I’m sitting on a bench, trying to figure out what to do next, when a man approaches. He’s not much older than me, early twenties perhaps, but there’s a sharpness in his face that’s decades older. When he sits beside me I’m instantly I’m on full alert. The Shakespeare Estate is full of guys who look like this and they’re never good news.
“Spare some change?”
I shoot him a sideways look. “I haven’t got any.”
“Don’t give me that. Course you have. You’re waiting for a bus. Must have some money. I’m asking nicely too.”
Scally growls.
I stand up. “I don’t have any. Sorry.”
His hand grabs my elbow.
“Don’t be like that, love. Just a quid or two.”
“I said I haven’t got anything!”
Scally barks and I try to pull my arm away but the stranger’s grip is like iron.
“I’m asking nicely, love, but I won’t be nice for long.”
There’s a hardness in his eyes that makes my stomach lurch. In the cold and darkness of a strange city and miles away from everyone I know, I’m suddenly afraid. An image of Chances in his stable, pulling at his hay and then charging to look over the door with ears pricked and nostrils flared, flickers through my mind and misery tightens. Was the wider world always this scary? Or have I felt safe for too long and forgotten? Have I forgotten how it really is?
I brace myself for the snatch at my rucksack that I know is coming next when there’s a shout.
“Hey! Leave her alone!”
A lean figure steps out of the night and the sight of him is enough to send the stranger scuttling away into the shadows.
“You do like to live dangerously, Amber,” says Drake Owen.
I can hardly believe it. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you, of course. Honestly, you do make life complicated. Have you any idea how hard it is to find somebody in a city this size and when it’s dark?”
“How did you know where I was?”
Drake smiles. There are hollows under his eyes and lines I don’t think where there before.
“It wasn’t hard. Mrs. Pengelly in the village shop saw you getting into the Paws and Claws van. One phone call to them and bingo! I had the choice between the railway station and the coach station. It was hardly a case for CSI Cornwall.”
For a minute I’m so pleased to see him that I can’t stop smiling. Then I remember the events of the day and the smile withers on my lips.
“I’m surprised you’re still talking to me. Hasn’t Malcolm told you? I’m a drug addict and a bad influence on Emily. He’s sacked Harry and given Kate her notice thanks to me. Watch out or you’ll be next.”
“I did hear something along those lines,” Drake confesses.
“You ought to get away then. Don’t let me stop you.”
“Oh come on, Amber, don’t be so ridiculous. You know I don’t believe any of that stuff.”
I stare at him. “Do I? How do I know, exactly? Through my psychic powers? It’s not as though you came straight over to say you believed me, was it?”
Drake sinks onto the bench. He doesn’t look at me. Instead he leans forward and strokes Scally.
“Sorry. I was busy quitting my job first.”
“What?”
He straightens up. “You heard. Mal came charging into the yard in an absolute fury. He told me what happened and demanded that I had nothing more to do with you. When I said ‘no_’ to him, he wasn’t very pleased.”
“You said ‘no’?” I’m taken aback. “But why?”
“Because I know you wouldn’t do anything like that!” Drake cries. “I trust you, Amber, and I believe in you. I’ve also known Emily long enough to be well aware just how jealous she is and how manipulative she can be. I told Malcolm that no yard was worth compromising my integrity for. That was when Harry arrived and we left to look for you. I should call him and let him know you’re safe.”
Harry and Drake have been searching for me together? Two guys who can’t stand each other? Why would they do that?
“Because some things are more more important than feuds,” Drake says simply when I ask this. “And Harry Crewe cares about you far more than he cares about continuing to blame me for the accident.”
“I’m not coming back, Drake. I can’t. I’ve caused too much damage. Everyone’s better off without me. Malcolm won’t give Harry his job back or let keep Kate the farm if they insist on helping me.” I shake my head. “Just go back and forget about me. I’m not worth the trouble. Ask anyone.”
Drake laughs.
“What? What’s so funny?”
“You are,” he says. “And you’re totally, totally worth every second. Never doubt that! But you’re so fiery and impulsive, Amber. Talk about making life difficult. If you’d stuck around rather than running away, you’d know every one’s well aware by now that Emily’s not as innocent as she makes out. And I mean everyone, Amber, including her father and the school. They all owe you a huge apology.”
“What?”
He reaches out and takes my hands in his as though anchoring me.
“You gave Maddy your iPhone, didn’t you? After Emily flushed hers away?”
I nod. “Yes, but I don’t see what that’s got to do with anything.”
“You will when I tell you that Emily deliberately found Maddy to brag about what she did today. She didn’t hold back either. She relished every detail and she had a lovely gloat about cutting stirrup leathers too.”
“Sounds about right,” I say glumly. “But it won’t make any difference, Drake. Nobody will believe Maddy. She’s just a little kid.”
“Oh but they will and they already do,” Drake says. “Maddy recorded every word on the iPhone you gave her. Then she went and played it to the Head teacher and emailed the recording to Kate who’s made sure Malcolm listened. I believe Maddy even posted it online too. The last I heard, the whole school’s in uproar. Nobody’s in any doubt as to what happened and nobody thinks you’re to blame. I promise.”
My head is spinning.
“But Malcolm was so angry. He sacked Harry and he gave Kate her notice.”
There’s a grim expression on Drake’s face. “He’s mortified now, believe me. He’s already apologised to Kate and I’m sure Harry will have his job back too. As for Emily, the last I heard before we left was that she’s being sent to live with her mother so you won’t have to put up with her again. It’s lucky for Em that she only planted mixed herbs in your bag otherwise she’d be in huge trouble with the police for dealing.”
This is too much to take in. “There were never any drugs?”
“Nope,” says Drake. ‘It was a malicious trick designed to give you a huge scare and get you into trouble and out of the way. It almost worked too, didn’t it? It was just bad luck for Emily that the school’s policy with these matters is to call the police.”
I stare at him.
“When the police became involved they actually looked at the contents of the bag,” Drake explains. “Emily will get a caution for wasting police time, which she totally deserves, and a big black mark on her school record too.”
“So it’s all OK?” I can hardly believe it. “You’ve got your job back too?”
A frown crinkles Drake’s forehead. “Well, that’s a different issue. If Emily’s no longer there to coach, I don’t really have a job do I? I can’t imagine Mal will want me hanging about costing him money.” Then the frown lifts and he gives me a shy smile. “On the other hand, Emily not being around makes it a lot easier for us to go to the hunt ball together. If you still want to come with me, that is? And if you want to come back to St Perran?”
He’s still holding my hands and I squeeze his fingers in answer.
“Yes,” I say softly. “Yes, please.”
And I’m answering both questions, which makes me feel all warm a funny inside.
Drake jumps to his feet and pulls me up with him.
�
�In that case,” he says, twirling me round until the world is spinning. “Let’s call Harry and take you home. Home where you belong, Amber. Home.”
And this time there’s absolutely no confusion because I know exactly where home is.
It’s with Chances and the Crewes and all my friends at Perranview Farm.
Epilogue
Chances surges into an explosion of bucking across the paddock, kicking up his heels and tearing around in a blur of flame coloured coat. Treacle tries his hardest to keep up but his little legs are way to short and after a circuit or two he gives up and goes back to his grazing while Minty watches them both with a bemused expression.
“It’s a lovely paddock,” Harry says. “The orchard was getting really poached and it was never big enough anything bigger than a pony anyway.”
Kate nods. “It’s perfect for them, isn’t it Amber?”
It certainly is. Chances and Treacle have moved into one of the paddocks at the Rectory and they look at home already. As I watch them grazing I think about how I used to ride Chances at night in this very place and it feels like another life. Now I can ride him every day and in the ménage too. It’s like a dream come true.
“They seem very at home.” Drake shields his eyes against the glare of the low winter sun. “It’s a job well done.”
“I think the least Mal could do was let Amber use the paddock,” says Harry tightly. “He’s lucky she didn’t want to press charges against Emily.”
The thought makes me shudder. To be honest, I want to put everything that happened behind me. I’m just enjoying going to school without having my life made a misery. Alan has certainly kicked butt somewhere because my teachers have finally moved me into proper sets and amazingly my science essay won a prize too. Maybe my dream of being a vet could still come true?
Wouldn’t that be incredible?
“But Emily got off scot free,” Harry is pointing out. “It doesn’t seem fair.”
“Hardly scot free,” Kate says gently. “She’s had to start a new boarding school and leave her father and home behind. Her mother’s remarried and doesn’t want her about and getting in the way. Emily’s a damaged girl in her way, love. Money isn’t everything.”
“Hmmph,” says Harry but I can tell he knows Kate’s right. Isn’t it ironic that Emily turned out to be just as troubled as any other teen? On the outside it looked like she had everything but she was so insecure and jealous that in reality she had nothing.
There’s probably a lesson in that somewhere…
Anyway, in the two weeks since Emily’s stunt so many things have happened and at such speed too that I can’t quite believe it. The number one best thing of all has to be that my mum’s wanted to visit me and is so much better that Dogood’s been able to drive her down several times. Mum is still pale and quiet but she’s lost the pinched and inwards look she’s had for so long and she loves chatting to Kate, walking in the fresh air and and getting to know Chances. I don’t know what the future hold for her and I know she’ll be in treatment for some time yet, maybe even for years, but I feel happy knowing she’s safe and having all the help she needs. I tried my very best to look after her but I realise now that Dogood was right all along; I couldn’t look after Mum on my own. Not when she was so ill and needed specialist help. I’ll be staying here with Kate, there’s no more talk of hostels, and maybe in the future Mum could come and live in St Perran too? The place worked its magic on me so why not on her?
I’m so excited by this thought. These days everything feels possible. It’s amazing.
“Penny for them?” Harry says.
“I was just thinking how much has happened,” I reply and he nods.
“It’s incredible, isn’t it? Mal offering you the use of the paddock and giving Mum the job as his full time house keeper as well as saying the farm lease is ours for as long as we ever want it.” He gives me his cheeky grin. “It’s almost as though he feels guilty about something and wants to make amends!”
I laugh. “Now whatever gave you that idea?”
“Chances looks very settled,” Drake observes. Turning to Harry he adds, “And talking of being settled, Harry, I’ve a proposition for you if you’re willing to hear me out?”
Harry shrugs one shoulder. He’s still not Drake’s biggest fan but since they managed to survive their trip to find me without killing one another there’s been an uneasy truce.
“Of course he’ll listen.” Kate lays a hand on her son’s shoulder. “It’s time we put the past behind us. What happened to Ben was awful but it was an accident and I know the last thing he would want is to let it damage us any more. My husband was always such a positive person and he saw the good in people. Like you, Harry my love.”
Harry nods quietly and I know Kate’s right. I never knew his father but Harry saw the good in me when nobody else did and he saw the good in Chances too.
“I’m not going to stay here forever,” Drake says, sweeping his arm in the direction of the Rectory. “There’s no future here but I would like to think that there could still be one for me in St Perran. Harry, you’ve got land, you’ve got barns and you’ve got a long term lease now. How about you and I go into partnership and run an eventing and schooling business from this farm? We could build it up over time?”
Harry is wide-eyed. “Are you serious?”
“I’ve never been more so in my life,” Drake says. “It’ll be hard work but I think it could be a success, I really do. I want to train Amber too and I know the talent scouts are already impressed with her. She’s got a great future ahead. There are no guarantees, of course, but I think we could have something really special here. You could even go back to college part time if I shoulder the majority of the running. I’m not wealthy but I do have some savings and I’d be more than willing to put them into a business with you and find a new sponsor. What do you say?”
These two guys have been enemies and rivals for years but they’ve already come together once to help me. As Harry considers the proposal I find I’m holding my breath and hoping with everything in me that they can do so again.
For a moment Harry hesitates. Then the corners of his mouth curl upwards in exact time with the rising of my heart. Slowly, he holds his hand out to Drake.
“Why not?” Harry says and they shake hands. Then he catches my eye and smiles, a secret smile that’s just for me. “There are some chances worth taking and some people definitely worth taking them for.”
In the paddock Chances crops the grass, tail floating in the breeze like a banner and his chestnut coat gleaming in the winter sunshine.
My horse. My world. My dream come true.
He’s mine.
We’re safe and we’ve finally come home.
THE END
Dear reader,
Thank you so much for reading CHANCES. I really hope you enjoyed the book. Horses are a huge passion of mine and it’s always been a cherished dream to write a pony book. Like Amber, I grew up dreaming about having a horse of my own and lived for my riding lessons or time spent at the stables. That’s where any similarities end, though. Amber’s road certainly contains a great more obstacles than my own.
Before writing full time I was a teacher, a Head of Year and I also worked as part of a Child Protection team in a big secondary school. I draw upon a lot of my experiences of working with young people for this book and, although CHANCES is 100% fiction and very much in the pony story genre, I hope there’s truth here for readers of all ages, backgrounds and interests. Themes such as isolation, illness, misunderstandings, bullying, friendship, parents and children, being a young carer, responsibility and belonging run through the book alongside those of hope, trust and dreams coming true.
This is a novel which means a great deal to me. There are more adventures waiting for Amber, Harry and Drake and if enough readers enjoy CHANCES then I hope to write a sequel. I’m also aiming to donate a percentage of any profits the book makes to equine charities and I hope to begin with t
his one:
www.emiliefauriefoundation.org.uk
When you have read the book you’ll know why this is the perfect starting point.
Reviews are like gold dust and if you could take a moment and pop a review If any reviews could be posted onto Amazon UK or Amazon.com I would be really grateful.
Thanks again, and I really hope you enjoyed the book.
x Ruth x
Click here to sign up for Ruth’s Newsletter to find out about future books as soon as they’re released!
I really hope you have enjoyed reading CHANCES.
If you did, you might also enjoy my other books below:
Runaway Summer: Polwenna Bay 1
A Time for Living: Polwenna Bay 2
Winter Wishes: Polwenna Bay 3
Treasure of the Heart: Polwenna Bay 4
Magic in the Mist: Polwenna Bay novella
Escape for the Summer
Escape for Christmas
Hobb’s Cottage
Weight Till Christmas
The Wedding Countdown
Dead Romantic
Katy Carter Wants a Hero
Katy Carter Keeps a Secret
Ellie Andrews Has Second Thoughts
Amber Scott is Starting Over
Writing as Jessica Fox
The One That Got Away
Eastern Promise
Hard to Get
Unlucky in Love
Always the Bride
Writing as Holly Cavendish
Looking for Fireworks
Writing as Georgie Carter
The Perfect Christmas
Ruth Saberton is the bestselling author of Katy Carter Wants a Hero and Escape for the Summer. She also writes upmarket commercial fiction under the pen names Jessica Fox, Georgie Carter and Holly Cavendish.
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