A Friend in Need

by Olivia Tuffin

  “Your mum’s gone inside with your dad,” Angus said quietly, gesturing towards the house. “Harriet’s on her way here to check Ella and Secret.”

  Ella and Secret rolled and rolled in their deep beds, then they were both wrapped up in warm wool rugs. Harriet pulled into the yard a few minutes later. She said that both ponies seemed fine, and recommended that they have a few days’ rest and gentle walking out.

  Fergus looked at his phone and frowned. “The local news says the main road is now completely blocked.”

  Angus looked at Finn. “We’ll stay here tonight,” he said. “I’d rather stay and keep an eye on Ella anyway, just in case. I’ll let Sasha know.”

  Finn nodded.

  Just then, Alice’s mum came across the yard bundled up in a blanket. Her face was pale and her eyes were red but she gave a small smile when she saw Ella and Secret tucked up safely. Angus quickly filled her in on the state of the roads and his plan to watch over Ella. Josephine frowned, and for one brief second, Alice wondered what her mum was going to say.

  “You can’t stay out here all night,” she said. “We’ll do it in shifts. There are two beds made up in the groom’s flat.”

  Angus smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Josie. And I’m so, so sorry. For everything,” he said.

  Alice’s mum looked straight at him. “It’s OK,” she said quietly. “It wasn’t your fault. Thank you. Thank you for helping me keep Lachlan calm, right to the end.”

  Angus nodded, and put his hand on Josephine’s arm for the briefest of moments. “It’s the least I could do,” he said quietly.

  They worked as a team that night, keeping watch over the ponies. When she wasn’t watching Secret and Ella Alice tried to sleep, but despite being exhausted she couldn’t switch off. As she and her mum sat in the stables together, her mum smiled sadly.

  “It won’t be the same without him,” she said softly. “I should have ridden him more. I’d forgotten how wonderful it was to hack out.”

  Ella stirred, twitching in her sleep. She was standing up, hind leg resting.

  “Lachlan saved her,” Alice’s mum said, giving a small smile. “He was a hero, right to the end.”

  It seemed wrong, Alice thought, as a pink sun rose over the snow, that the morning should dawn so beautifully without Lachlan. She was stiff with tiredness as she and her mum and dad nursed mugs of coffee at the kitchen table.

  There was a tentative knock on the door. “We’re off,” Angus called. “Sasha needs our help at home and the road is back open.”

  “Thank you,” Alice’s mum said quietly.

  There was a moment’s pause, before Angus reached into his pocket.

  “You might not want this now,” he said, pulling out a small drawstring bag, “but I asked Harriet to cut a section of Lachlan’s mane.”

  He passed over the bag and Alice’s mum opened it, her eyes filling with tears as she gently touched the lock of hair.

  “He’ll always be with us, Mum,” Alice said. “He’s always going to be part of Park Farm.”

  “Just like Blue, up in the top paddock.” Josephine looked up at Angus, and they shared a small sad smile.

  Chapter 22

  A week passed and Alice missed Lachlan so much it physically hurt. The stables just weren’t the same without him.

  Alice’s mum had thrown herself into working with Ella. Just as Finn had predicted, Ella’s flight in the snow had given her a newfound confidence. Alice’s mum smiled properly for the first time since Lachlan had died as Ella wandered outside her stable, greeting Secret over the fence with a low whinny.

  Then her smile faded. “I’ll miss her when she goes back to Angus’s yard. The new stables are almost finished so she won’t be with us for much longer.” She sighed and then looked thoughtfully at Alice.

  “Anyway, it’s the team trials next week,” she said. “You and Secret should go for it. We need something positive to focus on.”

  “Your mum phoned last night to talk through the team jumping with my dad,” Finn told Alice a few days later.

  “I know,” Alice said with a frown. “It’s a shame it took Lachlan’s death for them to speak to each other again.”

  Finn nodded and then smiled at Alice. One of his rare, brilliant smiles. “So, what do you say to trying out?”

  Alice realised she didn’t care any more about making a fool of herself. Secret adored jumping, so they may as well go for it. If it all went wrong, then they could always try again another time. Alice knew she could trust Secret.

  She grinned. “Let’s do it!”

  The weather had warmed up a few degrees for the showjumping trials, which were to be held indoors. Secret felt fresh, with a spring in his step. Alice took a deep breath. Secret had proved again and again that when it really mattered she could trust him. Then she had an image of Lachlan: kind, wise and reassuring. She had to do this, for Secret and Lachlan.

  As she and her mum waited with Secret, a familiar pony appeared next to them. Barney, ridden by Hannah. Alice noticed Hannah’s cheeks redden. She stared at her, wondering what she was going to say.

  “I’m sorry,” Hannah blurted out. “Dad gave that group the biggest telling-off the next day when we heard what happened. They’re never coming to my house again! Banned for life!” For a second, she seemed full of herself again, then she dropped her head. “I really am sorry about Lachlan,” she said quietly.

  “It’s OK.” And Alice meant it: she didn’t blame Hannah for her friends’ stupid behaviour. Although she couldn’t quite forget Hannah being so dismissive of Ella’s escape.

  Hannah headed off, holding Barney’s reins as she flung her arms round a handsome boy Alice vaguely recognised from her party. And although Alice couldn’t be certain she was sure Hannah was watching Finn over the boy’s shoulder as she did so. For a second, Alice’s eyes met Finn’s, and he rolled his eyes and grinned at her. She smiled, feeling the unspoken connection between them. And then it was Alice and Secret’s turn to jump.

  The trials were simple: a course of fences about seventy centimetres high. Alice knew Secret could easily jump the height; it was the bits in between that she was worried about. The standard was high, with most people jumping clear with the odd run-out or refusal.

  It was nearly Alice’s turn. She noticed her mum and Angus watching together, with her mum smiling at something Angus was saying.

  Secret gave an ear-splitting whinny as he spooked at his own reflection in the mirrors, jogging and prancing. Circling and talking to him, just as Finn did with Ella, Alice aimed him at the first fence, taking care to sit up and not hold on to his mouth. Launching himself back, Secret took off from over two strides out, clearing the jump by miles. Alice gripped hard on to the neck strap. Somehow she managed to right herself in her saddle, searching for her missing stirrup, as she aimed for the next fence.

  Again, Secret over-jumped it but then he started to calm down. He cleared the rest of the course in style, and then, delighted with himself, did three full laps of the arena before Alice could pull him up. She gave a huge grin. During the second part of the course they’d felt in perfect unison, as if Secret could read her mind and she his. Adrenalin was fizzing through her as she finally slowed him to a walk.

  June Darby chuckled. “Well done. He certainly won’t have any trouble in the jump-offs!”

  Alice slid off Secret, praising him. She’d done her best, and it was a clear round. Now it was up to June and Angus to make their choice. Once everyone had jumped, and the ponies were back in their lorries, June clapped her hands and called everyone to the arena.

  “Excellent work!” she said, looking around her. “We’ve got the first interbranch competition coming up in June, and we want to select four riders to go on for further lessons in preparation. We’ve decided the four riders we want to go forward are Jordan, Sam, Hannah and … Becky.”

  Alice’s stomach slumped. Secret had jumped so beautifully, and she’d allowed her hopes to be raised. But she’d done
her best – and Secret had done his best – and that’s all that mattered.

  “I’m proud of you, Alice,” her mum said warmly as they walked back to the lorry. “That was a real achievement.”

  Then June Darby called them back. “Hang on!” she said cheerfully. “I wanted to talk to you about the team. Alice, would you be happy to be a reserve?”

  Alice’s mouth fell open. A reserve! It wasn’t a team place, but it was enough, for now. She was part of something, something she and Secret both loved.

  “Yes, please!”

  Alice looked over at Finn, who mouthed “You did it!”, and felt like jumping for joy. She’d done it: the first part of her new journey with Secret. It would be hard juggling the training and helping her mum, but she was going to make it work.

  Angus appeared next to her. “Lots to work on,” he said with a grin, “but I think you both have so much potential. You’ve just got to strike the right balance between his enthusiasm and his talent, and you need to trust him, and yourself!”

  Alice’s mum nodded and started to discuss the training lessons and dates of upcoming events with Angus.

  Alice smiled at Finn, who winked back.

  Chapter 23

  Alice and Secret’s triumph at the pony club trials had lifted the mood of the yard, although Alice still felt a lump in her throat when she passed Lachlan’s empty stable, his rug still hanging over his feed manger. One afternoon, her mum pulled all the old photographs out and they looked through them together, smiling at how Lachlan’s colouring had changed over the years, admiring him in the ring as a three-year-old and in later years under the Olympia spotlight.

  “You’re doing the right thing with Secret, you know,” Alice’s mum said unexpectedly, gazing at a particularly beautiful headshot. “Just enjoying him, and being the best you can be at what you really love.”

  Alice nodded. She wished there was some way she could make her mum feel better. Then her mind started to tick.

  She rushed out into the yard, where Finn had just arrived to see Ella. “Finn?” she asked as he looked at her curiously. “Can I come and talk to your dad?”

  “Sell Ella to you?”

  Alice was sitting in the kitchen of Rookham Manor. She shook her head. “Not to me,” she explained. “To my mum. Or at least offer her, to see if mum wants to buy her.”

  Angus frowned. “But Ella won’t make a show pony, not with her scar. She wouldn’t be much use to your mum, or her business. She might hack one day, or even do a little dressage, but that would be all. We were just going to keep her for a pet.”

  “I know, but Mum is really enjoying her time with her. They have a special partnership,” Alice insisted. “Can you at least ask her if she’d be interested…”

  Angus frowned. “It was never my intention to rescue her to sell her on,” he said. “I know she’d have a brilliant life at your yard, Alice, but I’m not going to sell her. I’m sorry.”

  A few days later it was time for Ella to leave Park Farm. The snow had started to melt, a hint of spring on its way. Josephine was standing at Ella’s side, her hand resting on her neck. Alice thought her mum had tears in her eyes.

  “I’ll see you soon,” Alice whispered, giving Ella a kiss. She’d miss her, and she knew Secret would too. When Finn and Angus’s Landrover appeared without the trailer, Alice frowned. How were they planning on taking Ella home?

  “What’s this?” Josephine said, obviously thinking the same thing. “Are you coming back later with the trailer?”

  Angus smiled. “We can,” he explained. “But I wanted to ask you something first.” He took a step towards Josephine. “Would you consider keeping Ella…? That is, if I were to give her to you, would you be happy to have her?”

  “You want to give Ella to me?” Josephine repeated, looking stunned.

  “Only if you want her,” Angus explained. “Alice asked me a few days ago if I’d consider selling her, but I refused. I didn’t pay anything for her, so it wouldn’t have been right. But Ella needs a home where she can have a one-to-one relationship with someone. She’d have a wonderful life with you.”

  There was a long pause while Josephine gazed at Ella. Alice held her breath, crossing her fingers in her coat pocket. Had she done the right thing, asking Angus? Maybe her mum had wanted to send Ella back.

  Finally Josephine turned to them, her eyes shining. “Lachlan saved her,” she said in a choked voice. “She’ll always have a home here. I’d be honoured to have her, thank you.”

  “What a winter!”

  Finn and Alice were finally able to hack out again, Alice on Secret and Finn on Archie, who was back for the spring. The snow had long since melted, and the first flowers poked their heads up from the ground.

  “Tell me about it!”

  “Is your mum enjoying having Ella?” Finn asked as they turned back to the yard.

  Alice smiled. “Yes,” she replied. “They’re really helping each other.”

  “Horses can do that,” Finn said. “Ella was obviously meant to be with your mum.” He smiled at Alice. “And how’s the prep going for the area competitions?”

  “Good,” Alice nodded. “Your dad’s given me some more exercises to do at home and there’s quite a few lessons coming up. It’s quite nice being reserve. I can take part without the pressure of the actual competition. I’ve just got to learn to manage Secret’s excitement at the start.”

  Finn chuckled. “He wouldn’t be Secret without a bit of quirk.” Then he looked thoughtful. “But he’s proved that when it counts you can rely on him.”

  “Funnily enough, that’s exactly what I thought when I did my trial,” Alice remarked. “How when I really need him he never lets me down.”

  Finn smiled. “Pony of a lifetime.”

  A stab of pain hit Alice. Blue, and then Lachlan, had been her mum’s special ponies, and before Secret Alice had Honey. And yet everyone was moving forward. Josephine and Angus had healed their rift, and Alice and Finn were friends again. Ella was flourishing with Josephine’s love. And then there was Secret.

  Brave, cheeky Secret, leading Ella to safety through the snow and jumping like he had wings on his feet. Alice knew they had a long way to go, but she was determined to enjoy their journey together. She’d never felt so proud of Secret, her beloved red pony who surprised her every single day.

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you to the wonderful team at Nosy Crow, in particular Kirsty for all her expert help and guidance and Nic for her amazing design skills and for producing the most beautiful covers. A huge thank you to my lovely editor Sarah who totally ‘got’ Finn and Alice from the start and has been amazing to work with. And thanks to the whole team at Nosy Crow who support the books so brilliantly from start to finish!

  I must thank Julian Radburn, our wonderful vet from Damory Veterinary Clinic. His advice really helped with writing the hardest scene I’ve ever had to write!

  Thanks also to Sarah Weston for all her amazing advice and information. Sarah absolutely helped me to understand why Ella was the way she was.

  Special thanks to Jolie Darton, owner of Butler – our beautiful cover star. Jolie made sure Butler looked like a superstar ready for his photo shoot!

  Finally, writing pony books really is the best job in the world and I must thank my husband Clive who supports me every step of the way. And of course my daughter Lara, who keeps me smiling and whose love for ponies mirrors my own.

  Copyright

  First published in the UK in 2018 by Nosy Crow Ltd

  The Crow’s Nest, 14 Baden Place

  Crosby Row, London SE1 1YW

  www.nosycrow.com

  ISBN: 978 1 78800 027 7

  eISBN: 978 1 78800 028 4

  Nosy Crow and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Nosy Crow Ltd

  Text © Olivia Tuffin 2018

  Pony photographs © Matthew Bishop Photography 2018

  The right of Olivia Tuffin to be identified as the aut
hor has been asserted.

  All rights reserved

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of Nosy Crow Ltd.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  Printed and bound in the UK by Clays Ltd, St Ives Plc.

  Typeset by Tiger Media

  Papers used by Nosy Crow are made from wood grown in sustainable forests.

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