‘Delphine,’ Gerard said, seemingly with a note of caution.
‘There is a reindeer. Coming here, tonight, to the fête,’ Delphine continued.
‘And you and the rest of the committee are going to let the village children pull at its ears and stick carrots up its nose for a few euro?’ Jacques asked.
‘No,’ Delphine said. ‘And last year that was only the sheep that tried to bite everybody.’
‘I really am very busy,’ Jacques said, looking at his watch.
‘It needs to be looked after,’ Delphine continued.
‘Then the very last place it should be is the Christmas fête.’
‘It is going to give birth!’ Delphine blasted.
Her words ricocheted off the packets of flour, flavoured jellies, sponge cake bases and silver and gold edible decorative balls they were standing nearest to.
‘What?’ Jacques said.
‘Delphine, let us leave Jacques to finish his shopping and if he feels he wants to come tonight then?—’
‘It cannot be about to give birth. Whoever has this reindeer is lying to you,’ Jacques said, cutting Gerard off. Though he couldn’t deny he was intrigued. Although Delphine didn’t always get things completely right.
‘No,’ Delphine said with authority. ‘It is true. The baby… the cub… whatever it is called?—’
‘A calf,’ Jacques said.
‘It is due to come out… very soon,’ Delphine concluded.
Jacques eyed her with suspicion. Her hands were out of her apron now, fingers of one hand toying with the other. He turned his attention to Gerard.
‘You know about this?’ Jacques asked the bar owner.
‘Well… I…’
Gerard was looking decidedly nervous. Something was amiss here. However, if there was an ounce of truth in the rumour he needed to know more.
‘Reindeer calves are born in the summer,’ Jacques told them both. ‘May or June. Not December.’
Delphine was already shaking her head. ‘I do not know about the planning of childbirth in the animal kingdom but what I can tell you is there is a pregnant reindeer coming tonight that needs your help and?—’
‘Myhelp?’ Jacques clarified.
‘Wolf, apart from the vet in Grenoble, you are the only one who knows about animals.’
Wolf.Le loup. That was what he was sometimes known as here. At first a title he’d received for being crazy, weird, a loner. The man who’d moved to the mountains and lived in a tent, until he’d built his own cabin. But then slowly, almost as if he and they had both begun to thaw to his sudden appearance, the name was said less with jest, more good-naturedly. He sighed. But he still held back from village events, valued his peace. But, a pregnant reindeer in December was piquing his interest. Not a phenomenon perhaps, but unusual nonetheless.
‘And, Gerard, you will need some help if there is a rush at the bar, yes?’ Delphine continued.
‘I… well… yes,’ Gerard answered.
Jacques had made his decision. ‘I will be here. For two hours and no more. I will help you, Gerard. And I will take a look at this reindeer. That is all.’ He then strode away from them, down the aisle, at speed.
‘The ribbon-cutting is at 6p.m.!’ Delphine called after him.
Already he was regretting it.
6
