Country Rivals

by Zara Stoneley

  Rory had been busy growing up, having fun, chasing girls, and riding horses. Pandora, or Sarah as they’d known her, had been skinny, intense, and no fun at all. Girls who couldn’t take a joke hadn’t been on his radar at all, though he had registered the sneer and her sarcastic tone if the football ever went near her on the yard. Some of the others had made fun of her, trying to take her down a peg or two, but Rory hadn’t been interested.

  It seemed to him now that she hadn’t changed at all, she was still too thin, still sarcastic, and as aloof as ever. Which was a trait her brother, Xander, shared. Why Lottie was even smiling in his presence was a mystery. The only thing Rory really remembered about Xander was the way he stood on the sidelines, watching. He was always there looking on, and Rory had put it down to jealousy, to wanting to join in with him and his gang. But maybe it wasn’t, maybe he’d been watching Lottie. He was certainly keeping an eye on her now.

  ‘He’s lonely, that’s all.’

  ‘Is he?’ he muttered grimly.

  ‘His parents have split up, after his mum had a breakdown, and I think he really misses her, then his girlfriend left him. He just wants somebody to chat to.’

  ‘Don’t you think you’re getting too involved? I mean why’s he telling you all this stuff? To make you feel sorry for him?’

  Her eyes opened wider.

  ‘I just think it’s a bit weird, that’s all. How would you feel if I spent all my free time with Pandora?’

  ‘But we were just riding out.’

  ‘And it’s everything, not just Xander, who never struck me as the chatty type anyway. He never bloody spoke to anyone at school. I mean, why do you have to get stuck into the filming, playing the star, the lot? Doing this?’ He waved the newspaper.

  ‘I was only helping get the horses ready, and I’d exercised all of ours. You were out at the gallops.’

  ‘You could come with me, do things together. I asked if you wanted to ride out with me.’

  ‘But we said somebody should keep an eye on things. You didn’t object when Tab asked for time off to join in with the filming.’

  Rory sighed. ‘That’s Tab, darling, she’s just the bloody groom.’ He fought the urge to shout. Did a mental countdown to hold in his temper. ‘It’s just, maybe we should keep our distance, you know a professional distance? Or is doing all that more exciting than being with me?’

  ‘Oh don’t be daft.’

  ‘Well, every time I try and talk to you there’s something more important to do and you dash off.’

  Lottie bit the inside of her cheek and looked at him like a dog expecting a beating. ‘He asked if I could be an extra.’

  ‘I know.’ He softened his tone. He was acting like some spoiled kid. Shit, he’d be telling her not to talk to other men soon and acting the complete chauvinist twat. What harm could it do? They were already knee-deep in this and it was extra money. ‘Just don’t get too involved, eh?’ He nodded at the paper. ‘We could do without this type of speculation, couldn’t we?’

  What was he supposed to say? You’re my wife, come and make babies with me and stop talking to other men? He’d never been the jealous type. In fact, Lottie had always had plenty of male friends and admirers, but now he felt like he was out of his depth. He didn’t understand the rules of the game.

  * * *

  The first person Xander saw when he made his way back to the temporary stable block was Pandora. Which ruined what had, so far, been an okay type of day. He always enjoyed riding out on his own, but when he’d seen Lottie leaving the yard he hadn’t been able to resist catching up with her.

  She’d not mentioned the incidents at school – apart from her jokey comment about his riding ability – it was history. They’d started again and he liked the woman she’d become. As he’d known he would.

  Lottie was easy going and giving, not at all the aristocratic lady he’d feared she might be. Which had loosened his tongue. But some instinct had told him that Lottie wouldn’t judge, and she hadn’t. What had surprised him was that she’d opened up a little, too, expressed some of her own fears and frustrations. Who’d have thought that life hadn’t been quite that perfect for her as a teenager? All he’d seen was the popular rich girl with the famous father, sailing through life without a care, oblivious to people like him.

  Now all he had to do was get over his urge to tell her she’d married the wrong man and things would be hunky dory.

  ‘Have you seen this?’ Pandora was waving a newspaper in the air, nearly whacking one of the horses in the face. Despite its even temperament, it shied away. It was such a good job that she wasn’t keen on ‘the smelly creatures’ despite her insistence on riding in some of the shots. It made the stables a bit of a safe haven. Usually.

  ‘When would I have time to read the newspapers?’

  ‘I thought you had a girl to help with those animals?’

  Xander sighed. Tab had been happy to fit in some work for him around her duties for Lottie and Rory, but he was still doing the majority of the work. He might trust somebody else to muck out the stables, but he wanted to exercise and groom the horses himself, to check them over properly each day. ‘What do you want, Pandora?’

  ‘Read it.’

  ‘When I’ve finished what I’m doing.’

  ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake.’ She flung the pages open and pointed. ‘Look.’ She jabbed at a picture with a red talon. ‘You and that woman have made the headlines. What on earth are you playing at?’

  Xander side-stepped her, pushing the newspaper out of his face. From the stormy look Rory had given him, he already had a good idea who ‘that woman’ was. ‘If my memory serves me right, it was Seb who found this place, and you that insisted I come along. What are you playing at?’

  Pandora huffed.

  ‘I don’t trust you, little sis.’

  ‘Don’t call me that. I’m not—’

  ‘Keep out of my way until I’ve finished checking the horses. Go on, wait in the trailer and I’ll come and read whatever it is, I need to talk to you anyway.’ She glared and he purposefully turned away and willed his blood pressure down to a level where he didn’t think he was going to explode if she said another word.

  Xander’s mood didn’t improve when he got to the trailer to find her standing in the doorway still swishing the paper about like a red flag.

  ‘You are always up to something aren’t you, Pandora?’ Her eyes narrowed in response. ‘Well if this article has messed up your plans, then tough. But what do you expect me to do? Ignore her? In case you’ve forgotten, we’re only shooting here because Lottie and Rory have agreed to it.’

  ‘I think you’ll find it is Lady Elizabeth who makes the decisions.’ Pandora scowled. ‘Not that useless lump. Well if you’re going to be obnoxious, I’m going to go. I have to get ready to shoot anyway. Honestly, Xander, for somebody who wants to keep a low profile you haven’t a clue, have you? Following your heart like you always did. You really should keep away from that woman.’

  ‘You nasty …’ If he carried on he was going to say something he’d regret. She shouldered her way past him and was halfway down the steps before he could react. ‘Come here, I said I wanted to talk to you.’ He was round her, blocking her exit, and her nostrils flared as she literally stamped one foot.

  ‘Move out of my way, Xander.’

  Christ, she was like some uncut colt that needed teaching some manners. ‘Get back in there.’

  ‘No.’ She folded her arms.

  ‘This headline is your doing. You knew damned well that Lottie was in charge of this place before we got here, didn’t you?’

  ‘Oh keep your voice down.’

  ‘I bloody won’t. You knew, didn’t you?’

  ‘Go back to your horses, Xander.’

  ‘If you want to have this argument here then that’s fine, I’m not going anywhere.’ As she made a move to sidestep him, he reached out to take her arm.

  ‘Let go of me.’ The snarl wasn’t sisterly at all as
she pulled away.

  ‘Well, get back in that trailer.’

  ‘I’m not one of your animals that you can boss around.’

  ‘Well thank fuck for that, because I’d have to have you shot.’

  This time she flounced in and he slammed the door behind them. She flinched. Stepped back.

  He should have had this out with her before. Like on the day they arrived, as soon as he’d seen her reaction to Lottie. Up until now he’d kept his temper, brushed his suspicions away, but it was him that was going to be affected by this, and she’d caused the problem. If things blew up again in the press he’d never forgive the selfish cow.

  ‘You knew Lottie and Rory lived here and you just left me to find out.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘So? So I’m not doing this. You can stuff your job, Pandora, I’m not one of your bloody pawns. Find somebody else to do your dirty work.’

  ‘You signed a contract.’

  ‘Sue me.’

  ‘You’re being ridiculous.’ The confidence was creeping back into her voice. Nothing scared Pandora for long. ‘She’s just some stupid girl, so what if I did know she lived here? We’re here for the location, even if,’ she gave him a withering look, ‘you want to do more than admire the rather rustic scenery. Now move out of the way and stop acting like a caveman.’

  He didn’t shift. ‘I want to know what you’re up to. You hated her, the whole lot of them, when we were at school, so why come back?’

  ‘Jamie found the place, you can’t blame me.’

  ‘Did he?’

  ‘Yes he did.’ Her look challenged him. The same look his belligerent father always had before he walked into a board meeting. ‘Seb thought it was perfect, so who was I to argue? Oh grow up big brother and stop letting your cock make the decisions.’

  ‘I’d be very careful what you say next.’ He paused. ‘Why haven’t you told Seb?’

  ‘It’s irrelevant.’

  ‘Tell him, or I will.’

  There was a knock on the door, a shout of ‘make-up’.

  ‘Get out of my way, I need to work.’ This time he did step away from the door. She sniffed, threw the paper at him, and then, pulling the door open wide, stomped down the steps.

  Xander watched the pages separate, flutter to the floor. He really shouldn’t let her get to him like this. Life was too short. He unclenched his fists and forced the air in and out of his lungs in a long, slow breath, then bent to pick a page up.

  His gaze drifted over the words, then settled on the photo. Pandora might know, but how on earth had the press found out that they’d been here before? That he knew Lottie years ago? There was very little substance in the story, but enough to bother him. If this brought the press down on his shoulders and they started to dig up the dirt he’d kill Pandora.

  He marched down the steps of the trailer and slammed the door behind him, hoping his darling half-sister was nowhere to be seen or he’d be tempted to strangle her. But it wasn’t Pandora he saw but Jamie, who was staring at him. His mouth was open, lips moving, as though he was asking him something, but Xander didn’t hear. He wasn’t in the mood. ‘Not now.’ He needed peace and quiet.

  So far he’d ignored all the offers of a game in Argentina, but they were starting to look more inviting by the day. Except he couldn’t leave his mother. Not yet.

  * * *

  Pandora stared at her reflection in the mirror, hardly noticing the girl who was touching up her make-up. Men could be so stupid. It was hard to believe at times that she shared a gene pool with Xander.

  She was much more like Seb: calm, detached. Determined. And Xander was so like his mother, far too over-emotional. She hadn’t been surprised at the stupid woman’s breakdown – just astounded it had taken so long.

  Their father had been driven, but Pandora’s own mother had been even more determined to make it. Just like Pandora. The fact that her parents had never married, that her father would never agree to leave his stupid, melodramatic wife, who had threatened suicide, never ceased to amaze her. How could people be like that?

  Together her parents would have been unbeatable. They would have really made something of their lives. But it was of little consequence now. She allowed herself a small smile. This film was going to change everything.

  ‘So, dear brother of mine, you think you can lay down the rules, do you?’ Her voice was soft. ‘Well, let’s see about that.’ She stared at her reflection. Nobody told her what to do, least of all him. She was going to talk to his darling Lottie and ruffle some feathers.

  ‘That’s fine, go.’ She waved the make-up girl away irritably as she dabbed at her cheek for the umpteenth time. ‘I said go away.’ Picking up her mobile phone, she tapped her newly painted fingernails on the desk as she waited for the call to be answered.

  ‘Lottie? This isn’t a social call, but it’s rather delicate … Of course it’s me, Pandora, who do you think it is?… Your indiscretion is causing Seb all kinds of problems, and I don’t mind telling you that Xander is most distressed … no, just listen … no, it is your fault. If you hadn’t invited all those stupid people in to watch the filming then this wouldn’t have happened would it?… Yes, I do blame you, we all do. All publicity is not good, this is so inappropriate … I do want to avoid nastiness, this isn’t personal, but I rather think Seb is on the verge of moving elsewhere … yes, you heard me right … of course he’d be suing for the loss you’ve caused him … no, it might not specifically be in the contract. Look, let’s not blow this out of proportion … Sorry what did you say?… I’m only trying to help, there is absolutely no need to be like that … I just suggest you remove them, yes remove them, stop them coming in … Oh, it’s up to you, of course. I must go, sorry. I’m needed on set … no don’t discuss this with Seb, just take it as a friendly suggestion from an old school friend.’ She raised an eyebrow at the muttered expletive as she finished the call. Honestly that girl was insufferable, she really did need taking down a peg or two.

  Chapter 16

  ‘I think Xander should be the star, don’t you, babe? He is gorgeous.’ Sam stared across at the film crew, who were gathered at the front of Tipping House preparing for a shot. ‘He’s much nicer than that guy they’ve got playing the rock star, isn’t he?’

  ‘But that guy is much more like a real rock star, isn’t he?’ Said Lottie reasonably. The man in question was stood to one side, smoking and looking remarkably bored and star-like. Leather trousers clung to his thin legs like wrinkled cling film, giving up the attempt when they reached his stomach, which was hanging over with the abandon of a well-risen Yorkshire pudding.

  ‘I suppose.’ Sam was doubtful. ‘Looks a bit seedy, though, doesn’t he?’

  ‘I think he’s supposed to be a bit over the hill, that’s why he’s retiring to the country.’ His black t-shirt was stretched to its limits, and the black leather waistcoat did little to hide the fact that the aged star was well past his prime.

  ‘What’s seedy?’ Roxy, who was perched on top of the pony that Lottie was leading, piped up. ‘Seedy, weedy, squishy cheesy.’

  ‘Shh.’ Sam giggled. ‘When do we get to see the other man? You know the one that she falls for. Xander could play that part instead. I mean he used to play polo, didn’t he?’

  ‘Well, yes, he can ride.’

  ‘I bet he can, babe.’ She winked. ‘And he knows everything about horses and stuff.’

  Lottie groaned and wondered if everybody had seen that picture of them in the paper. ‘But he’s not an actor, he’s just helping, you know advising. To be honest, I don’t think he wants to be noticed.’ Xander, Lottie thought, just had to be the most camera-shy person on the whole set. He took it to a whole new level; moving out of a nice hotel and into a horsebox seemed a bit extreme even to her just because he didn’t want to be recognised. And it hadn’t worked anyway.

  ‘Maybe they’ll get that bloke who played Poldark instead. He can ride horses. I saw him galloping across Cornwall on the TV. I’
d go for him rather than a rock star any day, wouldn’t you, babe?’ She wriggled her skirt down and patted her stomach. ‘You don’t think I look preggers, do you? It’s either that or I need a tummy tuck.’

  ‘I don’t think you look pregnant, no.’ Lottie stared. ‘Why – have you been trying?’

  ‘We’re always trying, babe. Practice makes perfect.’ Sam giggled. ‘Look if I pull the bottom down my boobs nearly pop out of the top of this dress, do you think it’s a sign? They were enormous when I had little Roxy and sensitive as hell.’ She prodded them as though to test out her new theory. ‘I tell you, babe, if anybody touches your boobs when they’ve filled up like mine did, you really know about it. Rock hard they were, but I was randy as hell. Davey didn’t know what had hit him.’

  Lottie tried not to look too alarmed by the news, and wished Amanda was there to add some wise words about childbearing.

  ‘By the way, where have all the crowds gone? It was a right laugh having them here, made me feel like a film star when I drove in. I promised I’d bring Davey in one day to sign some autographs and kick a ball about.’

  Lottie smiled, glad that the topic of conversation had changed. Billy’s idea of charging an entry fee had worked like a dream for the first few days. Even Dom had commented on how traffic free the grass verges were, and how life had almost reverted to normal, but then she’d begun to wonder if it was worth it. Seb hated having them there, and she was beginning to think it was actually making things worse.

  After the dog incident there had been a flurry of reports in the local newspapers, and accompanying video footage on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook, which she was sure was feeding speculation. The crowd had grown, Xander had been forced out of the local hotel (though she still wasn’t sure why he was so keen to keep a low profile), and then there had been that photo of her with him in the paper, which had been the last straw for Rory.

  He’d been uncharacte‌ristically upset (she still hadn’t got to the bottom of that one). If he’d had his way the whole thing would have been cancelled and they would have been able to return to their normal, quiet life.