Paws For Thought

Erin hadn’t expected to be bowled over by Milo and his very attractive owner...

IT was Christmas Eve, and the scent of sage and onion filled the air as Erin looked around the steamy kitchen.

Every surface groaned under the weight of her Christmas cooking.

Two turkeys, a goose and three hams, not to mention the fancy veg and six kinds of stuffing.

Being a cookery writer had its advantages, and she had made sure that a large chest freezer would be available in her rented cottage before she had booked her stay here.

She glanced at the scene outside the window.

While she had been working, the snow had continued to fall, and the garden and hills beyond were glistening under a pristine white blanket.

She checked her watch: it was three o’clock.

There was just time for a quick walk to clear her head before she put the tree up ahead of her Zoom call with her two daughters.

Boots, hat and scarf on, and she was ready.

The snow crunched underfoot as she walked down the garden path.

The silence and stillness were disconcerting for a city girl, but the crisp, clean air felt good in her lungs after the steamy kitchen.

It happened so fast.

A blur of movement from the corner of her eye and suddenly she was on her back in the deep snow, the wind knocked out of her.

“Milo!”

Erin’s hat had come off and her ears were filled with snow, but she heard a man’s voice as though from a great distance.

She tried to sit up, but an impossibly huge dog had his paws on her chest and was licking her face.

The man pulled the dog off.

“lam so sorry,” he apologised, looking guilty. I had no idea there was anyone here or I'd never have let him loose.”

He clipped a lead on the dog and fastened him to the fence, holding out a hand to help her up.

Erin ignored it, wiping her face with a soggy glove.