Chapter 1
Too excited to sleep Ruby kept still and listened. Tomorrow would be her 10th birthday, one reason for her excitement and something even more exciting would soon be happening in the kitchen downstairs. Dad’s sheepdog Meg’s puppies had started to arrive and, if she kept quiet and still, she could hear muffled squeaks which meant at least one puppy had already been born. There’d been puppies born at the farm before, and she loved to see them cuddled up with their Mum in the straw of the barn. This time things were different; Ruby and her younger brother Nick had been promised a puppy each for themselves and allowing them to be born in the kitchen meant they would see more of them and know them better when the time came to choose.
Ruby had wanted a dog for as long as she could remember. The dogs on the farm were lovely and friendly and she loved them, but they weren’t her dogs, they were working dogs, and didn’t hang around for a fuss or a cuddle; they were always much too busy. They’d rush off and leave her at the first sign of any work to do. She knew these puppies wouldn’t be pets either, they’d be expected to work with the sheep and earn their keep, as all farm dogs must. However, Ruby would make sure her dog would like cuddles as well as sheep.
Living on a sheep farm in the hills of Cumbria with her Mum Pamela, Stepdad Gary, and 8 year old brother Nick, Ruby didn’t remember a time when her real Dad lived with them. Mum and Gary had married before she could remember, and so she thought of him as her Dad. They’d always told her the truth though, so she knew her real Dad came to take her out from time to time, and sent her birthday and Christmas presents. Ruby used to enjoy these outings, especially as Nick didn’t go with them, so they made her feel special. Nick could be annoying, but he wasn’t a bad brother, and they both needed company living where they did. Nick had a talent for inventing new games, which were always lots of fun. They were the same height and despite being two years younger than her, Nick wasn’t much like a ‘little’ brother, being much stronger and thicker set. He took after his Dad Gary and had the same dark curly hair and olive skin, which always looked as if he had a suntan. Ruby’s pale skin burned rather than tanned, and her light sandy hair and small frame looked much more like her own father. She thought Dad must like Nick, looking so much like him, and wished she wasn’t so different, especially as she didn’t even look like her Mum.
This was a new feeling for Ruby and she didn’t know why. She’d always thought of Gary as a good Dad. He’d been there as long as she could remember and always looked after her. He’d taken her to school in the Land Rover and come to her open days and sports. He’d sat with her when she’d had nightmares, listened to her problems, and stuck plasters on her cut knees. In Ruby’s opinion he did everything a proper Dad should, and yet she couldn’t help thinking he must like his own son better. He’d never shown any preference though, and she really had no cause to be jealous of Nick. He always had time for them both, even when busy on the farm, he’d take time to explain things to them and show them how things worked. Ruby had learned everything she knew about animals from him. She often watched him take care of a poorly lamb or a dog’s cut paw and loved his kindness to animals and people. He made them laugh with his jokes and funny antics and always listened to them and answered their questions. They both loved him very much, and Ruby knew he loved them too, and yet she still believed he must love Nick best.
Her real Dad wasn’t anything like Gary, although he’d always been kind and caring to Ruby. After breaking up with her Mum he’d wanted to keep seeing Ruby and had made the effort to even when she was a baby. At first, she wasn’t sure what to call him. Her Mum had explained about him being her real Dad and yet she’d always thought of Gary as Dad. She didn’t know what to call this second Dad and, as she didn’t know his name, she called him ‘man’ which he didn’t seem to mind, in fact he found it quite funny. As she got older, he suggested she called him John which made things much easier. John would take her swimming or to the park, and then on to McDonald’s for tea. A real treat for Ruby as she’d never been there before and felt pretty sure Nick hadn’t either, she’d have scored one up on him when she got home. Ruby looked forward to John’s visits and got on very well with him. She looked just like him, and no one could doubt they were father and daughter, which made her feel special when they were out together. She looked forward to his visits and loved to tell Nick all about them when she got home. She wasn’t trying to boast she told herself, she just wanted Nick to know how much her Dad loved her.
Life changed when John met and married Jenny and started his new family. Although he still came to see her, it wasn’t as often, and it wasn’t the same. She’d just go round to their house with Jenny and the new baby and watch TV or play in the garden. It wasn’t a very big garden, and they didn’t have any pets or anything else to play with, so there wasn’t much to do. She didn’t go swimming or to McDonald’s anymore, just to tea with John and Jenny, and then home. Jenny tried her best to make Ruby feel welcome, although the baby took up most of her time and Ruby felt in the way. In the end she asked Mum if she had to go, and Mum said she’d speak to John. She supposed she must have done as he hadn’t come round for ages, she felt guilty and yet relieved she didn’t have to go anymore. She didn’t miss the visits, as she planned for her new puppy and tried to think of names for it. She wouldn’t have time to visit John once she had her pup anyway.
Gary loved the children taking an interest in the farm and the animals, especially the family’s sheepdogs. There were usually four of them, although sometimes more, as Gary trained dogs for other farmers, and they’d stay with them while they were learning. He also enjoyed competing with his own dogs in sheepdog trials and often won. Ruby knew he must be a good trainer, as people were very keen to bring their dogs to him. There were no extra dogs at the moment though, just Meg, the mother of the puppies, Jack, their father, and Gary’s best sheepdog, Betty, who at twelve years old had retired but still helped out around the yard. Also there was Dad’s two year old Bryn, one of Meg and Jack’s last litter, showing lots of promise.
Ruby and Nick both loved sheepdog trials for different reasons. Nick had already decided his dog would be competing and winning at events like these, and he spent his time watching and picking up tips. While Ruby really enjoyed their days out as a family, meeting up with friends, and watching her Dad work his dogs; she never quite understood what they were supposed to be doing or if they were right or wrong. As well as the serious classes for the grown-ups, where they could qualify to work their dogs for their country in international competitions, there were also classes for young handlers. Nick loved to watch these and dreamed of the day he’d walk on the field with his own dog, while Ruby just dreamed of having a puppy to play with and love.
Dad had taken them both out with the dogs since they were small, to show them how the dogs worked the sheep, and try to teach them the commands and the whistles. Even at only 8 years old Nick had begun getting the idea; Dad called it ‘reading’ the sheep which meant trying to work out what they would do before they did it. Nick had a natural talent for this, which pleased Dad, not least because he could say Nick must take after him. However, try as she might, Ruby just couldn’t seem to get it right. She thought the sheep were tricky things, and although she never said as much, she didn’t like them. It seemed to her they were determined to make her look stupid, and when she gave the wrong command to one of the dogs Dad took over so as not to confuse the dog. She supposed she must take after John, as he’d never had animals, so it wasn’t her fault, it just made her feel even more of a disappointment. Nick didn’t help, and found it funny when Ruby got it wrong, so she stopped going out with them and played in the yard with Betty instead.
Although Betty had only ever been a sheepdog, Ruby managed to show her how to play with a ball, and whenever Dad and Nick went out with the dogs to tend the sheep she went in search of Betty and soon had her retrieving the ball and finding it when she hid it for her. Betty started waiting at the back door for Ruby to come and play, and they’d go out to the front meadow together, so they had more room. This pleased Ruby who thought, even if she wasn’t any good with sheep, she could do ordinary dog training. This worked OK until the day Dad needed to separate some ewes and lambs in the yard and Betty couldn’t be found. Later, when the whole family came in, Dad reminded her working dogs weren’t pet dogs, and she mustn’t play with Betty anymore.
Ruby felt cross which made her rude. ‘Everything here is about stupid sheep,’ she said and stomped off upstairs, even though, deep down inside she knew the rules of farming, every animal must have a purpose. Then she started to worry what would happen if she couldn’t train her new puppy to work the sheep. Would she be able to keep it?
The puppies were due to be born around the same time as her birthday and, as it got closer, she stopped worrying and started getting excited. Now they were being born and she’d see them for the first time the next day; her birthday. The best birthday present ever!
After a very restless night Ruby rushed downstairs in the morning and saw Meg, lying contentedly with six black and white bundles of fur all tucked up beside her fast asleep. Although Meg’s tail thumped slowly, welcoming Ruby when she came into the kitchen, she made no attempt to get up and continued lying with her head laid proudly and protectively across her babies. Nick hadn’t come down yet and Mum had gone to lay the table for breakfast, leaving Ruby for a few moments with them all to herself, lost in wonder. Gazing at these little miracles all lined up and content, the butterflies in her tummy took flight.
Mum returned, wished her a Happy Birthday, and told her to go up and get dressed. When she came down again ready for school, the whole family were in the kitchen. Even with all the excitement of the puppies no-one had forgotten Ruby’s birthday and, as well as cards from her family with a £10 note in the one from her Nan and Grandad, she also had a new pencil case and pencils from John, a red jumper, a book on sheepdog training from Mum and Dad, and a picture frame from Nick, which he said she could use for a picture of her new pup. Thrilled with her presents Ruby hugged all her family, even Nick! After breakfast she and Nick headed off to school, and with a last glance at the pups before they left, they went out to wait for the school bus to pick them up.
Lots of Ruby’s school friends wished her Happy Birthday, gave her cards and sweets, and generally made a fuss of her. A new girl called Emily, who used a wheelchair, had joined her class and their teacher asked them to help her when they could, as she might find things difficult. Ruby made a special effort to get to know her, and much later when the girls had become great friends Ruby told Emily she’d been her extra birthday present. Emily’s curly ginger hair and freckles made her look very pretty and Ruby thought this so much better than her own sandy colouring. Emily only had one proper leg, and a bit of the other one which she told Ruby had never worked. She’d been born with a shrivelled and twisted leg which the doctors couldn’t save, and they’d decided to remove the bad part, and leave her with a stump. She said she could get about on crutches as well as the wheelchair, although it made her other leg ache if she did too much. By using her arms and good leg on the floor, something she couldn’t easily do at school she could get around quite quickly without her crutches or wheelchair at home. Both Emily and Ruby laughed at the thought of trying this at school. Emily said she’d moved to the area with her family because the local hospital made groundbreaking prosthetics and were making Emily’s new leg. Living closer made it easier for all the fittings she had to go to, and she told Ruby she’d been glad to move as some of the kids in her last school weren’t very nice to her and called her names. Ruby felt sad for Emily, and decided she’d make sure no-one called her names at this school or they’d have her to deal with. She already admired Emily for staying so positive and couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to be unkind to her.
From their first conversation it became obvious the two girls were going to get along, they had the same silly sense of humour, liked the same music and could both talk for England. They didn’t agree on everything though, and when Ruby discovered Emily’s fear of dogs, she didn’t understand it. She’d never imagined anyone could be afraid of dogs; it didn’t make any sense. What could they be frightened of? It all came out when Ruby told Emily about the puppies. She didn’t at first notice Emily’s look of horror. She’d pulled back in her wheelchair at the very mention of the dogs and now sat quietly round eyed, as though listening to a scary nightmare. It took Ruby a couple of minutes to notice, ‘Whatever’s the matter?’
‘I don’t like dogs,’ she said in a quiet voice, ‘I’ve been frightened of them since one knocked me over. They all seem to come at me and I’m sure they’re going to bite me.’
‘Well, none of ours would bite you,’ said Ruby, a little indignantly, ‘they’re all very friendly.’
‘Yes, I’m sure they are,’ said Emily, ‘People always say their dogs are only being friendly, when they push me over.’
Clearly the girls were never going to see eye to eye on this. Ruby thought it best to change the subject and they were soon giggling again.
Once school finished, they set off home to see the puppies and find out which were boys, and which were girls. Emily went off in a specially adapted taxi where her wheelchair just pushed on the back, and once Ruby had waved her off, she went to find Nick and the school bus. Emily had told her she lived in a cottage at the end of the village, where Ruby’s Mum did the shopping, and the dogs went to the vet. So, as they passed her house on the school bus Ruby decided it wasn’t too far away and started hatching a plan to get Emily over her fear of dogs. All the way home on the bus they talked about the puppies, and Nick boasted about how his pup would be the best sheepdog in the world, even though he hadn’t even chosen it yet. They were both trying to think of names and went through every boy dog name they could think of. Neither of them thought about girl’s names as they’d always been told the best sheepdogs were boys and so they didn’t consider having a girl. The journey home felt much longer than usual, and they became more impatient as it stopped at all the drop off points. Once it cleared the village and started to climb the hill there were very few stops and they eventually arrived home.
They both ran straight into the kitchen dropping their bags in the hall. Although very pleased to see them Meg wasn’t yet ready to have her puppies handled, and so gently pushed away any hands reaching for them and nuzzled them closer. Mum said she’d managed to look at them briefly when she’d cleaned the bed and changed the bedding after persuading Meg to go out. There were four boys and two girls she told them, so plenty of boys for Nick and Ruby to choose from.
Surprisingly all the puppies were black and white, and yet both Meg and Jack were tricolours, which is black and white with brown patches on the faces and legs. Ruby asked her Mum why none of them looked like their parents, and Mum told her the brown wouldn’t show up until later. Some if not most of the pups would be like their parents when their brown markings came through. Ruby didn’t mind about colours; they were all so pretty.
As the days and weeks went by the puppies grew and opened their eyes, and the children got involved in the feeding and cleaning. As they started to develop personalities, they were also able to play with them and they found lots of ‘toys’ for them. These weren’t bought toys, things like jam jar lids, kitchen roll middles, yogurt pots and plastic bottles were much more fun. All these various household things made super toys which would roll and squash, and could be picked up by little mouths, so the puppies were soon really enjoying them. Even though Ruby knew Emily didn’t like dogs, she chose to ignore it and reported on the pups’ progress every day in school. After a few days she noticed Emily really starting to take an interest and ask questions. She laughed at the antics Ruby described and listened fascinated when Ruby talked about her feelings for the little black and white girl. As predicted all the others had developed brown patches over the eyes, on their cheeks and their legs, only the smallest little girl remained firmly black and white and, as she told Emily later, looked a bit plain next to her tri-colour brothers and sister, which might have been what made Ruby notice her. She always seemed to see her first when she looked at the pups. Even though her bigger brothers and sister were more robust and chunkier, Ruby just loved the small graceful little black and white girl. Emily couldn’t see any problem with this, until Ruby said her Dad had told her this pup wouldn’t do at all. He called her the runt of the litter, not strong enough to be a working dog, although he said she’d probably make a nice pet. He encouraged Ruby to look at one of the lovely strong boys instead.
Emily thought this unfair. Although she knew nothing about dogs, she thought they couldn’t be so much different from people, and little children didn’t necessarily turn into little adults, so the little black and white girl might grow up every bit as big and strong as her brothers and sister. Ruby smiled to herself when she heard Emily defending her pup, when a few weeks ago she didn’t want to know anything about them. Nick had already chosen his pup, the biggest, most handsome boy in the litter. Dad, obviously pleased with Nick’s choice, proudly told Mum, Nick already had an eye for a dog.
After this conversation, and with Emily’s encouragement, Ruby decided to stick to her guns, and it looked like the pup had the same idea, as no sooner had she found her feet she only wanted Ruby. There appeared to be an instant bond, and even Mum and Dad couldn’t deny there seemed to be something special between them. Dad resigned himself to making the best of it. Although she wouldn’t be his choice for a working dog, he knew Meg and Jack were both good sheepdogs, so all the pups should be good workers. He’d promised the children their own choice, and it didn’t look as if Ruby would be changing her mind.
When it came to choosing names for the pups Nick had no problem, he had already decided his pup would be called Ben after Dad’s best, prize winning working dog. Nick could hardly remember Ben, although he did remember how pleased Dad had always been with him, and how he still talked about him long after he’d died, so Nick thought Ben might be a lucky name. Ruby on the other hand had thought long and hard about a name and discussed the matter at length with Emily. Because she’d always assumed she would have a boy pup she’d spent a lot of time thinking of male dog names and had settled on Zac, which clearly wouldn’t do for her little girl, so she had to start thinking again. Emily came up with several suggestions and then had a bright idea, ‘What names have you liked in books you’ve read?’ she said, and Ruby remembered the dog in the book she’d read a while ago. It told the story of Lucy a little girl who had many adventures along with her dog called Libby. She loved the story and, as soon as she remembered it she knew it felt right; Emily agreed and, once again Ruby smiled at Emily struggling to think of a name for the creature she feared most in the world. She pointed this out to Emily who found it hilarious. The decisions were made, Ben and Libby joined the family and the other pups all went off to their new homes.
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