and down the track, searching for scents on every clump of heather which poked through the icy layer.
Far below them, snaking across the valley floor, Mandy could see the dark lines of drystone walls peeping out from under their caps of snow. The church with its arched windows and square tower seemed to have an almost reddish tone as it bathed in the light from the sun, which hung low in the winter sky. Beyond the village green, the river was a faint silvery line through snow-heavy banks.
On the far side of the valley, Mandy could see Lamb’s Wood. The roof of the cottage was barely visible, covered in snow and hidden among branches. She caught herself sighing and pulled herself up. This was no time to be sad.
‘It’s a pity you didn’t manage to get it ready for Christmas.’ For the second time that day, Jimmy seemed to have divined her thoughts.
‘I’d hoped to be much further on with renovations,’ Mandy admitted.
‘It is a massive project. And impossible to tackle in this snow.’ Jimmy’s voice was philosophical. ‘I’ll help you when the weather changes, if you like.’
Mandy reached out and took his gloved hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. ‘Thanks,’ she said. She sighed again. ‘I know I should be happy, because everything has worked out okay,’ she told him. ‘But so many things seem to have gone wrong there. Robbie getting ill and the state his animals were in was bad en
ough, but then with his nephew and all the things he did …’ She trailed off. ‘It’s not how I pictured finding my first home would be,’ she confessed.
Jimmy stood very still, gazing over in the direction of Lamb’s Wood. ‘You could make a new start,’ he suggested. ‘What about a new name? And all the bad things you mentioned are over now. There can be new memories. You and Sky. You’ll make some together.’
For a moment, Mandy felt uneasy. Could she really rename the cottage? Wouldn’t it be disloyal to Robbie Grimshaw? Would it be like erasing all the memories he had left? Closer to home, she realised it bothered her that Jimmy had mentioned her and Sky making memories, but not himself. She might not wish to rush anything, but if they were to have any future, they would have to create it together.
She reached out, wrapping his hand in both of hers but keeping her eyes on the landscape. ‘We’ll make new memories together,’ she said. ‘You and me, Sky, Zoe and Simba. All of us. And yes, I think I would like to rename the cottage.’
Though she was not looking at his face, she could tell he was pleased. His gloved fingers squeezed hers. ‘We’d better think of a perfect name, then,’ he said.
Turning back onto the track, they began to climb again. The pathway was strewn with rocks and Mandy had to pick her way carefully. For several minutes, neither of them spoke.
‘It’s not easy, is it?’ Jimmy said eventually. He stopped to look back at her, his hands on his hips. ‘What sort of thing were you thinking? Some kind of tree name? Birch Cottage? The Spinney?’
Mandy frowned. Birch Cottage sounded cosy, but too tame somehow. The Spinney? There were a lot of bushes and trees. ‘They sound a bit too …’ She searched for the right word. ‘… humdrum.’ She stopped as well and bent down to rub Sky’s fur, feeling the breath catch in her lungs. It was too difficult to talk and scramble at the same time. ‘Maybe something more quirky?’
Jimmy grinned. ‘Quirky?’ he echoed. ‘What, like Simba’s Hide or Sky’s-the-Limit?’