problem horses. You could bring the most unmanageable, ill-tempered animal to her, and within weeks she could turn it into a well-mannered obliging ride that you could, as she put it, sit your granny on. People always told her she could make a fortune from her talent, but she hated charging properly for doing something she loved, and inevitably ended up out of pocket. To her it was enough reward to see a happy horse. But that was Lucy all over, thought James, as he watched her tighten up the buckle on Phoenix’s girth.
It was wonderful to see someone who worked with horses for the sheer pleasure of it, not for profit or gain or the need to compete and win. James thought of Caroline, who competed at local events as if her life depended on it, asking a hundred and ten per cent of her horse and never, in James’s opinion, giving as much back.
Caroline kept her horse in livery on the outskirts of Evesham, where she lived and worked. It had occurred to James on more than one occasion that it would make sense for her to stable Demelza at Honeycote House. Sophie or Georgina would have mucked her out for pocket money, and it would mean they could see more of each other at weekends. But the thought of Caroline and Lucy spending more time in close proximity than was necessary deterred him from making this suggestion. It would only complicate things in the long run, he felt sure. God forbid that they might actually become friends. They had little else in common, but the horsy bond could be a strong one, he had found over the years. The most unlikely companions could gel given an equestrian interest.
James himself had been somewhat put off riding by his mother. She’d always kept a stableful at Honeycote, had ridden side-saddle with the local hunt for years and had forced both James and his brother Mickey to compete with the local pony club from an early age. She’d been a rabid pot-hunter, bellowing at them from the sidelines. James had loathed it and been terrified; Mickey, of course, had bagged every cup going but didn’t give a toss. Thus James had given up riding as soon as he’d gathered enough nerve to stand up to his mother, and hadn’t had anything to do with horses for years. But he’d recently taken to hacking out with Lucy when she had an extra horse that needed exercise – which was more often than not – and he found that when the sport wasn’t forced upon you, it was quite pleasurable. And he needed the exercise; he was hurtling towards forty, after all. Besides which, it gave him a bona fide reason to spend time with Lucy…
Satisfied that Phoenix was safely tacked up, Lucy gave the horse a final pat before opening the stable door and leading him out. James’s mount was already tacked and waiting in the adjoining stable.
They set off at a brisk trot down the drive. Phoenix was skittish, prancing sideways and tossing his mane, but Lucy gave him his head and refused to rise to his antagonistic behaviour, so the horse soon settled down and fell into step. Lucy smiled in satisfaction.
‘You see? The girl that’s been riding him lets him wind her up. I bet she’s been pulling his mouth to pieces. He just needs a free rein. Look.’
She held up the horse’s reins with her little finger, demonstrating just how little resistance she was showing him. James thought it was interesting that Lucy dealt with animals just as she dealt with humans, using the line of least resistance. By the end of the ride, Phoenix was calm and co-operative.
It was only when they were back at the yard, and the horses had been untacked, that it became clear something was troubling her. As they were walking back up to the house, she turned to him suddenly and asked:
‘Has Mickey mentioned anything to you lately, James?’
He forced himself to hold Lucy’s gaze, but he found all the questions in her treacle-brown eyes unnerving.
He deliberately misunderstood her query.
‘He hasn’t mentioned him, no. But you’re obviously
It was wonderful to see someone who worked with horses for the sheer pleasure of it, not for profit or gain or the need to compete and win. James thought of Caroline, who competed at local events as if her life depended on it, asking a hundred and ten per cent of her horse and never, in James’s opinion, giving as much back.
Caroline kept her horse in livery on the outskirts of Evesham, where she lived and worked. It had occurred to James on more than one occasion that it would make sense for her to stable Demelza at Honeycote House. Sophie or Georgina would have mucked her out for pocket money, and it would mean they could see more of each other at weekends. But the thought of Caroline and Lucy spending more time in close proximity than was necessary deterred him from making this suggestion. It would only complicate things in the long run, he felt sure. God forbid that they might actually become friends. They had little else in common, but the horsy bond could be a strong one, he had found over the years. The most unlikely companions could gel given an equestrian interest.
James himself had been somewhat put off riding by his mother. She’d always kept a stableful at Honeycote, had ridden side-saddle with the local hunt for years and had forced both James and his brother Mickey to compete with the local pony club from an early age. She’d been a rabid pot-hunter, bellowing at them from the sidelines. James had loathed it and been terrified; Mickey, of course, had bagged every cup going but didn’t give a toss. Thus James had given up riding as soon as he’d gathered enough nerve to stand up to his mother, and hadn’t had anything to do with horses for years. But he’d recently taken to hacking out with Lucy when she had an extra horse that needed exercise – which was more often than not – and he found that when the sport wasn’t forced upon you, it was quite pleasurable. And he needed the exercise; he was hurtling towards forty, after all. Besides which, it gave him a bona fide reason to spend time with Lucy…
Satisfied that Phoenix was safely tacked up, Lucy gave the horse a final pat before opening the stable door and leading him out. James’s mount was already tacked and waiting in the adjoining stable.
They set off at a brisk trot down the drive. Phoenix was skittish, prancing sideways and tossing his mane, but Lucy gave him his head and refused to rise to his antagonistic behaviour, so the horse soon settled down and fell into step. Lucy smiled in satisfaction.
‘You see? The girl that’s been riding him lets him wind her up. I bet she’s been pulling his mouth to pieces. He just needs a free rein. Look.’
She held up the horse’s reins with her little finger, demonstrating just how little resistance she was showing him. James thought it was interesting that Lucy dealt with animals just as she dealt with humans, using the line of least resistance. By the end of the ride, Phoenix was calm and co-operative.
It was only when they were back at the yard, and the horses had been untacked, that it became clear something was troubling her. As they were walking back up to the house, she turned to him suddenly and asked:
‘Has Mickey mentioned anything to you lately, James?’
He forced himself to hold Lucy’s gaze, but he found all the questions in her treacle-brown eyes unnerving.
He deliberately misunderstood her query.
‘He hasn’t mentioned him, no. But you’re obviously
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