by Amanda Wills
‘There must be something we can do? We bought him for you, after all. Surely if we told this woman how upset you are, how Cassius needs you, she’d understand.’
‘That kind of thing only happens in stories, Sof. Not in real life. In real life people don’t give a monkey’s about anyone else. They’re just out for themselves,’ Kristy said bitterly.
A flash of alarm crossed Sofia’s face. ‘But we could at least try -’
‘Don’t bother. Anyway, I need to get on. And you’ve got quadrille practice, haven’t you? I’m sure Norah’s stressed enough about having to re-do the routine for three people without you being late for practice.’
‘What d’you mean three people?’
‘She didn’t tell you everything then. I’m not doing it. How can I? I don’t have a horse any more, remember.’
‘That’s where you’re wrong,’ said an indistinct voice behind them. Kristy spun around in surprise.
‘Emma, I thought you were having a rest!’
Emma stepped out of the shadows. She was holding a notebook in her good hand and a pencil between her teeth.
‘You know me, I can’t sit still,’ she mumbled around the pencil. ‘I thought I’d do a stock take of feed.’
‘What do you mean, Kristy’s wrong?’ said Sofia.
Emma took the pencil out. ‘She does have a horse.’
Hope flared in Kristy’s heart. Perhaps Emma had tracked Arabella down and bought Cassius back. Perhaps he was even now in the back of a horse lorry, wending his way home to her. The urge to fling her arms around his neck and bury her face in his thick mane was so overwhelming that for a minute she forgot to breathe.
‘She can ride Jigsaw.’
‘Perfect!’ said Sofia.
‘Jigsaw?’ said Kristy. The tiny flicker of hope died, like fire in a vacuum. ‘I don’t want to ride Jigsaw. I want to ride Cassius, and if I can’t ride Cassius then I’m not riding anyone. Now if you’ll please leave me alone, I have horses to feed.’ She picked up two buckets and pushed past Sofia to the door.
14
Pretty Please
Strains of music followed Kristy around the yard like a particularly annoying younger sibling as she fed the last of the horses and scrubbed buckets for the following day.
Inside the brightly-lit indoor school she could hear Norah barking orders at Sofia and William over the sound of the music. Phrases like ‘Change the rein!’ ‘Wrong leg!’ ‘I said canter circles not oblongs!’ were carried out on the evening breeze.
Kristy was transported back to the previous autumn, when they’d spent hours together practising their routine for the New Year’s Eve show. Norah had driven her mad, and they’d had to work so hard, but it had been a blast.
Kristy wasn’t in any hurry to get home and she found herself being drawn to the bright lights of the indoor school. Just five minutes, she told herself, slipping in through the open door.
Annie was sitting on an upturned bucket in the corner, her eyes shining. Kristy joined her.
‘This looks such fun!’ said Annie in a stage whisper.
Norah glared at Kristy as if she was the one who was talking.
Kristy held a finger to her lips. Annie nodded and they watched the rest of the routine in silence.
The longer Kristy watched, the more uncomfortable she felt. Guilt prickled as painfully as nettle rash. It was all too obvious. Norah’s beautifully symmetrical routine worked perfectly for four horses. It probably worked for two, and maybe even for six, but for three it looked awkward and unbalanced. Norah obviously thought so, too, as she was getting redder and redder in the face, and her voice more and more ragged as she shouted instructions to William and Sofia.
As they rode up the centre line three abreast Norah didn’t bother to salute. She slithered off Silver and dragged him over to Kristy and Annie.
Kristy had never seen her looking so disheartened. Usually she was so assured.
‘I don’t know why we’re bothering, I really don’t. It’s hopeless with three people!’
‘It’s not that bad,’ lied Kristy.
‘No, you’re right. It’s so much worse. Miss Raven’s expecting perfection! This is a shambles!’
‘I thought you were all super,’ said Annie.
Norah ignored her and smiled imploringly at Kristy. ‘Sofia told us Emma offered to lend you Jigsaw.’
‘And I told her I wouldn’t be taking her up on her offer anytime soon.’
Norah clasped her hands together as if she was praying. ‘Please Kristy, we need you.’
‘Why can’t people take no for an answer?’ Kristy grumbled. Secretly she was enjoying watching Norah grovel. It made a welcome change. And a tiny part of her felt flattered they needed her so much.
‘Pretty please?’ said Norah.
Kristy imagined riding Jigsaw into the ring at the centenary. He was a showy horse, bigger than Cassius and with beautiful floaty paces. He was a real head turner. Everyone would be impressed.
Why was she refusing to take Emma up on this amazing offer? Loyalty to Cassius, or plain stubbornness? Kristy knew in her heart Cassius wouldn’t mind. He loved her unconditionally. Her mum would say she was cutting off her nose to spite her face. And she was right. In a second Kristy realised she had been an idiot. She smiled at Norah.
‘I’ll do it! I’ll ride Jigsaw,’ said Annie suddenly.
The smile on Kristy’s face froze. Norah’s hands fell to her sides.
‘Really?’
‘I’d love to. It looks so much fun!’
Norah looked her up and down. ‘You can ride, I assume?’
Annie looked worried. ‘I’ve competed at intermediate level dressage. Would that be good enough?’
Norah grinned. ‘You bet it would!’
‘But Annie doesn’t go to our school,’ said Kristy.
‘Miss Raven won’t mind. Not when I tell her we were let down by our fourth team member.’ Norah shot Kristy a filthy look. She looked over her shoulder at Sofia and William, who had jumped off their ponies and were wandering over.
‘I’ve found a replacement for Kristy,’ she crowed.
‘You’d better check Emma doesn’t mind Annie riding her horse,’ said Kristy.
Norah narrowed her eyes. ‘When did you last compete at intermediate level dressage, Kristy Moore? Never, that’s when. Of course she won’t mind. Come on, Annie. We’ll go and ask her now.’
As Norah dragged Silver behind her Kristy could have sworn the little grey gelding gave her a look of sympathy. Sofia and William were staring helplessly at Norah’s retreating figure.
‘You two make a right pair, if only you could see it. You’re both as stubborn as each other,’ William said crossly.
‘We’d much rather you were on the team. Annie seems nice enough. But it won’t be the same without you,’ said Sofia.
‘I know,’ Kristy finally admitted. ‘I’ve been an idiot,’ she said glumly. ‘But it’s too late now, isn’t it?’
Any misgivings Emma may have had about the change of jockey were swept aside by Norah’s legendary powers of persuasion. By the time Emma found Kristy in the hay barn, listlessly filling haynets, it was a done deal.
‘I hope you’re not upset, but you did say you didn’t want to ride him, didn’t you?’ she said.
‘I know. And it’s fine. Honestly.’
‘When people say ‘honestly it’s fine’ it usually isn’t,’ said Emma shrewdly.
Kristy shrugged. ‘It serves me right for being pig-headed. Call it an important life lesson. I really will be fine.’ She pulled the haynet tight and tossed it into the corner of the barn. ‘At least I would be, if I could only see Cassius one last time.’
Emma raised her eyebrows.
Kristy took a deep breath. The idea must have been floating around her subconscious for a while, and as she started talking it became blindingly obvious. ‘I want to see where he’s living. So I can picture him there, you know?’
Emma said nothing
but Kristy was on a roll. ‘I want to check he’s OK, for my own peace of mind. I want to explain to Arabella what he’s been through. How he needs her to step up and be his eyes. I want to make sure she’s totally committed this time, and isn’t going to lose interest and take up snowboarding instead. Most of all, I want to say goodbye. Properly. Tell him I’ll always be there for him. That I’ll always love him.’ Kristy’s voice wobbled and she took a deep breath. ‘So that’s what I’m going to do.’
Sofia sat at their favourite table in the library, her head bent over a book. Kristy hitched her rucksack further up her shoulder and zigzagged past desks and chairs to reach her. She sat down with a thump.
‘So what’s she like?’
Sofia placed her bookmark in her book and lay it carefully on the desk in front of her.
‘You really want to know?’
‘Yes. No. Oh, I don’t know. Just put me out of my misery and tell me.’
‘She rides like a dream. Jigsaw goes beautifully for her. Emma watched our training session last night. I could have sworn she had a tear in her eye.’
‘I’m so pleased,’ said Kristy, her voice heavy with sarcasm.
‘You did ask,’ said Sofia mildly. ‘Norah’s cock-a-hoop.’
‘I bet she is.’ Kristy played with the strap of her bag. ‘Sof, I’ve got a massive favour to ask.’
‘I don’t think Norah’s going to change her mind now, Kristy. Sorry.’
‘No, it’s not that. I want to find out where Cassius has gone. Just to check he’s OK. But I don’t really know where to start. Will you help?’
‘Of course I will!’ Sofia held up her index finger. ‘On one condition.’
‘Name it.’
‘You help us get ready for the quadrille.’
Kristy’s eyebrows shot up. ‘What, become the team skivvy so Norah can spend every waking hour bossing me about? No thanks!’
‘No, not skivvy. I was thinking you could help in more of a coaching capacity. Come along to training sessions and tell us where we’re going wrong.’
Kristy gave a bark of laughter. ‘Oh yes, because Norah’s going to love that.’
Sofia shrugged. ‘Leave her to me.’
‘But why do you want me tagging along? You’ve got Annie now.’
‘Come on Kristy, it won’t be the same if you’re not involved in the team.’
Kristy curled her feet around the legs of her chair. Being stubborn hadn’t done her any favours last time. ‘And if I do agree, and it’s a big if, will you help me find Cassius?’
Sofia smiled broadly. ‘When you agree, of course I will!’
15
New Coach
Kristy waited a beat.
‘Alright, I’ll do it.’
Sofia gave a little fist pump. She reached in her bag for her rough book, unscrewed the lid of her fountain pen, jotted something down and underlined it twice. Kristy swivelled her head to read it. Finding Cassius, it said.
‘I’ve always fancied becoming a private detective. You can be my first client. So, Miss Moore, tell me what you know.’
Kristy thought back to her conversation with Karen. ‘Arabella’s fiancé bought Cassius back for her. He’s loaded. Drives a red sports car. He seems to be bank-rolling her.’
‘A sugar daddy?’
‘No. He’s not very old. Early twenties at most, I should think. He told Karen his family owned a large estate with lots of stables and that’s where they were taking Cassius. Only she didn’t think to get the address.’
‘And what is his name?’
Kristy shrugged helplessly. ‘I have no idea.’
‘Our first dead end.’ Sofia chewed a strand of her long red hair. ‘Let’s try a different tack. What’s Arabella’s last name?’
‘Hayward.’
‘Mmm, quite a common name.’ Sofia reached into her bag for her phone. ‘I’ll try Googling her. We need to find out where she lives.’
‘That’s easy, Emma will know. She was a livery, remember. We’ll ask her tonight.’
For the first time since Cassius had gone Kristy felt optimistic. She had a plan. Sofia was helping her. And, although she wouldn’t be admitting as much to Norah, a tiny bit of her was glad to be involved with the team. She was even looking forward to tonight’s training session. Sofia had promised to clear Kristy’s new role with Norah before the end of school.
As she sat through double maths Kristy’s mind wandered from the trigonometry she was supposed to be studying to their search for Arabella Hayward. Perhaps, if she played her cards right, Arabella would be happy for her to visit Cassius occasionally. She might let Kristy have the odd hack out when she was too busy to ride. Some of the liveries at Mill Farm had sharers who rode once or twice a week in return for a contribution towards the livery fees. OK, so money didn’t seem to be an issue, but perhaps Kristy could offer to poo pick or muck out in return for a ride.
By the time she reached the yard she had everything worked out. She and Arabella would hit it off instantly, and Arabella would be grateful for Kristy’s offer of help. She must be frantically planning her wedding, Kristy reasoned. While she was busy being Bridezilla, choosing menus and venues and whatever else a bride-to-be needed to do, Kristy could be exercising Cassius. It was the perfect solution.
Expecting to find the yard as reassuringly scruffy as it usually was, Kristy did a double take. The place was immaculate. The concrete was perfectly swept and the stables were all mucked out. Someone had even coaxed the muck-heap into some kind of order. Hearing Annie humming to herself in the tack room, Kristy wandered over.
‘Hi Kristy! Everything’s done. They just need bringing in,’ Annie said.
‘You’re kidding.’
‘I came over early. As a thank-you for Miss Miller letting me ride Jigsaw.’
‘Cool.’ Kristy slung Henry’s headcollar over her shoulder. ‘I’m going to be helping out a bit. With the team,’ she added.
Annie’s face lit up. ‘Awesome! I’m so totally excited about it. It’s going to be so much fun!’
Kristy smiled back. ‘It will. And don’t mind Norah. She can be a bit bossy but she means well. Most of the time, anyway.’
By the time Kristy and Annie had brought the horses in the twins and Sofia had arrived. Kristy finished fixing the straps on Viking’s rug and crossed the yard to where Norah was picking out Silver’s feet.
She lay a hand on the little gelding’s withers and took a deep breath. ‘About Sofia’s idea,’ she began.
Norah let go of Silver’s hoof and eyed Kristy coldly. ‘What about it?’
‘I just wanted to check you were cool with it and everything.’
‘What, the fact you refused to join the team but you’re more than happy to order us all around?’
Kristy gripped Silver’s mane. ‘It wasn’t like that!’ she squeaked defensively.
Norah’s lip curled. ‘Oh yeah?’
‘Absolutely! Sofia promised to help me find Cassius but only on the condition I helped with the quadrille. She didn’t really give me a choice.’
‘Ah, I see. You’re only offering to help because you have to, not because you want to?’
Kristy shot a desperate look towards Jazz’s stable, but Sofia was nowhere to be seen. ‘What do you want me to say, Norah? That I do want to help or I don’t? Help me out here.’
Turning away, Norah picked up Silver’s back foot. To Kristy’s alarm her shoulders were shaking with fury. She mentally kicked herself for agreeing to Sofia’s demands. She should have known how Norah would react. She was a control freak, and control freaks never like relinquishing their control to anyone.
She hovered for a few moments more, until she became aware of a snorting noise. Norah seemed to be struggling for breath.
Kristy leant down, her hand on Norah’s shoulder. ‘Are you OK?’
Norah’s face was screwed up and a tear was rolling down her cheek. But she wasn’t cross or crying.
‘Hey, why are you laughing?’
Norah set Silver’s foot on the ground and howled with glee. ‘You should have seen your face! And the way you tip-toed across the yard. It was priceless! Honestly Kristy, you’re so easy to wind up.’
Realisation dawned. ‘You mean you were kidding me?’
Norah wiped the tear from her cheek. ‘I couldn’t resist. You looked so earnest. People think William’s the only one with a sense of humour. But I can out-prank the best of them.’ She chuckled to herself.
‘So you don’t mind me helping out?’
‘No, I don’t mind, Kristy,’ Norah said patiently. ‘I can’t ride and keep my eye on everyone. Emma hasn’t got time to help. You know our strengths and weaknesses and you know the routine. It’ll be good to have you on board.’
Kristy exhaled slowly. ‘Thank you. I’m glad that’s sorted.’
Norah handed the muddy hoof pick to Kristy and smiled sweetly, but there was a steel-like glint in her eye. ‘But don’t go getting any ideas above your station. You may have been brought in as a temporary advisor, but I’m still the boss, alright?’
16
Super Sleuths
Kristy stood in the middle of the school, her hands in her pockets. One by one the others walked past her. Annie first, riding with a long rein so Jigsaw could stretch his neck. Sofia was right. Annie was a great rider, balanced and perfectly in tune with the big skewbald gelding. William next on Copper, who was totally unfazed by the fact his rider was sitting back to front in the saddle and was making faces at his sister behind them. Pointedly ignoring her twin, Norah was wittering on about their training schedule for the next few days. Bringing up the rear was Sofia on Jazz. The highly-strung mare was tossing her pale golden head and crabbing up the side of the indoor school, still brimming with energy even though she’d worked her four white socks off for the last hour.
It had been a good session. Kristy always tried hardest for the nicest teachers at school, so she had decided to use the same principle in her new role as temporary advisor. Encouraging and generous with her compliments when they did well, she refused to fix on their faults. It seemed to have worked. Norah had positively burst with pride when Kristy had praised her perfect ten metre circles. And as they turned into the centre of the school the four riders looked flushed and happy.
