World's End in Winter

by Monica Dickens

  When she reached Oliver, she leaned against his neck. He turned his seahorse head and nudged her, nearly making her lose her frail balance. She untied his reins, and managed, leaning against him, to put them back over his neck.

  ‘Stand!’ Michael whispered, from a hundred yards away. As if he heard, Oliver’s head went up, his small furred ears tipped forward. He stood.

  Somehow, with the effort of climbing Mount Everest, Priscilla hauled herself up to stand on the middle rail of the fence, swung over her leg, and was in the saddle.

  Michael stood up. He saw her feeble legs swing back to squeeze the pony. Oliver moved forward.

  ‘Priskie!’ The group turned. Mrs Agnew started forward, but her husband took her hand and held her back.

  Suddenly, she relaxed. ’Ride, Priskie!’ she called, and began to laugh. ’Go on, my clever - ride!’

  Michael began to run down the hill. Priscilla pushed the pony into a trot and rode towards him alone, her dark eyes shining, her mouth stretched wide in a grin of triumph.

  The wheelchair lay on its side in the grass. She was free.

  This electronic edition published in 2011 by Bloomsbury Reader

  Bloomsbury Reader is a division of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP

  Copyright © Monica Dickens 1972

  First published 1972 by William Heinemann Ltd

  The moral right of author has been asserted

  All rights reserved

  You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise

  make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means

  (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying,

  printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the

  publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication

  may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages

  ISBN: 9781448201112

  eISBN 9781448202430

  Visit www.bloomsburyreader.com to find out more about our authors and their books

  You will find extracts, author interviews, author events and you can sign up for

  newsletters to be the first to hear about our latest releases and special offers