Archie's War

by Margi McAllister

  “They have to march to the train at Kirby Moss,” said Will, who’d been talking to some men in uniform. “Then they get the train to the camps.”

  “What camps?”

  “Where they train to be proper soldiers, daftie. They don’t go straight off to war.”

  The door of the village hall opened and a cheer went up – there was Master Ted in his officer’s uniform, shoes and belt gleaming, a glowing smile on his face and a sword at his side like a prince. Then Star jumped from the car, raced through the crowd, and leapt into his arms. By the time Master Ted had fussed him and put him down, a mist of white hairs coated the smart uniform. Star ran twice round him and once round Will, then put his paws up at Archie, who ignored him. That dog was excited enough without encouraging him.

  “My ma sent these, sir,” he said, ushering Jenn forward with the basket and hoping that they didn’t look like flower sellers.

  “What a nice woman your mother is!” exclaimed Master Ted. “Flowers from Ashlings!” He fastened a white rose to his tunic. “Just the thing! Thank her very much for me!” He raised his voice. “Chaps, we have roses and pinks from Ashlings to see us on our way! Anyone for a white rose?”

  The men gathered round, and suddenly Archie and Jenn were so busy handing out flowers that he almost forgot the wooden sword in his pocket. It was only when he caught sight of Master Ted’s sword hilt that he remembered it and drew it out, but he hadn’t got hold of it properly and somebody jolted him. The sword dropped from his hand and disappeared among the men’s boots, and before Archie could find it Star had darted forward. The dog snatched up the sword, ran to the shade of a chestnut tree and settled down to chew.

  “Star!” bellowed Archie, forgetting that he shouldn’t shout at Master Ted’s dog, especially in front of all these people. Desperate to get it back before Star could gnaw it to splinters he ran, but Star saw him and sensed a good game. He picked up the sword and galloped across the churchyard and out of sight.

  The men had seen and were laughing, and there was nothing Archie could do. He stared hard at the churchyard wall, burning with embarrassment, forcing hot tears back from his eyes. He liked dogs. He could never be unkind to one. But for those seconds, he hated Star.

  From behind him somebody whistled twice. Master Ted’s clear, strong voice rang out.

  “Star! Star, give!”

  To the cheers of the men Star whisked round and flew back to Master Ted with his ears streaming behind him. He dropped his prize at Ted’s feet and sat back, watching with big bright eyes.

  “What have you got, Star?” said Master Ted. “Sorry about that, Archie. This is yours, I believe.”

  “It was meant for you, sir,” muttered Archie wretchedly, but now everything was ruined and wrong and he felt ridiculous. He took the sword, wet with dog spit and pitted with tooth marks, wiped it on his arm, and offered it back. “It’s supposed to be for luck, sir.”

  Master Ted turned the sword slowly in his hands. “It’s even got my initials on it!” he exclaimed, and Archie’s heart lifted a little. Master Ted looked like a small boy with a new boat. “Archie, did you make this yourself?”

  “Yes, Master Ted sir. It’s wood from the old cherry tree, sir.”

  Master Ted seemed to be gazing at something far away. Then he put his hand on Archie’s shoulder and smiled down.

  “That’s the most perfect thing anyone’s given me today,” he said. “Thank you, Archie. Made just for me with my initials, and our old cherry tree too. It’s like having a bit of Ashlings to take with me everywhere I go. And since Star got hold of it – no, you menace, you’re not getting it back – it’s even got his tooth marks, so it’s something of him, too.”

  “Good luck, sir,” said Archie. Then somebody shouted and the men in uniform began to line up, Master Ted took Star to Lady Hazelgrove, then strode to the front of the column.

  “Ashlings men!” he shouted. “Finish saying goodbye to your sweethearts. All of them, Frank Roger! We’ve got a war to fight! Attention!”

  There was a stamping of boots. The sergeant barked an order, then they were marching away as if they would follow Master Ted to the edge of glory, further and further away, out of the village, and Archie found he was longing for them to stop, please stop, all of you, come back, come home, because roses and wooden swords wouldn’t keep them safe…

  Will was staring after the men with envy and yearning. Lord Hazelgrove’s car growled into life.

  “Got any money?” said Will at last. They had enough between them for a quarter of peppermints to share with Jenn and Flora. They walked home thinking of what they had seen, and saying very little.

  In the evening Star trotted restlessly about the Hall, looking for Master Ted. He padded steadily from room to room but Master Ted wasn’t in any of the downstairs rooms, so Star tried his bedroom. Even there he couldn’t find Ted, but at least there was a comforting smell of him in his old shoes. In his bathroom there was a towel that smelt of him. Star’s basket was in a corner of Master Ted’s bedroom. He knew that sometimes Master Ted went away for night after night, and this might be one of those times, so he trotted about looking for things that smelt of Master Ted.

  “I’m afraid Master Ted’s dog has taken the towel from the small bathroom to his basket, my lady,” said Mrs Satterthwaite the housekeeper. “The maid tried to take it away, but he growled, so she thought best to leave it.”

  “She can leave it there,” said Lady Hazelgrove. “But we’ll bring the basket downstairs. There’s no point in him sleeping in Ted’s room when Ted’s not there.” But when they tried to move the basket Star showed his teeth and cowered down with his old blanket and Master Ted’s towel.

  “If that’s the way he feels, he can stay in here,” said Lady Hazelgrove, so Star’s basket remained in Master Ted’s bedroom. The next night he took Master Ted’s shoes to bed with him because he liked the familiar smell of his feet. He took his wooden-handled clothes brush in there, too, for safekeeping and for something to chew.

  “That dog,” muttered Mr Grant. “It’ll take anything that’s not nailed down.”

  Day by day Star discovered that he could survive without Master Ted, but he missed him terribly. Ted’s mother was kind, but he and Ted belonged to each other. Life wasn’t so much fun without him.

  Archie went into the potting shed and chalked lines beneath a shelf on the back wall. A line for every day Master Ted had been away, in blocks of seven. There were two, then three, then four.

  When Archie walked back from trips to the village he would see Star at a window, gazing along the drive. On warm days the dog would sit outside on the steps or he’d be lying down because he had waited so long and was tired. Star no longer tore round the gardens getting under everyone’s feet, but Archie realized it was better when he did. He missed Star. Once he sat down on the steps beside him to stroke him and talk to him, but then Mr Grant had told him off because the garden boys weren’t supposed to be seen at the front of the house.

  After that Archie waited for the next Thursday, because Thursday was Mr Grant’s day off. With Grant safely out of the way, Archie slipped round to the front of the hall with a few leftover crumbs of toffee in his pocket. Star was lying with his head on his paws as if he knew that Master Ted wasn’t coming today, but he may as well wait anyway.

  “Hello, you,” said Archie. He sat down beside Star and offered him the toffee from his fingers. Star sniffed cautiously, then settled his head down again.

  “Hey,” said Archie softly. “It’s nice. Go on. Haven’t you even enough sense to lick toffee? Do you want some company? I’ll sit here with you a bit. Grunt isn’t going to chase me away, not today.” Star began to lick his fingers, hesitantly at first, then with enthusiasm, and Archie smiled. It wasn’t Star’s fault that he was such a riot of a dog. And he was loyal to Master Ted.

  “I know, you miss him,” he said
, stroking Star’s head. “We all do. He’ll come back.”

  The war came close to Yorkshire. Gunboats fired at Scarborough, and a local lad was wounded in action. They had said it would be over by Christmas. The days grew shorter. Autumn leaves fell until the trees were bare and only the evergreens stayed, rising above morning frost. With every line on the potting shed wall Christmas drew nearer, and the war still went on.

  Archie wanted Christmas to be as it always was. Everybody else on the estate seemed to think so too, including Lady Hazelgrove, so Archie and Will dragged bundles of holly and ivy through the gardens to decorate the Hall, and climbed trees to cut mistletoe. There were leeks and carrots to be dug, and the kitchens at the Hall smelt of spice and brandy. When he delivered the vegetables, Cook would slip him a mince pie or a piece of shortbread.

  Lord Hazelgrove came home for Christmas, smiling broadly and striding out like the old soldier he was. Simon, the older son, would be coming, but nobody knew about Master Ted. Ted’s sister Lady Dunkeld arrived, giving orders to everyone and annoying the cook. Archie found that he was watching and waiting all the time, hoping that he would go to the kitchens and find everyone happy and excited and saying “Master Ted’s home!” But there was no news of Master Ted, and he felt more and more sorry for Star. He still stopped to talk to the dog and give him a bit of fuss if he was on the step, and if Grant wasn’t looking. In the harsh cold of December Star was more often indoors at the window, but Archie saw him trotting round the grounds when Lady Hazelgrove or one of the household staff took him for walks. He only trotted now, never galloped.

  Two days before Christmas Archie trailed home from the village with some shopping for Ma. He was nearly at the Hall when he heard Star barking as he had never barked in his life, as if not a hundred million barks could be loud enough for the joy, joy, joy…

  It could mean only one thing. Master Ted was home!

  “Thank you,” said Archie. He didn’t exactly know who he was thanking, but he had to thank someone.

  At Gardener’s Cottage there were presents, oranges, nuts, and a Christmas pudding sent from the Hall and boiled up in the steamy kitchen, but best of all, Master Ted was home with not so much as a bruise as far as anyone could tell. On Boxing Day all the staff visited the Hall and were given presents by the family – proper tweed caps for Will and Archie – and Ted whispered to Archie that his sword was still safe. It was his lucky charm, he said.

  Archie had almost forgotten what Star was like when Ted was there. It was as if a spell had been lifted from him and he brimmed with life. His tail wagged, his eyes were bright, he was under everyone’s feet again, and it was as if he had never been so happy. But Master Ted was different. His smile wasn’t the same, and he looked older. If Lord Hazelgrove took friends shooting, Master Ted didn’t go with them. At the sound of a gunshot he would look sharply round with a tense, focused expression. But even though it was winter he found time for a bit of cricketing practice with Will, Archie and Sam the Boots. Star would tear round the lawn to find the ball.

  “Do you think Master Ted’s changed?” Archie asked Will as they left the Hall.

  “Course he has,” said Will. “He’s been in a war and he knows he has to go back soon. He must have seen men die and everything. If they’d only let me join the army I could go and keep an eye on him.”

  Master Ted wouldn’t be home for long, but he found time for the gardens. There was some neglected land not far from the house where Dad wanted to make a sunken garden with ferns and a pond. Archie went with them to look at the site, mostly so he could be with Master Ted, but he had another reason. He wanted to make himself extremely useful in the Christmas holiday because then Dad might take him on full time, just like Will, and he wouldn’t have to go back to school in January. They were coming round the corner of the house with Master Ted and Dad striding along in step, and Star stopping to water every blade of grass, when they heard the roar, clunk and cough of an engine.

  “Car coming,” said Dad. Star was barking furiously, so Archie grabbed him and hung on.

  “Pardon me, Master Ted sir,” he said, “but he’d likely get run over.”

  “He hasn’t a clue about cars,” said Master Ted. “He loves being in them, but from the outside he thinks they’re dragons. My word! It’s Betters!”

  “Betters?” Dad mouthed the word at Archie, but he didn’t know what it meant, either. Master Ted broke into a run as the car stopped and a young man with a curling moustache jumped down from the driving seat.

  “Betters!” cried Master Ted. “Good to see you!”

  The newcomer slapped Master Ted on the back and looked past him at Archie. He winked, and called out.

  “I’m looking for Captain Carr! Seen a Captain Carr anywhere?”

  Archie was about to say “no”, then with a gasp he understood.

  “Master Ted, sir!” he exclaimed.

  “That’s ‘Captain Master Ted, sir’!” said the stranger, and extended his hand to shake. “Captain Arthur Bettany, making a nuisance of myself. Ted and I survived school together and France, too, somehow.” He turned back to Master Ted. “Sorry I couldn’t let anyone know I was coming, I just got away and thought you’d like to know about your promotion.”

  “Many congratulations, Master Ted, sir,” said Dad.

  “Oh, you know how it is,” said Master Ted and shrugged, and Archie thought he looked embarrassed. “Promotion comes quickly in wartime.”

  It turned out that Captain Bettany – “Betters” – was an old friend of Master Ted, and they had been stationed near to each other in France, or “at the Front” as the soldiers called it. Master Ted seemed happier with his friend around and Archie liked Captain Bettany. Soon they were organizing games of football between the estate workers and the indoor servants with Master Ted on one side and Captain Bettany on the other, which meant that they fouled each other at every chance they had. Star joined in until Archie was convinced that the dog’s only aim in life was to trip people up. Now and again Star ran into the gardens and had to be summoned out by Master Ted’s whistle. Bertenshaw glowered at them.

  “We don’t want Star digging everything up, the menace,” said Master Ted. “Archie, it’ll help if you learn my whistle for when I’m not here.”

  After a lot of practise Archie managed to do the short, sharp double whistle that Master Ted used for calling Star. He did it so well that Star would spin round in the middle of a run, charge up to him, realize who it was and wheel off again to find Master Ted. It made Flora shriek with laughter. Star was trouble, but he was fun.

  The Christmas break was passing too quickly, and now it was three days, now two … then Archie took the vegetables to the Servants’ Hall and smelt metal polish. They were getting Ted’s kit ready for him to go.

  It seemed all wrong. He’d only just come back.

  “What’s up with you?” Will said when Archie trudged back to the cottage.

  “Master Ted’s off int’ morning,” he said. “When he got his promotion, he said ‘promotion comes quickly in wartime’. What did that mean?”

  “Dead men’s shoes,” said Will promptly. “It means stepping into dead men’s shoes. You get promoted because some other poor beggar’s been shot.”

  Archie wished he didn’t know that. Star was always under everyone’s feet – couldn’t he just trip Master Ted up so that he broke his leg and couldn’t go back? He’s our Master Ted, thought Archie.

  Star nearly did trip up Master Ted that night because he was anxious about him, and wanted to stay as close as he could. Ted’s uniform was laid out for the morning and Star didn’t like that uniform. When Ted wore that, he went away. There was a nasty smell of polish, too. Star tried chewing a leather belt but whatever was in that polish, it tasted foul. Ted’s boots were gleaming, too. Star took one and hid it under the bed, but Ted found it.

  Early the next morning, Arc
hie was carrying the vegetable basket to the Hall when he heard the roar of a car engine. Master Ted and Captain Bettany were returning to war. On his way back, Archie slipped round to the front of the house. Star was lying on the step with his head on his paws.

  “Poor little beggar,” said Archie. “You’ll be cold.” He was about to go and hug some warmth into the dog, hoping he wouldn’t be in trouble with Mr Grant again – but Lady Hazelgrove came to the door, picked Star up, and carried him back into the Hall, stroking and soothing him. Once again, Star and Lady Hazelgrove were to look after each other.

  After Master Ted and Captain Bettany had gone away, Dad and Will were sent for, to come to the Hall. Will came out with his whole face bright, and broke into a run when he saw Archie. “I’m going to Kent!” he shouted.

  “What?” asked Archie.

  “If Ma says yes, but she will. Kent, dimmie, wake up. You know Master Ted’s sister, Miss Julia that was…”

  “Lady Dunkeld, of course I know.”

  “Well, her gardeners keep trooping off and enlisting, see, and they need a new garden lad. She wants me to go!”

  Gardeners didn’t start wars, Master Ted had said. But Archie was finding that they went to fight in them, all the same.

  “You’re already training with Dad!” he said.

  “Yes, but if I go to Kent I can learn stuff I won’t learn here. It’s warmer, they can grow things that won’t grow in Yorkshire. The growing season starts in March, March, and right through into the autumn. And it leaves the way open for you, doesn’t it? If I go to Kent, you’ll be the one working with Dad.”