Vet in Harness Read online

get to know him, aren't you, old lad?' He continued his tickling and in

  the dim light I could see the short white tail wagging furiously. Maudie

  was lying in the very last of the recovery pens, a tiny, trembling

  figure. That trembling meant she was coming out of the anaesthetic and I

  opened the door and stretched my hand out to her. She still couldn't

  raise her head but she was looking at me and as I gently stroked her

  side, her mouth opened in a faint rusty miaow. And with a thrill of deep

  pleasure I saw that her lower jaw belonged to her again; she could open

  and close it; that hideous dangling taller of flesh and bone was only a

  bad memory.

  "Marvelous, Granville,' I murmured. "Absolutely bloody marvelous.'

  Smoke plumed in quiet triumph from the noble pipe. "Yes, it's not bad,

  is it laddie. A week or two on fluids and she'll be as good as new. No

  problems there.'

  I stood up. "Great! I can't wait to tell Colonel Bosworth. Can I take

  her home tonight?'

  "No, Jim, no. Not this time. I just want to keep an eye on her for a

  couple of days then maybe the colonel can collect her himself.' He led

  me back into the brightly lit office where he eyed me for a moment.

  "You must come and have a word with Zoe while you're here,' he said.

  "But first, just a suggestion. I wonder if you'd care to slip over with

  me to .. .'

  I took a rapid step backward. "Well ... er ... really. I don't think

  so,' I gabbled. "I enjoyed my visit to the club that other night but .

  .. er .. . perhaps not this evening.'

  "Hold on, laddie, hold on,' Granville said soothingly. "Who said

  anything about the club? No, I just wondered if you'd like to come to a

  meeting with me?'

  "Meeting?'

  "Yes, Professor Milligan's come through from Edinburgh to speak to the

  Northern Veterinary Society about metabolic diseases. I think you'd

  enjoy it.'

  "You mean milk fever, acetonaemia and all that.'

  "Correct. Right up your street, old son.'

  "Well it is, isn't it? I wonder .. .' I stood for a few moments deep in

  thought, and one of the thoughts was why an exclusively small animal man

  like Granville wanted to hear about cow complaints. But I was maybe

  doing him an injustice; he probably wanted to maintain a broad, liberal

  view of veterinary knowledge.

  It must have been obvious that I was dithering because he prodded me a

  little further.

  "I'd like to have your company, Jim, and anyway I see you're all dressed

  and ready for anything. Matter of fact when you walked in tonight I

  couldn't help thinking what a smart lad you looked.'

  He was right there. I hadn't dashed through in my farm clothes this

  time. With the memory of my last visit still painfully fresh in my mind

  I was determined that if I was going to meet the charming Zoe again I

  was going to be: (a) Properly dressed, (b) Sober (c) in a normal state

  of health and not bloated and belching like an impacted bullock. Helen,

  agreeing that my image needed refurbishing, had rigged me out in my best

  suit.

  Granville ran his hand along my lapel. "Fine piece of serge if I may say

  so.'

  I made up my mind. "Right, I'd like to come with you. Just let me ring

  Helen to say I won't be straight back and then I'm your man.'

  Chapter Fourteen.

  Outside it was still snowing; city snow drifting down in a wet curtain

  which soon lost itself in the dirty churned-up slush in the streets. I

  pulled my coat higher round my neck and huddled deeper in the Bentley's

  leather luxury. As we swept past dark buildings and shops I kept

  expecting Granville to turn up some side street and stop, but within a

  few minutes we were speeding through the suburbs up towards the North

  Road. This meeting, I thought, must be out in one of the country

  institutes, and I didn't say anything until we had reached Scotch Corner

  and the big car had turned on to the old Roman Road at Bowes.

  I stretched and yawned. "By the way, Granville, where are they holding

  this meeting?'

  "Appleby,'my colleague replied calmly.

  I came bolt upright in my seat then I began to laugh.

  "What's the joke, old son?' Granville enquired.

  "Well .. . Appleby .. . ha-ha-ha! Come on, where are we really-heading?'

  "I've told you, laddie, the Pemberton Arms, Appleby, to be exact.'

  "Do you mean it?'

  "Of course.'

  "But hell, Granville, that's on the other side of the Pennines.'

  "Quite right. Always has been, laddie.'

  I ran a hand through my hair. "Wait a minute. Surely it isn't worth

  going about forty miles in weather like this. We'll never get over Bowes

  Moor you know - in fact I heard yesterday it was blocked. Anyway, it's

  nearly eight o'clock - we'd be too late.'

  The big man reached across and patted my knee.

  "Stop worrying, Jim. We'll get there and wel~l be in plenty of time.

  You've got to remember you're sitting in a proper motor car now. A drop

  of snow is nothing.'

  As if determined to prove his word he put his foot down and the great

  car hurtled along the dead straight stretch of road. We skidded a bit on

  the corner at Greta Bridge then roared through Bowes and up to the

  highest country. I couldn't see much. In fact on the moor top I couldn't

  see anything, because up there it was the real country snow, big dry

  nakes driving straight into the headlights and settling comfortably with

  millions of their neighbours on the already deep white carpet on the

  road. I just didn't know how Granville was able to see, never mind drive

  fast; I had no idea how we were going to get back over here in a few

  hours time when the wind had drifted the snow across the road. But I

  kept my mouth shut. It was becoming increasingly obvious that I emerged

  as a sort of maiden aunt in Granville's company, so I held my peace and

  prayed.

  I followed this policy through Brough and along the lower road where the

  going was easier until I climbed out with a feeling of disbelief in the

  yard of the Pemberton Arms. It was nine o'clock.

  We slipped into the back of the room and I settled into my chair,

  prepared to improve my mind a little. There was a man on the platform

  holding forth and ., L_ ~, ~o~

  at first I had difficulty in picking up the substance of his words, he

  wasn't mentioning anything about animal diseases but suddenly everything

  clicked into place.

  "We are indeed grateful,' the man was saying, 'to Professor Milligan for

  coming all this way and for giving us a most interesting and instructive

  talk. I know I speak for the entire audience when I say we have enjoyed

  it thoroughly, so may I ask you to show your appreciation in the usual

  manner. There was a long round of applause then an outburst of talk and

  a pushing back of chairs.

  I turned to Granville in some dismay. "That was the vote of thanks. It's

  finished.'

  "So it is, laddie.' My colleague didn't seem unduly disappointed or even

  surprised. "But come with me - there are compensations.'

  We joined the throng of vets and moved across the richly