Eva Ibbotson: One Dog and His Boy

“Yes,” said Pippa, who had opened the door. “I suppose you’d better come in.”

Albina was shopping. It was her favourite occupation and she was entirely happy. The three G aunts were with her. Hal was coming home in a week’s time and she was getting ready.

The shop was called The Pampered Pooch and it sold everything that a well-turned-out dog might need. A famous dress designer had just produced a new range of tartan jackets and matching booties for afternoon wear, and for more athletic dogs there were jumpsuits of mink or ermine. Displays of jewelled collars were arranged on satin cushions. There were diamond studs for dogs to wear in their ears, and gold ribbons to plait into their moustaches, and inflatable ham bones which played “Silent Night” for dogs who found it difficult to sleep. Kennels shaped like paddle steamers or railway stations or giant boots stood on the floor, there was a stand of motoring goggles for dogs with sensitive eyes, and the shelves groaned with bubble baths and scents and deodorants for dogs who worried about their personal hygiene.

“Oh dear, I don’t know where to begin,” said Albina. “There’s so much. Do you think Fleck would like a pillow shaped like a frankfurter sausage?”

Georgina had found a cashmere bonnet for cold days with a ribbon to tie under the chin, and Gloria had fallen for a blanket which played “Hush-a-bye Poochie” when you picked it up.

The ladies ran hither and thither, getting more and more excited.

“Look, here’s a collar with real garnets,” said Glenda. “I think garnets would suit him, don’t you? And it would go with your bracelet, wouldn’t it?”

Albina took it from her hand.

“Yes, it would. Though there’s an even better one over there. Look! It’s in alligator skin with a double row of rhinestones and the clasp is sixteen-carat gold.”

They picked up a bottle of scent called “Doggy Delirium” and put it to their noses.

“It’s heavenly. He must have some of that,” said Georgina.

She looked at the price and gave a little shriek, but really the expense didn’t matter. Spending a lot of money was what it was all about.

“There’s some canine mascara here,” said Glenda. “I seem to remember his eyelashes were rather pale.”

They were piling up their purchases, ready to take them to the counter, when they saw an object that stopped them in their tracks. For a moment they could not even speak, it was so beautiful and wonderful and strange. A platinum pooper scooper set with opals and amethysts.

Albina reached for it with a shaking hand.

“It’s copied from a design that was used by the Russian royal family,” she said, reading the label. “Oh, I must have that, I absolutely must!”

But just as she was about to add it to the other objects they had chosen, something happened. Albina straightened herself. She stood stock-still and a kind of judder went through her. A sort of twitch… And then slowly, very slowly (because it was so difficult) she put back the bottle of “Doggy Delirium”, and the blanket which played “Hush-a-bye Poochie”, and the garnet collar, and last of all, with a stab of real pain, the pooper scooper made of platinum.

“No,” said Albina, being nobler than she had ever been in her life. “I’ve decided. I’m not going to buy anything till Hal comes home. I’m going to wait. It is for Hal to choose.”

And with the G aunts following, she marched out of the shop.

Hal was reading a letter. He sat on an upturned boat on the shore. The sun was shining and the North Sea was on its best behaviour, silver near the shore, shading to pale blue and then a deep azure. The tide was out and the sands stretched for miles, empty and golden, as they do on the Northumbrian coast.

Fleck sat at his feet, but the letter was a long one.

“All right, Fleck, you can go and explore,” said Hal – and Fleck looked up at him and then trotted off along the beach.

The letter was from Pippa, and as he read it, Hal smiled, for his father had done exactly what Hal had asked of him. And done it secretly.

… It’s absolutely extraordinary because it happened just when Kayley came home after she finished at Easy Pets and she was feeling really rotten. Apparently one of the people who used to rent dogs noticed how good Kayley was with animals and he put her name down for a grant from a charity that looks after animals. It’s a huge sum and of course it’s all tied up with endowments and things. I don’t really understand the details but it means that Kayley can do what she’s always wanted to do: start an animal rescue place where the animals are cared for properly and never have to be put down even if they’re sick and can’t find homes. We’ve looked at a patch of land not too far away and there’s a little house – it’s not much more than a hut at the minute, but we’re all going to pitch in and make it habitable. Isn’t it fantastic? You’ll come and help, won’t you? And maybe that nice maid Olga you told us about? We’re going to call it Fillongley after the family farm. Grandfather’s over the moon…

Hal looked up. He’d go and phone his father and thank him.

But where was Fleck? There was no sign of him on the long, deserted beach. For a moment Hal was overcome by panic. Had he got lost, or drowned, or stolen? It wasn’t like him to go so far on his own.

He put his fingers in his mouth and whistled – and a white speck appeared, grew larger, and flopped down at Hal’s feet. Fleck’s tongue lolled, his tail thumped on the sand. He seemed to be smiling…

A dog who belongs to somebody forever is a dog who is free.

Sharon Rentta sent us lots of drawings for ONE DOG AND HIS BOY. We couldn’t use all of them but they are too good to leave out completely.