A couple of weeks later, for February half-term, Orla had brought Erin back for a treat and Burim had visited. Erin was never going to be Miss Academia, but she was trying with her A-levels and now things with their mum and dad were becoming much more stable the environment was a lot healthier all round. And it seemed her sister and Burim were stronger than ever despite the distance.
And here they were now in March, Delphine still going through treatment, but the signs that there was a chance for complete recovery were excellent. Her griping and moaning were definitely accelerating back to near normal levels so that had to be positive.
‘…and with one mighty swing, we give thanks, but condemn you for all eternity!’ Gerard roared.
Jacques swung the axe, thebrouettebroke in two and Hunter let out a bark.
‘Cheese! Cheese!’
Jacques laughed as Orla galloped across the snow-specked grass towards the cave, unafraid, eager, so unlike the first time he had brought her here to see the foxes. And, within seconds, there they were, five of the animals now, coming to receive the treats.
‘We ought to give them names,’ Orla said as one of the foxes took some cheese and then had a lick of her fingers.
‘No,’ Jacques said sternly. ‘We talked about this so many times. They are wild animals. You cannot touch them or hug them. They need to keep surviving without us.’
‘Speaks the man who still has Noble in his shed with his chickens.’
‘Not through choice,’ Jacques replied.
The vet had visited after Christmas to check out Noble’s condition and deemed him almost fifteen years old – quite an age for his species. He had also confirmed that he was fully domesticated and therefore letting him go into the wild would only lead to his demise. With Delphine having enough to worry about there was no other option but to keep him.
‘Anyway, they all think their names are “cheese”,’ he teased.
‘What does a name matter anyway?’ Orla said. ‘It’s the person that counts. Or, should I say, the fox.’
He got her meaning completely. With him having had so many names over the years he had almost lost sight of who the real person was. But, in time, with strength, he knew he was going to enjoy rediscovering every genuine thing.
‘You know,’ he began as the foxes looked for more food, weaving between their legs as they stood at the cave viewpoint. ‘There are some good reasons why a name would matter.’
‘Really?’ Orla asked. ‘Wolf.’
He smiled. ‘I mean, it would matter if you were, I don’t know, performing a legal transaction.’
Orla gasped. ‘Are you buying into Gerard’s bar? Because he asked me and he was very insistent that the name would not be changing so?—’
‘I am asking you if you would like to find out who I am as a husband.’ He swallowed. ‘Badly. I think.’
She gasped again, looking at him with wide eyes, blinking. Saying nothing. Maybe it was too soon. He just knew it was harder and harder when she had to leave, and he missed her every second she was gone.
‘I… don’t know what to say,’ she answered.
‘Is it wrong for me to ask?’ Jacques said. ‘If it is too much pressure too soon we can pretend I meant investing in Gerard’s bar.’
‘No,’ Orla said, shaking her head. ‘It’s not that.’
‘Tell me.’
She sighed. ‘I just want to enjoy every part of my new journey, each second ofourjourney together and I don’t want to rush, I want to savour.’ She smiled. ‘And we only know how we are with each other in Saint-Chambéry. We’ve not been anywhere else… we should travel together, see all the places, I mean, what if I don’t like you in Japan?’
‘You would hate me in Japan. I cannot use chopsticks.’
‘Oh my God! Stop!’
‘You might hate me in Canada. When I take you on a tour of all the places Tommy broke bones.’
‘I want to know if I’ll like you in London,’ she told him seriously. ‘I want to know if you’ll like my parents.’
He sighed. ‘I think I should be more worried if they are going to like me.’
