BooksBarbecue
Back The Scarlet Dress Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. Dedication
  2. Prologue
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. Friday
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. Saturday
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. Sunday
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. One Week Later
  77. 71
  78. Afterwards
  79. 72
  80. Acknowledgments
  81. Reading Group Questions
  82. More from Louise Douglas
  83. About the Author
  84. About Boldwood Books

He liked Saoirse. No, he more than liked her. She was fun and sassy, and mostly it was good having her around. When Will was working on a book, he used to look forward to Saoirse coming home from work, and to hearing her stories. But he couldn’t cope with her becoming needy, or, as appeared was happening, her sister becoming needy by proxy. He wouldn’t be pressed into making promises he’d never be able to keep.

‘I know things haven’t been great lately,’ he said carefully. ‘If Saoirse thinks we’re over then—’

‘She doesn’t want it to be over. God knows why, but she still wants to—’

Will couldn’t cope with this. Not now.

‘Look, Ciara, I’m sorry but this isn’t a good time.’

‘Then when is a good time?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘OK. If you don’t call back in the next twenty-four hours, I’ll help her pack up and leave. It’s up to you, Will. Your choice.’

He cut off the call.

22

Marnie Morahan had perfected a system of training agility dogs without using verbal commands. Word had spread about the silent teacher and her gentle, intuitive methods and she had ended up with more clients than she could manage. Now she was established and her services were in such demand that she was in the position of being able to limit the numbers in her classes and charge more accordingly.

Dogs didn’t need language to understand what was required of them. They read the subtlest movements, the slight shoulder-lean to left or right, a transference of weight from one leg to another that meant a turn was imminent, even the movement of an eye that signalled intent. Dogs were more than capable of understanding what their human partner wanted them to do without verbal commands. Not having to shout whilst running made life easier for the humans, too.

What Marnie taught was how to strengthen the natural bond with a dog, how to communicate at instinctive levels, how to create mutual trust and understanding that went beyond the normal constraints of reward-based training. She worked with her friend, Jenna, Jenna giving verbal instructions and feedback where necessary to the human clients.

Marnie and Tessy were dancing partners in the arena, and when a course was run well the high was addictive. Only those who had experienced it could understand. The times when she was working with her dog were the only times when Marnie felt completely fulfilled and totally, unconditionally happy.