Arnie Jenks and the House of Strangers

by Tim Bradley

  ‘Oh, thank you, of course. I’m sorry, I must appear incredibly rude.’

  ‘Dad! What’s going on?’

  Arnie’s father shook his head and looked vaguely around the room. ‘As I was just explaining, the weather was atrocious and I couldn’t make the last few miles till now…’

  ‘I mean about this place. And you. And me!’ Arnie shouted.

  Arnie edged away from the table and exposed the open trunk and the picture of his father in his cricket whites that lay next to the letter that Arnie had read.

  ‘I see I’m too late,’ Arnie’s father said wearily, catching sight of the photograph of himself and Arnie’s mother clenched in Lord Martlesham’s quivering hand.

  He looked to the old man. ‘Hello Father. It’s good to see you again. Though it’s not how I imagined it would be.’

  ‘You’ve thought about me then David?’ said Lord Martlesham.

  David Jenks sucked his teeth. ‘All the time.’

  Lord Martlesham’s eyes didn’t waver.

  ‘You look well…’ said Arnie’s father.

  ‘I’m old David and each day feeling older.’

  ‘I know, we must talk about things. If you want to.’

  ‘Do you, son?’

  ‘Yes. But as you can see, young Arnie and I have some things we need to sort out first. Could we have a little time alone together please?’ he added quietly.

  The old man squared up to David considering him carefully. ‘Whatever you tell him, make sure you leave nothing out. You owe him that at least.’

  ‘I will – promise.’

  ‘It is good to see you again David,’ he grunted. ‘Despite everything.’

  ‘Sure Father – the same. Talk after?’

  Lord Martlesham swung a reassuring look to Arnie as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

  ‘I’m not dreaming then,’ concluded Arnie. ‘This is your home.’

  David Jenks clasped his mouth in defeat. ‘Was,’ he admitted.

  ‘What do you mean?’ said Arnie confused.

  David took a pace forward. ‘Come here and give your dad a hug – I’ve missed you.’

  ‘No stop – I’m really confused – you’re saying this was your house and now it isn’t? How come?’

  David drew up a chair and sat down, an arm’s length away from Arnie who tensed up.

  ‘I was born and raised here and had a pretty good time of it – mostly,’ David said, nodding to himself. ‘But one day I left.’

  ‘What you ran away?’

  ‘No – I planned to go – God!’ he said, rubbing his forehead, ‘This is so very hard to talk about.’

  ‘Try me,’ said Arnie. ‘I want to understand.’

  David sighed, rubbing his chin. ‘Ok, ok – listen. I’ve always tried to be honest with you on everything but this is different and happened a long time ago.’

  ‘Go on then,’ Arnie’s breathing softened and the pulse in his neck slackened its relentless throbbing.

  ‘Right,’ said his father, composing himself.

  ‘When I finished college,’ David said finally, ‘I felt the need to start a life away from here – travel, see something of the world – do my own thing. I always imagined one day I would come back and do what was expected of me – to inherit my father’s position and title. But as each year passed, the thought of being Lord Martlesham of Shabbington Hall just felt peculiar to me – something that didn’t sit right. I was happy living out of a suitcase – being a bit of a hippy. Chilling out. Life felt good – no responsibility except to me. I didn’t think of the future. Selfish in retrospect I know.’

  ‘But everyone here, how could you leave them?’

  ‘I did keep in touch: wrote, visited, Christmas and such…but I didn’t need to be here – not while Father was able to manage the estate. Then things changed.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘I was told to get a job in the city, to learn business so I could run this place. I refused. My father and I fell out disastrously – he couldn’t accept that I might be changing my mind about ever taking over.’

  ‘Bit tough on him?’

  ‘It was but I knew my heart could never be in it, “if a job’s worth doing it’s worth doing well” and all that. My father was too stubborn to see it.’

  Arnie tilted his head.

  ‘Yes I know Arnie, it’s a family trait. I can be obstinate as well but in this case it was the right decision.’

  ‘So you chucked it all away?’

  ‘Not quite. Soon after that Mother died and my father started to lose interest in everything here at Shabbington – the horses, the farmland and even the gardens – which he adored. His health took a knock and the house started decaying around him. He demanded I return home immediately. I thought how hard it would be.’

  ‘But you wouldn’t have had to do it on your own,’ butted in Arnie, ‘lots of people would help! Mr Silverthorne for a start!’

  ‘No,’ his father chuckled. ‘That’s not what I meant.’

  ‘It’s not funny!’ retorted Arnie.

  ‘No, it’s not – it’s serious.’ His father raised his hands in surrender. ‘And hear me out, I did come back. Though my heart and spirit were elsewhere – I tried. Six months. But it didn’t work for me so I bit the bullet and told my father.’

  ‘What did Lord Martlesham say?’

  ‘Couldn’t understand. Saw it as shameful and an insult to everything he stood for. “Duty and loyalty come before personal feelings,” he said. ‘We didn’t speak for a long time after that.’

  ‘So, because you ditched Shabbington Hall, I lost the chance to know it too,’ Arnie said sadly.

  David exhaled heavily. ‘I always intended to tell you…’

  Arnie stared down at his feet.

  ‘Look Arnie, it was my choice back then. It didn’t occur to me what it could mean should I have children. I took one day at a time.’

  ‘Is that an excuse?’

  ‘It’s a reason. The only future I could see was one of misery imposed on me because of where I came from. Call it rebellion, call it a mistake, but I did what was right for me. And though this must be hard to hear – I have no regrets. It gave me the life I wanted.’

  ‘You didn’t think I could hack it! Knowing the truth!’

  ‘No! But I did fear how you would react and so couldn’t find the courage to tell you. I thought it would also…change the way you felt about me…which is…’

  ‘Dad?’

  David winced and folded his arms tight. ‘…is the only thing I have left in the world that means anything. I didn’t want to risk losing you.’

  Arnie bowed his head and murmured something quietly to himself.

  ‘Arnie come here.’ His father opened his arms but Arnie stayed put.

  ‘But why can’t we live here?’ Arnie pleaded, biting his lip. ‘I like it. It’s a great place! Wild!’

  ‘But you’ve only been here one day. You really can’t know anything; we’ve had a complicated history. It’s not been a smooth ride…’

  ‘But that doesn’t make it unimportant!’ Arnie snapped and headed for the door.

  ‘Arnie come back!’ his father shouted, crossing the study quickly to watch his son disappear down the long corridor into the large room at the far end.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  New Beginnings

  Several minutes passed before David found Arnie standing in the Great Hall at the window, very still, gazing out thoughtfully over the distant fields.

  ‘What can I say to make things right Arnie?’ said his father, stepping into the room and coming to a hesitant stop a few feet behind him. ‘It matters from now doesn’t it? Can we start again?’

  Arnie didn’t react.

  David tried to keep his voice steady. ‘Look love…there’s nothing that can’t be fixed when you’ve had time to think about it. It’s a lot to come all at once. You’re in shock still and probably hate me.’

  ‘It has thrown
me a bit,’ he sighed eventually. ‘All this new stuff…’

  ‘Bet it has…’

  ‘But I don’t hate you,’ Arnie said calmly still staring ahead. ‘Why would I?’

  ‘Really?’ his father risked asking.

  ‘I think I’m more relieved than anything.’

  ‘How do you mean?’ said David, moving a little closer.

  ‘Perhaps it was meant to be like this. Finding out this way…’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Everything that has happened to me since I came here makes more sense now…’

  ‘Because of what I’ve told you?’

  ‘A bit. But I’ve discovered other things for myself.’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘The fact this house is special.’

  ‘But,’ said David, ‘you hardly know it.’

  ‘Maybe,’ smiled Arnie seeing his father’s innocent expression.

  ‘Why are you grinning?’ said David, ‘I don’t get it.’

  ‘No – you wouldn’t,’ said Arnie, as he stared back out of the misty window. ‘Because you’ve not been here,’ he whispered to himself.

  David sighed and pinched his forehead searching for an answer.

  ‘By the way,’ Arnie added, ‘Lord Martlesham’s pretty amazing considering what he’s been through,’ as his mind flashed back to the events of the previous night.

  ‘You mean concerning me?’ said David, shuffling uneasily.

  Arnie chose not to answer the question.

  ‘I’d like to get to know him better.’

  ‘Um – yes of course,’ his father muttered, ‘if that’s what you decide you want.’

  ‘Why wouldn’t I? He is my grandfather.’

  David joined Arnie at the window.

  ‘So how was it spending the night?’ David said breezily. ‘No hot water in the bedrooms still?’

  ‘Pretty much.’

  ‘Can’t have been much fun.’

  ‘Wasn’t too bad,’ murmured Arnie. ‘Though I didn’t get much sleep.’

  ‘The beds are rather uncomfortable,’ said his father sympathising, ‘more spring than mattress I remember. Wasn’t the ghosts then?’

  ‘Why do you say that?’ Arnie kept his eyes fixed still on the ice cold window pane.

  ‘The house is known for them apparently – sightings go way back.’

  ‘Really?’ said Arnie allowing himself a half-smile.

  ‘That’s what they say but they’ve never shown themselves to me. So I’m inclined to disbelieve.’

  ‘Yeah, if you say so.’

  ‘Sorry Arnie?’

  ‘Dad,’ he said, placing his hand on the window and rubbing the condensation away. ‘Did mum ever stay here?’

  ‘A few times when I came back for that spell.’

  ‘Did she like it?’

  ‘No – she preferred the other life we had.’

  ‘Aunt Lavinia?’

  ‘We told her there was no contactable family on my side. Your mother agreed that was the wisest thing to do.’

  ‘She was no better than you.’

  ‘That’s not quite fair. We wanted both of us to tell you and Lavinia about Shabbington and we were going to. But then mum became ill and our priorities changed. We needed to focus our love on her.’

  ‘Doesn’t matter now,’ Arnie said quietly.

  ‘I’m not proud of what I did. But now that you know it all, perhaps in time you will understand enough to forgive me?’

  Arnie pushed his nose against the damp glass and blew softly until it steamed over.

  ‘Please say something.’

  Arnie kept puffing until he couldn’t see through to the outside and with his index finger wrote deliberately and slowly:

  “ARNIE JENKS WAS HERE”

  He underlined his surname.

  ‘Why is our name Jenks? It should be Martlesham shouldn’t it?’

  ‘The family name is actually Clifton,’ said David. ‘Martlesham is the estate title – bestowed on us by the king several hundred years ago. I changed my surname to help me make that new start.’

  ‘Clifton, Clifton, Clifton, Clifton…’ Arnie mouthed to himself as he ran his eyes over what he had written. He thought hard for a moment. Then he turned to face his father.

  ‘Dad I’ve decided something.’

  ‘Oh really? That’s a bit fast,’ said David anxiously.

  ‘I think I’d like to wander around for a while, we’re in no hurry to be anywhere are we?’

  ‘No, no – we can stay as long as you like. There’s no rush to get home.’

  ‘Home?’ said Arnie thoughtfully. ‘But isn’t this my real home?’

  ‘Um…’ sighed David. ‘Well…I’m not sure what to say. Your home is with me isn’t it?’

  Arnie was about to reply but the door opened and Lord Martlesham’s face cautiously peered round.

  ‘I thought I would look in,’ he said stiffly. ‘In case there was anything you needed.’

  ‘Well – Lord Martlesh…’ Arnie stopped short. ‘Oh. What should I call you? Grandfather? Grandpa? Sir?’

  ‘I’m not sure I quite know what to say,’ said Lord Martlesham benevolently. ‘I never expected I would be asked that question.’

  ‘Grandpa then – could I try that?’

  The old man’s moustache twitched upwards at the edges.

  ‘That’s cool,’ said Arnie cheerily. ‘Now Lord – sorry Grandpa – can I ask you a favour?’

  ‘You can ask of course.’

  ‘Would you mind if we hung about a bit longer? It’ll help me get my head around things.’

  ‘Not in the slightest,’ he shrugged. ‘Take your time.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Arnie looked across to his dad. ‘That’s ok isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes yes – fine by me,’ said David.

  ‘And could we send Farmer Carter to collect Aunt Lavinia and bring her over? I think she should see the house too. She would be knocked out by this view – awesome! That’s ok isn’t it Dad?’

  ‘Yes – whatever you want,’ he agreed quietly.

  ‘Shall we start outside?’ Arnie said brightly, ‘I’d like to see where’s great to toboggan.’ Without waiting for an answer he took his dad’s hand and led him across the room. ‘I want you to show me!’ he said gleefully.

  They separated at the door with Arnie moving ahead into the long corridor.

  ‘I’ll be there in a minute,’ David called after him, his face deflating once Arnie had gone.

  Lord Martlesham spoke softly but firmly.

  ‘Your boy seems to have taken to the place. Didn’t manage to put him off then?’

  ‘I promised I would tell him how it was.’

  ‘Not always faithful to your promises though are you?’

  ‘Father…’

  ‘David. I tried hard to understand why you refused to assume responsibility when the day came – but I can’t. How can you abandon the generations of your family like that? Do you care so little?’

  David’s eyes hung heavily. ‘I care that I’ve hurt you and that we’ve not been able to talk to each other when we used to share everything.’

  Lord Martlesham held out his hand. ‘It can be like that again. I only want for things to be right.’

  ‘Then accept that I’m not the one to carry the name forward. I can’t live here.’

  ‘But it’s your home!’

  ‘It’s a place where I used to live.’

  ‘I don’t understand. Are you telling me that you would see all this go for nothing when I’m gone?’

  ‘All I wanted was to be happy and being away from here made me remember the good times. That’s what I want to hold on to.’

  ‘Hurry up, Dad!’ echoed Arnie’s call.

  Lord Martlesham put his hand on David’s shoulder and gave it a tender squeeze. ‘Maybe we can bring the good times back? Now that fate has brought us together.’

  David nodded reluctantly.

  ‘Well then – we should talk,’ said the o
ld man softly. ‘Later, when we’re sure that young lad is all right.’

  They turned to see Arnie defending himself bravely against a suit of headless armour zapping it with his bus pass.

  ‘Come on!’ he yelled, as he jumped up and down in victory.

  ‘Father…I don’t know what to say…’ said David.

  ‘You’re both here now, which is a start,’ said Lord Martlesham openly. ‘Now go and see to him. You are his dad after all.’

  David wiped his eyes watching Arnie hare down towards the hall with arms outstretched. ‘Great for skateboarding!’ he yelled. ‘Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!’

  *

  When David caught up with him, Arnie was looking up the stairs to the top floor.

  ‘Arnie, are you all right?’

  ‘Yes I’m good,’ he nodded. ‘But thinking about someone.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Uncle Dirk – we’ve haven’t talked about him. Is he still unwell?’

  ‘Um…he’s better – being looked after. Though I don’t think he’ll ever be quite right. Did Father – I mean Grandpa – tell you about him? Arnie?’

  ‘Not exactly. I sort of found out for myself. I…read it in one of the letters you wrote home from school.’

  ‘Oh. I see.’ David looked thoughtful.

  ‘Would I like him?’ said Arnie.

  ‘I…think you might. I do,’ said David quietly.

  Arnie smiled.

  ‘Though,’ he said, qualifying his thoughts, ‘I’m not sure he would be ready to meet you – just yet. He might be rather surprised!’

  ‘Yes – I guess so…’ said Arnie wistfully as he took his father’s hand again and guided him towards the open front door and the sound of strained voices.

  Huddled in the porch, Mr Silverthorne cut dead his argument with Towersee who was struggling out of his wellington boots.

  ‘Good gosh! Master David? It is you isn’t it?’ he burst out, nudging Towersee who dropped his right foot hard into the snow with a damp squish.

  ‘So it seems – are you well?’

  ‘Yes indeed! You back for long?’

  ‘I’m not sure – it depends on my boy here…’

  ‘Oh! Right! Yes – of course, I see…’ said the solicitor swapping surprised looks with Towersee whose mouth had collapsed in disbelief.