Sue came over to me, wiping tears from her eyes. “This is it now, isn’t it.” I nodded. She hugged me tightly. “Mandy, you keep safe. Look after yourself. Shit, I’m going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too…” I tried to hold it together but my lip was trembling. I couldn’t help notice smoke rising from the building behind us and it broke my heart. “Fly away Anne…” Sue looked up and we both sobbed loudly.
***
I sat for some time in the memorial garden, I needed some time to clear my mind. I had somewhere to go. Sue had goaded me into looking for something and so there was another job clipped from Horse and Hound. They had been impressed enough with me over the telephone to tell me they wanted me to start with them at their small livery yard in Wiltshire, a place I’d never heard of. I’d had to ask Raj to lend me an atlas to find out where fate would be taking me next.
So, as the last of my surrogate family left and another hearse pulled up with another group of mourners, I left. A short bus ride and then two trains took me to Swindon. I stepped off the train at the bustling station remembering the last time I had travelled by train. I walked down the stairs and was met by a smiling young woman in breeches and brightly coloured long socks. “I’m hoping you’re Amanda!”She was slim and attractive, I could see men and some women passing glances towards her as she stood outside on the station concourse, her blond hair in a ponytail threaded through a Ariat baseball cap.
“Yes… That’s me.” I smiled and thanked her as she took my bag.
“Mum was a bit busy to come and meet you, we’ve had the vet in doing boosters and it always takes forever. I’m Annie…” She paused. “Oh goodness, are you alright?”
Oh no, I was making a scene right in the middle of the evening commuters, I had burst into tears. Gulping and hiccuping as I tried to explain where I had been and how I had just lost my own Anne.
Annie dropped my bag and hugged me tightly. “Oh goodness, I’m so sorry. Oh God mum mentioned something about why you were changing jobs.” I breathed in the scent of her hair, recognising the equine shampoo we used to use on our horses, that and the waft of horsey smell was so comforting, I never wanted the hug to end. However, I needed to be a big girl, let go and get into the battered car which was waiting on the forecourt.
She drove quickly and we were soon out on the open road passing through the downs. I was mesmerised by the countryside, I had been so long in the city that I had forgotten that green rolling hills existed. Annie giggled as I explained and told me to wait until I was galloping across them.
Suddenly the road twisted and we were surrounded by huge stones. “Goodness are we in Stonehenge?”
Annie laughed. “Avebury, you’ll have to come and walk around it. We’re nearly home.”
***
Avebury Stables were just a few minutes down the road, a long driveway leading to a courtyard of old fashioned, brick-built stables. “Look I’ll show you to your flat.” Annie pulled up the car.
“Flat…?” The flat was up a set of stone stairs above the main stable block. She fumbled with keys until she found the right ones to unlock the door. There was a large living room with a kitchen to the side. “Wow! How many do I share with?”
“Share?” Annie laughed. “This is all yours.” She handed me the keys. “It’s been empty for a while but now that you are here you can make it your own. Oh goodness, are you crying again?”
How embarrassing, I reached up and wiped my eyes. “Sorry Annie, I’ve spent three years living in a shared windowless room under a railway arch.” She gasped. “Yeah, it was a bit rough. This is like the Ritz!”
“Well, get settled in, why don’t you come over to the house for dinner at about seven.” With that, she waved and stepped out of the door. I looked around, there was a tidy little kitchen, a fireplace with a wood-burning stove with a bucket of chopped logs, a sofa and squashy armchair, beyond was a light and airy bedroom which had been made up with pure white sheets. I threw down my bag and flung myself on the bed.
***
I showered and changed into a clean blouse and jeans before stepping out and onto the stairs. I couldn’t resist seeing the horses, so poked my head over each stable and greeted each of them before glancing at my watch and making my way to the back door of the main house.
“Hello… We spoke on the phone!” It was clear that this was Annie’s mother, she was older with the ruddy features of someone who spent their life in the countryside. Slim and brunette with a pair of jeans and a polo shirt, she put down the spoon she was stirring a pot on the hob with and turned to face me. “I’m May.”
“Hi, May…” I smiled, shaking her hand. “This place is amazing. I’ve not been in the countryside, in a long time. Not since.” I stopped, biting my lip, I had already cried far too much, bringing back memories of my childhood would start my waterworks again. “Anyway, that smells amazing.” I quickly changed the subject, however, I was sure that May had seen my upset, she was just too polite to question me.
“Oh, it’s just a chicken casserole and some homemade bread.” I must have looked as if I was drooling as she laughed telling me to set the table, she pointed to a drawer which I found contained cutlery. I set places for three people before asking if there was anyone else. She shook her head, telling me it was just us now.
“Hi mum, Amanda!” Annie stepped in, she had changed and was wearing leggings and a baggy t-shirt. “I’m starving!”
We sat chatting and enjoying the delicious food. Naturally, the conversation soon turned to horses and I learnt all of the inhabitants of the yard and their characters, I looked forward to meeting them in the morning. My role was described as the stable manager, groom and instructor as required, I would start tomorrow by feeding with Annie at seven in the morning. Glancing at my watch May got the message.
“Oh goodness, you’ve had a long day, and here we are chatting away. You get off to bed and we’ll see you in the morning.” I said my good nights and walked through the moonlight to my flat, revelling in having my own place to be. It was just minutes before I was fast asleep.
16
Go West
My alarm woke me from a deep slumber, I stretched and looked around. I’d wondered if this had been a dream I would soon wake from, imaging Anne would be shaking me awake and I would be in the city again. However, the fresh air and sound of birds told me I was far from London and that it was time to start a new life. I dressed quickly and walked down to the yard. I was early so I took a moment to walk around the yard greeting the horses again.
“Hello, did you sleep well?” Annie stepped out of the back door of the house. I nodded, smiling. “Come on let’s feed them.”
***
Feeding and mucking out together passed quickly as Annie was chatty, she told me about her life, dwelling on her boyfriend who was studying at the local agricultural college.
“Look, let’s get a quick ride in before breakfast if you’re game!” We tacked up, me a huge Piebald gelding amusingly called ‘Tiny’ and Annie tacked up her bay mare, “Duchess”. I legged her up into the saddle before clambering onto my steed using the yard gate, thankfully he stood patiently as I got into the saddle, adjusting my stirrups.
Annie led the way through a large field, she explained that this was once part of the dairy farm however the cows were long gone, she didn’t elaborate, however, it was clear from the look in her eyes that there was a story to be told, eventually. We faced a huge hill. “Ready for a bit of a run!” She laughed and kicked her horse on, I was splattered with grit as Duchess led into a loping canter and then a flat out gallop. Not to be left behind Tiny span and accelerated until we caught up and then passed her easily. I whooped with joy as I felt the wind in my face and the movement of the horse beneath me, we were clearing the ground with ease and soon reached the summit where I pulled him up, it was not long before Duchess was approaching with a cheering Annie on board.
“Oh, that was amazing!” I wiped the tears from my eyes.
Annie rode close to me, our knees bumping and the horses stretching out on a loose rein, Duchess squealed as Tiny nipped at her nose. Annie laughed, placing her hand on my thigh.
“It’s great, isn’t it. You can see the whole of Wiltshire from here.” She giggled. “Well, it feels like you can!” She paused, looking towards me. “Tell me about you.”
“There’s not much to tell…” I looked away, pulling Tiny further apart.
“I don’t think that’s the case?”
I sighed. “I worked at a pretty scruffy riding school in London.”
“Oh, London… I love London, I love to go to a show, have you been to the theatre…” And she was off, Annie was unselfishly excited about life and it seemed starved of someone, if not to talk to, certainly to talk at! I laughed, she was animated and dropped her reins, waving her hands as she spoke of her life as we rode back towards the yard.
I leaned down and closed the gate before dismounting and pulling Tiny’s tack off at Annie’s suggestion we led both horses into the sand arena where they dropped to their knees and rolled almost in unison before bucking and racing around the arena together.
“Come in, it’s breakfast time. We’ll leave them to have some time together. I’ll help you clean the tack later.” Annie led the way through the back door and into the warm and homely kitchen. May kissed her daughter and greeted me. The old dining table was laid with plates and she started to place steaming bacon and eggs onto them.
“Oh goodness… This is too much!” I said before sitting and devouring the first of the bacon.
“What?” I said, my mouth full, realising I had a highly amused audience.
“Country air and riding out, it’s perfect for your appetite!”
I blushed, taking care to sip my orange juice more slowly as mother and daughter slipped into conversation.
***
Life on the yard was perfect, I exercised the horses, who were mostly owned by livery clients who came as and when they could but, as Annie told me, would more often ride at the weekends so we would need to keep their horses fit on their behalf. She told me that they were a combination of what she called ‘happy hackers’ who would be perfectly satisfied with hacks around the Downs and the more competitive riders who were out for silverware at the local shows. In time I would get my chance to groom for them and visit the regional horse shows. Maybe even compete myself.
On the following Wednesday afternoon, Annie announced that she would be going into town and asked if I wanted to join her. I turned to May who said I had worked almost too hard already as I had spent hours polishing tack and grooming the horses, ‘you’ll show us up dear!’ she’d joked with a theatrical wink. I needed some more food and supplies so I readily agreed, popping up to my flat to get changed into a relatively clean pair of jeans and blouse.
“Knock, knock…” I heard the noise at my door before Annie walked in. “You left your door open, but I wondered where you had got to?” I was standing in my scruffy panties and sports bra trying to decide which of my frayed jeans look least bad and wishing I had taken more of the clothes Edwin had bought me. I turned to face Annie who had a faraway look on in her eyes.
“Oh, I’m sorry…” I grabbed jeans and a t-shirt, quickly dressing.
“Right I am taking your clothes shopping too…” She announced, despite my protests.
***
Hours later we returned, shopping was more exhausting than stable work, Annie had dragged me around shop after shop, insisting that I bought a whole new wardrobe which, again despite my protests, she paid for on her credit card. Thankfully we had also dropped into the local supermarket so had spent most of my pay packet on a range of food and snacks as well as a few bottles of cheap wine.
I’d insisted on returning the favour for Annie and told her I would cook. She was delighted and promised to return at seven. I put together a simple dish which could go into the oven and went to check the horses. Greeting some of the livery owners, I fed and gave haynets to each horse before giving the yard a final sweep.
Just after seven Annie gently knocked on the door. “Oh goodness, something smells amazing.”
“Oh, it’s just something simple…” I welcomed her with a hug and handed her a glass of cool white wine. “Cheers…” I sipped the sweet liquid.
“Wow!” Annie smiled. “You have a great taste in wine…”
Whether it was the hard work and the country air, or just the fact we were hungry, we demolished the lamb tagine I had created and were well into our second bottle of white when we flopped down on the sofa. I feared that Annie maybe was not as used to alcohol as me her eyes seemed a little unfocused as we chatted and it wasn’t long before she fell asleep. I gently took her wine glass and put it aside.
She was a beautiful girl, with high cheekbones and natural blond hair, the hours working with horses had left her slim, yet muscular with a noticeable six-pack beneath her light blouse which made me somewhat jealous, her features were so naturally pretty.
After an hour it seemed to be a shame to wake her, I texted May saying she had fallen asleep and wrapped her up in a clean fleece blanket, I leaned down towards her, making sure the blanket was tucked in around her neck and she reached out, her eyes still closed. I softly stroked her hand and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Good night sleeping beauty!” I watched her lips turn up in a smile as she snuggled down.
***
I was up early and showered quickly before putting the kettle on. I placed a steaming cup of tea in front of Annie, just as she opened her eyes. “Hello…” She sat up, looking around a little lost. “You fell asleep and I thought it was better that you slept here. Don’t worry I told your mum where you were…” She smiled, murmuring thanks. “Look you stay here, I’ll feed and muck out. I’ll give you a call when I have tacked up and we can have another ride, that’ll wake you up!”
I left her snuggling back under the fleece blanket as I stepped out into a crisp morning. May came out, apologising for her daughter. “Look, she wore herself out dragging me around shops.” May gave me a wry smile. “I’ll look after the horses.”
I was busy for most of the rest of the day, we rode out quickly but then I had to clip some of the livery horses and spend time exercising the others before coming back and tackling the huge pile of filthy tack. The weather had changed and it had started to rain so all the horses came home muddy needing hosing down and drying and the tack was a slimy muddy mess. I put the radio on and resigned myself to a couple of hours of therapeutic leather cleaning.
I didn’t mind the work, it was the end of a long day, but sitting in the toasty warm tack room cleaning tack left my mind free to wander, it was only when the radio news came on that my reverie was broken, I had not been listening until a familiar name was spoken;
“Edwin Smith had masterminded a major drug cartel across London and the Home Counties in one of the largest county lines drugs running operations the UK has ever seen. His arrest and subsequent charges of drugs offences, human trafficking and murder will ensure that he is sent to prison for a long time…”
I’d frozen, screaming as I felt a hand on my arm, I span, turning to run but my feet tangled in a pile of reins and I fell to the ground. I struggled but could not get free.
“Amanda!”
I looked up sobbing, I saw Anne smiling down at me. “Come on babe… You’re stronger than this. He can’t get you now…”
“Amanda!” Arms embraced me, I blinked seeing Annie kneeling above me. “Oh goodness, what’s wrong…” She helped me to my feet, sitting me on the bench seat and embracing me.
“Oh God, you’re shaking… What’s wrong?” I put my head on her shoulder and wept, the sobs wracking my body.
***
May handed me a mug. I sipped at the sweet tea, it’s warmth flooding my body. Looking around I was in their living room. I tried to struggle to my feet… “No, stay there…” She smiled, placing her hand gently on my shoulder. I nodded, looking down sipping the tea.
>
“Now, you don’t have to tell us, but we may be able to help.”
I looked up into her soft eyes, sighing. I gulped, coughing and placing my tea down. “If I tell you…” I stopped, looking around. “Oh, you’ve been so good to me…” May and Annie sat on the sofa opposite me, the fire was crackling in the grate. “I don’t want to have to go…”
“Who said you have to go?” May shook her head. “You’ve been amazing. The liveries love you, we love you.”
“I made a terrible mistake…” I looked at their expectant faces and started to speak, the words flooded from me, the accident, the children’s home, running away, Clapham and Edwin. I looked up at their shocked faces as I explained that my boyfriend was being charged with all sorts of terrible crimes. My words eventually petered out and I fell silent. Only the sound of the crackling fire and the ticking of the Grandfather clock in the hall remained.
“Okay…” May spoke softly. “It seems, from what you tell me, that the only thing you were guilty of was being a bit naive.” She paused. “I am guessing you didn’t know what Edwin was doing.” I shook my head vigorously. “You fell in love with someone, you didn’t do anything wrong. Am I right that you didn’t get involved with drugs…” There was an edge of steel in her words. I stuttered.
County Lines Rider Page 9