The Inveraray Fox
Things were in a bit of a tizz at the castle with the castle manageress lady being rushed off her feet with two events scheduled almost back to back.
Firstly the Inveraray Dog Show was due to take place today and even though we did not have a dog we did have a cat named Lorraine, thanks to Mrs Rutherford who used to own the bread shop in Inveraray Village; a cat she kept when she was being bothered by mice. This event was followed closely by the MG Car Club meeting which initially thought might have to be rescheduled.
You might wonder why the excitement also extended into the castle when we did not have a dog. Well, you see our neighbours, the Carter-Browns of Ruthin Castle our closest friends, had permission from the council to adopt an orphan fox cub after its mother…or father was culled for killing sheep. They named the fox cub Reynard. Now you are going to ask what has this to do with the Dog Show. Hang on be patient, I am getting there.
Colonel Carter-Brown assumed, after his success with the council allowing him to keep the fox cub, his thinking was if his luck held, the dog show judges might allow him to enter him in the dog show, that’s the fox, not the colonel. His analysis being, and quite rightly, a fox is of the dog species but just a little more wild or is that wilder?
Now male foxes are known as Dogs, Tods or Reynards; the females as vixens, the difference in name is to differentiate between the sexes, NOT the species and his argument with the doggy people was his animal was a MALE Fox thus he was officially a DOG so they could not discriminate against Reynard taking part in the Dog Show. Do you know what I mean?
For my gentle readers, this was a real headache for the head doggy people and I suspect it was the threat of legal action hanging over their heads on charges of discrimination that might have presented huge problems at the Doggy Headquarters. As you are all aware in this day and age there is to be no discrimination against ANY kind, ANYclass or ANYone and dogs were no different and I did not hesitate to tell mother the threat of legal action is one I would not like to be faced with.
The dog club president wrote to the Carter-Browns to inform them they were quite happy for Reynard to take part but if there are no other fox entrants he will have to be placed in a class of his own. Lady Rowena warmed to the expression a ‘Class of his Own’. So on their own admission, the canine authority did recognize Reynard was special and Lady Rowena was very happy with that.
It was Saturday morning, a beautiful sunny day; Doggy people were starting to arrive at the castle grounds. Some had already arrived and were brushing, combing and fluffing their little darlings up. Reynard was not like that. He was his own ‘dog’. The opposition was going to be vicious. Mother and father declined to be judges as they were close friends with the owners of one of the entrants.
Reynard’s class represented solely by Reynard eventually entered the ring. Tamsin and I watched from a distance. My chest pounded as he was led in by Lady Carter-Brown; Rowena, there was sustained, jubilant applause, whistling and strident calls of ‘GO FOXY’. One comment I heard was an astonished ‘WHAT BREED IS THAT?’‘
No, the highlight of the Dog Show was not Pekinese, Dalmatians, Dachshunds or Labradors but Reynard the Fox Cub.
He did not growl, look menacing or snap at anyone and appeared to understand he was to be on his best behavior.
I think Lady Rowena was very proud of Reynard winning the title ‘Dog of the Show’……. er or something similar and was happy with the cup, even though the cup was not all that big.
Reynard’s photo appeared on the front page of the Argyll News. I believe there was also an offer from a toothpaste company to use Reynard in a series of TV commercials. Maybe there was a connection with Reynard’s teeth, although as far as I know Reynard has not shown his teeth or growled at anyone yet.
The following day after the excitement of the dog show Tamsin and I decided to travel to her home, Loch Awe Grange. Before we left I asked father if he would make arrangements for us to travel back to Denham Hall on a Sunday afternoon flight which meant travelling to Oban to catch an executive jet to Stanstead.
On arriving at the Grange, to our complete surprise, the highlight of the afternoon was Tamsin’s father, Mr Lacey, was to give us a recital of a classical piece he had learned on his clarinet, a piece that could go on for half an hour.
Mr Lacey brought in his music stand while Tamsin’s mother busied herself organizing the chairs in the lounge. Tamsin and I tried to look busy, with difficulty. Mrs Lacey then went into the study to answer the phone.
Mr Lacey took up his position in front of the music stand, blew a few notes on his clarinet allowing a few squeaks to escape. I suppose to warm the reed up. He paused while he composed himself and was about to commence the recital when Mrs Lacey appeared in the doorway and said ‘Darling, darling there is a phone call for you in the study’.
During Mr Lacey’s absence there was some fidgeting, coupled with an air of suppressed excitement, ‘suppressed’ being the operative word, when Tamsin’s father returned to the lounge and announced “I do apologize. I will have to call the recital off. I have to leave immediately. It appears we have a small crisis down at the council offices. Maybe another time”. Mr Lacey helps out as a consultant with the local council following his retirement.
The expression ‘a close shave’ came to mind. It looks as though Tamsin and I will get to spend an hour on the tennis court after all.
It had been a weekend full of excitement. I was so pleased for Lady Rowena and Reynard. It was a successful weekend for them also.
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