One More for Christmas(73)

“She never married again?”

“No. She didn’t have a career at that time, so she went back to college and then worked to support us.” How hard must it have been for her, raising two children, grieving the love of her life and being frightened about finances? The guilt grew worse.

“At least she had you. You’re lucky you’re a close family.”

This was the point where she should tell the truth. That her relationship with her mother had always been difficult. That they hadn’t spoken for five years. And yes, it was true that her mother hadn’t contacted her either, but now Samantha wished she could turn back time and reach out. She couldn’t believe it had been so long, but it turned out the longer you left it the harder it was to bridge that painful gap. And how could she have reached out without revealing everything that Ella had chosen to hide? She’d been in an impossible position.

“Samantha?”

She pushed her thoughts away. They might have talked about everything else, but she wasn’t ready to talk about that. “So how far are the reindeer herd from here?”

“They’re over there.” He pointed and she stopped walking.

It was so cold she’d lost feeling in her nose, but that didn’t stop her reaching for her camera and taking a few shots. Reindeer against fresh snow. Did it get any better?

“Should I have brought food to prove I’m friend not foe? Lichen? Grasses?”

“I’m impressed.” He zipped his coat a little higher. “Most people want to feed them carrots.”

“Ah, but this isn’t my first reindeer herd, although they are definitely the prettiest. I’ve seen them in Lapland, and I spent time with a reindeer herder in Norway.”

“And here was I thinking that your job was all about fairy lights and Santa.”

“Parts of it are, of course. Taking children to Lapland is always magical. But I have plenty of other clients who visit because they want a taste of life in the Arctic Circle. Some people want to experience the Polar Nights.”

“A holiday in darkness?”

She leaned on the gate, watching the reindeer. “That’s what I expected the first time I visited at that time of year, but it wasn’t the case. It wasn’t pitch-black. Hard to describe, but a bit more like twilight. Beautiful, although a little eerie, perhaps. The snow reflects the stars, and there were times of the day when I found there was enough light to be able to read. And it’s the perfect time to watch the aurora borealis.”

“So you don’t only cater for Christmas addicts. Do you want to get closer?” He opened the gate. “They’re pretty friendly.”

“I’ve never associated reindeer with the Highlands.”

“Thousands of years ago they lived here. Now they’re native to Arctic and subarctic regions.”

“Rangifer tarandus. We call them caribou, but reindeer is more romantic somehow.” The reindeer herd were grazing, heads down as they foraged. Sunlight glinted off the snow behind them. It was the most calming, peaceful thing she’d seen in a long time. “They have such big hooves.”

“Spreads their weight and stops them from sinking into the snow.” Brodie secured the gate behind them. “Also useful for digging into the snow and finding food. Perfect design.”

“What happened to him? He only has one antler.” She pointed. “Did he get into a fight?”

“The males cast their antlers after the autumn mating season. The females keep them until the calves are born in May.”

Samantha decided she might have to find an excuse to come back in spring. “Can I take photos?”

“Go ahead.”

She retrieved her camera and snapped away until one of the reindeer wandered toward them.

She took a few close-ups and then put her camera away. “Can I stroke him?”

“This one is a she. We call her Wren.”

“You recognize them individually?”

“I grew up with them.” He looked a little embarrassed. “All the reindeer are named after birds. Because they can fly, obviously.”

“Obviously.” She shared a look with him and then reached out and tentatively stroked the reindeer. He knew the reindeer by name. He’d told her he was out of his depth here, and yet he recognized them. Something thawed inside her. “This might be the most exciting thing that’s happened to me in a long time. I feel about six years old.” And if she felt this excited, how would her clients feel?

“You’re never too old to enjoy reindeer. And the setting doesn’t hurt. It’s better than a meditation session being out here in the winter.”

“You don’t miss the city?”

“Not particularly, although I miss being close to an airport when I need to travel. Also, I miss feeling confident about what I’m doing.” He rubbed the reindeer’s neck. “I like to think I’m pretty good at my job. This? Not so much. But being here has its compensations. No commute. Great air quality. There’s a simplicity to life that I missed when I was in the city.”

Samantha smiled as the reindeer nudged her. “And many people would agree with you. Do you have any idea how special this is? I’m sure it’s a lot of work to do events, but how about people coming to you? That way you don’t have to take the reindeer anywhere, and you’re still taking advantage of these fabulous surroundings.”