by Amanda Wills
Teddy shrugged. ‘She can buy him back. It’s no skin off my nose. He only reminds me of Bella anyway.’
A wave of hopelessness hit Kristy like a wall and she leant against Cassius. Beatrice must have noticed, as she frowned.
‘What’s the problem? I thought it’s what you wanted?’
‘I haven’t got any money. I can’t afford to buy him back.’
‘What about your parents? I’m sure they’d stump up the cash if you asked them.’
‘They would if they could but they can’t. Not everyone is able to buy sports cars and ten thousand pound rings and holidays in the Bahamas. Not everyone lives in a big house like yours with fields named after famous battles and collections of vintage motorbikes,’ said Kristy hotly.
Beatrice had the grace to look shamefaced. ‘Point taken. I ought to know better. Our parents sent us to the local high school so we mixed with people from all backgrounds. They didn’t want us growing up feeling entitled.’
With a nod of the head she motioned Teddy to join her by the band of poplars. She began talking animatedly, her hands pointing back and forth between Cassius, Kristy and Teddy. Kristy tried to lip-read but the only word she thought she recognised was ‘conker’ which made no sense at all.
‘What do you think she’s saying,’ whispered Sofia.
Kristy shrugged helplessly. ‘No idea.’
‘It’s a quarter past five. We need to go, otherwise we’ll miss the bus,’ said Norah.
Kristy shot a desperate look at Beatrice and Teddy, who were still deep in conversation. She held out her hand, her fingers and thumb splayed. ‘Five more minutes?’
Norah sucked air through her blue teeth. ‘We’ll be cutting it fine.’
‘My mum’s at home. She’ll pick us up if we miss it,’ said Sofia.
‘Looks like she won’t need to,’ William remarked. He was right. The Taylor twins had finished their powwow and were heading straight for them.
26
Trophy Horse
Kristy tried to read Beatrice’s expression as she marched across the field but it was inscrutable. Teddy’s face was hidden behind his handkerchief as he succumbed to another bout of sneezing. Kristy gripped Cassius tighter.
‘I feel sick,’ she said to no-one in particular.
Norah linked arms with her. ‘Whatever happens, you’ve still got us. I know I’ve been a rubbish friend recently. Your heart was broken yet I was more interested in the quadrille than I was in how you were feeling. And I’m truly sorry.’
Kristy rested her head briefly on Norah’s shoulder. ‘That’s alright. I was an idiot, too. I wanted to ride in the quadrille really but I was too proud to admit it.’
‘Six to one and half a dozen to the other?’ said Norah.
‘That’s what our mum says when we fight,’ said William helpfully.
‘I reckon so,’ said Kristy. And suddenly her heart felt lighter. She realised she could deal with anything with her friends by her side.
Beatrice reached them, her hands on her hips. Teddy sidled over behind her, maintaining a healthy distance between him and Cassius.
‘We’ve talked it over and come to a decision,’ Beatrice said.
Kristy held her breath.
‘I think you should have Cassius back. And Teddy agrees.’
Kristy swallowed. ‘But you know I can’t afford to give Teddy his money back.’
‘You don’t need to. Cassius is yours. You’ve done nothing wrong, and neither did the woman at your stables. All she was doing was trying to recoup the money she was owed by Princess Bella.’
‘I wish you’d stop calling her that,’ said Teddy feebly.
Beatrice pulled a face. ‘Whatever. And one more thing. We think you ought to have the new stuff Teddy bought Bella for Cassius. There’s a new saddle and bridle, grooming kit, rugs and travel boots. He even had a mug made with Cassius’s photo on it for her.’
‘It’s too much. I couldn’t possibly,’ protested Kristy.
‘Oh yes you could and you will. It’s our way of saying sorry,’ said Beatrice. She gave Cassius a friendly pat. ‘Although I might keep the mug if you don’t mind? As a reminder of our time together.’
‘Of course I don’t!’
Teddy sneezed again. ‘If that’s all I’m off. Places to go, people to see. You know how it is.’
They watched him mooch back across the field. Beatrice sighed.
‘I love my brother, I really do. But you know something? He’s the only mug around here.’
Kristy borrowed Sofia’s phone to ring Emma.
‘That’s fantastic news. I’m so pleased,’ said her boss. The line was crackly but Kristy could still hear the smile in her voice.
‘What are we going to do about getting him home?’
Kristy had been thinking about this. ‘I wondered if you could ask Karen to drive over with the trailer in the morning?’
Emma chuckled. ‘To hell with asking, I’ll tell her. It’s the least she can do.’
Beatrice started making noises about a party she needed to get ready for so Sofia rang her mum.
‘She’ll be a quarter of an hour. I said we’d meet her by the village green so we’d better get going,’ she told them.
‘You go ahead. I’ll catch you up,’ said Kristy.
She wanted a couple of minutes with her horse. She smiled to herself. At one point in the dark days after Cassius had gone she never thought she would be able to say those words again. She pressed her cheek against his, closed her eyes and breathed in his heavenly horsey smell.
She broke away to gaze into his good eye. ‘You’re mine, all mine. And I promise I’ll never, ever lose you again,’ she whispered. He flicked an ear back at the sound of her voice and nodded his big, handsome head as if he’d understood every word. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed with happiness.
‘Because it’s you and me, Cassius. It always will be. You and me against the world.’
Afterword
Thank you for reading Trophy Horse. If you enjoyed this book it would be great if you could spare a couple of minutes to write a quick review on Amazon. I’d love to hear your feedback!
About the Author
Amanda Wills is the Amazon bestselling author of The Riverdale Pony Stories, which follow the adventures of pony-mad Poppy McKeever and her beloved Connemara Cloud.
She is also the author of Flick Henderson and the Deadly Game, a fast-paced mystery about a super-cool new heroine who has her sights set on becoming an investigative journalist.
Amanda, a UK-based former journalist who now works part-time as a police press officer, lives in Kent with her husband and fellow indie author Adrian Wills and their sons Oliver and Thomas.
Find out more at www.amandawills.co.uk or at www.facebook.com/riverdaleseries or follow amandawillsauthor on Instagram.
www.amandawills.co.uk
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Also by Amanda Wills
The Lost Pony of Riverdale
Against all Hope
Into the Storm
Redhall Riders
The Secret of Witch Cottage
Missing on the Moor
The Thirteenth Horse
Short reads for younger readers
Juno’s Foal
The Midnight Pony
The Pony of Tanglewood Farm
The Flick Henderson Files
Flick Henderson and the Deadly Game
