There was still no sign of Finn as Alice sat shivering outside the indoor arena, waiting her turn. Her mum had thrown Secret’s rug over his hind quarters and had passed a hot chocolate to Alice, which she took a huge gulp of, before seeing Finn and his dad head into the seating area. And now the steward was waving her forward.
Entering the arena, with Secret spooking as the doors shut behind them with a bang, Alice suddenly felt as though the arena had tripled in size, the jumps ten metres high. All her earlier confidence evaporated. Picking up on her tension, Secret let out a high-pitched whinny. Alice pushed him into a wobbly trot as the bell rang and headed towards the first jump. Secret snorted as he found things to spook at: the arena mirrors, the spectators, the white banners advertising local businesses. His trot became slower and slower until he ground to a halt in front of the jump, and a groan went around the seating area.
Refusal at the very first! He’d never, ever refused before, but the atmosphere was so different here. Alice knew it was her fault. She hadn’t given Secret enough confidence and his desire to jump had been overridden by her hesitation. Giving him an apologetic pat, she was just about to turn him away when Secret took matters into his own hands and launched himself over. The groans from the crowd turned to a gasp as Alice tumbled off, landing neatly on her feet, still clutching Secret’s reins. Her face was tomato red with shame. She really was making the biggest fool of herself! Dejected, she started to lead Secret out.
The steward gave her a kindly smile. “Finish your round if you like!”
Alice was confused. “But … I’m eliminated.”
“It’s only a fun show; confidence is more important than ribbons,” the steward said. “Get back on and have a go, so you don’t end on a bad note.”
Thanking the steward, Alice clambered back on Secret. She took a deep breath, determined to get it right this time, knowing what she had to do. Clucking at Secret and trotting a wide circle, she aimed him at the first jump, trying to think positively. Alice felt Secret hesitate for a second before she nudged him determinedly with her heels.
“Go on, boy!”
This time Alice was prepared. She clung on to a handful of red mane as Secret sailed over the small cross pole and landed in a smooth canter, heading for the next jump. Again, he cleared it by miles and started to relax, settling into a rhythmic canter. He’s enjoying himself, Alice thought, and so am I! As Secret cleared the third, fourth and fifth jumps he no longer took off from several strides away. It was so smooth once he was in a rhythm. Forgetting her earlier mishap, Alice smiled in delight as Secret flew over the last jump. He was enjoying it so much it took Alice a couple of laps before she could pull up! She grinned, remembering how unmotivated she had been in the showing arena. Despite the refusal and the fall, she wanted to jump again, right away. Putting her arms round Secret she gave him a hug.
“Well done, boy. We made the right choice!”
The steward smiled at her as he let her back out. “Good for you. I told you it was worth carrying on!”
“Bravo!” A familiar voice welcomed Alice as she rode out of the arena. It was June Darby, standing next to her mum. “Well ridden, Alice. I can see your pony is a bit … tricky, but what a super jumper!”
Alice glowed with pleasure, pleased she had impressed June, but slightly put out that she had called Secret tricky. At that moment he felt like the very best pony in the world!
“Have you met Angus, our new instructor?” June continued, falling in step with Secret. “He’s here today.”
Josephine looked up sharply.
“I know him,” Alice mumbled.
“Ah, good. Then you’ll know how wonderful he is,” June said happily. “We’re so lucky to have him signed up to teach. He’s got experience from all over the world as well as being a fully qualified riding instructor. He’ll bring the best out in you and your pony.”
Alice hardly dared to look at her mum.
“We look forward to seeing you at our jumping lessons soon!” June said, smiling, before striding off to chat to some other pony club parents.
There was silence as Alice and her mum walked back to the horsebox, before her mum sighed.
“Look,” she said, “you know it’s not what I wanted. But seeing you in there on Secret, how you recovered yourself and carried on, I think that jumping could well be your thing and I don’t want to stop you. If you want to stay in this branch, then fine. But if I’m unhappy with anything that man does, I’m pulling you straight out, do you hear me?”
Alice nodded, swallowing her surprise, and smiled. “Thanks, Mum, that means a lot to me.”
She quickly loaded Secret and slipped out of the horsebox. Then she jumped as Finn appeared.
“Well done,” he said warmly. “Awesome comeback!”
That meant more to Alice than anything. She thought she might burst with happiness.
Then Finn grinned wickedly. “Did the chocolate help?” he said, pointing to Alice’s nose.
Alice glanced in the lorry window. Her nose was covered in dried hot chocolate.
Glaring at Finn, she hurriedly wiped it away. “It did actually,” she retorted. “Don’t you know it’s what all the top showjumpers wear on their faces?”
Finn laughed, and for a moment they had their old relationship back. Then it was shattered.
“Right, I’ve got to go and find Dad,” he said. “We need to check out this stable for Ella.”
Alice felt her stomach drop. “So you’re moving her?”
“Just for a bit,” Finn said. “Dad’s right, it’s not suitable at home. We’ve got no choice.” Then he looked up as a friendly voice carried across the yard.
“Hey, Finn!”
Hannah. Alice narrowed her eyes.
Hannah appeared beside them and threw a dazzling smile at Finn. “Hi, you!” she purred. “I’ve got ages until I jump, so I thought I’d show you around properly. Give you the full tour!”
Then she turned to Alice. “Have you heard about Finn’s poor mare?” she said dramatically. “We’re so honoured to have her here!”
“I met her yesterday, at Finn’s yard,” Alice said, noting with quiet satisfaction the look Hannah threw her. Ha, she thought. One to me!
Hannah gave her an insincere smile. “Well, I’m looking forward to seeing her all the time,” she said. “When she’s stabled here.”
Chapter 8
Alice decided to talk to her mum about Ella on the way home from the jumping. Her mum was in a good mood, and following her encounter with Hannah, Alice was even more determined that Ella shouldn’t go to the equestrian centre.
“Mum?” she asked in her sweetest voice.
“Mmmm, what is it you’re after?” her mum replied, throwing her an amused glance.
“Finn has a problem … a pony problem,” Alice blurted out. “Their Spanish pony needs recuperation and their temporary stables aren’t suitable.”
“OK … and?” Her mum turned to her, raising an eyebrow.
“I just thought, well, we’ve only got a few ponies in the yard at the moment and it’s quiet, so I wondered if the pony, Ella, could come and stay with us, just for a little while? I mean, Finn has done a lot for you and for Samantha.” Alice’s words came rushing out now. “In fact, remember how Finn saved Archie from the fire? And mum, Ella is beautiful and she’s had such a hard time and she’s getting better every day but—”
“OK, enough Alice!” Her mum sighed. “I’ll think about it. But not right now.”
Alice sat back and crossed her fingers. She just hoped she had done enough!
The first pony club group lesson was just a few days later. There were four others in Alice’s group, including Jordan and Sam. Two girls, who Alice didn’t recognise, both gave her friendly smiles. Alice remembered Hannah’s snide words about Alice jumping in the same class as the little kids, but June had explained that the groups were divided up according to age rather than ability. So everyone did the same activities, concentrating o
n jumping or flatwork or any of the other disciplines the pony club offered. Some were better riders than others, but all were capable in the saddle.
Angus was in the centre of the arena. He had the same still, observant posture as Finn, carefully watching the ponies as they walked and trotted around the arena. After the showjumping competition Alice had been excited about showing Secret off, but he was getting stronger and more excitable as they went around, squealing every time they passed the brightly coloured poles. Alice was already growing warm just trying to keep him in check.
Angus called the riders into the centre of the school. “OK, everyone, we’re going to concentrate on some gridwork,” he said, looking at each of them in turn. “I want to see control without interference, establishing the basics. It’s all very well being able to jump the biggest jumps, but we need to get the foundations right first.”
As the lesson progressed, Alice grew more despondent. Everyone else was doing brilliantly, but Secret wasn’t listening to her – he was over-jumping everything, crashing through the grids and then taking off to do a lap of the arena while Alice tried to pull him up. As soon as he locked eyes on a jump, he became uncontrollable in his enthusiasm.
“He’s keen,” Angus remarked mildly. “But, Alice, you need to relax. And let’s try a neck strap so you don’t yank him in the mouth when he over-jumps.”
Rummaging in his rucksack, Angus pulled out an old stirrup leather that he quickly fastened round Secret’s neck.
“Hang on to that, or his mane, when you jump,” Angus explained. “Let’s lower the jumps.”
This time, with Angus standing next to the grid of tiny cross poles, Alice made a huge effort to relax and use her seat to try to steady Secret into the jumps. Sitting up straight, she clung on to the neck strap as Secret jumped through the grid, making sure she didn’t interfere with his mouth. This time, he jumped the cross poles in a neater, controlled fashion.
“Very nice,” Angus remarked. “With a pony like Secret, we have to establish the basics. Lots of groundwork to strengthen your relationship. But he makes a lovely shape over the jumps, and I think you two have a good future. I’ll enjoy teaching you.”
A few days later Alice was at Finn’s yard. To her delight, Finn had invited her over to see Ella again, and Josephine was collecting her on the way back from judging a competition. Alice had just heard her mum’s four-by-four pull up on the driveway.
Alice was sure Ella looked a little healthier. But her eyes, full of distrust, told a different story.
Finn seemed worried. “I’m concerned she’s going to freak out when we move her, and we’ll be back to square one again,” he explained. “The equestrian centre is nice, but it’s just not right for Ella.”
Before Alice could say anything, Alice’s mum appeared round the side of the barn, and instinctively Alice put her fingers to her lips, worried her mum might startle Ella. Frowning, her mum moved closer as Ella appeared at her stable door, ears back, head snaking up and down. “My goodness,” Josephine whispered, as she caught sight of Ella’s injured shoulder.
At the sound of her voice, Ella pricked her ears and turned back, stretching her head forward. Before Finn or Alice could warn Alice’s mum about Ella’s snapping, something amazing happened. Josephine’s outstretched hand connected with Ella’s delicate muzzle, letting the little mare blow on to her hands. In the half-light of the barn, Alice could just see Ella’s silvery white whiskers tickling her mum’s palm as her mum stood quietly, gazing at the mare. Then Ella retreated, and the moment was gone.
“Wow!” Finn exclaimed. “That’s the first time she’s chosen to go to someone new. She didn’t even do that with Dad or me!”
Josephine looked pleased. “What a gorgeous pony,” she said. “I presume this is the one from Spain?”
Finn nodded, and before Alice could stop herself, she repeated Ella’s predicament, rushing to tell her mum how the equestrian centre wasn’t a suitable place for Ella to be.
“No, I can see that,” her mum said when she’d finished talking.
Alice decided to take the plunge.
“She needs somewhere peaceful, somewhere she can recover properly, with space and access to the outside. Oh, Mum, please can she come and stay at Park Farm? Just for a little while? Please? You did say you’d think about it…”
Alice crossed her fingers as she looked at her mum. She was gazing at Ella, a faraway look in her eyes. “How long does she need a place for?”
“A month… Two at most,” Finn said, a glimmer of hope appearing in his face. “Until the stables are finished. They’re nearly done, but with the snow forecast…”
Josephine sighed. “Well, we’d better go and discuss it then.”
Alice and Finn sat awkwardly next to one another as Josephine and Angus negotiated taking Ella to Park Farm.
Angus was questioning Josephine’s routines and who would look after her.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake,” Josephine snapped. “My staff and I are all perfectly experienced.”
Angus leaned back on his chair. “Well, she’s Finn’s project, so if it’s what he thinks is best, I’ll go along with it,” he said, glancing at his son.
Finn looked thoughtful. “I can get the bus straight from school, have time with Ella, and then be back in time to help with the evening stables. I’ll do my homework at lunchtime.”
“And I’ll drop you over when I can. There’s another thing, though.” Angus frowned. “I don’t want Finn working on Ella alone; there would need to be someone with him. Not to help, just to be around in case anything happens.”
“Well, I can hardly just lend you one of my grooms every time Finn’s doing something with the mare,” Josephine snapped.
Alice spotted her chance. “I’ll help!” she blurted out. “I’m in the yard all the time when I’m not at school. I’ll make sure I’m around.”
Finn smiled. “That would be amazing,” he said, and Alice glowed with pleasure.
After a long pause Josephine sighed. “OK, if Alice is happy with that. It’s just for a few weeks.”
Alice and Finn escaped to the kitchen while Angus and Josephine talked logistics.
“Phew!” Alice grinned. “It was tense in there!”
“You’re telling me. If only they’d get on!” Finn replied. “I know my dad feels bad about what happened with Blue.”
Alice frowned. “Do you think,” she said slowly, “having Ella at our house might…” She paused, not knowing how to word what she was thinking. “Might … make them get along? If they have to, for Ella’s sake?”
Finn raised an eyebrow. “If Ella can mend that rift, she’d be a miracle worker!”
A few days later, Alice had another pony club lesson to attend. This time Hannah was in her group.
Angus was talking to June, so the pony club members warmed up alone to start with, chatting away to each other. Hannah rode Barney, a big Skewbald pony, right next to Secret, who put his ears back. He hated being crowded.
“So I hear you’re expecting a new arrival,” she said, her voice low.
Alice nodded, moving Secret away from Hannah’s pony. “Finn rides for my mum, so it makes sense,” she said in what she hoped was a casual voice, not mentioning her role in the negotiations. Hannah glared at her, but Alice didn’t mind. She felt happy – and that seemed to rub off on Secret too.
Secret jumped everything beautifully, earning lots of praise from Angus. Alice’s confidence was high, so when Angus started to run through the selection process for the showjumping team – explaining how he expected good attendance at all the group lessons, and about the trials themselves when the team would be chosen, Alice made her mind up. She would try out for the team. She smiled, leaning forward to pat Secret. Everything felt OK.
After the lesson Alice rugged Secret up for the short journey home. The equestrian centre was only on the other side of the downs to Alice’s house.
Amy came over and gave Alice a friendly smile. “We alwa
ys have a drink in the café after lessons. Want to join us?”
Alice grinned. She looked at her mum, who nodded.
“Just for a bit,” she said. “Secret can have his hay net and I’ll check my emails.”
Alice followed Amy over to the café. Ordering a hot chocolate, they joined the other riders.
Then Alice felt her happy bubble burst as the door swung open and Hannah strode in looking pleased with herself. She flopped down on to the sofa.
“What’s up?” Amy asked.
“Finn’s agreed to help me with Barney!” Hannah said smugly. “I’ve got something very special in mind for my party, and Finn’s the only one who can help me.”
“Oh!” said Amy, looking surprised. “Well … that’s good news!”
“I know!” Hannah purred. “Plus, I want to secure my place in the showjumping team and I know some one-to-one time will help.” She glanced at Alice. “Isn’t it great?”
“Oh, Hannah!” Lola giggled. “You’re so in there!”
Alice suddenly felt really awkward and so, after gulping down her drink, she left the café, bumping straight into Finn, who put both his hands on her arms to steady her.
“Alice!” he grinned. “Secret looked amazing out there today!”
Alice nodded and managed a small smile.
“So, Hannah said you’re coming over here to help her with her pony,” she said casually.
“Well, yeah.” Finn shrugged. “I’m going to be around anyway, with Ella just down the road at your house. I’m always happy to help if someone needs it.”
That’s not what she’s interested in! Alice felt like screaming but instead she smiled cheerfully. “Of course!” she said in a bright voice.
Finn lowered his voice. “It’s really for Dad as well. Hannah’s dad pulls strings in this branch and I know Dad wants to make this teaching job permanent. So I couldn’t really say no.”
A Friend in Need Page 4