The short story posted below was first published in my anthology ‘Ten Love Tales’ in 2011.
The book is available as an ebook on Smashwords, discounted to half price for the month of July.

Lost and Found

Cathy, my two brothers and I, had all left home when Mum and Dad moved out of their town house, but they still moved into a huge Victorian place in the country, with bedrooms enough to house a regiment.

‘It’s far too big. You’ll rattle around.’ I told her.

‘Room for everyone, Ria. You wouldn’t all be able to stay if we’d bought a little bungalow.’ Mum explained. ‘There’s even a double for you; when you find a husband.’

‘You’re incorrigible, Mum. I’ll settle down when I’m ready.’  

She gave me her look that said I’d better be ready soon or I’d be on the shelf, then she smiled at Cathy who’d brought her children but left her husband working in town. We made our way to the dining room, full of expectation: Mum’s a very good cook. 

‘Where’s Wendy?’ Cathy asked Zak as he clomped into the dining room.

‘Dunno.’ 

‘I thought you were playing with her?’

‘Like I’d play with a four-year-old girl? Get real, Mum.’

Cathy frowned. ‘I thought you were looking after her. You went into the garden together.’

‘She followed me. I’ll get her.’ He clomped from the room and returned moments later with his little sister in tow.

She looked less than pleased and dashed to her mum straight away. ‘Tarn’s gone. I can’t find him.’

Cathy raised her eyebrows at Zak, and he sighed as if the world’s problems had just been placed on his shoulders but went back into the garden to look for the Jack Russell.

‘Not there.’ He said when he returned moments later. ‘I’d better look upstairs.’ He stomped up and stomped down again. ‘No.’

‘Does he wander off?’ Mum asked.

‘Found him halfway down the street once. He’d jumped the gate!’

‘Right. We’d better search the area. We’re certain he’s not in the house, are we?’ For all the lightness in his voice, Dad was concerned. He and Mum searched the house whilst the rest of us started in the surrounding fields.

‘I want to come.’ Wendy was insistent.

I volunteered and took her small hand in mine. I was hardly dressed for scouring the countryside but there wasn’t time to change: Tarn was more important. Cathy and Zak searched the fields at the side of the house. 

Not convinced by Zak’s cursory search in the garden, I looked again and discovered a biggish gap in the hedge. It was impossible for me, but Tarn would’ve slipped through easily. We walked round and through the gate into the field until we found vague tracks in the tall grass and followed them to the top. There, a gate stood open into the next field. In the far corner, a small tent cast a long shadow in the evening sunshine. A tall, blond man emerged from the blue canvas, metal pan and small gas stove in hand.

‘Have you seen a little dog?’

He looked at me. ‘Only a rather stunning redhead.’

I was a bit slow, and he grinned at my blank expression. Then I felt cross; I was worried about Tarn. ‘I’m serious. My niece’s dog is missing.’

‘Sorry. Just back from the village to start my supper. Didn’t see any dogs on my travels. I’ll help you look.’

‘It’d be more constructive than telling porkies about me.’

‘Porkies?’

‘What’s stunning mean, Auntie Ria?’

I was about to forgive his inappropriate comment until he looked at me frankly and then bent to Wendy. ‘It means gorgeous, like your Auntie.’

He was good-looking in an outdoors sort of way, and he had offered to help. Despite my aversion to flattery, I couldn’t stay cross at him. ‘Mmm. Come on. He’s not in this field. I assume there’s a way out?’

‘What’s his name?’

‘Tarn.’

‘Tarn!’ he yelled; so loudly that I jumped. 

‘Sorry to startle you, but dogs usually respond to their names, you know?’

‘Get away.’

‘True.’

‘Are you always so loud?’ 

‘Quiet as the proverbial, usually.’ He pointed at the ladder stile in the corner. ‘He wasn’t on the road. Could he climb that?’

I looked at the crossing over the dry-stone wall. ‘He’s an adventurer.’ 

He assessed my skirt and climbed the stile first, helped Wendy up and over and then stood back on the broad platform to let me pass and go down before him. I was taken with this show of good manners and consideration, and he went up a small notch in my estimation. We followed a faint path from the ladder to a small copse. 

‘Tarn!’

A flock of crows burst from the trees in alarm but there was still no sign of the dog.

We parted, Wendy and me going one way and the man taking a parallel path, hunting in the light undergrowth of brambles and bracken until we reached a small stream at the foot of the shallow hill. He joined us and we looked along the watercourse towards the sunset. No sign of Tarn.

‘Do you think he could’ve gone any further?’

‘He’s fourteen; I doubt it. Look, it’ll soon be dark. If we cross the stream and go up that hill on the way back, we’ll cover more ground.’

‘You’re quite bright, for a pretty redhead.’

I was about to remonstrate when I saw the glint in his eye. I reached out to skelp him instead, but he ducked. ‘Cheeky monkey.’

He strode across the narrow brook in one step, taking Wendy with him and setting her on her feet with a squeal of delighted surprise on the other side. He held out a guiding hand for me. I didn’t really need help, but it seemed churlish to refuse. As I crossed, he was scanning the ground nearby and turned so abruptly that I almost fell into the water.

‘Clot! I don’t need that sort of help…’

He signalled silence and stared downstream into the shadows under the overhanging trees. Tarn was curled up between outstretched roots, fast asleep.   

‘Wait. I don’t want a stranger startling him.’

He let me approach. Tarn woke easily at my touch and let me lift and carry him. 

‘Aunt Ria, who is this man?’ Wendy’s belated curiosity had us both smiling. 

‘Ria? Strong, feminine name. Suits you.’ He turned to her. ‘I, Cinderella, am Prince Charming, come to wake you from your hundred years’ sleep and take you to the castle on my white steed.’ He made a dramatic sweeping bow, which had her laughing in delight. 

‘You haven’t got a horse.’

‘Don’t know your fairy tales, either…’

‘That’s what you think.’ He turned to Wendy, ‘Come gentle maiden, to the castle, for all await your return!’

Wendy considered him for a moment. ‘I like him; he’s daft.’

‘Wendy!’

He held out his hand, by way of introduction. ‘Joshua Noughton; Joss to my friends, amongst whom I hope to count Wendy and Ria.’

‘That depends.’ But I took his hand and found it firm, warm and dry.

‘Are you going to marry him, Aunt Ria?’

We looked at each other and burst out laughing. She looked hurt, and I glanced at Joss for permission, which he gave with a microscopic nod.

I decided to test him and satisfy my niece’s need for romantic closure in one go. ‘I don’t know, Wendy. That remains to be seen.’

Joss raised an eyebrow, then lifted Wendy off her feet. He slipped her onto his shoulders where she sat contentedly ruffling his short blond curls with her stubby fingers.

‘I think you should.’

‘Seems to be settled, then.’ He grinned at me, and I grimaced back but his grin just broadened. 

‘Home.’

We walked up the slope through the trees and he kept Wendy on his shoulders all the way to his tent, where he plopped her down. ‘Told you I had a horse.’

‘Horses have four legs.’ Wendy insisted.

He nodded his head, horse-like, and neighed. She giggled. He was a man whose company I enjoyed, even after such brief acquaintance.

‘Having interrupted your supper, Joss, the least I can do is invite you to eat with us.’

He picked up Wendy so fast that she squealed with delight as he plonked her back on his shoulders. ‘Lead on, Ria. Not that I’m keen, you understand. But baked beans, alone, lacks the appeal of a hot meal in the company of an attractive single woman.’

‘I might be married and have a dozen offspring.’ 

‘She’s not married. Grandma says it’s time she was.’

I gave Wendy’s nose a playful tweak. ‘Grandma should mind her own business.’

He looked up. ‘Thanks for that, Wendy. But I’d already worked out that poor Aunt Ria was a forlorn spinster, destined to spend the nights in her rocking chair knitting socks for retired greyhounds.’

‘If you weren’t carrying my niece, I’d clip your ear. Anyway, what’s this apparently eligible bachelor doing alone under canvas?’

‘Who says I’m a bachelor, or that I’m alone? Might have a Sultan’s harem in there, for all you know.’

I gave him the look and he shrugged.

We reached the house and found them all waiting. Zak had spotted us descending the hill. Joss lifted Wendy off his shoulders and placed her at Cathy’s feet. I set Tarn onto the ground, where he sniffed before wandering into the house.

Dad discovered he and Joss had a common interest in natural history. Joss, a professional naturalist, was studying songbirds. That started a discussion on their decline. Mum asked him if his success with children was because of his own family.

‘Oh, I’ve always enjoyed the innocence and candour of young children,’ he told her, not satisfying her curiosity but earning my further admiration.

Inside, Cathy hugged Joss and pecked his cheek. ‘Thank you, you lovely man.’

‘You can’t do that, Mummy. He’s going to marry Aunt Ria!’

Cathy let him go as the rest of the family stared at Joss and me, clearly expecting an explanation. We both controlled our urge to laugh. He winked at me, and I grinned back.

‘I just thought Joss deserved some supper for finding Tarn.’ 

Mum, never one to give up, sat me opposite him at table. I had no objection to the view and Joss seemed content with everything Mum placed in front of him, including me.

I hope you enjoyed the read.

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