by Colin Dann
‘Of course. Shall I come now?’
‘Thank you. Oh, look – you might find this useful. I notice you don’t wear a watch.’ Odling pulled a small alarm clock from his pocket. ‘Would you like it?’
‘I’d love it,’ Frank answered. ‘That’s very kind.’
Half an hour later he was walking purposefully towards Keserly Street, anticipating Digby’s welcome with excitement. On the way he bought some more dog food and biscuits, and a smart new lead. When he reached Miss Crisp’s, she opened her door promptly.
‘Everything’s all right. He hasn’t disgraced himself,’ she announced.
‘You’ve been wonderful,’ Frank told her. Digby came bounding towards him, his tail thrashing to and fro, and leapt up with little whimpering cries of delight. ‘I won’t hang around,’ Frank said. ‘The poor dog must be desperate. Thank you again. I owe you so much.’ He slipped the lead on to the blue collar and led the collie away, turning to wave at the corner. ‘Miss Crisp’s a real friend to both of us,’ he told Digby. ‘We must repay her kindness.’
Digby trotted along confidently. It had been awful spending so many hours alone in Miss Crisp’s flat. All along, however, he knew Frank would return. The trust he had in his master was absolute.
They covered the distance to Rothesay House at a brisk pace. Luckily it was a dark night, thick clouds obscuring the stars. Frank’s alarm clock showed it was nine thirty when they paused near the front gate. Frank made Digby sit, then he squatted down himself so that their eyes met.
‘We have to be very quiet and very careful,’ Frank whispered. ‘Above all, you need to stay calm. Otherwise we might be in trouble.’
Digby licked his lips and tried to understand. He knew he was being cautioned. He felt Frank’s hand smoothing his head and listened to his gentle voice repeating his command.
‘Stay calm. Relax,’ Frank was saying in a whisper. The words were soothing.
They entered the gate. Frank checked before moving any further. In the house the lights were on and the curtains drawn. The wild garden loomed black and almost impenetrable. Frank led Digby on tiptoe past the house, and then the wilderness screened them. They reached the cabin unchallenged. Frank unlocked the door and closed it noiselessly behind them.
‘We’re home, Digby.’ He sighed with relief. ‘Home. Our home.’
Digby wagged his tail happily, catching his young master’s mood. Frank bent down to the lead. Digby was released and began to explore. Frank remembered to draw his own curtains before flicking on the light. ‘Ah, this is marvellous,’ he breathed, sinking into the only chair and leaning back, his hands behind his head. ‘No more cold stones or squats for us.’
After Digby had been fed and watered Frank began to think about the next day. Their comfortable new life wouldn’t be permanent unless they were very clever. In the early days of his employment it was essential for Frank to do nothing that would antagonize the Odlings. That meant that Digby must on no account be discovered. The cabin must be kept locked while Frank was working, just in case one of the family decided to visit it. As for the risk of Digby betraying himself by a bark or a whine – well, there was no sure way of preventing it. However, Frank thought that if he worked in an area close to the summerhouse for some days, it would help Digby to get used to his surroundings. The collie was more likely to be content in the knowledge that Frank was nearby, even if he didn’t like being confined. But there was the problem of the nettles. Frank hadn’t finished clearing them and the nettlebed was nowhere near the cabin.
‘I’ll have to go back to it later,’ he decided. ‘Can’t have Digby wailing and whining with me out of sight.’
The next morning Frank looked for jobs close to home, and there were plenty of them. He was glad to see that the rhododendrons around the cabin made a good screen, and the windows revealed very little. As he started work, pruning and trimming, Frank kept an eye on the comings and goings of the family. Odling left for work first. Half an hour later the mother and daughter left the house. Frank guessed it was the school run. He dropped his tools and dashed to the cabin.
‘Quickly now, Digby. We’ve a brief slot for you to get a breath of air and make yourself comfortable.’
They marched to the gate, Digby showing, unusually, a marked reluctance. He kept turning his head towards the house as though curious about what was in it, and only followed Frank in jerks and jolts. Frank kept a constant watch up and down the road as the collie took his hurried exercise. On the way back past the house Digby tried to dig his heels in again. Frank allowed him to pause for a few moments. Digby gave a strange sort of throaty growl and sniffed the air vigorously.
‘Of course!’ Frank cried. ‘You can smell the other dog. I forgot that part of the puzzle! Now, suppose he smells you?’
There were no disturbances that day. Frank kept a careful note of Mrs Odling’s absences. He meant to make himself familiar with the regular ones, such as delivering and fetching the daughter from school. That way he would get to know how long he had at his disposal to free Digby during daylight hours. In the evening, once everything was quiet, he took the dog for a long walk. It had rained again and now everything smelt fresh and scented under the trees lining the road. Frank thought a good deal about the Odlings’ border collie. He guessed it was only a matter of time before the dogs would become fully aware of each other. The recognition would be bound to lead to a confrontation.
‘So before that happens,’ Frank thought, ‘I need to make myself indispensable.’
15
During the next couple of days Frank worked with a will. Digby was getting used to the new routine and Frank felt free to return to the nettlebed. Odling only once came to speak to him, to ask how he was settling in. Mrs Odling allowed him to work without supervision or interference and merely gave him a smile or a wave when they glimpsed each other across the garden. Frank’s compost heap was growing daily and, little by little, he was making an impression on the uncontrolled vegetation. Then came the weekend.
Frank intended to work all day on the Saturday. It was a fine sunny day and Frank was hoping the entire family would go out, taking their dog with them. He thought it would be nice for Digby to have the opportunity to join him in the garden for a while. However, time wore on and there was no movement from the house at all. Around eleven o’clock Frank decided to have a coffee break. He pacified Digby, who was disappointed that his master hadn’t come back to the cabin to take him out.
‘I know, I know,’ he whispered to the dog. ‘You must hang on somehow. We’ll go the minute it’s safe. I’m sorry. There, now. Have a biscuit. I’ll be back just as soon as I can.’ He sat on the grass in the sun with a mug of coffee. Presently he saw the Odlings’ daughter approaching.
‘Hello,’ she said brightly. ‘Aren’t you doing well? Daddy’s ever so pleased.’
Frank smiled. ‘Is he now? I’m very glad.’
‘Isn’t it a lovely day?’ The girl shaded her eyes from the glare. ‘Mummy asked if there’s anything you need. I can fetch it for you if you like.’
‘I don’t think so,’ Frank answered, ‘nothing. Thank you. You’re very kind. Er – are you going out today?’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ the girl said. ‘They decide that. But I may have a friend round later.’ She took a few steps towards the cabin. ‘Is it comfortable in there?’ she asked.
‘Perfectly.’ Frank watched her cautiously. ‘It’s a bit untidy, I’m afraid. You wouldn’t want to see it.’
‘Oh yes, I would,’ she countered, laughing. ‘I’d just love to see what you’ve made it look like. Men are so funny, aren’t they? They seem to spread everything about all over the place. Daddy does, anyway.’
Frank quickly changed the subject. ‘Don’t you take your dog out?’
‘Of course I do. We all take turns. And he’s very interested in you. He’s been really curious since you arrived. He spends a lot of time by the front door, sniffing and making little whiny noises. Perhaps if I le
t him out to see you properly he’d accept you better. Shall I fetch him?’
‘No! I mean – er – not just now,’ Frank replied awkwardly. ‘I’m too busy.’
‘You’re not going to work today? It’s Saturday!’
‘I am – well, part of it, anyway.’
‘Can I call you Frank?’
‘Certainly you can. What do I call you?’
‘My name’s Harriet. Horrible, isn’t it? But you can call me by my second name if you like. Everyone else does.’
‘I think Harriet’s a lovely name,’ Frank said with a grin, ‘I shall call you that, if you’ll let me?’
‘Oh, all right then,’ the girl said. ‘I’m afraid I’d better go. I’ve got some homework to do and I want to get it out of the way early.’
She skipped away, leaving Frank to contemplate a narrow escape. He went back into the cabin, and Digby came begging to be taken out.
‘I’m sorry, it’s just no good at the moment,’ Frank said. ‘They’re still around. We must try to be patient.’
He couldn’t bear Digby’s pleading looks and threw himself into some work. The nettles had almost been wiped out and he wanted to complete the job. At last there were some positive noises from Rothesay House. Mr Odling was backing his car from the garage. Frank stopped to watch. Then Mrs Odling and Harriet came out. The girl was holding the dog by the collar. The collie seemed to be searching for the source of a particularly interesting scent. Frank guessed what it was and could only watch helplessly. Suddenly the collie gave a little yap and broke free, making a beeline for Frank.
‘He only wants to make friends,’ Harriet called as Frank received the dog in a rush. The young man’s clothes were of tremendous interest to the collie. Digby’s scent was all over them and the collie wagged his tail and explored Frank’s trousers and shoes as though desperate to find the answer to a longstanding puzzle. Frank tried to fend him off. He felt embarrassed by the dog’s attention, with all the family looking on, and he wondered what it would lead to. Harriet ran over, laughing.
‘He does seem to like you,’ she joked. ‘I told you he wanted to meet you!’
‘Yes. He’s very friendly, isn’t he?’ Frank said lamely.
‘Come on, you silly creature,’ Harriet said, dragging the dog away. ‘You know Frank now. He’s not so very different, is he?’
The collie was now pursuing the scent that had obsessed him since Frank’s arrival, running his nose along the ground, pulling at Harriet’s restraining arm. He obviously wanted to go towards Frank’s cabin, but the girl prevented him.
‘No, no. Not now. We’re going in the car,’ Harriet told him.
Frank held his breath. He longed for the family to leave. He noticed Mr Odling was watching the dog with a puzzled expression.
‘Hurry up, dear!’ Mrs Odling called and Frank held himself rigid until everyone, dog included, was safely inside the car. Only when the Odlings had finally driven away was he able to relax.
‘Phew!’ He let out a long breath. ‘That was too close for comfort. Now then, Digby, I think the rest of the day would be well spent away from here!’
Digby was only too happy to go anywhere that took him out of the cabin. Frank was amused to see he was eager to follow the other dog’s scent, once he had picked it up on their way across the garden.
‘Now you both know about each other,’ Frank murmured. ‘I wonder how long we’ll be able to keep you apart?’
Frank decided to head for the park. It occurred to him that it was possible the Odlings might see him walking Digby from their car, so hurried him along to get away from the local streets. Once inside the park, Frank felt safe. Only a few days ago he had worked here. Now he was using the park for recreation like so many other people. He sat on a bench and let Digby roam around. For the first time since taking his new job Frank was able to play his mouth-organ. He hadn’t dared to do so inside the cabin for fear of Digby’s howls. Sure enough, the collie reacted.
‘You’re a soppy dog, Digby,’ said Frank between tunes. ‘You’ll bring us an audience, but we don’t need the money now.’
Some people were hovering nearby, showing the amusement the scene had always caused. Frank, intent on playing above the noise of Digby’s howls, tried to ignore them. But when he stopped playing he nearly dropped his instrument. The Odling family were coming to see what all the fuss was about.
‘Oh no!’ Frank groaned. ‘Why didn’t I think of this?’
At the moment the family was on the other side of an expanse of grass, but their dog was off the lead and beginning to run. ‘Digby, here! Quickly!’ Frank leapt up and, with Digby at his heel, fled the spot. He had no idea if he had been recognized, but he cursed his own stupidity. The park, of course, was where James Odling had first encountered him. If he had thought about it, he would have realized it was a place the family was likely to visit at the weekend.
Frank and Digby hardly stopped running until they reached home. Frank bundled Digby out of sight and awaited the outcome. If they had been noticed, then the game was up. He knew Odling would be very angry about being tricked. It wasn’t at all how Frank had planned things.
The family returned home around lunchtime and Frank expected Mr Odling to come marching up to the cabin straight away. But he didn’t. An hour or so passed. Digby fell asleep on his blanket and Frank went cautiously outside. It was just possible that the little crowd which had gathered in the park as he played had obscured him sufficiently to escape recognition. He went back to his work. Shortly afterwards Odling came out.
‘You’re not obliged to work on Saturdays,’ he said. ‘I can’t pay you any more.’
‘That’s all right,’ said Frank with relief. ‘I only wanted to get this bit finished.’
‘You’re very diligent. You’ve made a difference already,’ said Odling. ‘I’m pleased with what you’re doing. Do you need any money? I know it’s not a full week yet, but you can have your wages early, if you like, and we can proceed from there and make each Saturday your payday.’
Frank took up the offer gladly. ‘It would be very welcome,’ he said. ‘I do have quite a lot I want to buy.’
‘I’ll fetch the cash. You’ve still time to get to the shops. Er’ – Odling jerked his head at the cabin – ‘you managing all right? Everything working properly?’
‘Perfectly, thank you, sir. I’m more than happy.’
‘Good, good.’ Odling went off for Frank’s wages while Frank drew a deep breath. There was to be no investigation after all. But he must be much more careful. Perhaps he should only take Digby out at night.
Although they had escaped from the park, Frank and Digby were not entirely in the clear. The behaviour of the Odlings’ dog was giving rise to some family curiosity. It appeared that all he wanted to do, as soon as Frank emerged each day, was to get out of the house. He begged to go out to him, wailing and barking alternately, until one of the family shut him away for the sake of peace. Harriet thought he should be indulged. At least if he were let outside, she reasoned, there was a chance he would satisfy himself about Frank and ultimately calm down. But, as they never gave in to him, the same scenes were repeated day after day. Harriet began to wonder just what was at the back of the collie’s excitement. She made up her mind to try to find out.
One day after school she found Frank busy digging over a rosebed he had weeded. Harriet came out to him, carrying a glass of cold lemonade. ‘Mummy thought you looked hot,’ she explained.
‘I am hot,’ he said, taking the lemonade. ‘Thanks. This is great.’
‘Frank – did you ever own a dog?’ Harriet asked abruptly.
Frank spluttered a little as he drank, taken aback. ‘Um – yes,’ he answered guardedly.
‘What was it like?’
‘Oh, you know, a mongrel,’ he fibbed, thinking of Chip.
‘It must have been fairly recently?’
‘Not that long ago. Why?’
‘Because our silly dog is going haywire since
he smelt your dog on your clothes.’
Frank eyed the girl cautiously. How much did she know? Should he tell the truth and swear her to secrecy? He thought children loved to be trusted with a secret.
‘I see,’ he said. ‘I – er – I’m sorry if it’s causing trouble.’
‘Not trouble exactly. But it’s a nuisance. Dad is losing patience. We had another dog once but we had to get rid of him when we moved here. They were from the same litter. I never wanted them to be split up but Daddy insisted. He’s not the greatest animal lover. What – what are you staring at?’
A light was beginning to dawn in Frank’s mind. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stare,’ he said hoarsely. He gulped. ‘What’s your dog’s name? No one’s ever told me.’
‘Tam.’
‘Tam. And his brother was . . .?’
‘Digby.’
Frank sat down heavily by the rosebed. Here was a thing!
‘Whatever’s the matter?’ Harriet asked. ‘You look stunned.’
‘That’s just what I am,’ Frank said. ‘Look, Harriet, can I count on you as a friend?’
The girl was flattered. She smiled shyly. ‘Of course you can.’
‘I’m glad,’ Frank said, ‘because I’m in a spot of bother.’
Harriet drew herself up and tried to look very adult. ‘Perhaps I can help?’
Frank smiled warmly, amused despite himself by her attitude. ‘You can. I’ve something to tell you, but I must swear you to secrecy.’
Harriet’s eyes popped. ‘Yes? What’s the secret?’ she asked breathlessly.
‘My dog wasn’t a mongrel. He was – is – a border collie just like Tam. Very like Tam, in fact.’
Harriet gaped. ‘You mean you have a dog now? Where is he?’
‘In the cabin.’
The girl wanted to dash off at once to see him.
‘Wait!’ cried Frank, calling her back. ‘Don’t give the game away. I haven’t told you all of it yet.’ When he mentioned the Dogs’ Home, Harriet began to shake her head slowly, anticipating the final revelation.
‘It can’t be,’ she whispered. ‘Not . . . not . . .’