It seemed very unlikely and I think I must have, at least sub-consciously, chosen not to hope. Tomorrow at 8 pm was fine. We talked about it and were sure it would not be Bertie, but felt we could not rest until we were sure. It was an uncomfortable evening. I dwelt in the hinterland between hopelessness, stunned disbelief and that sense of 'just maybe'.
Telephone calls at that time of night always convey bad news.
This was no exception. He had never been seen in the village again, so we were sure he had not been run over. A brown 'oriental' cat had been sighted at Crow's Hall Farm at Lavant sometime in late September. They kept it until 11th October. Instead of reporting it to the cat rescue service they signed it over to a family.