Chapter 23
After a few false starts and some overly long conversations with several people on the island who simply refused to believe that Felicity and James had found a donkey in the first place, or for some reason thought they were making a prank call, they finally managed to get hold of a lady called Valerie who was, according to the local RSPCA centre, the closest thing the island had to a donkey expert.
To her credit, when they explained, she jumped straight in the car and was with them within half an hour.
Valerie was sturdy and square-shaped and Scottish but there was something in her brisk manner, and the way her ancient wax jacket was covered all over with animal hair, that made Felicity miss Andrea.
She smiled to herself as Valerie approached them along the driveway, her grey bob swinging in time with her arms as she marched.
Or maybe bustled was a better word. Felicity already knew you didn’t mess with Valerie.
‘Greetings,’ said Valerie, as she approached.
‘Hello,’ said Felicity. ‘Sorry… this is an odd one.’
Valerie waved away her comment. ‘Och, odd is what I do. There’s never a dull moment when it comes to animals.’
‘Tell me about it,’ said Felicity with a smile. ‘I work at an animal rescue centre on the mainland.’
‘Now, where is the poor little mite?’ said Valerie, ignoring this completely.
James led the way. When she saw their new furry friend, Valerie crossed her arms over her ample chest and frowned.
‘Nope. Not anyone I know,’ she said. ‘And she really shouldn’t be here on her own.’
Felicity and James looked at each other.
‘It’s a girl?’ said Felicity. ‘We thought…’ She stopped, realising they had no clue how to determine the sex of a donkey.
‘Oh, yes, if it was a boy, you’d know, believe me,’ Valerie said, laughing, as she bent down to stroke the donkey’s soft brown nose, her eyes running over its body, assessing all the time.
There was a pause while Felicity resisted the urge to enquire further.
‘He – she – had found her way in here somehow. But it doesn’t seem like she’s been here very long as there are no… uh, I mean, she hasn’t made a mess or anything,’ said James delicately. ‘Well, except for that relatively new pile in the corner.’ He wrinkled his nose.
Valerie straightened. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘thank God you found her. Donkeys don’t do well on their own.’
‘That’s what I said,’ added James proudly.
Felicity gave him a sideways glance from her awkward position crouching on the floor, where their new friend was balancing her soft chin on Felicity’s head.
‘All right, calm down, Donkey Man,’ she said with a laugh.
Valerie gave a snort, examining him. ‘You’d better not be from Jersey,’ she said mysteriously.
Felicity shifted position so she could sit on the floor and cross her legs, all the better to cuddle the donkey, who was standing with her eyes closed and bottom lip drooping, looking even more cute than before.
‘From Jersey? No, we’re both from England. Why did you…?’
Valerie tutted as if they were idiots. ‘Jersey people call us Guernsey folk “donkeys”. Didn’t you know that?’
‘That’s a bit rude,’ said James with a laugh.
Valerie smiled for the first time and she looked like a completely different – much friendlier – person.
‘Well, it is but to be fair we are all stubborn as hell, and people always think donkeys are stubborn… so. Mules might be a better word although actually they are even sharper than donkeys. Don’t miss a trick, mules don’t. And anyway, we call that lot “toads”, so we’re even.’
James shrugged. ‘I’d rather be a donkey than a toad.’
‘Me too,’ said Felicity with a nod.
‘I’d quite like to be that donkey right now,’ muttered James under his breath.
‘Yes, I’ve got a new love now I’m afraid,’ said Felicity, laughing, her fingers buried in the little donkey’s fur.
‘I can see that.’
‘That’s why people kept thinking we were prank-calling them,’ said Felicity, recognition dawning. ‘It’s a Guernsey thing.’
‘That’ll be it,’ said Valerie. ‘Good job you found me.’
It wasn’t long before they had to say their goodbyes.
Valerie had brought a small trailer and after a little bit of negotiation and only a tiny bit of argy-bargy they managed to persuade the little donkey into the back with some ginger biscuits of all things.
‘Their absolute favourites,’ Valerie declared.
And so it proved. She loaded without so much as a look back. Felicity felt bereft.
‘Could we… I mean, if we ever came back would we be able to…?’ Her voice tailed off. She felt a bit daft even asking.
‘You want to come and visit her?’ said Valerie, her stern voice softening.
‘If that would be okay?’
‘Sure, anytime. We’ve got thirty donkeys. Thirty-one, now. You’d love it.’
Felicity felt flushed with happiness at the thought of their rescued donkey having so many new friends.
‘But I should warn you I won’t be doing this forever,’ said Valerie as she scribbled down her address and phone number. ‘I’m getting far too old for this.’
‘Surely not,’ said James, his voice teasing.
‘Flattery won’t get you anywhere, young man.’
James looked chastened and Felicity bit her lip to keep from laughing.
‘But…’ said Valerie, pausing at the door to her car. ‘Look, why don’t you name her? She doesn’t have a name as far as we know, although I’m damned if I know where she’s come from. Would you like that?’
Felicity and James exchanged a long look.
‘You go,’ said James, his voice suddenly thick.
Felicity thought for just a moment and then she knew. ‘Jessica,’ she said, with a nod.
‘Right you are,’ said Valerie. ‘Enjoy the rest of your stay.’
As she drove off with Jessica singing merrily away in the back of the trailer, James put his arms around Felicity and squeezed her tight.
‘Thank you,’ he said.
‘I’m going to miss her,’ said Felicity. And then, after a beat, ‘How do you think Andrea would feel about expanding into the donkey-rescuing business?’
James laughed. ‘We can but ask.’