‘You didn’t like my answer, I seem to recall.’
‘Not much. Bit of a feature of our relationship then.’
‘Yes, but as I explained to you only the other day, our reality is defined by the words we know how to use. I was a novice in regard to happiness. I told your daughter earlier that you have both now perfected my language skills.’ He indicated over the twilight-softened landscape in front of them, his new watch a dark band on his wrist like a slice of night disembodying his hand. ‘Thisishappiness, Ben.’ He laid his hand on Ben’s thigh, lining up their matching gifts once more. ‘Youare my happiness.’
Much later, when the ridiculous romanticism of the moment had dissipated on a grumpy child’s waking complaints, and Ben’s amusement at his uncharacteristically honest confession, Aleksey wondered why he had forgotten another saying of his mother’s. One perhaps more relevant to his life than the one he’d raised with Ben on the steps of the lighthouse:what goes up must come down.
Their fall started with Radulf’s late contribution to Christmas Day. Understanding that this was when the descent began was something Aleksey was only able to do with the benefit of hindsight, however, for that evening everyone had found it intriguing. This stoic reaction being something that made him proud of his chosen family—the way they individually reacted to the old dog’s gift.
They returned from their walk to the lighthouse. Upon coming back to Guillemot, Molly revived fully in the way only the very young can and immediately retreated into her new domain, where the sound of scurrying and sticking could occasionally then be heard. Ben went, somewhat uncharacteristically reluctantly, to see what leftovers he could find to offer everyone. Aleksey made sure the alcohol was flowing freely, not least to himself.
Perhaps, from the vantage point of the wisdom that accompanied his suspiciously great age, Radulf sensed that his contribution to the festivities had been somewhat lacking all day, and he was merely attempting to remedy this. Perhaps he’d enjoyed the day so much he just wanted the fun to continue. Maybe he just liked being annoying. Whatever the reason, he dropped his new toy first at Jennifer’s feet. This was a good choice on his part, for she was the only one in the family to react favourably—if disruption and horrorwerehis aim. She made a universally acknowledged sound of utter revulsion and tried to push it surreptitiously away with her foot. Undeterred, possibly delighted by this encouraging start, Radulf picked it up and offered it to Emilia instead. She was hand-sewing a hem on some fabric, so wrapped her arms around the bundle to protect it and muttered, ‘Ugh. Drop it. It’s horrible. Who gave you that?’
Tim, looking up from the book he was reading, asked Squeezy casually, ‘Is that the one we bought for him? I said get the squeaky penguin.’
Not looking up from his phone, Squeezy replied, ‘Penguins don’t squeak.’
‘They might if a wolfhound bit them.’
Possibly hearing the truth in this, Squeezy didn’t argue further but glanced up and saw the object in Radulf’s mouth. After a moment, with a slight head tilt of uncharacteristic thought, he rose and without another word left the room. Aleksey wondered whether to call him back, curious about his reaction. Watching the exiting backside, therefore, he almost missed Radulf’s next victimisation. The old boy decided to gift Enid, but she was snoozing, so, being helpful as always, he dropped his precious object in her lap. She woke with a start and immediately confirmed the family’s belief that her politeness was entirely instinctive by saying sweetly, ‘How lovely. Thank you, darling.’ Until she looked down.
Miles, lying at her feet and assembling his new metal detector kit, which had been his present from all of them, peered up at the uncharacteristic sound she made and pointed out eagerly, ‘Gosh, that’s awfully realistic, isn’t it? Did you know that when dogs swallow their toys, sometimes it takes months for them to come out the other end again?’ Her expression told everyone that she had not known this fascinating fact and that her life was not greatly improved from the knowledge now. ‘Does it squeak, Granny?’ He picked Radulf’s treasure up, obviously to test it with a squeeze but then apparently thought better of attempting this, for he chucked it a little way away from them both, wiping his fingers on his shorts.
Delighted at someone finally playing with his new toy, Radulf swung around to retrieve it, skidding a little on the wooden floor, and, sensing that a game might now be in the offing, took it next to his secret co-conspirator for most of the fun in his life. And so Aleksey got a severed foot dropped in his lap, just as he was congratulating himself once more on how peaceful their Christmas had been.
* * *
Chapter Twenty- One
Pride in the family’s reaction came when they did discover that dog-toy manufacturers didn’t make squeaky severed feet and that the object Radulf was offering them was indeed an actual human appendage. Jennifer was a little excluded from the prosaic and calm way they all gathered around this fascinating object and studied it. She’d retreated to the far end of the room and was clutching her card from Phillipa to her throat as if a talisman to ward off lunacy. Squeezy was noticeably absent by the lack of profanity accompanying their examination. Even Molly had come out of her castle to see the interesting toy and asked the most pertinent question.
‘Who does it belong to, Papa?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Is it yours?’
All eyes swivelled to her. ‘Mine? My foot? Is that my foot?’
‘Uh-huh.’
He glanced down at his boots and decided then and there not to put so much emphasis in future on her declarations about her cat.
Ben’s gaze was drilling into him. They both obviously suspected where the foot had come from—or at least, Aleksey hoped it had drifted in on the easterly currents from Les Dents. He couldn’t imagine there would be another vast body dump somewhere just off the coast of Light Island. But for some reason, he also had a nagging feeling that this was not actually its provenance. They studied it some more. It was definitely a human foot broken away just above the ankle, and it wore a ragged sock inside a tattered trainer—presumably the bit Radulf had found irresistible. And chewy.
Finally, Aleksey picked the object up with two fingers, trying not to be prissy, recalling many worse things he’d handled in his life, possibly before eating them, and took it outside. Ben, as he hoped he would, followed him out. Radulf dutifully tagged along as well, aim apparently achieved—bipeds doing one of the few things they were good at: throwing things for him to ignore.
Aleksey pictured taking the revolting object down to PB’s Beach and throwing it back into the sea, but he suspected it might come back again, and wouldn’t put it past Radulf to make it his life’s mission to be constantly on guard and ready to return it to him if it did. Then he reasoned, like the occasional dead squirrel they’d found, he should just bury it. As he was mulling this over, Harry came striding out of the woods apparently on a mission, but on seeing them appeared to slow noticeably and examine the divots in the lawn for a moment before looking over and asking deceptively casually,
‘Ah, hello, what have you got there?’
Aleksey was about to reply when something moving in the woods caught his attention, but it was gone before he could see what it was. Harry came forward, the moment was lost, and so he just replied a little lamely, ‘Unwanted Christmas gift.’
Harry walked over holding out his hand, but withdrew it swiftly as he came into the pool of light from the window. He studied the unpleasant object as Aleksey laid it down on the patio steps. ‘Ah, now this is interesting. Another foot.’
Ben’s head swivelled to regard the old man at the exact timehisdid. ‘Another?’
‘Well—’ He glanced behind him to the woods but appeared to change tack swiftly. ‘Indeed. It’s become something of a mystery—feet washing up on the shores everywhere apparently. Most odd.’
