Ride a Dark Horse

by Laura Moore

  Her eyes fixed on the stallion as he moved. She offered short, telegraphic comments. “Nice carriage. I like the way he studies his surroundings. Seems confident and alert.” Hank merely grunted in agreement. Both were far more interested in studying the horse than in talking right now.

  Cassie let Orion walk in the circle around them for a few minutes before she lowered the line slightly, gave the whip a quick flick, and spoke to the stallion in a clear carrying voice, asking him to trot.

  God, he moves beautifully on the flat. That back’s so nice and rounded, Cassie thought to herself. If he’s a klutz over fences, maybe I can convince Hank to try him as a dressage prospect. On the other hand, if he’s as good in the air, I’m going to be riding a champion.

  Impatient as she was to get on Orion’s back, Cassie nonetheless finished his longeing session, asking the stallion to canter, and then repeating the process once more in the opposite direction.

  “Let’s bring him in so that you can get on him. I don’t want you losing the light when you jump.”

  Cassie looked at Hank, then at the sun’s distance from the horizon, surprise showing on her face. “Sorry. I lost track of time. He’s so gorgeous, I could stand here for hours watching.”

  A small laugh escaped her lips as she approached Orion, reeling in the longe line as she walked. “And the way I’m feeling now so pumped, it’s like I have x-ray vision. Everything’s crystal clear. I can’t believe a little thing like the sun setting would make a shred of difference!”

  Hank smiled. “Well, let’s not take any chances. I want you and Orion to get on like hotcakes.” That’ll make it a hell of a lot easier for me when I tell Caleb I’ve hired you, he added to himself, ’cause the shit sure is gonna hit the fan then.

  Hank held the reins lightly while Cassie lifted her left foot and placed it in the stirrup. She swung herself up in a graceful, fluid movement, gathering the slack in her reins as soon as her right leg was over the saddle. Hank stood watching her a moment before ducking under the ring to join Melissa and the others.

  “Hello, love ” Hank said softly as he gave Melissa a kiss on the forehead. He looped an arm around her waist. “You never got a chance to see Cassie ride at any shows, did you?”

  Melissa smiled at him, shaking her head.

  “If she hasn’t lost her touch, you’re in for a treat. She looks damn fine on Orion, doesn’t she? Question is, whether she’s still got it?” A small laugh escaped him when both Sophie and Jamie turned and shushed him, their fingers pressed to their mouths. No idle chitchat to break their mother’s concentration permitted.

  Properly chastised, Hank and Melissa watched silently as Cassie began Orion on flat work. Yes, thought Hank. This is what we need. A rider with a great classic style, quiet hands, and the athleticism and agility to match Orion. He watched with intense satisfaction as Cassie took Orion through his paces: gradually increasing the complexity of her demands; extending his trot; moving him into a controlled, steady canter; bringing him to a halt within a matter of steps. They looked natural together.

  Hank reentered the ring as Cassie reined Orion to a walk. She patted his neck enthusiastically. “Good going, Orion.” Cassie believed in always letting her mount know she was grateful for the ride. And Orion was definitely a great ride. “Hank, which fences do you want me to try him on? How high has he been jumping, by the way?”

  “Height’s never been a problem with Orion so far. I’ll set them at around four feet. I don’t care so much about how high he goes right now as I do seeing you jump him over a variety of combinations and distances.”

  Cassie and Hank decided on a number of fences, schooling Orion first over one or two and then adding on more with each attempt. After the first couple of jumps, bubbles of excitement had him rocking on the balls of his feet. Whoa there, he cautioned himself. Let’s see what happens with the trickier combinations. He held his breath as Cassie took Orion over a double-oxer, a wall jump, a roll back, and then finally a triple. Hank remembered that it was the triple combination that had, literally, thrown Orion’s last rider so many times.

  As Cassie cleared the last three fences, Hank heard the excited gasps of Melissa, the twins, and Mrs. Harris. Cassie had balanced Orion beautifully for the last three jumps, setting him up so that with each takeoff, Orion soared like a bird in flight. After she’d landed her last jump, she reined Orion to a walk. Hank could hardly stop from grinning like an idiot.

  Melissa had latched onto his arm, squeezing it to death, talking excitedly. “She’s fantastic. Gosh, she looks so young and fragile. Orion’s other riders were all strong men, but they had as much luck staying on as Humpty Dumpty!”

  “That’s the wonderful thing about riding,” Hank replied, his face still stretched in a wide smile. “It doesn’t depend on brute strength. In fact, now that I’ve seen Cassie ride, I realize that’s probably where the other riders were making their mistakes. Stupid of me not to catch it earlier.”

  At Melissa’s puzzled expression, Hank explained. “They were trying to muscle Orion over the fences. Consciously or not, they probably thought a big horse needs big-time muscling. Orion simply showed them that they were fools to be pushing him around. He muscled them right back. Cassie’s different. She’s able to finesse it. She’s got such good form and balance. And she can spot those distances for takeoff like nobody’s business. That’s a true gift.” He paused, his glance straying once more to the young woman astride the stallion. “And I bet she could beat quite a few men in an arm-wrestle, anyway.”

  Hank and Melissa turned to Cassie as she rode over to the group. “Hi, kids, did you have fun with Mrs. Sawyer? Isn’t this a beautiful horse? Yes, after I’ve gotten off, I’m sure Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer will let you pat him.”

  Cassie’s face was glowing like a hundred-watt bulb as she addressed Hank and Melissa. “He’s terrific, Hank. Smooth as a dolphin jumping through waves. Just great. You got anymore like him kicking around?”

  Hank laughed. “You did good, kid. The job’s yours, if you want it. I’ve got some other horses for you to work with, too, real promising. You can meet them later. But so far, Orion’s our star. Let’s cool him down.”

  Cassie nodded and nudged Orion forward, walking him easily around the ring. She shivered slightly and lifted her hunt cap off to wipe her brow. Now the sun was sinking behind the rolling hills and though the sky was a spectacular wash of pink, orange, and blue, the temperature was dropping. The sweat on her brow and down her back was already cooling.

  Cassie inhaled deeply enjoying the rush she always felt after a good workout. She bent slightly at the waist, rubbing her hands along the stallion’s neck. Orion’s ears flicked back and forth, registering every move she made, listening to her praise him. She knew she had a long way before winning Orion’s trust, but at least she hadn’t made a lousy first impression. Not like with that cretin who caught her in her underwear, Cassie thought sourly. She hoped she wouldn’t run into him any time soon.

  Cassie dismounted smoothly and led Orion back toward the barn. The horse’s neck was arched gracefully, his ears pricked forward, his eyes alert. Still plenty of beans left in this fellow Cassie thought. He could probably have gone another couple of rounds and still not be winded. She’d have to figure out how to use all that energy to her advantage in her training, yet keep him safe from strain or injury.

  Melissa walked up to Cassie and Orion, reaching out to stroke Orion’s nose affectionately. She remembered the night he’d been born, and how she, Caleb, and Hank had celebrated far into the night with champagne. It was a sweet memory. Caleb had looked so happy the happiest he’d looked in years, especially since his marriage with Pamela had crumbled. She looked closely at Cassie and smiled as an intriguing thought crossed her mind. A little matchmaking might be in order here.

  “Cassie, we’d like to invite you and the twins to dinner tonight. Just a casual family meal. Would you and the children feel up to it? It’d be an opportunity to iron out all the remai
ning details with you.”

  “We’d love to, thank you. I was planning on hunting down a diner before we returned to the bed-and-breakfast we’re staying at. This would be wonderful. I’ve got a lot of questions for you.”

  “Great. Hank and you can finish up with Orion while the twins keep me company. Come on kids, let’s see whether we can fix something really special for dinner.”

  “You mean pizza?”

  “Hot dogs!”

  4

  H ank pushed his dessert plate to the side and poured some cream into his coffee. Now and again, the sound of the trumpeting of wild elephants drifted in from the den. Sophie and Jamie had been excused from the table and were watching a nature program on TV. He wasn’t sure whether he could distinguish the real elephants’ calls from the ones Jamie and Sophie were making. They were getting pretty good. A little more practice and the grown-ups would have to take cover. Hank grinned, remembering Cassie’s adamant refusal to allow them to turn on a sitcom. It was a good thing she wasn’t afraid to be strict with these two youngsters. They seemed quite a handful, if the pleading antics the children had tried on Cassie were anything to go by.

  He studied Cassie over the rim of his coffee cup. She’d showered upstairs and changed back into her dress and added a sweater to her outfit. He was struck again by the beauty of her features. Yes, Caleb was going to be mighty interested when he got a good look at her. Difficult to imagine a man not interested in a woman who looked like Cassie. Hank was somewhat surprised that Caleb hadn’t been by the farm today. Probably for the best, he reflected wryly. He wanted Cassie all settled in before the two of them met. He knew Caleb well enough to predict what his M.O. would be: bed her, then boot her off the farm. Hank was going to have to figure out a way to slow Caleb down long enough to give Cassie a fighting chance.

  “So, Cassie, how long will it take you to pack up and move yourself and the kids down here?”

  Cassie shifted in her seat and took a sip of her coffee. She’d been daydreaming a bit, going over the day’s events in her mind, imagining how life would be, living down here in Virginia. She thought a bit, before responding to Hank’s question. So much had happened today, no sense making rash promises.

  “If it were just myself, Hank, I’d be here in thirty-six hours.” Cassie smiled. “But I’ve got to think of Sophie and Jamie, and then there’s Thompson and Alex. Could you give me two weeks? I need to inform the twins’ school we’re moving, and find a school here. Can you tell me anything about the schools?” She asked Melissa, who was sitting quietly across from her.

  Melissa nodded. “Well, the public schools here are quite good. This area around Charlottesville has plenty of academics, so there’s a vested interest in maintaining a high standard. Our kids, Robbie and Kate, both went to the schools here. Caleb, too.” She laughed. “What a terror he was! Caleb gave those teachers a devil of a time, always full of pranks. I expect some of them still wake up at night in a cold sweat because of him.”

  Cassie couldn’t help but be intrigued. Hank’s veterinarian partner was beginning to sound quite entertaining. She was looking forward to meeting him.

  “Do you think it’ll be a problem, enrolling Sophie and Jamie this late in the year?” Cassie asked, her mind back-tracking to the subject of her children. Things could get so complicated, with so much to organize when raising two kids.

  “I’ll give John Perkins a call tomorrow. He’s the elementary school principal. He’ll know. We’ll get the details sorted out so that you’re not bogged down. In this town everyone knows each other pretty well. And Perkins is a horse person. He bought his last horse from us.”

  Cassie smiled, relieved. Melissa’s last comment spoke volumes. “Well, I guess after the kids’ schooling, the next major hurdle is finding a place to live.”

  Melissa rushed to answer Cassie before Hank could respond. “I’m sure Hank said that living accommodations were included in the job offer.”

  Cassie nodded. Often large horse farms provided lodgings for some of their staff, the relatively modest wages they received reflecting the free housing.

  “Unfortunately the cottage our trainers use only has two bedrooms. You, the twins, and your housekeeper would all be too cramped for space. So I think we’ll have to find you a bigger place. Of course, we’ll give you a housing allowance to compensate.”

  Cassie shifted uncomfortably in her chair reluctant to admit to the Sawyers that she had more than enough in her bank account to cover buying a house, let alone renting one. Her brother Alex’s genius with money had made it so that if she chose, she could spend the rest of her life lying about, popping chocolate bonbons into her mouth. Not that she was remotely interested in that kind of pampered lifestyle. But admitting to that kind of wealth was simply too awkward.

  She asked instead, “Would you know anyone who might be renting, or is there a broker I can call?”

  Melissa checked to see if Hank had been paying close attention to the conversation. Clearly not. He was leaning back in his chair, savoring the last of his coffee, leaving it up to the women to handle the problem of living arrangements.

  “Actually, it just so happens I’ve come up with an idea that’ll be a great solution. You can rent Caleb Wells’s house.” Ignoring the sudden sound of Hank choking on his coffee, Melissa continued brightly, “Caleb’s parents were our next-door neighbors. They live about a five minutes’ drive from here. Did Hank mention to you what good friends we are with Caleb’s parents?” When Cassie shook her head, Melissa elaborated, tucking her feet under her chair to avoid Hank’s repeated attempts to nudge . . . no, kick—her shins.

  “Well, we’ve known Mark and Susan forever. Our kids and Caleb all played together, even though Caleb’s a few years younger than Robbie and Kate. He tagged along just like a kid brother. It was great for Kate. It gave her someone to boss around after she’d been on the receiving end from Robbie.”

  Cassie smiled. She’d been the youngest of three so she remembered well what it was like to be tormented by older siblings.

  “Anyway the Wells’s house is just down the road a bit. A lovely place, with lots of room for the kids to run around, both inside and out.”

  Melissa didn’t give a fig if she sounded like a real estate agent with a hard sell on her mind. This afternoon, she’d decided that Cassie might just be the woman for Caleb. And she was determined to do what she could to set things in motion.

  “But don’t they live there anymore?”

  “Oh, no. They decided to move to a retirement community in Arizona last year. Both Mark and Susan are golf crazy.”

  “What about Caleb?”

  “He and his wife, Pamela, were living on the other side of town during their marriage. After they split up, Caleb moved into the carriage house that his parents had converted. It’s just behind the main house, but very private. He says the main house is too big for him all alone. He’s been meaning to rent it for some time, hasn’t he, Hank?”

  “Well, yes,” Hank admitted, with all the enthusiasm of a man facing a firing squad. “He has mentioned it. But I’m not sure it’s—”

  “I’m sure Caleb will be more than happy he’s Hank’s partner after all. But if there’s a problem, we’ll let you know.” Melissa finished, drowning out her husband’s words.

  Hank rolled his eyes. Great. Melissa was setting them up for a mess of trouble. She was dreaming if she thought Caleb would appreciate Melissa interfering in his private life. He wasn’t about to bring up Caleb’s character faults in front of Cassie now, but Hank fully intended to talk Melissa out of this harebrained scheme the second he got her alone.

  “So you think he might consider renting it to us? Should I call him?”

  “Oh, no. When Hank talks to him tomorrow and tells him he’s offered you the job, I’ll be sure and ask him about the house. It should be just what you need.”

  “That sounds wonderful. What a relief it’d be not to have to waste time house hunting.” She grinned. “I’d r
ather be riding. I want to thank you both. I’m really looking forward to working here.”

  Hank and Melissa smiled in return. Hank spoke for the two of them. “We’re really pleased you’re taking the job. You’ll probably have a ton of questions for us over the next two weeks. Don’t hesitate to call. By the way are you bringing any horses with you?”

  Cassie blushed. She’d completely forgotten to ask. What professionalism, she groaned to herself.

  “I’ve got the twins’ two ponies. It’s no problem if you want to pasture them outside during the summer months.

  They’re both super easygoing.” Cassie paused and raked her fingers through her hair. “I’ve also got my mare, Hot Lips.” At Hank’s raised eyebrows, Cassie grinned. “Sorry. I can’t take the credit for naming her though actually it suits her to a tee. I bought her about six months ago off the race-track. She’s got more go than a locomotive. If I can just iron out her rough spots, I think she’ll have great potential.”

  “Well, we’ve got room for all three of them. I think we can even find a couple of box stalls for the ponies. I’m sure they’re pretty special if you got them for the twins.”

  Cassie gave Hank a smile of gratitude. Hank Sawyer was a good man. Moreover he seemed to her to be a true horseman: He was interested in all horses, not just his own. Cassie had had enough dealings in the horse world to recognize Hank was a rare breed.

  Melissa wondered idly to herself whether Hank would continue talking even if she turned off the light, snuggled into his chest, and began to snore. Loudly. She sighed. Sometimes her wonderful, adorable husband was like a dog with a bone. He’d started about thirty seconds after they’d waved goodnight to Cassie, Sophie, and Jamie. He’d continued through the washing up, as they’d turned off the lights and locked up, and during the time it had taken Melissa to clean and smooth moisturizer over her face.

  Hoping to distract him, she shifted onto her side and placed her hands on either side of his face. She pressed her lips against his, silencing him at least for the moment.