Chapter 10
10
‘So, where is he?’ Sarah asked Jade as she struggled into Duck Pond Cottage the following Friday evening with a small suitcase and a selection of bulging bags, which she plonked on the wooden floor of the hall.
‘If you mean my new employee, he’s not starting until tomorrow. He’s an artist. He’s been doing some sketching this week, apparently.’
‘Should get on well with Ben, then.’ Sarah grinned. ‘I’ll just get the rest of his stuff.’
‘More stuff?’ Jade said in alarm. ‘What on earth is it all?’
‘Clothes, school stuff, just in case we get delayed and have to stay an extra day, and that carrier bag is mostly stuffed with dog treats. He’s been saving his breakfast sausages. I did tell him you fed them.’
Jade shook her head in amazement. ‘It’s a good job I cleared out the spare room. What time are you off?’
‘We’re planning to get going at 6a.m. tomorrow. Callum’s loading up the camper van now.’ Sarah paced across the office and looked out at the darkening sky. ‘It’s set to get really cold again, according to the weather forecast. I hope we don’t drive into too much snow. I’m glad you’ve got some help. I don’t feel so bad about you looking after Ben.’
‘Stop it, Sarah. You know I love having him. Where is he, anyway?’
‘He went to see Candy’s pups. He doesn’t seem a bit bothered about me going. I’m going to miss him like hell, it’s the first time we’ve ever been apart.’
‘I expect he’s more bothered than he’s letting on,’ Jade said, hearing the wistful note in Sarah’s voice. ‘But it’s good really, isn’t it – that he feels secure enough to want to stay here without you?’
‘Yes, I suppose so.’ Jade saw the shine of tears in her eyes.
‘Oh, Sarah, come here.’ She hugged her friend tightly, breathing in the scent of apple shampoo mixed with the wild musk scent she always wore. ‘I won’t let anything happen to him. He’ll be fine.’
‘I know he will. I’m sorry. I’m being silly.’
Sarah sniffed and Jade said softly, ‘Come on, I’ll take his stuff inside and you go and see what he’s doing. A week will be gone in no time. And when you get back you can meet my new employee. Maybe we could all go out together. I’ll ask Aiden, too.’
‘What’s his name anyway, this wonder guy?’ Sarah asked at the same moment that Ben reappeared with a grimy face and eyes that were suspiciously glittery.
‘Darling, what’s wrong?’ Sarah gasped as she and Jade both looked at him in alarm.
‘Diesel scratched me.’ There was a distinct wobble in his voice as he sniffed and rolled up his sleeve to show them the thin red weal on his arm.
Jade swallowed hard and wondered again if this was going to work. Yesterday she and Dawn, who was sensible and middle-aged and had several grandchildren of her own, had gone round the entire sanctuary and ‘Ben proofed’ everything. There were padlocks on all the animal pens apart from the chickens, Jade’s medical supplies were out of reach as well as under lock and key, and Jade was certain that the fencing around the paddocks was childproof.
But Diesel was a law unto himself. Jade wondered if perhaps she should confine him to the cattery.
‘I was only cuddling him,’ Ben mumbled. ‘Not tight, Auntie Jade, honest, I wasn’t.’
‘He’s a grumpy old sod,’ Jade said, realising belatedly she shouldn’t have said ‘sod’. ‘Let’s get you some antiseptic cream and a plaster. You can cuddle Mickey in a minute. He likes a nice cuddle.’
Ben stuck his thumb in his mouth and looked around for Jade’s dog, who was the only animal, apart from Diesel, who had the run of the place. Mickey was the ‘rug on legs’ that Sarah’s neighbour had eventually given up because of her asthmatic grandchildren and Jade had decided with slightly irrational logic that the best way to avoid anyone rejecting him was to keep him herself.
Ben’s arm now sorted out, Jade chewed her lip as she watched Sarah kiss his fair head and wished she didn’t feel quite so terrified at the prospect of being solely responsible for him.
Not that she was going to admit this to her best friend. She knew how much this trip meant to her. It wasn’t just about meeting Callum’s parents, it was about giving Callum moral support. Sarah knew he was really worried about his dad, who had a recently diagnosed heart condition and had been told by his doctor to take things easy .
The Scotland trip wasn’t a holiday. Both Callum and Sarah would be working in between helping his parents. Luckily both of them could work remotely.
Thankfully Ben seemed to have forgotten about his sore arm now it sported a plaster and was now happily cuddling Mickey, who adored kids.
‘Let’s go and wave Mummy off,’ Jade said, holding out her hand.
Ben nodded cheerfully as they went and did just that. Kids were so amazingly resilient, Jade thought as he skipped happily ahead of her into the cottage. She wished she could be more like that.
‘I’m not trying to interfere, Jade, but don’t you think you ought to be more cautious? At least get some references. You don’t know anything about the guy.’
‘I doubt he’s an axe murderer, Aiden,’ she said, glancing at the vet’s concerned face. He was obviously uneasy and she wasn’t sure whether to be touched or irritated by his questions.
It was now Saturday morning and Ben was ‘helping’ Dawn clean out the chicken run, while she and Aiden were standing in the hospital block beside the dog pen. Aiden had declared that Tiny was coming along nicely, but didn’t seem to be in any hurry to go. ‘I didn’t say I thought he was dangerous. I just think you ought to be careful. Not rush into anything. Especially as he’s going to be living in your house.’
‘I’ve already employed him. In fact, he should be here any minute.’
‘I see… I’m sorry. I’ ll shut up.’
‘It’s fine. I appreciate you looking out for me. But don’t worry. He’s hardly going to pinch the silver, because I haven’t got any. In fact, I’ve got nothing worth the trouble of carrying out the front door.’
He put up his hands in a gesture of defeat and she regretted her sharpness.
‘Sorry. I know you’re only trying to help.’ She touched his arm lightly. ‘But Finn’s accepted the job despite the fact I’m paying him next to nothing, and to be honest, Aiden, I can’t afford to be too choosy. He seems nice enough.’
‘You will be careful, though, won’t you? You’ll let me know if he gives you any trouble.’
‘He didn’t strike me as being that kind of guy. Anyway, I’m a big girl. I can look after myself.’ She hoped that would be enough of a hint, but it seemed to go straight over Aiden’s head.
‘I know that. I just meant you can’t tell much about people, not from first impressions. He could be anyone.’
There was a cough from behind them. Jade spun round to see Finn standing there. She wondered how much of their conversation he’d heard.
‘Er, I didn’t realise you were here.’ She glanced at Aiden, who seemed to have developed an all-consuming interest in something in Candy’s pen.
Embarrassed, she fished a key out of her pocket and gave it to Finn. ‘Please go and get settled in and make yourself at home. Help yourself to coffee, whatever. I’ll be over in a minute.’
When he’d gone, she turned back to Aiden. ‘Blimey, I hope he didn’t hear that. It wasn’t a great welcome for him, was it?’
Aiden nodded, biting his lip. ‘Apologies. You’re right. We should give the bloke a chance.’
Finn went across to the cottage. So, he’d been right about Aiden. The guy obviously wasn’t at all happy about his presence. He wiped his feet on the doormat, which had a picture of a collie dog and the word ‘Welcome’ in black beneath it. Feeling like an intruder, he stepped inside. The place smelt faintly of dogs. He glanced around; he hadn’t seen one when Jade had shown him round. The hallway had two doors leading off it, both of which were open.
The left-hand one led into a lounge, which Jade had shown him, but he hadn’t really looked at it properly. Now he stood in the doorway, his gaze travelling over a brown patterned sofa and a matching armchair, both of which had seen better days. There was a bookcase stuffed with books, and a coffee table scattered with papers. In the corner was a plastic dog basket with a tartan blanket in it. Behind the chair was an open fireplace, which looked like it had been recently used.
The other door led through to a tiny kitchen. He saw a pile of washing-up in the sink as he went past. He continued on up the uncarpeted stairs. On the first floor were two bedrooms, Jade’s and the spare, which she’d explained that Ben was staying in while his mum and dad were away.
‘You can have it when he goes home – if you’re still here then,’ she’d joked, but he’d said no, the attic room, which was at the top of a further winding staircase, would suit him fine.
He carried on up and pushed open the door to his room.
Light flooded through a large, oblong skylight, casting golden pools across the little single bed. There was a small wardrobe and a washbasin with two white towels folded on the rail. Jade might not bother with the rest of the house, but this room was spotless, so she wasn’t that oblivious, Finn thought, smiling as he dumped his stuff on the bed. There was a radiator behind the bed, which was on, he discovered, when he touched it.
He glanced out of the window and saw Aiden and Jade coming out of the hospital block. Perhaps he’d unpack first and sort out a few things. He could catch up with Jade later when Aiden wasn’t around.