Page 27 of A New Family at Puddleduck Farm (Puddleduck Farm #6)

Not everyone was staying over at Christmas.

Although Puddleduck Farm had four bedrooms, it would have been a squash with their ever-increasing family.

Alexa and Frazier were bringing their three little ones over on Christmas Eve so they could wake up and open their presents together.

They’d already changed their address on their letters to Father Christmas.

But Maggie and Eddie wanted to sleep in their own bed so they were coming over on Christmas Day morning so they could watch the kids open their presents and Louella and James had decided to do the same thing.

‘I’m not sure whether to bring the dogs or not,’ Maggie said. ‘Tiny’s fine but Buster’s getting decidedly crotchety these days. I think he’s feeling his age. He might not be too happy around a bunch of overexcited kids.’

‘It’s up to you, but I know Roxie would love to see them. I’d be quite happy if you and Eddie wanted to hole up in the back room with the dogs when it gets too much. It could be your own personal escape room.’

Maggie laughed. ‘Eddie just turns his hearing aid off when he wants to escape, love. But that does sound like a tempting proposition. OK, we will bring them then. We’ll be able to stay longer if we do.

I must admit I don’t like leaving Buster on his own for too long these days. I think he has a touch of dementia.’

Jan and Ian Hendrie were also coming over first thing on Christmas Day and were staying for lunch too.

Everyone was helping with food. Louella and Jan were organising that side of things and had set up a WhatsApp group to do it called Christmas Family Food.

* * *

Seth had offered to do emergency cover on Christmas Day because he and Myra were having a quiet one this year.

Max had said he’d do Boxing Day. The three vets were taking it in turns for the rest of the period and Phoebe lived on the premises anyway.

If anyone actually turned up with an animal she could be at the practice inside five minutes.

On Christmas Eve, it was so quiet that they closed the practice doors at lunchtime.

Phoebe packed everyone off with a bottle of their favourite tipple and an M&S gift voucher.

She felt extra indebted to her staff this year.

They’d all stepped up to the plate while she’d been on maternity leave.

She knew she could never have kept the practice going without them.

And that went for Natasha too. Natasha was also going home early. Phoebe had persuaded her to leave at lunchtime and she was just walking across the yard to make sure Natasha had gone when she saw her walking up to meet her.

She looked worried.

Phoebe frowned. ‘Hiya. I thought you’d have gone by now. What are you still doing here?’

‘I was just about to go when someone brought a cat in. They said they found him in the forest, but he’s not in very good condition. I don’t think it’s anything serious. He’s got a few cuts and bruises, but I’m not certain.’

‘Oh, I’ll have a look.’

‘Are you sure? It’s Christmas Eve.’

‘Of course I’m sure. I’m on call. Where is he?’

‘I put him in a crate in the barn where we used to keep Saddam. I didn’t want to put him in the cattery in case he has anything contagious.’

Phoebe nodded as they both headed for the barn, which was used to store hay as well as being a place where animals could go if they needed to be in quarantine for any reason.

Natasha pushed open the door to admit them and it was a few moments before Phoebe’s eyes adjusted to the gloom. The air was full of the sweet fragrance of hay.

‘Do you remember that time when the Meow Master came to cure Saddam of his vicious tendencies?’ Phoebe said. ‘I can never come in here without thinking about that.’

‘When his toupee ended up on a haybale. How could I forget?’ Natasha smiled. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much in my life. I thought I was going to explode. The poor chap. I’ve never seen anyone leg it so quickly. Although we do owe him one, I’ve often thought.’

‘Do we? What for?’

‘It was because of him that Marcus set off on his quest to become a behaviourist. If the Meow Master hadn’t been so utterly hopeless, Marcus wouldn’t have been so motivated.’

‘No, that’s true.’

They’d reached the crate and Phoebe saw the outline of one of the biggest cats she’d seen in a while. He was a pale silver-grey colour and had clearly once been a handsome boy, but his fur was matted now and in places bits were missing altogether.

‘Jeez, I see what you mean. He’s been through the wars, hasn’t he?’

‘You can’t tell because of the fur but he’s pretty thin too.’

Phoebe crouched down for a closer look. The cat’s green eyes were half closed with what looked like an infection. ‘Hello, sweetie.’ The cat shrank away from her and she frowned. ‘He doesn’t look much like he’s used to humans either, does he? He’s a Maine Coon, isn’t he?’

‘I thought that too. Oh my God…’ Natasha gasped and they looked at each other. They’d clearly just had the same thought.

‘Wasn’t it a Maine Coon that woman lost?’ Phoebe asked. ‘We had a poster up for a while, didn’t we? What colour was that?’

‘I think it was a silver-grey male. Same as this one.’ They both looked back into the crate.

‘Do you know if she ever found hers?’ Phoebe asked.

‘I don’t think she did. She never asked us to take the poster down. So it could be this one. But if it is him, where on earth has he been all this time? Shall I go and give her a ring? It could be a Christmas miracle him turning up like this.’

‘Let me have a proper look at him first,’ Phoebe cautioned. ‘A Christmas miracle would be wonderful. But I want to make sure he’s all right first. I wouldn’t like to present her with a Christmas nightmare.’