by Ruby Loren
“I’ll let you know if I see a horse fitting that description,” was all Hayley could say but it seemed to satisfy the Hamel-Torys.
“Good, well we shall let you begin your work. Let us know if there’s anything more we can do to help or anything you need at all. Nothing is too much trouble,” David finished and the Hamel-Torys left the stable, leaving her alone again with Taylor and his horse, Molotov. She gave Taylor a final smile and then turned to go back to Hadrian’s stall, still wondering where on earth she could begin. Before she could form any thoughts, Taylor spoke.
“There is one more thing you should know, if you’re going to be here a lot. There’s this Inter-Stable Competition. It’s a local riding school thing but it’s really competitive. The winners tend to go on to be pretty successful in the equestrian world and almost everyone here is entering.” His blue eyes looked into hers and she had the impression that he knew she’d read between the lines. “I just thought I’d let you know in case you wondered why people aren’t very friendly around here.” He tilted his head. “Although some of us are like that any day,” he said and they shared a smile, thinking of the unbearable Mark.
“God, I hope he doesn’t win.” The words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them but Taylor laughed.
“Don’t worry, he won’t. He doesn’t stand a chance against me and Molotov,” he said with an easy grin that Hayley found herself returning. Despite what Taylor had said, there was at least one friendly person at Emeline Equestrian.
“Having said that, there’s definitely something strange going on at the stables,” Taylor continued. Hayley opened her mouth to ask more but his lips quirked up. “You’ll see. It’s hard to explain,” was all he would say.
CHAPTER TWO
The Miracle Worker
“Easy boy, good boy Hadrian, you’re doing so well,” Hayley said, keeping her voice and hands steady as she encouraged the horse to come forwards… slowly. She’d been working with him all day, walking away if he became aggressive and staying if he remained calm. She was just beginning to think that they may have made the tiniest bit of progress when a rather screechy voice caused Hadrian to flinch and then pull back on his ropes, kicking out. Hayley bit her tongue when she dodged to the side. They’d been so close…
She turned to see what had caused the disturbance and was surprised to see Taylor looking like he was pinned against the wall of the stables. In front of him stood a young woman with very bright, very dyed, auburn hair.
“Taylor, you can’t really be pinning all of your hopes and dreams on this single event. It’s madness, especially when you do have other options. I’m here for you,” she said, reaching out and touching his arm in a very familiar way. While her words and gestures seemed harmless to Hayley, she could tell by the way Taylor pulled away as soon as was polite that he was not enjoying the interaction. When he didn’t reply, the woman made a noise of disgust and threw her hands in the air. “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the offer will still stand after the competition. Come and find me when you’ve got some sense into your fat head,” she said, her voice still cutting through the still air like a knife. Hayley stayed in the shadows of the stall, watching curiously as the woman walked away and Taylor visibly breathed a sigh of relief.
A moment later, another girl with shining brunette hair popped up in the stall behind him and he let her out. Hayley’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Well, well! It looked like there was more to Taylor than met the eye.
“Thanks for covering for me. I know I’m not supposed to be here but…” The brunette trailed off and Taylor smiled easily at her.
“That’s okay Chloe, I know how it feels. There’s nothing wrong with coming up here to spend more time around horses,” he said and the girl nodded, pulling a strand of hay from her hair.
“I know I get to work with the kids and ponies, but these horses are a bit different. Every horse here is going to be competing in that competition and sometimes I just wish…” She trailed off again, clearly embarrassed as she avoided Taylor’s pitying look.
“If I could help, you know I would. I was lucky to find Molotov and even luckier to be spotted and given a scholarship here, but keep working with the kids and you’ll be noticed too. It’s just a matter of time. I promise. One day other people will see just how amazing I know you are,” he said and Chloe smiled.
“Thanks Taylor. You always know the right thing to say when I’m down.” She patted him on the shoulder and walked towards the barn entrance. Hayley watched as Taylor stared wistfully after the girl, who was so obviously oblivious to his feelings for her.
Just before she walked out into the sunshine a man appeared around the corner, nearly bumping into her. Hayley recognised Mark, the man she’d met on the first day and she held her breath, certain that Chloe had just walked into a whole lot of trouble.
“What brings you up here, Chloe?” He asked and Hayley was surprised to note that he hadn’t already bitten her head off. Chloe blushed and stammered.
“Oh you know… horses,” she said.
“The view around here is always spectacular, isn’t it?” Mark prompted and Chloe nodded eagerly before blushing when she realised that Mark hadn’t been talking about the horses. Hayley rolled her eyes and made an ‘urgh’ sound before slapping a hand over her mouth. Fortunately, no one seemed to hear. She risked a glance at Taylor and could see his hands were balling into fists.
“I’m sure I’ll be seeing you later,” Mark purred and Chloe turned red before hastily walking out into the sunshine. Mark immediately looked over at Taylor and grinned before walking up to him. “Morning, Jones, still hanging on to hopes and dreams that we can’t afford?”
“At least I got here because of talent, not money,” Taylor muttered, loud enough for Mark to hear.
The other man tutted. “Competitions also rely on the quality of the horse and not all horses are equal…” He looked Molotov up and down pointedly. “Some are just oversized riding school ponies.” Taylor’s face was turning red but he didn’t respond. Mark grinned, encouraged by his silence. “Chloe knows a good rider when she sees one. Perhaps she’ll find out just how good I am one of these nights…” He winked at Taylor and Hayley saw those balled fists start to raise. She stepped away from Hadrian’s stall, preparing to enter the fray, but three people walked into the barn and diffused the tension. Less fortunately, they all saw Hayley and while she had no clue who they were, they seemed to know who she was.
“Not riding the monster yet? Well, that is a surprise,” one of the girls said. She had dull gold hair and a nose that turned up just a little at the end. Hayley thought she had a friendly face but she’d known that most of the school was against what she was doing and this threesome were not on her side.
“Come on, Victoria, give her a break…” Taylor said and then turned away when Victoria shot him a look that clearly implied she thought little more of him than muck. Hayley revised her initial opinion.
“All I’m hoping for is some slow progress,” Hayley said, knowing she would have to be diplomatic. “I know the situation is a horrible one and Hadrian has been changed forever, but I’ve always thought that everyone deserves a second chance, even if it doesn’t work out.” She gave them an easy smile, which the man on the left returned.
“The sooner he’s out of this barn, the better,” Victoria carried on and then walked across to the stall opposite Hadrian’s and began tacking up the black mare that was in there. Now Hayley really couldn’t blame her for having such a strong opinion. At least Hadrian had quieted down since she’d started her work with him.
“Even when Madison was alive, he was a wild one. It’s no wonder he snapped. The crazy horse was only a step away from it before,” the other girl said, flashing a grin at the other man who didn’t smile back this time. Giving up, she looked to Victoria for approval and found it.
“Actually, Hadrian was one of the favourites to win the Inter-Stabl
e Championship.” Taylor’s voice was stiff and Hayley wasn’t surprised to see that his hands were shaking with rage. The girls just pretended he hadn’t even spoken.
“Don’t even bother speaking to her, Jen, she's just as bad as the other lowlifes around here. It’s obvious she’s some sort of quack who claims to be able to cure horses, when really she’s just out to cash in.”
Hayley raised an eyebrow, already deciding that this was one argument it wasn’t worth joining in.
“Easy ladies! There is enough of me to go round for you all,” Mark cut in, his usual smirk on his face. Jen and Victoria both made noises of disgust. At least that’s one thing we can allcagree on, Hayley thought shrewdly.
“Hey! Who’s taken my saddle and bridle?” Jen said, looking in the tack room. Taylor shot Hayley a meaningful glance and she gathered this kind of thing had happened before, but she didn’t have a chance to investigate further.
“Victoria, George, Jenny, and Mark, you are all going to be late for your lesson,” a commanding voice called from the door of the barn. Hayley looked beyond the three and saw a young man, who didn’t look much older than his students, walking towards them. He was dressed in jodhpurs and a leather jacket which lent him a reckless air. His hair was dark and a little longer than the fashionable short, back, and sides. It fell forwards, straight, and was teased with plenty of hair product. If it hadn’t been for the jodhpurs, Hayley might have mistaken him for a model.
The man’s dark eyes found hers and the gaze immediately became more focused. “You’re Hayley Argent, the horse psychologist, aren’t you?” He asked, although he clearly already knew the answer and didn’t much like it. Hayley braced herself.
“I’m Rich, I’m one of the riding instructors. Speaking of which…” He clapped his hands and the three who had come in quickly made their way out into the sunshine, taking their horses and tack (or lack of it) with them. He shot a glare at Mark who reluctantly stopped trading whispered insults and threats with Taylor and strutted out after them.
Taylor started sweeping up the yard. Bits of hay and dust flew up into the air, swirling around in a glittering miasma as the rays of sun caught them. Hayley wished for a moment that she didn’t have to tear her eyes away and face this new obstacle, no matter how attractive he may initially appear.
“I want to talk to you more about the horse you’re working with… Hadrian,” he said and Hayley recognised the look on his handsome face - he was a sceptic. “Some horses are difficult to begin with, no matter what you may have heard about their prospects. Then when something traumatic happens, they’re no good for anything. When there are extensive injuries involved too, well… we have no idea what kind of pain he’s in right now. Sometimes it’s a kindness to put animals down.”
Hayley was surprised at how reasonable he sounded, but she wasn’t afraid to stick to her guns. “I can see your point of view and I really hope you don’t think I’m motivated by money or anything like that.” She blushed, knowing he would have overheard Jen and Victoria talking about it. “Everything I do has been tried and tested and you’d be amazed by how many ‘written off’ horses can come back with the right care and attention. I never guarantee anything, but give it a few weeks and there’s a chance that you’ll be very surprised.” She threw Rich what she hoped was an understanding smile. She could tell he had horses’ interests at heart. The only place they differed was their opinion on what was best for Hadrian.
“I see that, I do, I promise you,” he replied, looking over her shoulder at the currently subdued Hadrian. “But even if you do manage to work a miracle… who’s going to want to ride him?” He raised a dark eyebrow at her but there was no humour in it.
Hayley bit her lip but said nothing. The riding instructor had a point.
CHAPTER THREE
Runaway Horse
The swallows were dipping low again when Hayley closed the gate of Emeline Equestrian behind her. She took a moment to breathe in the summer air, thick with pollen, cut hay, and the scent of the impending storm. Something crackled inside her and she knew it wasn’t lightning. An extraneous sense was warning her that she was going the wrong way…
Hayley stowed her car keys in her pocket and walked back to the barn, the feeling of dread building with every step.
She heard them before she saw them. Shouted voices and the panicked neighs of a horse. She didn’t have to guess which horse it was. Hayley sprinted around the corner and saw two lads she’d seen mucking out stables earlier that day.
“What do you think you’re doing? Get away from him!” She said, her voice shaking with anger. They had a pitchfork and were cruelly poking Hadrian before jumping backwards to avoid his gnashing teeth.
The lads exchanged a glance but didn’t back down.
“This horse should be dog meat. He doesn’t belong here and it’s bad luck. We’ll lose the championship if he sticks around, spreading those bad vibes,” one of the lads said, like it was a simple fact. Hayley found she was grinding her teeth.
“The championship… all I ever hear about is this competition and how this one horse will ruin everything. It sounds to me like no one here will win it because you all have terrible, superstitious attitudes. Hadrian was doing fine when I left him this evening, and now you’re undoing all the good work we did today,” she said.
One of the lads snorted and lifted the fork so the prongs were facing her way. She shot him a look that said ‘don’t even think about it’ but all of a sudden she felt very alone in that big barn with the storm about to break.
“You’d better stop whatever the hell you think you are doing. Right Now.” Hayley turned to see Taylor striding into the barn, his golden hair frizzing in the humidity. “You just threatened a member of staff.”
“They were jabbing Hadrian,” Hayley said, feeling like a kid telling tales, but she was so incredulous that anyone could be nasty enough to think of it.
Taylor’s face darkened to reflect the ominous clouds outside. “You can report them to the stable owners and they’ll lose their jobs,” Taylor said.
The lads paled and both looked imploringly at Hayley. “Come on, Miss, we were only messing around.”
Hayley thought about it for a long moment but she knew her answer. “No. You tried to hurt a horse and then who knows what you’d have done to me if Taylor hadn’t turned up,” she said, trying to not sound as shaken as she felt. Her nerves were jangling like nobody’s business.
The lads exchanged a dark look that Hayley didn’t like one bit. “We heard you like to give second chances,” one of them said with a smile that was meant to be hopeful.
Hayley felt like snorting but held it in. “Second chances are for animals or people who have made a mistake. What you did was calculated and cruel. You don’t deserve to work around horses,” she said.
She and Taylor watched as the lads walked out of the barn, neither of them relaxing until the pair had gone. As soon as they’d rounded the corner Hayley stepped forward to look at Hadrian and then stepped straight back when he lunged at her. A small sigh escaped her lips and Taylor shot her a pitying look.
“Back to square one,” she said with a sad smile. “Thanks for helping me out. I’m glad you were around,” she said, meeting his cool blue eyes. “Hey, if there’s anything I can do to help you out, just let me know. I overheard a bit of a conversation you had earlier with that girl with auburn hair.” She decided to let him fill in the rest.
He shrugged and half-smiled. “ Don’t worry about that. That’s Lizzie Rose. She’s the least of my worries at the moment. At least I know where I am with her, unlike all the other weird stuff that’s been going on.” He pointedly opened the door to Molotov’s stall and undid the bike lock he’d used to suspend his tack from the stall railings. Hayley remembered the stable and bridle that had vanished that afternoon and figured it hadn’t been the first incident of items going missing. Was it someone’s idea of a prank?
Taylor placed his tack on the freshly swept f
loor. “I was just coming to ride Molotov. We need to get the practice in on the cross country circuit and what with all the lessons that are going on at the moment, we hardly get a look in. Evening lessons have been cancelled today because of the impending bad weather but we’ll take our chances.” He made a clicking sound with his tongue and his big white horse turned away from his hay and came over, affectionately nuzzling Taylor’s face. What a big, softie! Hayley thought with a smile. “We’ll have to take any advantage we can get if we want to stand any kind of chance against the Mark Camerons of this world.”
Hayley turned back to look at Hadrian whose eyes now spoke volumes to her. He was angry because of the boys with their pitchfork and he was scared because there was a storm coming. His ears flattened. He was remembering that something very bad had happened the last time there was a storm.
“Please be careful,” she said to Taylor, knowing there was nothing she could say to stop him from going. This competition meant a lot to him and the others at the stables. She could tell he was the competition’s dark horse - unfunded except for whatever his scholarship he had got him. He had a lot to prove and she recognised what that felt like. After all, when she’d started working with horses she’d had a lot more than cynicism to deal with.
Taylor tilted his head at her and then led Molotov away to tack him up outside. Hayley looked out of the barn for a few seconds after he’d gone and watched the swallows dipping even lower. She hoped that the storm would hold off for just a little while longer.
***
“Good boy Hadrian, there we go!” She said, trying not to let too much excitement creep into her voice. To her surprise, despite the pitchfork incident earlier that evening, Hadrian had suddenly made a lot of progress. It was all Hayley could do to keep from jumping for joy. Just goes to show that sometimes the real horse is just below the surface. All you need to do is look… She thought and walked into Hadrian’s stall.
