This one was a little more lively and whimpered the whole time she was feeding. Maggie suspected she was hungry. The puppy fought for the syringe and kicked her legs about. ‘She’s a little fighter, this one.’ Smaller than the black and white but with beautiful markings, she warmed even Maggie’s heart.

‘Which would you have?’ asked Tom.

‘Neither,’ said Maggie. ‘Too much of a tie.’ Although her main concern was that they would outlive her and end up in a rescue somewhere.

Tom screwed his face up. ‘Not being funny or anything, but you don’t go out much. Wouldn’t a dog be good company?’ Maggie opened her mouth to respond but Tom kept going. ‘And a great burglar deterrent, living out here on your own.’

‘I’m the only burglar deterrent I need. Well, me and my air rifle.’

Tom looked despondent. He kept the puppy on his lap and she fell asleep as he stroked her. ‘I’d have this one. I’ve never seen a dog this colour before. Apart from her mum.’

‘It is lovely, I agree.’ Maggie would at least concede that.

*

Tom did a great job of feeding the puppies through the night and although Maggie was awake and listening out he didn’t call for her help. She was proud of him for coping on his own. He cleared up their mess the next morning and put Savage’s jumper in the washing machine without having to be told. They had a difficult discussion about him going to the library as he didn’t want to be away from the puppies but as he’d promised Farah he’d be there for her first reading session, he couldn’t let her down.

Maggie had reluctantly agreed to be temporary puppy nursemaid on the understanding he was only missing for one feed. It had been months since Maggie had missed a book club. It had been an important part of her week for such a long time and while she didn’t like missing it she wasn’t bereft. Tom was going to book club and would put her thoughts across as well as his own – or at least he had pledged to. She’d enjoyed the book and suspected most of the others would have too, which made for the least engaging kind of session.

Tom came rushing in a few hours after he’d left, bypassed Maggie and went straight to the puppies.

‘Hi, Tom,’ she said but got no reply so she continued the conversation on her own. ‘Hi, Maggie. How did the puppy-sitting go? Okay, thanks…’

‘Did you feed them?’ asked Tom, marching into the kitchen.

‘Yes. Savage rang. Gregory is bringing Rusty back after surgery closes tonight. She’s doing fine.’

He pushed his hands deep into his jeans pockets. ‘They’ll be going back then?’ His face was so glum.