Auld Acquaintance

by Ruth Hay

  While washing up the dishes, she learned there was hot water on tap for the first time.

  A quick bath was in order, she decided, even if the bathroom was freezing cold.

  Anna washed speedily while the water was still warm and as soon as she rubbed herself dry she dumped some dirty clothes into the bath water and let them soak. Dressed in layers of her warmest clothing she rubbed the dirty items with soap and rinsed them with clean, cold water, hanging them to drip over the bath on the wooden pulley, after wringing as much water out of them as she could manage.

  “There’s nothing like hard physical work to warm a person up,” she announced to the air, “but how did women survive without washing machines for so long?”

  Back downstairs, she checked the fire again and switched on her cell phone in case Fee or George was trying to get in contact. It took a few minutes, during which Anna began to be concerned about being cut off from everyone, but a signal did arrive and it appeared no messages had been missed so far.

  Yesterday’s shopping expedition had resulted in the purchase of a water-and-wind-resistant blue jacket with its own warm, zip-out lining. The same hiking supply store had fitted Anna for waterproof, leather, climbing boots, guaranteed to assure safe footing no matter the conditions. Gauntlet-style gloves to match the jacket’s black and red trim, completed the outfit. The total cost of these items surprised Anna. By the time she had converted the price to Canadian dollars she was in shock, but, if she intended to climb Helen’s Hill again, she had better be equipped for the task. Safety was more important than savings at this point.

  Slipping the cell phone into a nifty pocket designed for the purpose, Anna zipped and fastened, laced and studded her way into the new attire. She also pocketed the house key in case the exterior pantry door should jam shut while she was out, and as a last thought, she included the slim torch also.

  With three of Tesco’s ‘Bags For Life’ hanging from her arm, she stepped into the snow and immediately discovered the value of good footwear. Her feet hit the ice hidden beneath the covering of snow and she would have fallen hard had it not been for the superior gripping quality of her new climbing boots.

  Alarmed by the vision of lying in the snow with a broken leg, waiting for someone to come along and help her, Anna proceeded very carefully across the yard and forced open the shed door scattering ice behind her. As Fee had said, there was a good supply of firewood, papers and coal inside. Leaving aside the brown, brick-like material which must be peat, and which Anna had no clue about, she filled all three bags and retraced her steps back to the house.

  “Mission accomplished!” she declared after the supplies had been deposited to the side of the hearth stone. “Now what?”

  Since it had taken quite a bit of time to attire herself for the great outdoors, Anna thought she might as well venture a little further and explore the barn.

  The heavy barn key joined its house partner in one of the jacket’s deep pockets and she set out toward the iron gate in the stone wall. The gate’s hinges protested in the cold but it opened enough to let Anna pass through.

  The snow was not very deep compared to Canada’s winters and Anna reached the barn doors without difficulty. The padlock required some dexterity but it finally released, and Anna opened the double doors wide to let some daylight into the dark interior.

  As soon as she stepped inside the barn she was forced to drop to her knees and raise her arms to protect her head. A pale, silent shape was swooping down upon her with claws outstretched, heading for her eyes.

  Anna screamed.

  When she dared open her eyes again she could hear or see nothing. The corners of the stone structure were dark right up to the roof beams. As her eyes grew accustomed to the dim light, she searched for a winged shape. Something much bigger than a bat and with wings much wider than a pigeon was in this space, she knew, and she did not want to be surprised by it again.

  Staying near the doors for a quick exit, she used her torch to shine some light into each of the corners at floor level. There was a scrambling kind of sound from the far left corner where a pile of sacks lay, but nothing could be seen.

  Fearing rats, Anna took a step backwards and shone the narrow beam upwards. Immediately, two huge eyes were illuminated. Anna stifled another scream and waited to see what would happen. When the eyes blinked in the torch light, she guessed she might be looking at an owl.

  Calming her racing heart with deep breaths, she directed the light to the side of the place where she had seen the eyes gleaming. In the indirect light, she could make out the shapes of not one, but two or three owls with heart-shaped white faces, perched on a wide roof truss and gazing down at her with solemn concern.

  Obviously they had not entered the barn through the doors, she decided, once her thinking mind took over from her panic. There must be a hole somewhere in the roof.

  A barn should be a perfect place to hunt for mice and rats in the winter and although this thought was not entirely pleasant, Anna needed to see what was stored in the barn, other than wildlife.

  Her torch light revealed a number of useful items scattered around on the stone floor.

  Gardening equipment and household tools were there, as she had suspected, but she could see also a brass log carrier, a ladder, broken chairs, a pair of rubber boots with a walking stick standing inside near a collection of heavy winter coats, (these must have been Helen’s she thought), and three wooden crates with unknown contents.

  As she moved forward to check if these crates were sealed, Anna heard again a very faint scrabbling sound. Determined to find out if rodents had invaded this space, she directed the torch beam toward the sound and was astounded to see the striped back and bushy tail of a cat disappearing into a hole in the floor near the back wall.

  Why would a cat be here, in a barn, in the cold, with no homes around for miles?

  It must be competing for food with the owls above and might well be in danger of becoming a meal itself. Anna’s affection for cats and dogs made her want to save this little animal and bring it into the house, but she could guess that it was scared of people and must be approached very carefully if she did not want to chase it away to an even more dangerous survival situation. She decided to return with food for the cat as soon as she could.

  After locking up the barn doors, Anna made her way back to the farm house with the aid of the walking stick she had found. On closer inspection, the stick was revealed to be a collapsible hiking pole, similar to the very expensive ones she had noticed in the store where she bought her jacket. The height had been adjusted. Anna imagined that Helen must also have been a tall woman who had probably used the pole on climbs.

  “You are not making it easy for me Helen,” she murmured, as she gripped the shaped handle, “but I am gradually finding out more about you and I won’t stop till I know you better.”

  * * *

  The kitchen fire needed only a few more pieces of coal to make the water boil again. Anna enjoyed a cup of tea with one of the delicious chocolate biscuits from the packets she had stored in the pantry, then sat back to consider her options for the coming night.

  The chair and footstool had not been the most comfortable of beds, so she went upstairs to see what the bedrooms felt like.

  The larger double room was freezing cold so that decision was made quickly. Fearing that she would have to spend another night in the kitchen, Anna went through the bathroom door and discovered to her delight that the adjoining small bedroom was quite cozy owing to the heat radiating from the wall where the kitchen chimney rose up to the roof. Fiona was right about this, she remembered.

  Anna thought this small room would suffice. She could later set a small fire in the fireplace if necessary, now that she knew how to do it.

  Returning to the bathroom she watched the wet clothes dripping into the bath and worried that it might take days to dry her underwear. She inspected her raincoat which she had sponged to remove mud and grass stains after her first
mountaineering adventure.

  “All of these will have to go down to the kitchen fire,” she decided.

  Lacking a device on which to hang the clothing, she draped things over dry towels from the closet, arranged over four kitchen chairs. This tactic effectively screened all heat from the fire but it would be worth it to get clothes dried more quickly.

  She was just considering if it might be time for another hot drink when a loud knocking sound abruptly ended the silence.

  At first she couldn’t think where the noise was coming from, but after a repeat fusillade of knocking she realised it must be coming from the front door.

  Who on earth could it be on a day like this?

  A stranger stood on the doorstep stamping his feet to shake off the snow. A border collie waited by his side gazing up patiently at the man’s frowning face.

  “Can we come inside?” he asked without preamble. “The dog’s feet will be affected if he’s out any longer.”

  Anna was too surprised to say anything at all. She opened the door wide and let the pair into the porch.

  “I’d be obliged to you if you have an old sack to wipe the ice off Prince’s pads.

  He can bide here for now. He won’t be a bother to you.”

  The stranger’s abrupt manner evoked a similar response in Anna.

  “Not at all!” she declared, “bring the dog inside. There’s a fire in the kitchen and towels for his feet. You can come too.”

  “I’ll not be disturbing you, miss. I just wanted to see if you were managing all right.

  Young Fiona told me you were here and asked me to keep an eye on you.”

  “Oh, I see!” relief softened Anna’s tone and she repeated her invitation, asking,

  “How did you get here? Have you come far? I don’t see a car out there.”

  “No, there’s nae use driving in this weather. Ma cottage is about a mile from here around the shoulder of the hills. I was out with Prince here to find sheep that have broken through the fencing. We’ve penned a half dozen in your garden if you dinna mind. They are cropping what grass they can reach for now.”

  “Yes, I saw some sheep there earlier. I’m afraid there is a break in the wall.”

  “Dinna fret yoursel’. I’ve thrown a few boulders into the gap for now. I’ll come along and mend it for you when the weather clears a bit.”

  “Thank you. That’s very kind of you. Can I offer you a cup of tea?”

  “Ah should be gettin’ back to the hills. There’s new lambs in danger from the cold winds, but...” Here he seemed to hesitate, and Anna quickly put the pan of water on the stove before he could change his mind.

  “........Prince could do with a wee rest, I suppose. Leave him be in the entrance there, though. He’ll be no use to me if he gets ower warm.”

  Anna took a towel out for Prince to lie on and a bowl of water in case he needed a drink. She received a lick on her hand for thanks.

  The farmer, or shepherd, perched on the edge of the kitchen table and looked around the room taking in details like the radio and the evidence of breakfast dishes.

  “Ah see you’ve a good fire going. Fiona was a bit worried since you’re just a city lassie.”

  Anna lifted her chin with pride and assured him she was managing very well, for a city woman, thank you very much.

  It occurred to her that this man might be a source of useful information so she asked a question while she poured hot water into a mug.

  “Did you know Helen Dunlop at all?”

  “Aye, I saw her around here. She liked to walk the moors and climb the hills.”

  “Did she drive a car? It’s quite a distance into Oban from here.”

  “Nah, nah, she wis’na one for travelling very far. She had a bicycle she used sometimes.”

  “Oh, really! I must look around for that.”

  Silence returned as Anna watched the rugged-looking man with reddened skin sip his tea noisily.

  “Well, I’d better be on my way. Thanks for the tea.”

  “No, thank you. It’s good to know someone is nearby, but I’m afraid I don’t know your name.”

  “It’s Alan Matthews. Goodbye now.” Tipping his cap in farewell, he was out the door with Prince at his heels before Anna could say anything more.

  Strong, silent type obviously, she concluded, as she stood by the sink watching him steer the sheep back through the gate in the wall.

  She was just about to open a can of soup when the cell phone’s musical tones came faintly into the room over the sounds of the crackling fire.

  “Now where did I put the darn thing?” she cried, running around the kitchen and lifting laundry, towels and anything that could obscure the small gadget. As she neared the porch, the sound grew louder and she realised the cell phone was still in the pocket of her new coat, which she had hung on a hook when she came indoors.

  On about the fifth ring, she fumbled the phone out of its pocket and opened it quickly saying, “Hi, it’s me!” before she had time to think of a more appropriate response.

  “Anna? Are you all right? You sound out of breath.”

  “Oh, George, it’s great to hear your voice. No, I am fine. I couldn’t track down the phone for a minute. It’s been a strange day so far.”

  “That’s partly the reason for my call. How did you deal with the storm last night?

  Jeanette has been nagging me all morning to find out how you were surviving out there all by yourself.”

  “Honestly, George, I don’t feel all alone. I’ve just had a visitor in fact.”

  “Really? Who was that? The roads are impassable in places.”

  “Now, don’t sound so doubtful, George! I’m not making it up. A farmer called Alan Matthews called in to see how I was doing. He says he lives near here.”

  “Well, I am glad to hear it. Jeanette would strangle me if I let anything happen to you before she even met you.”

  Anna had to laugh at the thought. She was anxious to meet this woman who could make the seriously-conscientious George McLennan shake in his shoes.

  “When are you coming into town again, Anna? I have some information for you about Helen and I thought we could have dinner afterwards at my home.”

  “I do have to get to the bank soon, George, and I would love to meet Jeanette but when do you think the weather will improve?”

  “These spring storms don’t usually last long, Anna. The weather report says there’s a south wind coming, so the roads should be clear by tomorrow.”

  “Excellent news! I look forward to meeting you in your office. I’ll call Fee and let her know. By the way, George, I owe you a debt of gratitude for connecting me with Fiona. She’s a treasure!”

  “Oh, I am glad she’s working out for you, Anna. Keep warm and I’ll see you tomorrow in the afternoon.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Fiona was impressed when she arrived at the McCaig Farm House to collect Anna.

  The fire was carefully banked down, so as to last for a number of hours and Anna seemed full of enthusiasm for the new things she had learned about housekeeping, Scottish style.

  She had not yet climbed the hill in her new outdoor gear but Fiona could see she was well prepared for another expedition.

  The events that happened in the barn came up for discussion and Fiona was able to advise Anna about owls and other barn occupants.

  “You say the milk and bread you left out were not touched today?”

  “Yes, Fee, I thought that was strange. I couldn’t find any sign of the cat, so I looked outside at the back of the barn and I found paw prints in the snow. I think there’s a gap under the bottom layer of stones and when I checked closely, I found a few strands of long hair.”

  Fiona decided to go out and look for herself while Anna happily dried her hair, put on some make-up and dressed for town.

  Fiona managed to retrieve some of the strands of hair and confirmed that they belonged to a cat, but she began to suspect that this was no ordinary stray animal
. The paw prints were very large and the brown and black outer hairs were long and attached to a few, very soft, inner hairs.

  Fiona could detect striations in the hairs that indicated this was, indeed, a striped cat. It could be a feral cat, of course, but Fiona’s instincts told her it might be an actual wildcat.

  If she were correct, Anna would need to be warned. Scottish wildcats were a rare and ferocious breed, much larger than normal felines and strict carnivores. Although it was unusual for such an animal to take shelter indoors, at this time of year a female might be pregnant and seeking a temporary safe haven. Fiona’s studies had informed her that kittens could be born as early as April.

  When she returned to the farm house, Fiona told Anna of her discoveries.

  “This is exciting,” Anna replied. “I would love to get a glimpse of this special creature.”

  “That would not be wise,” Fiona declared. “If there are kittens, the mother will defend them fiercely. There are cases known where wildcats died for their own, or their kittens’, freedom.”

  After a moment’s thought she added, “I think you should remove anything you need from the barn and then leave it closed up for now. I will take these samples to the vet and also ask Alan Matthews if he has lost any lambs lately.”

  “You mean a wildcat could kill a lamb?” Anna’s horror was clear from her voice and her shocked expression.

  Reluctantly Fiona stated that it could happen, but the predator would take only parts of the lamb to her den and revisit the kill if she was undisturbed.

  “I guess you are right, Fee. I’d better stay well away.”

  * * *

  Fiona noticed how smartly Anna was dressed for their outing. Her red suit and black sweater with long boots and a hooded overcoat were definitely city wear and her rich browny-red hair shone in the sunlight. She seemed happy to be leaving the farm, but Fiona could see Anna’s pride in the way she had adjusted to the challenges of country living.