Auld Acquaintance

by Ruth Hay

  Anna stood up and walked to the window while she thought about the predicament she now found herself in. She had taken action to do what she thought was the compassionate thing and now she was at odds with the authorities and, even worse, she might have inadvertently involved Fee in an incident which could affect her future.

  “Fee, I want you to leave right away and keep out of this situation. I will figure out what to do. I don’t want you to be implicated in my decisions.”

  Fee looked around in surprise at this announcement. In a split second she assessed the reason for Anna’s request and rejected it equally speedily.

  “No you don’t, Anna! I am not leaving you here without transportation. We are in this together and we will take the fall-out together whatever it may be.”

  Anna had to admit she was relieved to hear Fee’s fervent support. Secretly, she determined that Fee would be protected from the effects of her defence of Anna’s actions, but she was delighted to have an ally with the kind of knowledge that would make all the difference to the outcome for this kitten.

  “I am so glad to have you on my side, Fee. Now, what do we do to help this animal?”

  Since the saucer of cream had not been touched, Fiona removed it and added sugar, warm water and more cream, pouring the mixture into a cup. She asked Anna for a towel which she then heated by the fire for a minute saying, “Anna you probably saved this kitten already by bringing it into the warmth of the kitchen. It would likely have frozen to death by now without the mother’s body heat.”

  Fiona approved of Anna’s earlier idea to feed the kitten using a cloth ‘nipple’, but first she had to get hold of the kitten. With the warmed towel in her hands, she slowly moved into the cupboard. The kitten had no way out with Fiona covering the entrance, so she was able to scoop it up in the folds of the towel and take it to a chair near the fire.

  Anna stood by with the cream-soaked cloth as Fee slowly unwrapped the towel to reveal the tiny head. Anna saw thick fluffy fur; brown with darker markings, and very long white whiskers. The kitten’s nose twitched at the scent of the cream mixture and it let out one plaintive mew as Fiona placed the cloth in its mouth. Anna could hear the strong sucking sounds and saw the kitten’s eyelids close in ecstasy.

  The cup was almost empty when the kitten gave a sigh and fell asleep. Fiona whispered to Anna as she opened up the towel to inspect the animal.

  “The eyes were a cloudy blue colour so it is a newborn, but it is much larger than a normal kitten would be. Its body is longer and the paws show how big it will be when full grown. I think it is a male. The long, dark-ringed, bushy tail indicates it is a wildcat although I have never actually seen one before, other than pictures in books.”

  “An excellent report, Fee,” responded Anna in admiration. “Can I touch the kitten?”

  “I think we should avoid handling him, Anna. We don’t know what is to happen to the wee thing and it’s safer to have no human contact.”

  “Good thinking, Fee. Can we put him in this china bowl for now and put him back into the cupboard where he will feel secure?”

  Fiona nodded, lowered her bundle into the bowl and slid it back into the cupboard, closing the door almost shut so no light or sound could wake the kitten.

  The two women smiled at each other in satisfaction. They knew they had accomplished a good deed no matter what the repercussions of the deed might be. The kitten would live.

  “He will need feeding again in a couple of hours,” Fiona stated. “You won’t get much sleep tonight I’m afraid, Anna. I will take the other kitten’s body to Dr. Moir and ask him what supplements we can add to the milky mixture to make sure this wee fellow thrives.”

  “Don’t worry about me, Fee, I’ll be fine now I know what to do for ........ What will we call him?”

  “Well, I think the proper name for the species is felis sylvestris grampia, but we really shouldn’t name him or even think of him as a pet. He’s an animal of the wild and that’s where he belongs.”

  “I’m sure you are right Fee, but excuse me for saying it, he’s so cute! Let’s name him Sylvester. We won’t tell anyone else.”

  “Oh, Anna! You are a wonder!” The two women laughed as quietly as they could, till the tears ran down their faces and the tension of the last hours disappeared.

  * * *

  Anna would not let Fiona drive back to town until she had sampled some of the fish, quick-fried over the fire in the large pan. Fee called it an iron skillet and said her Granny still swore by hers for making oatcakes.

  The fish was the best Anna had ever eaten. Perhaps it was her hunger after so much rushing around, or perhaps it was because she had rarely eaten such fresh seafood.

  A shake of salt and the butter-coated meal was perfect on its own with the addition of parsley, which Fee found out in the garden while Anna was cooking.

  “Now, remember, Fee,” said Anna as she bade farewell to Fee at the gate, “I insist that you tell the vet I accept all responsibility for what has happened here today. He must call me if he has any questions. You are not to be blamed in any way at all, and I swear I won’t let you go unless you promise.”

  “I promise,” said Fee solemnly. “I’ll be back sometime tomorrow to see the kitten.”

  “You mean Sylvester!” reminded Anna, and the ringing sound of their laughter followed Fiona all the way back to Oban.

  Chapter Twenty

  The dawn light fell on Anna, dozing in the chair by the fireside. She had not been to bed at all, since duties of feeding Sylvester and feeding the fire had occupied so much time that it didn’t seem to be worthwhile to climb the stairs.

  The kitten was still weak but latched on to the cloth nipple quite readily. Anna was careful not to touch the little body and kept the towel wrapped around it while feeding him Claws, and fangs, of formidable length were already in evidence.

  Anna had raided the linen closet for older towels and now had a layer of these in the cupboard to absorb cat urine. She knew enough about cats to realise this output was a good omen for the kitten’s survival.

  She was just beginning to stretch her aching back and think about breakfast for herself, and Sylvester, when the cell phone beside her made her jump. She caught it on the second ring and before she could answer heard a male voice demanding, “Is this Anna Mason?”

  “Yes,” she offered hesitantly.

  “Do you have any idea what trouble you have caused?” The angry words reminded Anna of her initial contact with Alan Matthews, but this voice was even more belligerent, despite a lilting highland quality.

  “Excuse me,” she replied, gathering her wits about her, “to whom am I speaking, and why are you using that tone of voice with me?”

  “This is Callum Moir speaking, Ms. Mason, I represent the Argyll and Bute Regional Veterinary Services.”

  Anna noticed at once that her strategy of attack, rather than surrender, had forced this bully to back down from confrontation. She was aware of the likely topic of concern from this gentleman, but her approach had allowed her some time to prepare a reasonable defence.

  “And what do you want with me?” she asked, applying more delaying tactics.

  “Fiona Jameson delivered a dead wildcat to me last evening. I understand you are in possession of a live wildcat from the same litter?”

  Anna realized she would have to proceed with caution from this point on.

  “Yes, but I must insist that Miss Jameson acted on my instructions. I called on her because I have no car here and she was kind enough to assist me. Surely you agree that she did the right thing in reporting to you?”

  “Well, of course,” came the reluctant reply. “but what on earth persuaded you to remove a wildcat from its environment? Have you any idea how dangerous they can be?”

  “Dr. Moir, is that the correct title?” Anna now employed a more conciliatory tone.

  “You have to understand that I am a visitor from Canada. I have no knowledge of Scottish flora and fauna. I merely d
iscovered a poor abandoned animal on my property and attempted to rescue it. Would you have preferred that I left it to die, perhaps?”

  Anna could hear some muffled humming and hawing in the background as this declaration sunk in.

  “I can see your point, Ms. Mason, but the regulations for the preservation of wildlife in this country, have stringent requirements prohibiting human intervention.”

  “Isn’t it unfortunate that I was unaware of these regulations, Dr. Moir? I suppose it’s too late now, to turn back the clock.”

  “Indeed it is. The animal is doomed to a totally unsuitable life, even if it survives. There are no wildcats in captivity. You would have been wise to let it die.”

  Anna was appalled to hear this statement but she concealed her distaste and thought quickly, searching for a solution to the situation.

  She continued in a placatory voice. “I am sure I have heard of adult animals of another species becoming foster mothers for abandoned litters. Would it not be possible to attempt this? If successful, it could be in the nature of an experiment and of great interest to those in the profession, don’t you think?”

  Anna could practically hear the brain cells clicking over the phone as the vet calculated the future benefits of such an experiment, but he was not going to back down so easily.

  “It’s never been done before,” he insisted, “and would not be likely to succeed now that you have contaminated the creature with human scent.”

  “I can assure you, sir, that on Fiona’s advice, I have refrained from any physical contact with the kitten, and I will continue to do so.”

  Another long pause occurred while the vet considered the situation.

  “The girl has given you good advice then. I’ll away and think about this and see what can be done. Fiona will bring you a supplement to add to the milk. We’ll leave it at that for now.”

  “Goodbye, then,” said Anna.

  “Aye, goodbye to you,” came the reluctant reply.

  Anna put down the phone and jumped up and down in delight. She had fought hard for a chance at life for this little kitten and it seemed she had succeeded.

  I turned a tiger into a pussycat, she told herself. Wait till Fee hears about this!

  As if he agreed with her summation, the kitten in question began to mew for milk.

  * * *

  Fee arrived just after noon. Anna had lost track of the number of feeds by then and fatigue was beginning to make her very drowsy. Fee recognized that it was time for her to take over, and let Anna sleep for a while, but first she sat down to listen to Anna’s account of the phone call with the vet.

  “I don’t know how you managed it, Anna,” she said. “He’s known as a very prickly character who doesn’t suffer fools gladly, yet today he called me and congratulated me on handling the situation here with good sense.”

  “Oh, that’s exactly the effect I wanted, Fee.” Anna sighed in relief.

  “I think you have had an effect on Dr. Moir that you didn’t expect,” suggested Fee.

  “He asked me all kinds of questions about you and told me he would visit you personally and collect the kitten when he finds a foster cat to wean it.”

  “I don’t care, Fee. I’m not afraid of him. He can’t do anything to harm me. It was your reputation I was concerned about and that’s safe now.”

  “Well, he is a very busy man and the only house calls he’s made, that I’ve ever heard about, were for very sick animals. He really doesn’t care much about people.”

  “Never mind about him, Fee. Take a look at Sylvester. I think he’s put on weight already.”

  Fiona agreed, and mixed up a new batch of food for him while Anna went upstairs for a nap. She looked around in the kitchen and pantry and found a basket with a hooped handle as a new bed for Sylvester. She placed this in front of the cupboard so Sylvester could hide in his dark place if he felt threatened. She also washed out the soiled towels and hung them to dry on the folding rack in front of the fire. She had brought a linen cloth to be cut into pieces for feeding the kitten and when that was done, she set about making a meal for Anna.

  Her Granny had been informed of the events of the previous day and she had contributed fresh-baked bread and vegetable soup together with a key piece of advice.

  The kitten should be washed with a damp cloth every day to simulate the licking of his mother’s tongue. This would not only clean his coat but also stimulate his bowels and bladder.

  When all had been done to her satisfaction, Fiona took out her books and studied her literature text by the fireside. She did not need to collect the children from school until 3:30pm so she decided to let Anna sleep in peace.

  At 3:00pm Fiona tiptoed up the stairs and found Anna fast asleep on top of the single bed with her clothes still on. As she watched the regular rhythm of her breathing, she couldn’t help thinking about the positive influence this woman from another land had brought into her life. In such a short time, Anna had found a place in this isolated community and formed ties to a surprising number of people. Fiona wondered if Canadians were more outgoing than the average Scot. Most people she knew, were quite reserved and kept to themselves.

  Fiona touched Anna lightly on her arm and whispered her name.

  The first attempt to wake her did not succeed so she tried again. “Anna, I have to leave soon. Are you awake?”

  Anna struggled through a fog of sleep toward consciousness and finally opened her eyes to see Fee’s anxious face above her.

  “I’ve just fed Sylvester and made some food for you, so you can take your time getting up. I’ll be off now but I’ll be back tomorrow. Call me if you need anything.”

  “Thanks, Fee,” Anna managed to croak out the words as Fee disappeared with a wave of her hand and the smile that always brought her solemn face to life.

  Anna had a wash and brushed her hair. Now that she had a mirror propped against the sink, she could see that her bronze-coloured hair was beginning to show grey roots.

  The new shorter style and hair colour was such an improvement that she was not about to relinquish it, and finding a local hairdresser would be a new reason to go into Oban, once Sylvester could be left alone for a few hours.

  She brushed her hair over the parting, hiding the grey, and noticed that her complexion was much brighter than usual. “Must be the fresh air,” she murmured, “I certainly have not spent any time on my skin lately.”

  The meal Fiona had left was quickly heated up and Anna enjoyed every bite while watching Sylvester curled up in his new basket bed.

  Now that he was more visible, Anna noticed how beautiful he was. Of course Nature had arranged that all kittens were irresistible, probably to ensure their survival, but this little fellow was particularly attractive. His soft brown fur was already long and thick with the bars of darker brown showing through. His tail was longer than that of a domestic kitten and curled around his body as far as the nose. Perfect camouflage, thought Anna, as she tried to visualize the life this cat would have had in the wild.

  She cautioned herself not to get too attached to him. He would be leaving her care forever if Callum Moir took her suggestion and found a cat to mother the kitten. Anna could not resist a little smile of satisfaction as she remembered the way she had smoothed the ruffled feathers of the irate vet.

  The tick of Helen’s clock that now resided on a shelf of the dresser above Sylvester’s basket, brought Anna back to the present. I still have time to call Canada today, she calculated.

  Her first call was to Simon. He was interested to hear the latest discoveries about Helen’s life and asked how Anna was coping with being in such an isolated situation.

  “The way you describe it, Sis, it sounds like the place is devoid of human comforts.

  I mean, no central heating!” Anna could hear the shiver in Simon’s voice that accompanied this thought. She felt compelled to defend Helen’s house against his attack.

  “Honestly, Simon, it’s not as bad as you might think. The
re’s something to be said for an open fire although it does cause quite a bit of work, especially when you have to clean the accumulated ash out of the grate.”

  “Ha! You just proved my point, Anna! I can’t imagine you settling in such a grim spot.”

  “What you are missing in this picture, Simon, is the amazing scenery around here. The farm house is in a beautiful location and I’ve even climbed a huge mountain right in my backyard.”

  “Really! A mountain like in the Rockies? That doesn’t sound like my sister.”

  “Well, no, but my mountain would be about eight times higher than the ski hill back home in London, Ontario.”

  “Ah, that’s more likely. Still, good for you Anna! I’ll tell the grandkids. I’ll admit you are probably enjoying better weather than we are,” he said reluctantly. “We are still thigh-deep in snow in Alberta with no thaw in sight for six weeks or so.”

  “I don’t miss the cold, Simon, but the weather here is quite changeable. It’s never boring. One day can have three seasons in it, or so it seems to me.”

  “So, when are you coming home, Anna?”

  “I haven’t made any final decisions, Simon.”

  “Well, think about it carefully. It’s a big deal to change your whole life at your age. Friends and family are important to everyone.”

  Anna ended the call with Simon after sending greetings to all Simon’s family.

  Her brother had given her plenty to think about. Time was going by and she was no nearer a decision than she had been when she arrived in Scotland. She felt as if the entire period had been an enormous learning curve. The Anna who had reluctantly left Ontario was not the same Anna who was sitting comfortably in a farm house in Scotland.

  The contrast was hard to encompass, but she recognized the change in herself and, more to the point, she liked the change.

  * * *

  The next phone call found Alina working at home.

  “How are you getting on, Anna? Everyone asks about you. I mean to phone more often but by the time I get my work done, it’s usually too late to call you.”