Chapter 18

As usual, Richard took his dogs for a walk that afternoon. There were a number of people he quite often met. The ex-Army officer with a couple of gun-trained Labradors walking at heel, the faded beauty with her Labrador and a rather stringy Springer Spaniel, the elderly lady with her equally elderly mongrel, and Sue.

Sue walked dogs for other people but had her own elderly and arthritic dachshund plus what seemed a totally characterless white miniature poodle. She lectured Richard severely when his dachshund, Tilly, had gone missing for the umpteenth time.

"You'll lose that dog for ever," she would say.

"Sue, my family has had dachshunds since I was born. They do this."

"Ah! But there's dog thieves around these days and they'll lift your dog soon as look at her."

"I doubt it Sue. They won't even know she's a recognised breed they can sell as a profit."

"Don't you believe it. They'll pinch her if only for the meat for the Chinese or whatever."

"Nonsense! They wouldn't get enough meat off her for that. She's too small."

"Hmm! You mark my words."

"Yes, Sue!"

There were others as well whom Richard met less often but they were all friendly and he passed the time of day with them.

One day, a bitterly cold one in February, he met a couple of women who were clearly sisters. One, obviously the elder, had two dogs and was reasonably friendly but Richard discerned a certain reserve. The other was difficult to make out in that she wore a hood on her jacket and the drawstring was drawn tight round her face. Richard did however notice the wisps of dark hair that peeked out of her hood and her dancing blue eyes.

He talked with them briefly because the elder sister had a breed of dog he did not recognise. It was clearly still a puppy but was very good looking. He asked what it was and she told him that it was a Hungarian Viszla.

He was duly impressed but he was completely taken with the other woman's black and tan Jack Russell which, having acknowledged Tilly, was playing with his Labrador, Teal. There was no way he could interrupt their play and talk to the terrier so jocularly he said:

"Well, we're all obviously with the fashion because all our dogs have got red collars."

Elder sister smiled faintly but the younger one said in a little girl voice:

"Yeth but I've got a blue lead."

Again Richard noticed the dancing blue eyes but this time her mischievous smile. He decided, particularly in view of the elder sister's attitude, that it was time to move on.

Smiling at them both he gathered Tilly and Teal and they headed on their way.

Richard could not get those blue eyes out of his head but trudged on and completed the rest of the day's routine.