by Meg Buchanan
“You might be right, but it’s going to take a lot of work caring for him over the next few weeks. That wound is going to need clearing off daily if he’s going to avoid infection, and his stall cleaned out a couple of times each day to stop flies hanging around.”
“I can do it.” Cole gently encouraged Hunter to walk towards the loose box he’d spent the last few hours preparing. “The holidays start in two days, so I can be here all the time. I can fit looking after Hunter around my other work.”
Milly’s father fell into step. “Okay, Cole. Hunter is your responsibility then.”
When they got to the stall Fred pushed the door wider, so Hunter could go in without bumping into anything. He must have heard the end of the conversation.
“I can help the boy, boss,” he said. “And show him what to do.”
Tom Gaisford nodded. “Clean out the truck and move it out of the way when you’ve got Hunter settled. The vet will be here to check those stitches every couple of days. If he doesn’t tear them and there’s no infection, they should be able to come out after ten days or so.” He looked over at Fred. “Can you take over from here?” Milly’s father looked ready to move on.
“Yeah. We’re fine,” said Fred.
Cole guessed Milly’s dad had dozens of racehorses to look after and couldn’t afford to waste too much time on one eventer he had been thinking of replacing and was probably washed up now anyway.
He looked at the poor damaged horse. Now it was his job to make him right again for Milly.
He led Hunter into the box and then looked over at Fred, leaning against the half door.
“What do I do first?” Cole asked.
Fred straightened up and stretched. “I’ll show you how to keep the wound clean, then we’ll put the flysheet over him and rub some insect repellent on his legs.” He grabbed the flysheet and a bucket off the shelf and came into the stall. He handed Cole the bucket. “Your first job is to fill this with hot water and get some soap and some rags. Then when we’ve done with Hunter you can help me clean out the horse truck. Then I’ll give you a driving lesson. That will give this poor old fella time to settle in.”
Cole got the water, soap and rags and Fred showed him how to care for the cut.
“You will need to clean off the plasma a couple of times a day.” Fred carefully wiped the oozing liquid away from the cut. “If it’s left it will damage the hair and skin and attract flies.” Even though Fred did it carefully, Cole could see Hunter trembling. He held the halter and rubbed the horse on the forehead to soothe him.
“Why not bandage it or put a sticking plaster on it?”
“It’s better left open to the air.” He rinsed the rag and went back to bathing around the wound. “The aim, when you are caring for him is to keep the cut as dry as possible and to keep flies away from it. We don’t want it infected or blown.”
“Okay.”
“You do it now.” Fred handed the rag over and Cole copied what he’d been doing.
Fred watched him. “That’s good. Hunter won’t want to move much because he’s so sore, but if he doesn’t move at all he’ll lose fitness quickly, so in a couple of days you’ll need to start taking him out for short walks. Once the cut has knitted you’ll be able to work up to gentle trotting.”
Cole rinsed the cloth and bathed away the rest of the crust that had formed while Hunter travelled in the horse truck. It looked like a fruitless activity. More plasma oozed out as he wiped.
“Do you think he’ll be good by the time Milly gets back?’
Fred shook his head. “No, this is going to take time. Every few days he’ll get better, but it could be a couple of months before he’s completely right. And that’s only if you do your job properly and there’s no secondary infection or tendon damage. Okay, time to get this flysheet on.”
When they had finished with Hunter they went over to the horse truck. Most of the other employees had gone. The horses were all bedded down.
Fred patted Cole on the shoulder.
“You’ve got your work cut out for you, boy. Hunter might not come right.”
Cole nodded. “Yeah. I know.” But he’d do everything he could to make sure the horse did get better.
By the second week of caring for Hunter, Cole could see the cut had knitted up and no longer secreted fluid. He had managed to avoid getting it infected.
The vet came to take the stitches out. It was his third visit and each time he’d been positive.
“It’s looking good,” said Ivan after all the stitches were removed. “Still only gentle walking for him though. We don’t want it opening up again.”
“What about his foreleg?” Cole held the halter rope and could see Hunter still favouring the damaged leg.
The vet moved forward and lifted it.
“There’s no swelling but he is still lame. If it doesn’t come right in the next few days we might have to do a scan to see if there is any damage we missed. For now, keep doing what you’re doing. When does Milly get home?”
“Her dad says on Sunday.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to Tom and see what he wants to do.”
Cole watched the vet get into his ute. Milly would be back in four days and he hadn’t managed to cure her horse. She still wouldn’t be able to ride it when she got home. He looked better. All the swelling around his face had gone down. But the welt on his hind leg from the cut still looked bad and he still limped when he walked. She wouldn’t be able to trot Hunter, let alone gallop and jump him.
His plan hadn’t worked.
9. Chapter Nine
Cole leaned against the wall of the school library, folded his arms and crossed one shoe over the other. He felt that familiar flicker of something there again as he watched Milly walk across the quad.
She came back from her grandparents’ late last night, and he hadn’t had a chance to talk to her. He’d already gone home when she arrived.
Anyway, he didn’t know how he stood with her now. He guessed her dad would have caught her up on Hunter. Her dad knew the results of the scan but hadn’t told Cole. Perhaps Hunter wouldn’t recover. Perhaps he had been permanently damaged. Perhaps she blamed him.
“Ask her to the ball,” said Luke. He hung all over Tessa as usual.
Luke had talked the principal into letting their band play at the school ball. Collins, the music teacher, had put in a good word. They got to do one set. Collins said, “Don’t let me down.”
“Milly? Jesus, Luke, she’s out of my league.” Milly had been nice about his part in the accident at the time, but that might have been shock. She might have changed her mind about him by now.
He hated not knowing where he stood.
“You know her. Just ask her.” Luke didn’t know anything about the accident. Cole had kept quiet about that because he’d been asked to.
Cole released a breath. How come Luke could never just mind his own business? “I work for her father, that’s all.” It wasn’t quite true, but that would do as a reason.
“Close enough.”
Tessa watched Milly, then looked back at Cole.
“Milly’s not going with anyone else, Cole. You should ask her.”
“I don’t know.” He’d rather just play the set and then leave. Adam, Isaac and Noah weren’t taking anyone. They’d probably skulk in the music room when they weren’t on stage. He’d rather be with them. “Nah,” he said.
“If you go with Milly, I’ll have someone to talk to,” said Luke.
“Thanks,” said Tessa. But she didn’t look too upset. She was used to Luke. He never thought before he spoke.
Luke pulled her closer. So even he realised he’d just been rude.
“I dare you,” he said to Cole.
Cole watched Milly, with her tanned legs, little pleated skirt, long dark hair almost down to her backside. She hugged a couple of books and wandered across the quad away from them.
Maybe she’d agree if he asked. He looked at Luke again. All right for him, so blo
ody confident. It wouldn’t occur to him in a million years any girl would turn him down. Luke folded his arms and waited.
Then suddenly Cole knew how to deal with this. He wouldn’t ask Milly, so much as make her part of it, so she knew. She was a good sport.
“Yeah, okay, I’ll do it. How much if I get her to agree?”
“Fifty bucks.”
That might just cover costs. Lucky Luke had a bit more money to throw around than the rest of them. He worked for his father after school and in the weekends.
Cole loosened his tie. “Right. Wish me luck.”
“She’s nice, Cole,” said Tessa.
“Yeah, I know. Way too nice for me.” But maybe he knew Milly well enough to make this work.
He wandered across the quad and tried to work it so he’d hit the corner of the classroom block at the same moment she did. There weren’t too many people about. She should manage to stay on her own for the next ten metres. If Tessa walked across the quad, she’d have an entourage by now.
Milly was just ahead of him. He’d got the trajectory about right.
“Hey, Milly.” He jogged the last few steps to catch up, then looked back to check Luke still watched.
“Cole?” She sounded surprised.
Guess he’d made no effort to talk to her last night. He could have stuck around. He knew she was coming home. “Have you got a moment? I need to ask you something.”
“Yeah, sure.” She still looked puzzled. She changed the way she held the books. “Daddy said you looked after Hunter while I was away.”
“Yeah. I felt sort of responsible.” He gave her a half grin.
She smiled back. “We checked him last night. He’s doing well. But I think he is missing Wildfire like I am.” She bit her lip and looked sad.
Cole nodded. “Yeah, probably. He’s still a bit lame. Did your dad say what the results of the scan were?”
Milly nodded and hugged the books closer. “There’s no permanent tendon damage. The vet thinks either it’s still a bit bruised or he’s afraid it will hurt if he doesn’t limp.”
“Do horses do that?”
Milly shrugged. “I guess.”
“How do you fix that?”
“I don’t know. Keep walking him until he gets over it?” She tipped her head to one side. “What did you want to ask me?”
That’s right. He’d forgotten the stupid bet. He nodded over at Isaac and Luke. Luke probably expected him to chicken out. He probably thought he’d ask if he could borrow a pen or something.
“See those two over there?”
Still hugging her books to her, she glanced over. “Luke and Tessa?”
“Yeah. Luke’s just made a bet you won’t go with me to the formal Friday night. Say you will. Help me win.” She mightn’t like being part of a bet. Maybe he should have just asked her straight out, like things were carrying on from before she went away.
She stood there and thought about it.
“We’ll have a good time and Luke will be paying for it,” he added. But maybe it was too soon after her horse dying.
She looked over at Luke and Tessa, then back to him. “Okay,” she said.
“Really?”
She nodded. “I think Luke Reilly paying for me to have fun is a really good idea.”
That didn’t seem like much of a reason. It wasn’t like Milly needed the money the way he did.
She added, “I’ve got something I can wear, I was a bridesmaid a few weeks ago.”
And he’d heard about bridesmaid’s dresses. Maybe she planned to make a joke of this. Didn’t matter. It was just to get one over Luke.
“Cool. Do you want me to pick you up at your house?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Tomorrow then. Seven thirty?”
“Okay.”
Better go and hire a suit after school. And might have to talk to his dad. Borrow the car Friday night. He couldn’t really pick her up in his old ute.
A group of other kids headed for the classroom block.
Milly nodded at them. “I should go. I’ve got a class now.”
“Yeah, me too.” Bloody maths.
“I’ll see you at work tonight?”
“No, got a practice. Last chance to get things right.” Lucky Milly’s dad didn’t want him to work. He had to make this practice. Fred said he’d look after Hunter tonight and tomorrow night, and he could take over again in the weekend.
“Okay.”
Milly disappeared around the corner and he went back to where Luke and Tessa were waiting.
“Did she say yes?” asked Luke.
“Yep.” But it didn’t seem like she agreed because she wanted to go with him. Luke must have upset her in some way.
“Want to raise the stakes?” asked Luke.
“How?”
“Another fifty if you can get her into bed by the end of the night.”
“For fuck’s sake.” No chance in hell of talking Milly into that, even if it meant taking money off Luke.
“Does that mean you’ll do it?” asked Luke.
Tessa hit him. “Don’t be mean, Luke. She’s nice.” She nodded at Cole. “And he’s not when it comes to girls.”
“I heard you’d already told Milly that.” They started walking to their next class.
“Where did you hear that?”
“From Milly, a few weeks ago.” Cole pulled open the door to the main classroom block and waited for Luke to go through. “I’m not doing it. She’s going with me, but that’s it, so pay up.” He liked working for her father at the stables. He didn’t want to jeopardise it by doing something sleazy and upsetting Milly again.
“Nah,” said Luke. “You don’t get the money until I’m sure it’s a date.”
He was late. He had to go and get that suit. He could hear a couple of guitars being tuned and the sound of a bow drawn across violin strings. Isaac hadn’t been too pleased to get landed with the violin solo again, even though he arranged the number, and especially when either Noah or Luke could have done it. They all had the same violin teacher.
Luke talked Isaac into it. “Natalia says you’re the best violinist,” he said.
In the end, Isaac agreed to do it.
Dealing with Luke was like that.
He went into the shed. Noah and Adam, sitting on a couple of saw stools, phones on their knees, tuning the guitars and playing chords. Isaac stood by the workbench, violin tucked under his chin, playing the melody for Stardust.
Luke sat on the edge of the stage holding the microphone. He had on jeans, white t shirt, black waistcoat and had topped it all off with a black hat.
He looked up. “You finally made it,” he said.
He checked the time on his phone, not late really, and Jesus, Luke had mascara on.
Cole shrugged. “What’s with the war paint?”
Luke fiddled with the microphone. “Tessa approves.”
The drum kit sat on the stage the way he left it in the weekend. Cole climbed up and sat behind the drums. They were all set up and shouldn’t need anything done to them.
He picked up the sticks and tried a drum roll. Sounded fine.
“We going to practice?” he asked.
“Just waiting for you.” Luke leapt up and stuck the microphone in the holder.
The others followed and went to their places. They’d practiced the set to death. Everyone knew what they were doing.
They ran through it again with no drama. Luke remembered the lyrics. Isaac didn’t complain about getting landed with the violin solo.
“Have we forgotten anything?” asked Luke, when they were finished.
“Nah,” said Cole. He needed to get home. “We’re right.
When he got home he found his dad sitting in the lounge drinking.
“Can I have the car tomorrow night?” he asked.
“Why?” The fourth can got drained and joined the others on the floor.
“Got a date.”
“Who?”
�
��Milly.” He nodded in the direction of the other side of town.
“Reaching high, Cole Boy. Just remember you need that job.”
“Yeah, I know. Don’t upset the Gaisfords.” Milly didn’t have to work because her father couldn’t hold down a job for more than a few weeks.
His dad untangled the next can. “You got it.”
Cole took the plates out to the kitchen then came back into the lounge.
“So, can I have the car to take her?”
“Yep.” His dad opened can number five with a flick of the thumb.
10. Chapter Ten
Cole pulled up outside the Gaisford house and got out of the car. Usually the place bustled with horses, riders, stable hands and grooms, but tonight it was quiet and peaceful.
Should he put the suit jacket on? It wasn’t cold, but it might look better when he knocked on the door. No. The shirt and tie looked fine. He walked up the path to the back door.
Milly’s father answered his knock. “Cole, you’re early. Come in.”
“Thank you, sir.” He wasn’t too sure what his boss thought about the hired help taking his daughter to the ball.
“Tom, Cole. I’ve told you that before.” Tom Gaisford shut the door behind him.
“Tom.” He tried the name out as they wandered into the kitchen. Milly’s father looked like he’d just got out of the shower.
“Milly’s almost ready. Come into the kitchen, I haven’t had time to eat yet.”
Cole sat on a barstool behind the massive island. “Fred said you were away looking at some horses?” This was the sort of situation when you had to make conversation.
“Yes.” Tom opened the fridge and took out a bottle of white wine. He waved it in Cole’s direction. “Do you want a drink?”
Cole shook his head. A bit early to start drinking for him. Didn’t tend to drink much anyway. His father and his mates had put him off that.
Milly’s father poured himself a wine, then opened the oven and lifted out a casserole dish. He put it on the chopping board on the bench.
“Now let’s see what the efficient Mrs Bennett has made for me tonight.” He used the oven cloth to lift off the lid. It smelled brilliant. Beat the sausages he’d had again.
