“As you wish,” the Big Dog stated.
Then instantly, Mallory was reborn, the last (of course, always lagging behind) of a litter of Newfoundland pups.
Mallory thought it was fun being a puppy but somewhat exhausting.
Then, one day, six weeks later, he was lying contentedly in another sunbeam when he heard the woman who watched over them say, “They’re over here.”
His brothers and sisters all exuberantly ran to whoever it was that had entered the room. Mallory lifted his head to have a lazy look at what was transpiring.
Then he saw his tall, strong, dark-haired master.
He jumped to his big, puppy feet and ran to the man who was now crouching low over the gaggle of puppies, examining them closely.
Mallory pushed his brothers and sisters aside, surged toward his master’s hand and gave it a sloppy lick.
Colin’s eyes immediately shifted to Mallory.
“I’ll take this one,” Colin stated.
“Are you sure? He was the last one out; he’s a bit of the runt.”
Colin chuckled as his big hand closed around Mallory and lifted him into his arms.
“That figures,” he mumbled.
Mallory was beside himself with glee.
The pretty dark-haired lady that came with his master held Mallory while Colin drove them back home to Lacybourne.
Then he was put in a room for several hours. He was happy there. The room had food, water, treats and kids and people came in every once in awhile to coo over him, play with him or take him outside.
And, of course, the sun was shining brightly and there were some mighty sunbeams.
Then he had several hours to himself and he used them wisely and took a long puppy nap.
Then the door opened and the dark-haired woman walked in with a red-haired one. He knew both of them and he ran to them and gave them as many puppy kisses as they’d allow which, Mallory thought with delight, was a lot even though they were both all dressed up in pretty frocks.
They tied a silly pink and cream ribbon around his neck but he didn’t mind as it was rather fun to try and reach it so he could chew through it.
“Take off that ridiculous ribbon,” Colin ordered upon entering the room.
“But Colin, he’s a gift!” the dark-haired lady said.
“Claire, take off the ribbon,” Colin repeated.
“The ribbon has to stay, Sibyl will love it,” the red-haired woman declared.
Mallory could swear he heard his master growl.
Then Mallory jumped from the red-head’s arms and into Colin’s. His tail was wagging and his body was wriggling and he tried to reach his master’s face to give it a big, wet kiss.
Colin deftly avoided his tongue as he followed the two women out of the room, into the hall and toward the stairs.
He was still trying to lick his master’s face when he heard the loving, familiar laugh. Mallory froze, looked across The Great Hall, his floppy ears flying and saw her standing under the two big portraits.
There were tons of people there milling all over the place, drinking golden liquid from fragile glasses and eating food (some of which, Mallory fervently hoped, they’d drop to the floor). They were talking, laughing, joking, smiling and having the times of their lives.
Most of them Mallory knew, some of them he didn’t. But Mallory didn’t care. He only had eyes for one of them and he had to get to his mistress now.