by Stacy Gregg
Emily grinned, “I thought you found dressage boring?”
“I do. I mean I’m not into just trotting around like a dullard, but the way Allegra explains all the fancy moves is kinda interesting,” Alice admitted.
“What bothers me about this whole apprentice thing is when do we get to spend time with our own horses?” Georgie said. “I won’t get the chance to ride Belladonna this term if I’m spending all my time in lessons or at Blackwell’s yards.”
“I know!” Emily agreed, “Barclay is hardly getting any work and he goes a bit bonkers after too many days without riding.”
“We should get up early and ride before school,” Alice suggested.
Georgie hadn’t thought of that. “Are we allowed?”
“We’re not allowed out on the cross-country courses,” Alice said, “but surely we can use the indoor arena?”
“Good plan,” Daisy agreed.
“And let’s set up some jumps!” Alice grinned. “I’m desperate to jump something!”
On the way back down the driveway the girls discussed the details of their morning ride. At the point where the driveway branched off towards the Burghley House stables Georgie peeled off from the group.
“I better go straight to the stables and face the music,” she sighed. “I’ll catch you guys—”
“Hey!” Emily interrupted, “Isn’t that Riley’s pick-up?”
Georgie looked down the driveway. There was Riley’s red truck parked outside Badminton House.
“Ohmygod.” Georgie suddenly had an awful sinking feeling. “I completely forgot! I told Riley I would ride trackwork with him tonight.”
As she walked towards the boarding house Georgie saw Riley climb out of the driver’s seat and give her a wave. She waved back, her heart racing, palms sweating. Somehow she knew this wasn’t going to go well.
“What do you mean you can’t come?” Riley’s face fell. “You said you wanted to help me to train Marco…”
“I know,” Georgie said, “but I’ve been so busy I just forgot and—”
“You forgot!” Riley’s expression was incredulous. “I tell you that this race is crucial and it just slips your mind that you’re supposed to help me train for it?” He raked a hand through his hair in exasperation. “Geez, Georgie!”
On the gravel outside Badminton House the other three girls stood about looking uncomfortable.
“You know what,” Emily said, “we’ll see you later, Georgie.”
“Yeah,” Alice agreed. “Come on, Daisy.”
Daisy seemed to be enjoying her ringside view of the confrontation and looked disappointed at being forced to leave. “OK,” she sighed, “but it was just getting good!”
The girls went up the front steps leaving Riley and Georgie alone. The silence was deafening. Finally, Georgie spoke.
“I don’t know what else I can do, Riley,” Georgie sighed. “I said I was sorry. I’m saying it again. I’m really sorry, OK?”
“Fine,” Riley said. “Just put your jodhpurs on and we’ll go now. We can still make it to Keeneland Park in time to get a couple of laps of the track in.”
Georgie shook her head. “I can’t, Riley. I’ve got Fatigues.” Riley’s face fell even further. “Who gave you Fatigues?”
“Conrad.”
Riley was furious. “Is he still giving you a hard time? Georgie, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I knew you’d be like this!” Georgie said. “He’s a prefect, Riley, and… you don’t understand.”
“Why?” Riley said. “Because I don’t go to Blainford?”
“Yes!” Georgie said. “Riley, this is my world. I’ll deal with Conrad.”
“So this is your way of dealing with it? By letting me down?” Riley said. “Well done, Georgie. You’ve clearly got everything under control. I’ll back off and get out of your way!”
He walked around to the driver’s door of the pickup.
“Where are you going?” Georgie couldn’t believe he was storming off.
“I’m going to the track to ride my horse,” Riley said.
He held the car door open for a moment and then said. “You know what, Georgie? I think we’re both under a lot of pressure. Maybe we need a little break.”
“I know,” Georgie agreed, “but I can’t take time off until the end of the term and…”
“No, Georgie,” Riley said softly, “I meant a break from each other.”
Georgie’s eyes went wide. “Oh.” She felt herself trembling all of a sudden. “Are you… are you breaking up with me?”
Riley shook his head. “No… maybe… I just think we need some time apart.”
“Do I have a choice?” Georgie asked.
Riley hesitated at the door of the pick-up and Georgie wished he would stop and turn around, but he didn’t. “I’ll see you later, OK, Georgie?” he said with sorrow in his voice. “You take care.”
And before Georgie could say anything more, he’d started the engine and driven away.
Walking back up the driveway towards the Burghley House stables Georgie was shaking, fighting back the tears. Riley had just split up with her! Or had he? He said he wanted to take a break – what did that mean? A break was just a cowardly way of saying that he didn’t want to be with her any more. She felt numb with shock. This couldn’t be happening.
Georgie walked through the stables and headed for the tack room. There was no sign of anyone and when she reached out a hand to try the door it was securely locked.
“Oh this is just great!” Georgie shook the door furiously. She could have gone to the track with Riley after all!
She was storming back through the stables to leave when she ran head first into Conrad Miller.
“Going somewhere, Parker?” Conrad’s tone was supercilious.
“I didn’t think anyone was turning up,” Georgie said.
“Well, I’m here now,” Conrad said. “Follow me.”
He walked through the stables and unlocked the door to the tack room, holding it open so that Georgie could follow him inside.
The Burghley House tack room was a long, narrow space with saddle racks lining the walls.
“You’re on saddle-cleaning duty,” Conrad said, lifting a saddle down off the rack and propping it on the floor in front of Georgie. “You’ll find the kit in the box by the door.”
Georgie groaned. “Why am I cleaning a Burghley House saddle?”
“Because,” Conrad said, “Prefects don’t have to clean their own saddles. That’s what first years are for…”
As he said this, he lifted down another two saddles off the top racks.
“You can do these two as well when you finish that one.”
“I’ll be here all night!” Georgie was horrified.
“There were supposed to be two others on Fatigues but they got excused,” Conrad said. “So I guess that means you’ve got their work to do too.”
By the time Georgie had soaped the saddles and had stripped the stirrup leathers off and begun to oil them with the lanolin cream her arms were aching and her hands were cramping.
Conrad, meanwhile, was comfily sat on top of a pile of saddle blankets stacked on an old tea chest in the corner of the room. Sitting cross-legged, his long black boots folded underneath him, he flicked his way through a book, making notes as he went on a lined pad on his knee.
“What are you reading?” Georgie asked.
Conrad looked up at her and scowled. Even when he wasn’t angry, Conrad had what could only be described as fierce features – a hawk-like nose and strong brow, offset by a square jaw-line that managed to rescue his other features by putting them into proportion at least. His russet hair was an odd colour, neither brown nor red – if he was a horse then Georgie would have said he was a liver chestnut. To say he was good looking would be pushing it, but he was… strangely attractive, Georgie supposed, in a weird Conrad-ish way.
“What are you reading?” Georgie tried again and Conrad held up the cover of t
he book so that she could see it. It was the famous German dressage rider Reiner Klimke’s best-selling book: Cavaletti – schooling horses over ground poles.
“I’ve got that book,” Georgie said. “It’s good.”
Conrad’s scowl deepened. “You haven’t studied this yet. This is a senior text,” he said.
“I have a copy of my own that my mum gave me,” Georgie said. “I like the chapter about different ways of using cavaletti stacked on a circle.”
Conrad’s scowl eased. “Have you tried riding the jumping exercises?”
“Not yet,” Georgie admitted.
“We’ve been doing them in class with Bettina Schmidt,” Conrad said, looking genuinely excited. “Bettina’s really into Reiner Klimke. She’s got the video that goes with the book – it’s brilliant.”
“I’ve seen him ride,” Georgie said. “Well not in real life obviously, but there’s some great old footage of him competing at the Olympics when he was young – he was pretty cool.”
“His daughter is an eventer,” Conrad said, “She rode at Badminton last year…”
For the next hour as she cleaned tack, Georgie found herself doing something she never thought possible – enjoying a conversation with Conrad. There was something so touching in the way he talked about his riding, and especially his new horse, a big grey called Sauron.
“Sauron is really sensitive,” Conrad said. “He bucked me off twice this week – but it wasn’t his fault…”
Conrad spoke about Sauron the same way that Georgie did about Belle and suddenly she realised that he had a genuine love for his horse.
They had been talking about horses for almost an hour when Conrad shifted the subject to Riley.
“Are you still going out with that guy?” he asked Georgie. “You know, the one with the attitude problem?”
“His name is Riley,” Georgie said. And then, letting her guard down, she added, “and, no, I don’t think I am. I think we just split up.”
“You think?” Conrad pulled a face. “Don’t you know?”
Georgie sighed. “He kind of split up with me. Just before, in fact, when I was on my way here.”
“Well… he’s an idiot,” Conrad said. And then he added. “A girl like you is way out of his league. If he had half a brain he’d realise that.”
As they’d talked, Conrad had been watching Georgie struggling to reattach a pair of stirrup leathers to the stiff bars of the saddle.
““Let me give you a hand with those,” he said.
“No, it’s OK. I’ve got it…” Georgie tried to force the leathers back but her hands were so cramped and sore she could barely move her fingers. The leathers were stiff, despite the saddle soaping and she couldn’t get them through.
“Here, let me help,” Conrad put his book down and came over to help her.
“No, honestly, I can do it,” Georgie insisted, gripping the saddle and trying to force the leather. Conrad reached down to take the saddle out of her hands and Georgie pulled it back towards her again.
“Why do you have to be so stubborn all the time?” Conrad said, still hanging on.
“And why are you always trying to push me around?” Georgie wasn’t letting go.
She was standing there, face-to-face with Conrad, defiant, looking him in the eye. He leaned closer and took a firm grip on the saddle, his hands clasping over her own. “Come on, Georgie, stop being silly.”
It was the way he said her name. Not Parker. Georgie. She released the saddle and as she let go, she expected Conrad to back away but he didn’t. Instead he moved closer and closer. And then, before she knew what was happening, Conrad kissed her.
Maybe it was the shock of feeling his lips against hers, but for the briefest moment, Georgie kissed him back. And then, in a rush of awareness, she gasped and reeled backwards.
“What did you do that for?” She looked at Conrad, wide-eyed.
“I just thought…” Conrad looked puzzled. “You know there’s always been something between us, Georgie.”
“The only thing between us was that saddle,” Georgie’s heart was racing, “and it should have stayed between us! Ohmygod! That should never have happened!”
Conrad smiled. “You’re cute when you’re angry,” he said.
“Well, you should know,” Georgie shot back, “you’re the one who makes me angry.”
“Exactly!” Conrad was still smiling. “We have a love-hate relationship.”
“No, Conrad,” Georgie said, “We have a hate-hate relationship.”
“Same thing.”
Georgie was beside herself. “Conrad, I have a boyfriend!”
“You had a boyfriend,” Conrad corrected her.
“Whatever!” Georgie snapped. “You have a girlfriend!”
Conrad shrugged. “Kennedy’ll get over it. She’s only dating me because I’m a prefect.”
Georgie looked at him with astonishment. He couldn’t be serious! Conrad? And her? There was no way.
“I’ve gotta go.” Flustered and feeling slightly hysterical, Georgie snatched up her school cardigan and pulled it on as she headed for the door.
“Wait, Georgie,” Conrad was smirking. He was acting like it was all a massive joke. “You can’t go. You’ve got Fatigues, remember?”
But Georgie kept going. She was out the door and gone, her heart pounding as she ran through the stable block and outside into the fresh air.
For the past three terms, ever since she got to Blainford, Conrad had gone out of his way to try to make her life hell – and now, in his own way he had finally succeeded.
Chapter Seven
Alice was horrified.
“Georgie! What were you thinking?”
“I didn’t have a chance to think!” Georgie said. “One minute Conrad’s helping me with the stirrup leathers and the next minute he’s suctioned on to my face!”
They were saddling up the horses for their early morning riding session, and in between putting on her martingale and adjusting her tendon boots Georgie had told Alice everything.
“What am I going to do?” Georgie groaned.
“Do you want to date Conrad?” Alice asked, but immediately knew the answer from the look on Georgie’s face. “OK, OK, just checking.”
“How am I going to tell Riley?” Georgie groaned. “He’s already hardly speaking to me!”
“Tell him you were cleaning a saddle and you tripped and fell and Conrad’s lips got in the way?”
“Very funny.”
“Well tell him nothing then! He’d just broken up with you. It’s none of his business.”
“I can’t do that,” Georgie shook her head. “The next time Conrad sees Riley he’ll be bound to blab.”
“They might not run into each other again,” Alice said. “And besides, Conrad might not say anything.”
“You really think so?”
“No, who am I kidding?” Alice shook her head. “Conrad will hold this over you – or he’ll tell Riley just to pick a fight.” Alice shook her head. “I don’t see how you’ve got a choice. You’ll have to tell Riley yourself.”
“Can’t we go with the ‘don’t tell him’ option?” Georgie frowned. “I liked that one better.”
“Georgie, I know you – you won’t be able to lie to Riley. Tell him that it was a mistake. You were upset because he said you were on a break and Conrad got the wrong message.”
Georgie bit her lip. “You’re right. I’ll tell Riley. I’ll explain that it was nothing. He’ll understand.”
“Tell Riley what?” Emily said as she led Barclay out of his box and into the corridor.
Georgie looked mortified.
“What are you guys talking about?” Emily persisted.
“Is something going on?” It was Daisy, joining the group.
“Last night in the tack room,” Alice said in a hushed voice, “Georgie kissed Conrad.”
“Eww!” Emily shrieked.
“I didn’t!” Georgie protested. “He kissed me!�
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“Oh yeah,” Daisy said sarcastically, “when you put it that way it sounds much better.”
“Listen,” Georgie said. “I know it’s gross. It was one of those weird things that – look I’m not going to go into details – it was a mistake, OK? I just want to get back with Riley and put it behind me so please, please don’t tell anyone.”
Emily looked genuinely relieved. “So you’re not dating Conrad?”
“No!” Georgie groaned.
As Georgie rode Belle into the arena she felt so good being up on her horse once more. There was no better place to clear your head and forget all your problems.
After working their horses around the arena at a trot to loosen them up, they began schooling the horses back and forth across the low jumps they had constructed.
Belle was still only a six-year-old, but already her jumping genes were plain to see.
This was gymnastic training, which meant keeping the fences low, but even so Georgie was impressed by the athleticism of the mare beneath her. If she asked Belle for an extra stride the mare would oblige and stretch out. If she sat back and held her steady, Belle would shorten up again instantly.
The communication between the girl and the mare was so subtle that if you had watched them together popping over the coloured rails you wouldn’t have noticed the quiet conversations between them. Their dialogue was no longer the tense argument it had once been. It was soft and private, and all Georgie needed was a touch of her hands to check the mare, or a tap of the heels to send her forward. At the end of their hour-long jumping session Belle hadn’t refused a single fence or done more than scrape a rail. And Georgie had forgotten all about Riley and Conrad and the kiss.
Georgie felt acutely aware of Kennedy’s eyes on her as she climbed onboard the minibus that afternoon. She walked down the aisle of the minibus but when she reached Kennedy’s seat the showjumperette put an arm across to stop her.
“Hey Parker!”
Ohmygod she knows!
“Did you enjoy your fatigues?”
Kennedy looked smug as she said this and Georgie realised that she had no idea what had happened in the tack room yesterday.
“Let me through, Kennedy.”