Chapter 35

In mid-September the Jays had gone over to James's grandparents' house to look at the Labrador puppies when they were four weeks old. They were kept in the boot room but had a ramp down to an enclosure in the garden. There were eight puppies, five of them bitches. Edward Hoddinot separated the bitches and put them outside in the enclosure. There was little to choose between them in appearance. They were all slightly staggery balls of black fluff with dark brown almost black eyes and shiny black noses. Three of them started to play together. One wanted human attention. The last seemed entirely self-contained, wandered away slightly from the rest, inspected a few stems of grass and then suddenly launched herself at the three playing together. She joined in the rough and tumble for a short while and then detached herself, sniffed at Jenny's shoes before going off on her own again. One and then the other two of the three players followed her.

"What do you think?" asked Edward.

"They're all so sweet," said Jenny as she bent to pick up the one at her feet.

"I know which one I want," said James. "The alpha-female. She's independent and full of character."

"Right choice," said Edward approvingly. "Full of spirit. She's got the dogs taped too."

"Mightn't she be a bit hard to train with that independent streak?" asked Jenny.

"Doubt it. All her forbears are good gundogs. In fact, I think she'll be exceptional. Good hard worker too. If you're not delighted with her I'll eat my hat."

The Jays went firm on her. They had to stay to tea as Harriet had made a chocolate cake specially.

"When are you going to come and test our hospitality?" Jenny asked her.

"I don't know, dear. We've been meaning to come for ages but something's always cropping up."

"Why don't you come next Friday or Saturday evening? There'll be lots of people in and I'm sure you'll like them. We've got a very nice bunch of regular diners. Try and persuade Richard to come with you."

"He'll never come. He's still being stupid about Rachel."

"He's a lot better actually, Gran," interjected James. "He's started a village football team for the kids."

"Has he, by Jove!" exclaimed Edward. "That is one for the books. I'm delighted to hear it. Give him a ring this evening, my dear."

Harriet smiled. "Very well, dear."

They did and Richard accepted. They came on Saturday evening and all three enjoyed themselves immensely. His parents were overjoyed to see Richard back on form. They did not ask any questions. They just assumed that he had decided to pull himself together.

A month later James went over again and collected his puppy. He and Jenny had spent ages deciding on a name. Edward had always called his Labradors after mountains and Richard his after birds. Jenny did not agree that James had necessarily to do the same.

"Well, I'm not calling her Lassie," said James.

"Oh, what a shame!" giggled Jenny.

James glared at her and then snorted with laughter himself. "You're being no help," he said.

"No, dear."

"And now you sound like Gran."

"Yes, dear."

"One of these days..."

Jenny kissed the tip of his nose and they fell laughing into each other's arms.

"Rivers," said James out of the blue a few days later.

"What about them?"

"Dogs' names."

"Well, you're not calling her Amazon."

"No."

"Or Po!"

James chuckled. "Agreed."

"What about Isis, Egyptian goddess as well?"

"Bit pretentious."

"Dart?"

"Dog not bitch."

"Itchen?"

"Don't start that again."

Jenny got the giggles so that discussion ended.

Later that morning James was working away in the kitchen when Jenny came through from the bar.

"Tay," she said.

"What?"

"Tay. River Tay. Name for the puppy."

James gazed at her and then his face lit up. "Brilliant, darling. That's a super name. Short and definitely female. Well done! When my hands aren't covered in meat juice and flour you're going to get a very grateful hug and a kiss."

Jenny smiled happily back. "I shall spend the rest of the morning in happy anticipation." She was thrilled to have given him so much pleasure.

Despite all the excitement of getting a new puppy and naming it, Jenny had been badly frightened by Dick Williams's view of the future of Venture.

"Just as we've established ourselves we could get the rug pulled out from under us," she thought. "We've worked so hard and my darling James is pulling people in with his delicious food. I love this village." She never even considered what she had added to the pub's growth.

She could not help herself and told Liz of her worry. Liz gave nothing away.

"Stop worrying," she said. "You've done wonders here and Venture knows it. They'll never let you go unless they go bust themselves."

Jenny smiled but she was not convinced.

Nor was Liz and she shared her concerns with Rod later that evening.

"That would be very sad for the village," he said, "but there's not a lot that we, as a couple or me as a banker, can do about it. It all depends on what they've got to put down as a deposit and what they can afford as a mortgage. Anyway this is still all speculation."

"Yes, darling."

Liz waited until she bumped into Ginny Everleigh. Ginny was appalled. "They've worked so hard," she said, "and they've rejuvenated the place. The Joneses were nice enough but really didn't give. These two have done nothing but give, over and above running a marvellous pub. I'm going to have a word with Henry."

She did and Henry was totally on her side. "I doubt I can save them on my own if this does happen," he said. "We'd need a lot of money from a lot of people and then the Jays might not accept it. James is a pretty independent cuss and would never submit to being run. Why don't we quietly canvas opinion? I mean, it might never happen but I think we should be ready."

Ginny smiled at him. "Thanks, darling. I'll see what I can do. Do you know the chairman, Something Bontoft?"

He shook his head but promised to ask around.

She talked to the Tarletons, Stevenses and Cunninghams. All were supportive but hedged their support. No one knew what the cost might be. Ginny wondered what the support might be from the less well off but she could not believe that, despite huge good will, there would be a lot forthcoming. She decided that there was no point in fretting until something actually happened.

James had huge fun with Tay. House training was easy. He could not be with her as much as he would have liked but the terriers accepted her without a problem and while Jenny walked them James spent afternoons with Tay in the garden. His grandfather was absolutely right. While she retained her independent and inquisitive nature she was extremely biddable. She came when she was called. She quickly learned the commands 'Heel', 'Sit' and 'Wait'. The word 'Yes' had her immediate and enthusiastic reaction whether to eat her food or retrieve something James had thrown for her.

He bought her a knotted rope which he used for retrieval training. It was her proudest possession and she carried around with her most of the time. It was the one thing that caused her to get cross with the terriers and they soon learned. One day, James, having told Tay to wait, threw the rope badly and it landed on the roof of the back porch. He did not even think about Tay but went to the garage to find a long handled rake. It would not reach so he went back to the garage, collected the stepladder and, with the help of the rake retrieved the rope which fell to the ground. He took the ladder and rake back to the garage and went back to the garden. The whole incident must have taken ten minutes. Tay had not budged. James was thrilled. He released her to retrieve the rope and then congratulated her. It was hard not to overdo it but he restrained himself.

He had to tell his grandfather who was obviously equally delighted but contented himself with, "Told you she'd be good."

The shooting lunches were a great success. With Jean there James could go off to shoot himself. He often brought back a couple of brace of pheasant which was a help in providing a straight profit for him. In addition, members would give him the odd half brace. Another bonus was Henry deciding he needed to cull the deer population so the Jays received a good supply of venison. Inevitably, much of it was elderly deer and a bit tough but that could still be turned into stews and the like.

Libby returned elated at the end of November from her first term at the Academy. At her first meeting with her tutor they had agreed that piano would be her primary instrument and clarinet her secondary. Her tutor advised her not to give up the violin and to keep her hand in. Libby asked whether she could combine choral music with her two instruments. She was told that she could do a choir training class as an option. She was delighted. That fitted in with her wish to teach music in a school if she could not become a concert pianist. Her tutor had been present at her audition, had watched her performance at Llangollen on television and been present at the Barbican. She told Libby that if she was prepared to work hard there was no reason why she should not become a world class concert pianist. She also told Libby to drop the Ravel. She would not have the time to become perfect with it. "Ravel only wrote it to show off his own virtuosity," her tutor said.