Pearly was almost at the gate when a curly-haired terrier came briskly from the back of the Prendergast section, took instant exception to him, rushed forward and bit him on the ankle. Pearly gave it a good boot with his free foot, but it held on through another couple of kicks, then backed off and began barking hysterically. ‘Little bugger!’ shouted Pearly, moving closer to kick again. Jill appeared amid the confusion, tried simultaneously to apologise to Pearly and secure the dog, and so achieved neither. Finally she turned from Pearly, reached down for the terrier’s collar and in an awkward crouch half dragged it out of sight behind the house. There was no deep puncture wound on Pearly’s leg, little blood, but the ankle was red and sore, and his trousers were quite badly torn. ‘Little bugger,’ he said again in exasperation. He wanted to leave, but thought in the circumstances he should wait until he had reassured Jill that no great harm was done and no offence taken.

He was about to return to the house when both Prendergasts came out, Rob having assumed the stoop Jill had left with but with no dog in hand. They apologised together, and by then Pearly had regained his good humour. ‘He’s never done anything like that before,’ said Jill. Pearly had grown up with dogs and liked them; more so working dogs, however, than pets.

‘We did have him to the vet yesterday, and that seemed to stir him up,’ said Rob slowly.

‘That’s right. You’re right. The injection and everything. Anyway, look,’ said Jill, ‘come inside and I’ll see to your leg.’

‘No need,’ said Pearly. He was going to voice his opinion that small dogs were the most bad-tempered and temperamental but decided to be forgiving and downplayed the incident completely, not even drawing attention to his torn trousers. Jill and Rob had enough to worry about without the displeasure of the mayor. ‘It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. There’s plenty in the town would say he showed good judgement,’ and Pearly shook hands with both of them with practised affability. Poor old Rob. Maybe in a few years Pearly would find himself with a similar affliction, and in an involuntary physical expression of denial Pearly was erect and brisk as he walked to the car. When did he last have a full physical? The only pills he took regularly were those for cholesterol, and his doctor had assured him that they were precautionary, not an indication of weakness or disease. He didn’t even need Viagra, and Pearly considered that fact the strongest possible assurance of complete health. ‘Bad-tempered little bugger,’ he said as he drove away.