The Mermaid Garden(92)

At last they reached the beach. The dog trotted onto the sand and shook the water out of his fur, then wagged his tail so hard it looked as if his bottom would come off. Clementine and Rafa staggered out of the waves and collapsed onto their knees to pat him.

“Clever dog!” they exclaimed breathlessly, and the dog seemed to understand, licking their faces with happiness.

“We’ve got to get him home. He’ll be cold and dehydrated. God knows how long he’s been tied up in that cave.”

“We’ve got water in our picnic bag,” Clementine suggested.

“Good. Come on, boy, let’s get you home.”

The dog drank from the bottle and ate the remains of the sandwiches. He was indeed hungry and thirsty.

“You know, Marina hates dogs,” said Clementine.

“How can a person hate dogs?”

“I don’t know. She just does.”

“We’ll worry about that later. Let’s get him dry first and then we’ll talk to her. You can’t have him at work, so she’ll have to tolerate him being at the hotel.”

“She’ll make you take him to a dog home.”

“This dog is staying with me. It’s Fate, don’t you see? We were meant to find him.” He grinned at her playfully. “It’s my choice to keep him.”

She smiled back, relishing having something that they alone shared. “Then it’s mine, too.”

They dressed over their wet bodies and shivered all the way up to the car. Rafa offered to carry Clementine, but she declined, explaining that the dog needed their attention. Coming down the hill with her on his back was one thing, but going up was an entirely different matter, and she didn’t care how many thorns ripped her skin as long as she was spared the humiliation of having to be put down halfway because she was too heavy.

They put the animal on the backseat, where he lay like a sodden mop. After a while, the rumble of the engine lulled him to sleep.

In spite of the heating in the car, Clementine and Rafa were both still shivering when they reached the Polzanze. They were cold right through to their bones.

“Let me deal with Marina,” Rafa suggested as the car pulled up in front of the house.

“I’m not going to argue with that,” Clementine said, biting her lip nervously. “I hope we can keep him.”

“We’re going to keep him, don’t worry.”

“I’ll go and get some old towels and a blanket.”

“Do you have anything to change into?”

“I’ll borrow Dad’s dressing gown.” Tom strode out of the hotel. He stared at them in surprise as they climbed out of the car. “Tom, will you stay with the dog while I go and get some blankets?” Clementine asked.

“Dog?”

“Yes. We found a dog tied up in a cave. He was going to drown. We had to swim out to rescue him. Now he’s asleep on the backseat, poor thing.”

Tom shook his head. “Uh-oh, you know what the boss thinks about dogs.”

“This is different. He’s frightened and has no one to look after him.”

“Where is Marina?” Rafa asked.

“In the conservatory with the brigadier and your ladies.”

“Right, I’m going to put on some dry clothes, then I’m going to see her.”

“Good luck,” said Clementine.

“You need more than luck,” Tom added.


Clementine emerged a little later, swamped in Grey’s dressing gown and slippers, armed with an old towel and blankets. Rafa, in fresh jeans and sweater, was coming out of the hotel with Marina. It was clear from the look on her face that he hadn’t told her. Clementine glanced into the back of the car. The dog was still asleep. He looked very sweet, his brown hair curled by seawater, his little body rising and falling as he breathed. How could anyone reject such a helpless creature?

“So, what’s the surprise?” said Marina, approaching the car. Tom looked terrified and backed away quietly, but near enough to watch.

“We have rescued a dog,” said Rafa carelessly. “He was tied up in a cave and left to drown. Clementine and I had to swim out to rescue him.”

Marina’s jaw dropped in horror. “A dog?”

“Yes, isn’t he adorable? He’s asleep now. He was so frightened.” Rafa was clearly trying to appeal to her compassionate nature.

She peered in, ringing her hands anxiously. “You know I can’t have dogs in the hotel,” she said, but Rafa sensed the weakness in her voice and pushed on.

“But he was going to die. We have a responsibility to look after him. He’s very young, not much more than a puppy. We cannot give him away.”

Marina stared at him. The fear in her eyes took them all aback. Quite unexpectedly, Clementine felt a sharp ache in her chest, and her heart flooded with pity. Marina looked so small, as if a gust of wind would blow her over.