Dreams Page 16
When she got off the bus, she saw Luke in Len’s car, waiting to drive her back. Sasha was in the front with him. As Ellie came nearer, she frowned. Sasha looked furious and seemed to be shouting at Luke. He was rolling his eyes.
“Hi,” Ellie said, opening the back door.
Luke smiled, but Sasha didn’t even turn around. “But you kissed her!” she hissed at Luke, obviously not wanting Ellie to hear. “My friend Lucy’s just texted me—she said she saw you with her. Don’t deny it!”
“OK, so I kissed her. It’s no big deal.” Luke shrugged.
“No big deal? We’re supposed to be going out, Luke!” Sasha threw herself back angrily against the seat.
Luke started the engine. He held the steering wheel easily with one hand and turned the music on with the other. Catching Ellie’s eye in the mirror, he made an apologetic face.
She frowned back at him, refusing to let him think he could get away with behaving like that. Ellie didn’t particularly like Sasha, but right now she felt sorry for her having Luke as a boyfriend.
They drove home with only the music to break the silence. When they arrived, Sasha shut the car door with a bang and stomped away. Luke watched her go, shaking his head. “Sorry about that.”
Ellie looked at him pointedly. “But you’re not sorry for kissing whoever it was.”
“Anna Hallett as it happens—and nope, I’m not.”
“Anna Hallett!” Ellie gaped. Anna Hallett was Lucifer’s owner, and the daughter of one of Len’s biggest sponsor’s, Jeff Hallett. Jeff’s company Equi-Glow paid for all the horse feed at High Peak Stables and Len had warned Luke to keep away from Anna Hallett as it might affect the sponsorship deal if he upset her. “Anna Hallett!” she repeated, picturing the very beautiful dark-haired nineteen-year-old.
Luke nodded. “I saw her at the show on Thursday that Lucifer went to. We thought we’d hook up last night—and we did.”
“Luke!” Ellie stared at him. “Len will be totally mad and Sasha is really upset.”
“Len will never know and Sasha’ll get over it,” Luke said, sounding supremely unbothered. “It’s not as if Sasha and I are that serious. I’m not hearing wedding bells with her, you know.”
“But you shouldn’t treat people like that. You really shouldn’t. It’s wrong!”
Luke’s mouth quirked into a grin. “You’re telling me off?”
“Someone has to!” Ellie responded sharply.
Luke chuckled and walked away. With a sigh of exasperation, Ellie went into the house to get changed.
Ellie’s bedroom was on the top floor, while Joe, Luke, and Len all had rooms on the first floor. She changed her clothes and headed back downstairs. Joe looked out of his bedroom as she passed.
“Hey there.”
“How come you’re inside?” she asked.
“I thought I’d do some work while Dad’s out. You know what he’s like—study leave to him just means I’ll have more time to work the horses.”
Ellie couldn’t imagine choosing to do school work instead of being outside. “But why are you bothering to study? It’s not as if you’re staying on at school and need good grades.” Joe’s GCSE exams were in a few weeks’ time and after he had done them he would leave school to work on the yard full time. She wished she was as old as him, but she still had another year at school. It wasn’t her birthday until the end of July.
“I know, but I still want to do as well as I can,” said Joe.
Ellie shook her head. It was typical of him. He was so different from her. He reminded her of her dad in many ways.
“I’d better get on. I think Dad’s planning on being back by five with Ray.”
“Who’s Ray?” Ellie asked.
“Ray’s an old friend of Dad’s. He used to produce show horses like Dad, then he moved to Canada. He and Dad have kept in touch. Dad really respects him. He has some massive stables out there and is doing really well.” Joe stretched. “OK, work time for me. When this is finished I need to ride Wisp. We could go out for a hack on him and Spirit after I’ve schooled him if you feel like it.”
“Definitely!” Ellie hurried on down the stairs and went to bring Spirit in from the field. White clouds were floating across the blue sky and the warm summer air smelt of grass and horses. Honeysuckle and dog roses scrambled through the hedges that bordered the path down to the fields, and in the nearby trees she could hear the birds calling to each other. She breathed in happily. She loved early summer when everything was growing and fresh.
Climbing the metal gate, she spotted Spirit. He seemed to be watching for her because even before she called his name he was trotting over. He coughed as he stopped, and she frowned as she saw his ribs move under his skin.
“Oh, Spirit, you really do need to eat more,” she said as he pushed his nose against her chest. She stroked his gray face, noticing that he’d been bitten by flies—there were little lumps on his chest. “I should have put fly repellant on you,” she said, angry with herself for forgetting. “Have the flies been bothering you? Come on, let’s get you in.”
Sasha and Helen were in the tackroom. Ellie could hear Sasha’s voice as she reached the yard.
“I can’t believe he kissed her! He didn’t even say sorry!”
“It’s awful, I know, but that’s what Luke’s like,” Helen’s softer voice said.
“Do you think he’s seeing her?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it was just a one-off thing.”
“I bet he’s arranged to meet up with her again,” Sasha said angrily.
Ellie tried to block out the voices. Whatever was going on was none of her business. She concentrated on Spirit instead, brushing him over, talking to him all the while.
She was just finishing off when Luke came to find her. “Have you time to look at Gabriel, Ellie? I think there’s something up with him. He’s been fighting the bit and throwing his head around the last few days. You might be able to figure out what’s wrong with him for me.”
Ellie hesitated. She was still feeling angry with him and was tempted to say no, but she pushed aside the irritation. A horse needed helping and, after all, as she’d just thought, Luke’s love life was absolutely no concern of hers. “OK.”
“Thanks. He’s in his stable, should I take him up to the school for you?”
“No, I’ll have a look at him in his stable first. Give me ten minutes on my own with him.”
Luke looked surprised. “Why? What are you going to do?”
“I just need some time with him. Can you put Spirit’s grooming kit away for me?” Not waiting for an answer, Ellie left him standing there and went to Gabriel’s stable.
The big bay gelding gave her a curious look as she went in. He was a confident and friendly horse who liked people. His eyes were alert and interested. He came over to Ellie as if wondering what she was doing there, his muzzle searching her pockets for treats. Ellie rubbed his forehead. “Hi, boy.”
He accepted the fuss, and then when he was sure she didn’t have a treat for him, he turned away. Ellie stood back against the stable wall. She had to relax, gradually tuning into his energy and waiting to see if he would talk. Shutting her eyes, she let all the other thoughts that were filling her brain fade away. This was always the hardest bit for her—she was such an active person, never still. It was an effort to just stand quietly, thinking about the horse, breathing and waiting. As she breathed in and out, she gradually became aware of the energy pulsing through Gabriel.
Do you want to talk? she thought to him. There was silence in the stable, he wasn’t moving in the straw and he had stopped eating his hay. I’m here if you want to speak to me. I’ll listen. I want to know if you’re all right.
Ellie felt a flicker of impatience when he didn’t reply, but she pushed it away. Spirit had taught her that she must offer to listen and then wait, be patient.
She sent all the love she could to the horse. I just want to help.
Suddenly she felt it, a change in the
atmosphere, a connection opening. Gabriel?
Yes.
She opened her eyes. The big bay was staring at her. I can hear you, she thought.
His nostrils quivered in a faint acknowledgement. She felt as if his dark intelligent eyes were absorbing her, drawing her in. She walked over and touched his neck. Tell me what’s wrong…
Ellie lost track of how long she was speaking to Gabriel, but eventually she sensed he’d had enough. Thank you, she told him and, with a shake of her head, she stepped back and let the connection close.
“You finished yet?” She jumped as she heard Luke’s voice and, swinging around, saw him looking over the stable door. “What are you doing?” he said curiously.
“Just being with him.”
“Talking to him? Doing your horse-whispering stuff you mean?”
“It’s not like that. Anyway, I know what’s wrong with him,” she said, changing the subject and patting Gabriel. The horse pushed against her.
“Really?”
Ellie nodded. “He’s bored. You’re just schooling him in the same old routine time after time.” The bay horse had been very clear in his thoughts about how fed up he was with Luke always repeating the same movements. Luke wasn’t really into schooling, preferring jumping, hacking out, and showing. He saw the everyday schooling they did as a chore. “It’s why he’s started being resistant, ducking out and avoiding the bit. He just wants a change.”
“But you haven’t even seen me riding him. How can you possibly know that?”
Ellie’s eyes met the horse’s. “I just do. Oh…” She turned back to Luke. “And he doesn’t like you riding with your cell phone. He doesn’t like the buzz it makes when it rings—he can feel it down the reins.” She hid her smile at Luke’s stunned face. She was telling the truth; it was what Gabriel had said to her, but she could understand Luke’s astonishment.
“My cell phone…” He trailed off and grinned. “OK, nice one, Ellie! You almost got me there!”
“No, I mean it, Luke. You can’t ride him with it,” insisted Ellie. “Not if you want him to go better. Trust me. Take him up to the school, don’t have your cell phone and ride some different schooling exercises to see.”
Luke stared at her for a moment, then shrugged. “OK, why not? It’s crazy-mad but what’s to lose?”
Ellie smiled to herself as he collected the tack and dumped his phone in the tackroom. That was the good thing about Luke—he was always ready to try things out. He never saw the arguments for why something shouldn’t be done; he just did it.
Ten minutes later, they were up in the school, with Luke riding around Ellie as she stood in the center. She knew exactly the routine of schooling exercises he usually did on Gabriel because Gabriel had sent her pictures of them, along with feelings of intense boredom. “OK, instead of doing lots of circles and serpentines, work on his transitions today,” Ellie called. “Mix things up, make it interesting—ride the corners, rectangles.”
Luke grinned, amused. “You know, I do like it when you’re strict, Ellie.”
Ellie fixed him with a look. “Just do it!”
Focusing on the horse, Luke began to ride Gabriel through the different transitions—walk to trot, trot to canter, back down to walk, trot to halt, and walk to canter. Gabriel worked nicely, looking alert and responsive. “He’s going well,” said Luke in surprise. “I’ll try some lateral work.”
He began to add in leg yielding, turns on the forehand, and turns on the haunches.
“Try some circles now,” encouraged Ellie. “But leg yield out so they gradually get bigger rather than just going around and around.”
The two of them were utterly focused on the horse, and by the time they had finished, Gabriel was moving beautifully. Luke brought him to a halt, patting him. “That was so much better. Thanks.” He dismounted. “I don’t know how you worked out what was wrong but it’s made a massive difference. I can’t believe it was as simple as him being bored.”
Ellie smiled. “And not liking your cell phone!”
“Maybe a change in ring tone?” Luke said, his eyes teasing. “I could try out different ones and see if there’s one he likes—”
“No cell phone!” Ellie laughed. However much she disliked his behavior to Sasha, it was difficult to be angry with Luke for long.
They led Gabriel out of the school and down to the courtyard, but just as they reached it, Sasha came marching out of the tackroom. “What’s this?” she demanded, thrusting Luke’s cell phone angrily at him. “You’re planning on meeting Anna again, tomorrow night? So were you going to tell me?”
Luke looked outraged. “You’ve been reading my texts!”
“Yeah. And lucky I did. It’s over, Luke. Totally over. You’re dumped!” Sasha threw the phone down on the ground and stormed off.
For a moment, there was silence.
“Here, I’ll take Gabriel. You go after her,” Ellie said.
“Go after her? No way.” Luke chucked the reins at Ellie and went to pick up his phone, checking it for damage.
“Luke, she’s upset and so she should be! You’ve been arranging to meet Anna behind her back!”
Luke shrugged. “It’s no big deal. It was fun while it lasted but it’s been two months now.” He took Gabriel from Ellie and led him to his stable.
Ellie went after him. “And that’s a long time, is it?”
“For me!” he called over his shoulder.
Exasperation surged up inside her. She marched to the stable door. Luke was untacking Gabriel, patting him. As Ellie looked at him, caring for the horse, she felt herself falter, her anger fading a notch.
Luke saw her face. “Ellie,” he half pleaded. “Don’t be mad with me. It’s not as if Sasha and I were engaged. I’m not the type to settle down with one girl. I’ve never pretended otherwise.”
Ellie paused. “Don’t you ever want to have a serious girlfriend?”
“I don’t do serious.” Luke shrugged again. “If someone wants serious, they should go out with someone else.”
His gaze flicked to the farmhouse, to Joe’s bedroom window. “So what about you? I thought for a while…you and Joe?”
“No!” Ellie said quickly. “No, no! Not me and Joe. We’re just friends.”
Luke didn’t speak for a few moments, taking off the brushing boots that Gabriel wore to protect his legs when he was being worked. “Has Len said anything about it?”
“No.” Ellie stared at him. “Why?”
“It’s just I have a feeling he thinks there might be something going on.”
“Going on!” Ellie frowned. “But that’s stupid! That’s—”
Luke held up his hands. “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. I just thought you’d better know.”
“What’s he said?” Ellie demanded.
“A few things in the last day or so, about watching you two carefully. Yesterday, he asked me if I thought there was anything between you.”
“Oh, great,” Ellie groaned, pushing a hand through her long hair.
“If there’s nothing happening, then you haven’t got a problem,” Luke pointed out, heaving the saddle off Gabriel’s back and plonking it in her arms. “Right, all done. Thanks for helping.”
“No problem. And, Luke?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for the warning about Uncle Len.”
“Any time.”
Ellie took the saddle to the tackroom, her thoughts going over what Luke had just said.
She decided to forget it; if her uncle wanted to be suspicious that was his problem. There were too many other things for her to think about—like Spirit not eating—without worrying about her uncle too. He’ll forget about it soon, she thought.
Buy Hopes Now!
About the Author
Linda Chapman grew up dreaming of being a writer and of riding in the Olympics. At least one of those came true. She has now written more than two hundred books including three very popular series: My Secret Unicorn, Stardust, and Not
Quite a Mermaid. Although Chapman’s dreams of riding in the Olympics have been shelved (for now), she gives free rein to her horsey obsession by writing about horses whenever she is not writing about mermaids, fairies, or other magical creatures. She lives in Leicestershire, England, with her husband, three children, two dogs, and two ponies.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2011 by Linda Chapman
Cover design by Angela Goddard
ISBN: 978-1-4976-4255-3
This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
345 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
www.openroadmedia.com
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