Chapter Seventeen
Outside the huge glass window, the grass was frosty white and tiny ice crystals clung to the apple trees. The temperature had plummeted overnight. Inside Hope Meadows, everything was running smoothly, though Mandy had to carry out a couple of buckets of water for the donkeys as their trough had frozen over.
Emily was continuing to take it easy but morning surgery was so quiet that Adam had suggested that Mandy could go over to the rescue centre for a while. She was happy to have an opportunity to update the website with photos of the cats and a very cute picture of Holly and Robin sharing a piece of turnip.
A movement through the window caught Mandy’s eye and she looked up to see a tall, slim figure glide past on a bicycle. She parked her bike against the wall and removed her helmet to shake out her blonde hair. It was Nicole. Mandy was puzzled to see the teenager on what surely was a school day.
‘Hi, Mandy!’ Nicole sounded breathless as she pushed her way through the door. ‘Burst pipes at school! I came to see if you needed a hand.’
‘You angel.’ Mandy felt touched that Nicole was so keen. ‘I was just about to put up some Christmas decorations.’ That wasn’t strictly true, but it would be fun to do it while Nicole was here. Mandy had bought a tiny artificial Christmas tree and Nicole set to work, adding miniature tinsel and tiny baubles while Mandy draped tinsel around the pictures on the walls and the information board. By the time they had finished, the reception area looked very festive, especially with the wintery scene outside the window. Despite the fact that Mandy didn’t feel particularly like celebrating right now, she wanted the centre to feel seasonal and welcoming for any clients who turned up.
‘What’s next, boss?’ Nicole looked at Mandy, head on one side and eyebrows raised. Yet again, Mandy felt as if she was looking in a time-travel mirror. Nicole had a true gift with animals, as well as the ability to listen to Mandy and follow her instructions. Mandy already felt she could trust Nicole with all the residents, even the inmates that were more difficult to handle.
‘Would you be able to take the dogs out?’ she asked. ‘You know what we’ve been doing with each of them.’ That would mean Mandy could get on with cleaning out the other animals. She wasn’t going to leave all the unpopular chores to Nicole.
‘I’d love to,’ Nicole said with a dazzling smile. Mandy almost wanted to hug her.
While Nicole headed outside with Melon, Mandy went through to the cat section. She wanted to take a closer look at Tango. Although the old cat was very friendly, especially when Adam visited, he had worried her over the past few days. Despite regular brushing, his coat was looking dull and patchy, and though Mandy had tempted him with different foods, he wasn’t eating properly. He still seemed delighted to see her. He purred so loudly when she stroked his head, it sounded as if he might take off and buzz around the ceiling.
Lifting him out, Mandy held him against her chest. He nuzzled under her chin as she carried him to the examination table. She wasn’t reassured when she studied him under the lights. As well as his coat being out of condition, Tango’s aged-cat face was bonier than ever. Under his coat, she could feel ribs and the ridges of his spine. With a sigh, she put him on the small weighing scales that she kept especially for cats. He weighed half a kilo less than when he’d arrived. His condition score wasn’t awful, but he couldn’t afford to get any thinner. She would have to do a blood test, she decided. Once Nicole had finished with the dogs, she would ask her to help.
By the time Mandy had cleaned out the kennels, Nicole had been outside with all four of the dogs. Mandy stuck her head round the door of the dog room as Nicole was returning Flame to her bed. ‘I need a hand with one of the cats, please.’
By the time Nicole came through, Mandy was hoisting Tango back onto the table. She had treated herself to a warming cabinet for clean towels, and she had laid one out for Tango. When she lowered him down, he kneaded the towel once or twice with his front paws, then snuggled down and rested his chin on the cosy fabric. Mandy gently folded the edges of the towel around his body. When they had time, she thought, she would treat Nicole to her special tutorial: 101 ways to wrap a cat. For now, she was hoping they could manage using minimal restraint.
‘I want to take a blood sample,’ she explained, ‘from the jugular vein that runs down his neck here.’ She showed Nicole the depressions down the sides of Tango’s neck where the veins lay. ‘I’d like you to hold him for me like this.’ Walking round behind Tango, she leaned over the table. She placed her index fingers under the cat’s chin, with her thumbs reaching round behind his ears, and lifted his head so that his neck was extended. If he didn’t sit still in that grip, there were loads of other things they could try, but the less they upset him, the better.
Nicole carefully moved into position and took hold of Tango’s head. To Mandy’s relief, Tango just yawned from inside his towelling robe. This new game they were playing was fine with him, his face seemed to say. Mandy picked up a small pair of cordless clippers. They were much quieter than the old type that had been used when she was younger. She switched them on at a distance from the cat, only bringing them to his neck once he’d had time to get used to the noise. Although some vets advocated not clipping, she found it easier to find the vein first time if she removed the fur.
‘If he starts to move,’ she told Nicole, ‘you can distract him by rubbing behind his ears.’
With her left thumb pressing at the base of the jugular groove, Mandy spotted the line of the vessel under the skin. With her right hand, she wielded the syringe with its stubby needle, sliding the bevelled edge through the skin and into the vein. It only took a couple of seconds to draw the blood.
‘That’s brilliant,’ she told Nicole a moment later. ‘Can you press here?’ Leaving Nicole putting pressure on the vein, she decanted the fluid into two test tubes, inverting the one with anticoagulant a few times to ensure it was mixed well. She would send it off to the lab later, which would offer more information than the tests she could run here.
Mandy watched as Nicole lifted Tango back into his cage, stopping for a cuddle on the way. Her blonde hair fell over Tango’s head, and a wisp puffed up when he breathed. Nicole laughed and kissed the tip of the old cat’s ear.
‘Fancy a bit of donkey whispering?’ Mandy suggested.
‘Yes!’ Nicole seemed keen to help with anything. ‘I’ll fetch my coat.’
The air was literally freezing, Mandy thought, trying not to gasp. Even with gloves on, her fingers were nipping. Her heart lifted when they walked out onto the crisp grass, carrying a halter apiece, and Robin and Holly rushed over to investigate. It was a joy to see how much they had progressed in one week. Each foal stood still while their headcollars were buckled on. Holly walked obediently beside Nicole, responding to the slightest pressure on the rope and drawing a huge grin from the teenager. Robin was still inclined to dig his heels in and lean back against the rope, but he too was beginning to get the idea.
‘I’m so glad these two are here,’ Nicole told Mandy, halting under a tree to wait for Robin to inch forward. ‘I’ve never worked with baby donkeys before. They are the sweetest things ever.’ Bending down, she rested her cheek on the soft fur on the side of Holly’s head. The young donkey flicked her ears and wrinkled her top lip as if she was smiling.
‘Let’s have some hoof-picking practice,’ Mandy suggested. Nicole held both lead-ropes while Mandy worked her way round, lifting each of the neat little hooves in turn. After they had done a little more leading and had a few more cuddles, they led the donkeys into their straw-lined shelter and let them go. Holly made a beeline for the pile of hay but Robin hung around Nicole, trying to nibble her sleeve.
‘I think hay tastes better,’ Nicole laughed, detaching him from her coat.
‘Just the feeds to prepare now,’ Mandy declared.
As they stood side by side in the small food prep area, Nicole turned to Mandy, looking thoughtful. ‘Do you think it would be okay for more people to come and see the rescue centre?’ she asked.
Mandy was surprised. Was Nicole hoping more of her friends could visit? ‘Generally yes,’ she replied. ‘So long as they are respectful to the animals. Was there someone in particular you wanted to invite?’ It would be good to have a little more help, but Mandy wasn’t about to start a crèche for stray teens. Collecting a handful of small carrots, she put them on the board and began to chop them into slices.
‘It wasn’t that.’ Nicole used scissors to open a bag of cat food and picked up a plastic scoop. ‘I just wondered if we could offer charity vouchers as a Christmas present. Like people buying a goat for someone in Africa, but more local.’ She took out a neat measure of feed and poured it into a metal bowl. ‘If the person receiving the voucher could come and see where the money was going, that would be fantastic. Stroke the donkeys, walk with you and the dogs, that sort of thing.’
What a wonderful suggestion, Mandy thought, pausing from her chopping to look at Nicole, then out of the window at the donkeys, then back to her carrot.
‘I could design a voucher on my computer at home if you like,’ Nicole added. There were spots of pink on her cheeks, and Mandy realised she had never heard Nicole say so much in one go.
‘I think it’s a great idea,’ Mandy told her warmly. ‘If you could design something, that would be wonderful. We’ll chat through some ideas before you go home.’
Nicole looked as if Mandy had just offered her a baby donkey of her very own. She carried the bowls of food off to the cats, whistling a Christmas carol. Mandy smiled as she scraped the pieces of carrot into a dish. Never mind invisible enemies lurking behind the hedge. Nicole was the best ally she could have asked for!
Mandy spent the first part of her lunch hour going through the Hope Meadows accounts. Until this month, she had put quite a lot of her Animal Ark wages into the centre, but even with that, the error over the Harper’s invoice had brought it home to her that things were a little too precarious. Now that she would be paying a mortgage and fixing things up at Lamb’s Wood Cottage, it was essential that she should find another source of income. She raised a small amount through rehoming fees and donations. Nicole’s voucher idea was brilliant, but even with that, the figures wouldn’t add up for long.
Mandy closed the Excel spreadsheet and sighed. As much as she loved Hope Meadows and all the animals in it, she didn’t have the energy for this at the moment. Looking up, she spotted one of the pictures on the wall that James had donated when Hope Meadows had opened. Maybe he could help, she thought. He had always been better than her at finding solutions in the murkiest circumstances. She could drive over to York to see him. It would be lovely to have a day away, and she could do some Christmas shopping in the bookshop section of his café.
Her mood lifting, she walked through into the cottage. Emily joined Mandy in the kitchen for lunch. When Mandy asked her how she was feeling, she responded vaguely. Other than ‘Not too bad,’ she refused to be drawn.
She still looked pale, Mandy thought. ‘Would you like a cup of tea?’ she offered, finishing the last mouthful of her sandwich.
‘Yes, please.’ Emily smiled.
Mandy took a deep breath and turned away, busying herself with the kettle and mugs. There was an exhausted edge to her mum’s features that frightened her. Though Mum was trying to act normally, it was as if a shade of the wonderful warm person that Mandy had known all these years had taken over. Once or twice, she had caught her mum looking baffled, as if Emily herself couldn’t understand what was happening.
It had been ages since her mum had looked really well. She had even looked tired at James and Paul’s wedding, Mandy recalled. Again the thought of Paul made her wince. She had always assumed her parents would carry on into serene old age like Tom and Dorothy, but that safe vision of the world had been cast into shadow. She should have urged Mum to go to the doctor’s months ago.
But would she have gone, Mandy wondered. She turned and placed Emily’s mug on the table, managing to dredge up a smile. There was nothing to do but wait for her results and let the doctors decide the next step.
Afternoon surgery was far busier than the morning had been. Mandy was relieved when Mrs Gill, who had brought Muffy in to have her teeth checked, made another appointment at the desk with Helen and left. Muffy the little terrier seemed to regard coming to the vets as a treat these days. Despite everything that was going on, Mandy’s heart lifted each time she could see that her training had paid off and the animals she handled felt safe and secure in her care.
There was just time to walk to the post office, she thought, before the last collection of the day. She wanted to send off Tango’s samples. It would be nice to chat to Gemma, who ran the post office as well. She always knew everything that was going on in Welford.
Helen had already packed the test tubes in protective wrapping. ‘There you go,’ she said, putting the thickly padded envelope in Mandy’s hand. ‘Tell Gemma I’ll see her at Six Oaks, would you?’
Mandy knew that Helen and Gemma sometimes rode together, Helen on her grey mare Moondance and Gemma on Jarvis, her palomino gelding. ‘Will do,’ she replied. Calling to Sky, Mandy let herself out of the clinic and strode down the lane. She was glad of her warm jacket and woolly hat. The leafless hedges provided little shelter from the arctic wind.
She stopped outside the post office. She had come here so often as a child, sending off samples for her parents. She had even paused in front of the window to check her reflection before James’s wedding in the summer. Through the glass, she could see Gemma behind the counter, reading a piece of paper. Her long blonde hair was tied back, but wisps were escaping onto her cheeks. She was wearing a sweatshirt that read, ‘Warning: moody mare!’ over a pair of skintight jeans and high-heeled boots. She was so different from Mrs McFarlane, who had run the post office years ago. Mrs McFarlane had always worn a blue gingham overall and thick tights with sensible flat shoes. Pressing down the shiny brass thumb plate that opened the catch, Mandy pushed the door inwards.
Gemma looked up as the door swung open. Her face looked surprisingly warm, and there was a flustered expression in her eyes. ‘Mandy!’ she exclaimed. ‘I was just …’ She tailed off.
Mandy frowned. ‘Is everything okay?’
Gemma blew out her breath through pursed lips, looking pained. ‘I’ve just found a petition on the noticeboard,’ she said. ‘I’m glad you came in. I didn’t know what I should do about it.’ Her eyes dropped from Mandy’s face to the paper on the counter and back up again.
‘What does it say?’ Mandy’s chest felt suddenly tight. The petition could be about anything, she reminded herself.
Gemma’s face crumpled with distress. ‘I’m afraid it’s about Hope Meadows,’ she said.
‘Can I see?’ Mandy held out her hand. She had to concentrate hard to stop it from shaking.
Gemma turned the paper towards her.
‘WE THE UNDERSINED CALL FOR THE CLOSEING OF HOPE MEADOW’S ANIMAL CENTER.’ Bile rose in Mandy’s throat. She swallowed. There were poorly printed lines underneath, though there was only one signature, which was quite illegible. The whole thing was badly produced, but its intent was crystal clear.
‘Did you see who put it up?’
She looked at Gemma, hoping against hope that she could give Mandy a description, but Gemma shook her head. ‘I’m afraid not,’ she said. ‘It wasn’t there first thing this morning. I think it must have been added when I was dealing with the dairy delivery. I’m going to throw it in the bin of course,’ she added, her voice suddenly fierce. ‘Who would do such a thing? It’s horrible.’
Mandy felt a rush of gratitude, but it didn’t make the situation less ghastly. ‘Please don’t throw it in the bin,’ she urged. ‘It’s not the first thing that’s happened. Someone wrote a review on TripAdvisor complaining about me. They messed up my food order, and someone made a hole in the hedge.’ The hole was the worst of all, Mandy thought. One of the animals could easily have been hurt on the road or even killed.
‘That’s awful.’ Gemma looked even more dismayed. ‘Have you been to the police?’
‘I’ve spoken to them.’ Mandy took a deep breath. ‘That’s why I don’t want you to throw the petition away. PC Armstrong might want to come out and speak to you.’
Gemma twisted her hair in her hands. ‘It’s hard to take in,’ she said. ‘So much hate. I don’t understand it. Everyone’s always loved Animal Ark, and Hope Meadows is wonderful. Why would anyone do that?’ She shook her head again, as if trying to make the logic fit. ‘What was it you came in for, anyway?’ she prompted.
Mandy had almost forgotten Tango’s sample. She handed over the package. ‘Next day delivery, please,’ she said. ‘I’m not too late, am I?’
‘No, you’re not,’ Gemma assured her.
Retrieving Sky from her position outside the door, Mandy set off to walk back. Her legs felt heavy. She thought of Robin and Holly, of Melon and Flame, the other dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. How could anyone be offended by them? Risk hurting them? She was no nearer to reaching an answer by the time Animal Ark hove into view.
Looking down at Sky, Mandy sighed. ‘Who on earth hates the rescue centre so much?’ she wondered out loud. Sky wagged her tail. Mandy just wanted to cry.