“I… I didn’t mean to hurt Foxy, you know,” she said quietly.
“Funny way of going about it,” Rosie sniffed, not feeling much in the mood for forgiveness after seeing the terrible state Foxy had been in.
“Forget it, then,” Amber said, tears of frustration welling up. “I knew you wouldn’t get it. No one ever does.”
“Get what?” Alice asked, shooting Rosie a look. Rosie rolled her eyes, but kept quiet.
Amber sighed heavily. “How difficult it is being Lily Simpson’s sister, that’s what.”
Charlie frowned. “What’s so difficult about that? Most people would think you’re the luckiest person in the world!”
“What’s lucky about having your whole life turned upside down because your mum thinks your sister’s ambitions should come above everything else?” Amber asked, her pent-up desperation suddenly spilling out. “I’ve left everything behind – friends, school, my home – all for Lily’s dream. Everyone I meet over here is only interested in me because I’m Lily Simpson’s sister. And she’s amazing at everything she touches. I’ve lived my whole life in her shadow, second best in everything. And here, at camp, for just one week I wanted to be the best.
“I wanted to go with them to Burghley, but Mum thought I’d get in the way, so she booked me in at camp. I was meant to be bringing my reliable old pony Copper. Mum and Lily left on the Friday and I… I just had a mad five seconds on Saturday morning and decided to swap Copper for Foxy. Lily had pulled his mane and trimmed his tail when she brought him back into work, so he was good to go.”
“But you said he was roughed off!” Charlie gasped.
Amber looked embarrassed. “That was just to put you off the trail, that’s all. He had been roughed off , up until a few months ago. Anyway, I left Copper turned out in the corner paddock. He had plenty of fresh water from the brook, and there’s lots of grass for him in that field.”
“Was that him,” Alice asked, “in that field back there?”
Amber nodded miserably. “I thought I could borrow Foxy for the week, win the competition and return him before Lily got back. I thought she’d never have to know. I even rode Foxy here the back way, taking him through the brook and round the edge of the estate. I led him through a paddock by some barns, which brought us out on to the track next to the hall. That way we kept off the lanes and out of the way of Aunt Becca, who drove to Dovecote Hall to drop my stuff off.”
“So that explains the chestnut hairs on the gatepost by the barns…” Charlie said, glancing at the others.
“I thought I’d got away with it,” Amber continued with a sniff, “but then Lily called home. She’d forgotten to tell Aunt Becca about feeding Foxy his supplement.”
“The devil’s claw?” Rosie asked.
Amber nodded. “Aunt Becca asked Lily how she could identify Foxy amongst all the ponies. Lily said it was easy – he’s the only pony with a freeze mark. None of the ponies had rugs on, so it didn’t take long for Aunt Becca to check them all. When she did, there wasn’t a freeze mark in sight. Lily wanted to come back at once – but if she had, my plan would have been ruined. So when she decided to stay, I thought I was home and dry. Only, then I discovered that Foxy wasn’t easy to ride at all. I thought he’d be a cinch, because Lily had won so much with him. But with me in the saddle he just got stronger and stronger. By then I was trapped – I couldn’t tell anyone that he was too much for me without confessing to what I’d done.”
“And to top it all, you came up against Holly,” Mia sighed, starting to understand that being a famous rider’s sister might not be as great as it sounded.
Amber nodded. “Holly’s such a naturally gifted rider, and everyone was heaping praise on her,” she said. “I was second best again. It was like having Lily here at camp with me. I couldn’t help it, but I began to hate Holly.”
Amber was silent for a moment, wiping her nose. The she looked up earnestly at the four girls beside her. “I know I’ve been an idiot, but I never set out to hurt Foxy and I honestly didn’t start that fire,” she said. “I’d never do that.”
“No, we didn’t think anyone would do that on purpose,” Charlie said.
Amber looked relieved. “I couldn’t believe it when you said that you had a copy of Pony Mad. I had to hide it – I knew that once you’d seen the photo of Foxy you’d figure out what I’d done straight away. I took it out of the tent when I had the phone call from Lily – it was the perfect opportunity to get rid of it while everyone was in the dining room. I thought you’d given up on your search, but you hadn’t. I overheard you talking about it again, during the week. You had a couple of clues that could put Holly in the frame, so I went home and dug out the letter she’d sent. I wanted to put you off my trail. But last night I realised I’d got a text while I was out pretending to look for my phone. I figured that you’d probably seen the devil’s claw sachets, too. You were getting closer to rumbling me. But I’d dug myself in so deep by that point that I just had to keep going. I tried to get Watty to help me. I thought she’d do anything to meet Lily. But it turned out that even she’s got some principles, so she said no. Then I had to win the stupid competition, just to make it all worthwhile.”
Amber hung her head. The tears started to flow again. “I’ve messed up so badly, and I’ve been so mean to Foxy, and Copper, as well as Lily and Holly. I don’t know what to do, or how to say sorry to everyone.”
The girls were silent for a second. “Well, you’ll just have to hope that the vets can help Foxy,” Alice suggested. “But there is one thing that might make it up to Holly.” As they walked back together, Alice told Amber her idea.
As they reached camp, they were suddenly surrounded as everyone swarmed forward, wanting to know what was happening. Amber stayed quiet while Mia gave a shortened version of what happened, without spilling the beans about Amber’s lies. Amber looked over and gave her a small, grateful smile.
Once the Pony Detectives had convinced Beth that they were fine to ride around the course, the instructor clapped her hands, getting everyone’s attention.
“Well, if everyone’s okay, it looks like we can carry on with the cross-country competition,” Beth announced. As the other campers cheered, the Pony Detectives smiled. They had to put Amber’s revelations and their worry for Foxy behind them for a moment, in order to focus on the course ahead.
Beth carried on. “I’ve drafted in some extra jump judges from Hilltop, so we won’t be short. Right, let’s get going!”
There was a flurry of activity, and suddenly Charlie was out on the course. She warmed Phantom up, then headed out over the log pile. Phantom was keen beneath her, pulling slightly at the reins as he floated over fence after fence, making nothing of them. Her horse was fast, sleek and put daylight between his hooves and each solid fence, even the Joker. For the time that she was on the course, Phantom and jumping were all Charlie thought about.
Alice set out behind her, with Rosie and Mia by her side. They’d asked if they could ride together, and share any points. Melissa had agreed and suddenly the remaining riders had asked the same.
Mia finally let Wish stride on and the little mare flew. And, after all the training during the week and with Scout’s tail to follow, Dancer finally excelled. She charged round, head down, like a tank. Rosie whooped, managing to clear everything first time from canter, apart from the steps, which Dancer goggled at like she’d never seen them before. But Rosie was determined and got her up them second time, earning a cheer from Beth, who was jump-judging there. They cantered on over the pheasant feeder, and opted for the hog’s back rather than the Joker, then finished off over the tree trunk in fine style.
Rosie and Dancer both puffed through the finish flags, but Rosie had never felt more elated.
Holly helped them all untack and hose down their steaming ponies, fetching buckets of water which they drank gratefully.
Amber stayed slightly apart, still subdued, as everyone else stood and cheered the final riders
back, one by one or in pairs. Watty shrieked through the finishing flags, having missed half the fences on the ill-tempered Ace.
When everyone had completed the course, the Land Rover and trailer rattled back up the tree-lined avenue and into the lorry park. A few moments later, Freddie walked over to the paddocks.
“Amber,” he said quietly, “could I have a word?”
As the last ponies were settled back in their paddocks, Amber and Freddie emerged from the Hall. Amber smiled up at him. She still looked pale, but it was like a weight had been lifted from her.
Freddie joined the instructors, and they decided to have the prizegiving under the shady tree in Foxy’s empty paddock. As the riders gathered there, excitedly chattering about the cross-country course, the Pony Detectives fell into step with Amber.
“Any news on the patient?” Mia asked.
Amber nodded. “There was a stone wedged in his hoof – that’s what was making him go lame in front – and the grazes are deep but not life-threatening. He’s recovering from the shock, too,” Amber explained in a shaky voice. “The vet thinks he’s going to be okay. Freddie called Georgie, and told her what had happened. She broke the news to Lily for me, then Freddie put me on the phone and helped me explain everything.”
Tears welled up in her eyes again, but she hastily wiped them away.
Everyone fell silent as Melissa cleared her throat and addressed them all.
“I want to congratulate everyone who has contributed to Pony Camp. This year has been one of the most dramatic in the camp’s history, but hopefully you’ve all had fun and learned lots too. And the first thing I want to let you all know is that the firemen have been in touch this morning. They found that there was nothing suspicious about the fire starting. Lots of campers ate lunch outside the stables, sitting on the hay bales. Someone must have rushed off for the course walk and left a glass on one of the bales by mistake. The sun was really intense, and the glass concentrated the sun’s rays into one hot spot on the canvas. The firemen think that’s what started the fire. No one is to blame, it was just a terrible accident.”
Alice noticed Watty and her gang were squirming at having wrongly accused Amber.
“Now, to the prizes!”
Melissa began to hand out the prizes for individuals and the teams. Charlie won the red rosette and the trophy in the individuals, but she chose not to accept it.
“If Holly had competed today,” she said, “she’d have won it, so it’s only fair that it still goes to her.”
Holly flushed pink as Mia, Rosie and Alice whooped and encouraged her up. Holly tried to protest, but Destiny persuaded her to go, and she collected the trophy and rosette.
“This is the first rosette I’ve ever won!” she said shyly, admiring it.
Charlie graciously accepted a blue second-place rosette, to a huge cheer from everyone. Alice was delighted with her fifth place and Mia with her sixth, which put the purple team in first place. The red team came second, helped by Destiny, who came third individually.
Once all the rosettes had been handed out, everyone began to talk again, until Melissa called them back to order.
“There are still a couple of rosettes left,” Mia noticed.
“We have a special achievement award for the most improved rider and pony this week,” Melissa announced and everyone began to murmur. “And I’m delighted to say that this goes to Rosie and Dancer!”
Rosie almost fell over, even though she was sitting down. When she did manage to get up, she did a little bow.
“Just go up there and get it!” Charlie said, shaking her head and laughing.
Everyone else giggled, shoving Rosie to the front.
“Now, our very last prize,” Melissa continued, “is a very special one. It’s for a lesson with Lily Simpson, as organised by Amber.”
The whole camp gasped and began to look round, nudging each other and whispering about who would win it.
“And it’s for the rider who has worked the hardest, and who showed the most natural talent this week.” Melissa smiled, picking up another special rosette. “And, to prove that dreams can come true, Holly, this is for you.”
Holly gasped, her eyes wide. “No way!”
“Yes way,” Amber laughed.
“Oh, but hang on, I don’t have my own pony…” Holly’s face suddenly dropped.
Freddie smiled. “If you accept my offer of taking Skylark on loan, you will. He’s too talented to stay in the riding school. I’d love to train you both.”
Holly’s hands suddenly shot to her mouth. “Are you being serious?” She began to laugh and hiccup, all at the same time, like she couldn’t believe what was happening. “I can’t wait to tell Grammy!”
Lots of the campers congratulated Holly, and then raced down to the pool for a final evening swim.
“I can’t believe this is happening.” Holly giggled with Amber, Destiny and the Pony Detectives as she walked back to the stables to tell Skylark the good news. They all spent some time making a fuss of Skylark, before jumping in the pool.
That night it took ages for the camp to settle into silence. Everyone had decided to sleep outside under the stars for their last night.
“I’m going to miss this tomorrow,” Rosie yawned in the darkness as she lay down on her sleeping bag.
“Me too,” Alice said. “And seeing the ponies all day, every day – and at night if we want to, as well.”
“I’m not going to miss Rosie’s snoring,” Charlie laughed. Rosie flung her pillow at Charlie, who got out of the way so quickly, it hit Mia on the head instead.
“Rosie!” Mia squealed, getting her own pillow and thwacking her back.
“Time for sleep everyone,” Freddie called out.
They lay back down giggling, before drifting off to the sound of the ponies snorting gently in their paddocks.
THE next morning, all the campers were flying round in a mad rush as everyone started to get ready to leave, flinging clothes into bags and dashing between tents to get everyone’s email addresses, promising to keep in touch and taking crazy photos.
They’d just had time to groom their ponies and round up all their tack when the first of the horseboxes arrived. One after the other began to bump up the drive after that, and it wasn’t long before Charlie’s dad appeared. The four girls got their ponies booted and rugged up, ready to travel.
As Watty set off for home on Ace, she promised to drop by and call for Amber on a hack sometime soon. Suddenly Watty wanted to be best friends again. Amber rolled her eyes.
When Watty had gone, Holly led Skylark over to Amber to say goodbye.
“I can’t wait for your lesson at Chestnut Grove,” Amber smiled. “Or to meet your Grammy properly and find out more about the place. I told Lily about your photograph. She remembered your letter and said she was going to reply once she’d got settled in. She’s really excited now she knows more of what you wanted to tell her about.”
Holly grinned. “I’m so excited about it, as well! You’ll have to come to mine, too. We can watch horsey DVDs!”
“Hmm, I’m going to rethink my horsey future after this week,” Amber joked. “Maybe it’s time I started to learn a musical instrument instead!”
Holly grinned, then set off with Skylark back to Hilltop Riding School. Her parents were meeting her and Freddie there to talk through his plans for her future riding career.
As Alice got ready to lead Scout from the field, she looked round, feeling sad that it was suddenly all over.
“I wish that we didn’t have to leave either,” Charlie said as she saw Alice’s face. “Though the sooner we get back, the sooner we can get the ponies settled down. And the sooner we can sit down to watch Burghley cross-country! The holiday hasn’t ended just yet!”
“We’d better get going then,” Rosie said, leading Dancer towards the horsebox.
With the ponies all loaded, the girls were just about to head off when Amber ran up to them. She gave them a Foxy update – he’d
be coming home in another couple of days, and was recovering well.
“Apparently he’s being the model patient. Oh, and thanks for yesterday,” she said, looking a bit awkward for a second. “For waiting with me in the lane and, well, for listening to me. After what I’d been like all week I was pretty amazed that anyone would speak to me, so it meant a lot. And I want to buy you a replacement copy of Pony Mad, Rosie, to make up for taking yours. I’ll send it to you in the post, if I take your address.”
“You don’t have to worry about doing that,” Rosie said.
“I was going to get Lily to sign it for you all,” Amber explained.
“Ooh, well, scratch what I just said,” Rosie smiled. “You do have to worry about doing that! Thanks, Amber!”
Mia wrote down the Blackberry Farm address and Amber wrote down hers, too.
“If you are ever around,” she said, shyly, “I’d love it if you could pop in. You could meet Lily, too.”
They all grinned. “We will,” Mia said. “But it doesn’t matter if Lily’s there or not. It’d just be nice to catch up with you.”
Amber smiled warmly, just as her Aunt Becca arrived to collect her. Aunt Becca did not look very happy.
“Right, we’d better leave you to it,” Charlie said, knowing that Amber had some explaining to do. “Good luck!”
The girls jumped into their horsebox and waved a last goodbye to Pony Camp.
“And there’s just one more fence between Lily Simpson and the chance to make history at Burghley,” the commentator said in a hushed voice.
The arena was so silent that each hoof beat could be heard clearly.
The Pony Detectives were sitting on the carpet in Rosie’s front room, watching the television. They’d done the same the day before when they’d got home from camp. They’d got the ponies settled, then sat glued to the screen, watching the horses fly round the massive Burghley cross-country fences. Rosie had her special achievement rosette attached to her T-shirt and Beanie, her Jack Russell, was lounging on her lap, rolling over to be tickled.
Foxy: Rivalry at Summer Camp Page 13
