“What the heck are you lot up to?” a deep, mountainous voice rumbled from high above them.
A man with a harshly bristled chin and cold, black eyes stared down at them from a massive white horse. A dog growled menacingly from the other side of the hedge. Rosie whimpered.
“Well, what do you think we’re up to?” Mia suddenly took her hands from over her head, stood up and brushed the grass from her bright pink jodhpurs. Her large dark eyes looked directly back at Harry, as if it were perfectly normal to hide behind hedges. “I’ve come to look for a pony. Why do most people visit a dealer?”
You had to hand it to her, Mia could think on her feet. Well, her knees, actually.
“Most people who visit a dealer,” Harry grumbled, looking critically at Wish, “use the front gate.”
He turned the big white horse and whistled to the dog.
“Come on, Growler.”
The lurcher came into view: a huge, tall dog with rough brindle fur and big, slavering jaws.
“If it’s a pony you’re after, you better follow me. You can jump the hedge, I take it?”
“Of course,” Rosie simpered and immediately wished she hadn’t said it. Dancer could probably eat her way through, but jump it?
They mounted, and with the shortest of approaches Charlie faced Pirate at the jump, flew over and galloped off down the field. Alice followed and Scout leaped it without hesitation, with an anxious Mia jumping Wish, who looked as if she was having a whale of a time, hot on Scout’s heels. Behind them all Rosie flapped but Dancer slid to a goggled-eyed halt once, then twice.
“Don’t just leave me!” Rosie cried, getting desperate.
Alice slowed Scout and arced him back up the hill to give Rosie a lead, but suddenly Dancer must have had the same thought as Rosie because the next second the strawberry pony took off from standstill, stag-leaping the low hedge. Rosie parted company with Dancer in mid air and landed on the other side of the hedge on her feet, much to her surprise, still hanging onto the reins. Rosie wasted no time in flinging herself back into the saddle and hung on stirrupless as Dancer whinnied loudly and raced down the hill to catch up with the others.
Once they reached the rambling, untidy yard, Harry dismounted and handed his big white horse to a tall skinny stable lad who led it to a corner stable. Harry gruffly told the girls they could tie up their ponies. Luckily Mia, ever organised, had made everyone bring their own headcollars on this ride, so they didn’t have to use Harry’s and risk the ponies picking up any infections.
“So, what sort of pony is it you’re after?” Harry asked, staring at Wish again.
“What sort have you got?” Mia replied, casually.
“Depends what sort you’re looking for.”
Mia forced a smile, thinking that he was clearly going to be slippery. All they had to do now was work out whether that slipperiness was normal or if it was to do with Harry harbouring stolen ponies. Mia took a deep breath, holding her nerve.
“I’m looking for a jumping pony. I want to enter the Fratton Cup next week and showjumping isn’t Wish’s strength. Better in the show ring,” Mia explained, proudly pointing out her palomino. Wish raised her exquisite head on cue and looked into the distance at something no one else could see, posing beautifully.
Harry rubbed his chin with a huge, slablike hand, making a sound like sandpaper against rough wood. “You’re sure it’s a jumping pony you’re after? Not a better show pony?”
“I don’t happen to think there is a better one than Wish, actually,” Mia replied, her almond eyes widening as she failed for a second to hide the irritation in her voice. “There aren’t many that can match her in the show ring, for your information.”
Harry’s eyes were dark and unfathomable. He shrugged. “A jumping pony, then. Well, I’ve got this one. She’s not a looker but she can jump all right.”
They all crowded round the stable door and saw a small dun mare, with a caramel coat and black mane and tail, rolling her eyes and flattening back her ears.
“I don’t think so,” Mia said, hastily stepping back. “I need something a little bigger, I think – fourteen-two would be perfect.”
Harry looked at Mia with narrow eyes then nodded, and they followed him to the next stable. Behind her back Mia was making wild waving movements with her hands. The others looked at each other blankly, following her a couple of steps behind.
“You all right?” Harry asked, and Mia pretended she was fanning her face because of the heat.
Charlie, who was always the first to crack whatever the situation, started to giggle and had to turn away from the others in case she caught Rosie’s or Alice’s eye and got set off properly.
“There’s Popsicle here. He jumps like a cat.”
“I’d rather one that jumped like a pony,” Mia replied with a smile. Popsicle was chestnut.
“There’s always Badger, I suppose,” Harry said slowly.
“Badger?” Charlie repeated, swallowing her giggles in an instant. “I bet he’s black and white, with a name like that.”
“You’re right, young lady,” Harry replied with a lopsided smile. “He is.”
They all crowded forward in a rush, but Badger was a heavy cob with a hogged mane and tail, nothing like the lighter-weight Moonlight. Rosie was unable to stop herself from sighing. Mia coughed loudly to cover it and asked if there were any more she could see. While Harry walked over to a stable at the far end of the yard, Mia hissed at the others to stop following her round like sheep and investigate the rest of the stables while she kept Harry occupied.
So, as she talked over the possibility of an undersized skewbald pony in the corner, Alice, Charlie and Rosie wandered round, dodging the skinny stable lad, who’d picked up a broom and started sweeping the yard. They looked over the other stable doors, trying to be casual, which was quite difficult with Growler following their every step, staring menacingly from underneath his shaggy eyebrows.
They weren’t having any luck. Most of the ponies were cobby types, and Rosie fell in love with one sorrel pony, with a deep chestnut body and pale mane and tail. So far everything was looking above board… until Charlie whispered to Alice that she’d seen from up on the hill that there were more stables out the back of the main yard. But when they tried to nip round there to get a closer look, Harry suddenly turned sharply and with one shot of his bullet-black eyes stopped them dead in their tracks.
Mia clocked his reaction at once.
“Well,” she said breezily, “you haven’t really got anything round here that I like. Can I see the ones in the stables round the back?”
“Nothing round there that you’d be interested in,” Harry said, in a voice that had turned to steel. Even Mia faltered in her step. In an instant she realised that there was something, or some pony, round in the back stables that Harry Franklin didn’t want them to see.
“Can’t be sure until I’ve been round there myself…” Mia persisted. They had to get a look.
But as Mia made a move forward, Harry took a step sideways and blocked her path.
“Like I said, nothing round there for you to be bothering with, young madam.”
Mia half smiled.
“So, you do have more ponies round there then?” she asked sweetly.
Harry kept his stare level.
“I don’t know exactly what you lot are after, but you’re not going to find it on this yard. Got it?” he said quietly.
His face was like flint. His black eyes twitched. Charlie and Alice were nodding their heads, starting to back away, while Mia stared at Harry long and hard as she tried to battle him down with her fierceness. But she was fast learning that no one could out-fierce Harry Franklin and, seeing that standing there all day staring at each other would get her nowhere, Mia finally conceded defeat as graciously as possible.
“We may have been unlucky today, but I’ll be keeping an eye on which ponies go in and which go out. That way I can spot a good one if it arrives,” Mia said smoothly.
“Or leaves.”
“I think it’s you who ought to be leaving. And if I see you hanging around here again…” Harry said menacingly, taking a step towards them. He let his threat sink in for a second as the girls gulped, then continued. “After all, it’s obvious you’re not serious about looking for a new pony.”
“Oh, I am serious, Mr Franklin, it’s just that I have a very specific pony in mind and I suspected he might be on your yard, that’s all.”
Mia might have been acting cool as she turned away and walked briskly back to Wish, but her hands were shaking as she fumbled with her headcollar. Wish didn’t help by nudging her for treats. She looked sideways and noticed that Alice and Rosie were having the same problem, but Charlie had Pirate free and was already mounted. Mia, Rosie and Alice weren’t far behind. This time they left through the front entrance and Harry watched until they’d turned out onto the lane.
“He’s hiding something – it must be Harry Franklin who stole Moonlight!” Mia said, looking scared but triumphant as they trotted the ponies quickly away from the yard. “Moonlight has to be hidden round the back. Why else would he behave so oddly about us going round there?”
They all started talking at once, except Alice. She looked down and patted her jodhpur pocket. Her heart sank. She pulled Scout up and called out to the others, who stopped.
“I’ve left my gloves in the yard – I must have dropped them somehow.” Alice wouldn’t really have cared, but they were a present from her grandparents and she didn’t want to lose them.
“We’ll wait here then,” Rosie said quickly, “but don’t be long. I need to get back for my lunch – I’m in danger of fading away.”
“Aren’t you all coming with me?” Alice asked, looking round wildly. Her hands started to shake. Again.
“Someone has to hold the ponies,” Mia pointed out.
“Isn’t anyone going to come?” Alice said, looking at Charlie desperately.
“You’ll be much quicker on your own,” Charlie said, smiling sweetly.
Alice sighed, feeling abandoned as she dismounted and handed Scout’s reins to Rosie. Friends indeed, she said to herself as she trudged back up the lane alone, trying to distract herself from how terrified she was feeling inside. Jumping in the Fratton Cup would be nothing compared to this, she thought, as she crept back into the yard on jelly-like legs.
Alice was in luck. The yard was silent except for the occasional stomp of a pony’s hoof and the rhythmical munching of hay. And there were her gloves, still lying where she’d tied Scout. For half a second she wondered if she could just take a quick peep round the back. It was her chance to be a hero!
Then again, she didn’t think her heart would stand it. Harry Franklin might be round there right now – she’d bump straight into him! No, just get the gloves and run, she told herself firmly. But as she reached down for them Alice heard Harry’s muffled voice coming from inside his office. She tiptoed a step closer and listened in.
“You’ll have to come and fetch him sooner.”
Silence.
“I’ll tell you why, because there’ve been people here sniffing around, that’s why. I’ve got my hands on the pony you wanted and I’ve kept him well hidden, but I’m sure someone’s got wind of what you’re up to. I want this pony off my yard. I’m in the business of selling ponies, not being security and keeping nosey girls out. Got it?”
Alice held her breath, straining to hear the dealer’s next response.
“Just come and get him as soon as possible, will you?”
Silence.
“Well, I suppose sometime after four today will have to be all right.”
She heard the phone slam down and, grabbing her gloves tightly, she turned tail and sprinted out of the yard.
When she reached the others her chest was burning from running so fast.
“Where’s the fire?” Rosie asked. Alice ignored her and all but vaulted into the saddle, fishing for her stirrups as she set off on a surprised Scout at a rapid trot along the lane, saying she’d tell them when they’d got further away.
They stopped when they saw a bridleway leading into a wood and found a shallow brook in the shade. They let the ponies have a drink, and a splash around, cooling their legs down as Alice told them in a single breath what she’d heard.
“I don’t know who was on the other end of the phone but it has to be Moonlight in that stable, doesn’t it?”
“And whoever Harry spoke to will be coming to collect him today,” Mia said urgently, checking her watch.
Alice nodded.
“There’s only one thing for it then,” Mia announced solemnly. “We can’t afford to miss the handover – we’ll have to go back and do a stake-out.”
A shot of fear rushed through Alice at the thought of staking out hulking Harry Franklin’s yard. Imagine if they got caught! Harry would probably feed them to Growler. Half of her was excited, the other half terrified. Either way, Alice was determined not to give up now that they were so close to solving the mystery, not when she was just starting to feel like a proper detective.
Rosie was looking less convinced.
“I’m not doing anything before we go back to the farm for some lunch,” she said, pointedly breathing in to make herself look in need of a good meal. “All this talk of steaks is making me even hungrier than ever!”
“STAKE, not STEAK!” Charlie cried, tapping Rosie’s crash cap with her crop. “And anyway, if we go back to Blackberry Farm we might miss the handover – what if whoever’s coming arrives early?! Then we won’t have any way of finding out who took Moonlight.”
Rosie twirled her whip, her lower lip jutting out.
“Think of Poppy – we’re doing this for her,” Alice said.
“I’d rather be doing something for my stomach right now, if you don’t mind!” she snapped back. “And your plan won’t work anyway. We couldn’t hide last time with our ponies, remember. We’ll have to go back to drop them off.”
“Annoyingly, Rosie has got a point,” Charlie said, looking frustrated.
“Again,” Rosie said, a small smile of satisfaction spreading over her round face.
“I know!” Alice said, suddenly thinking of a way round the problem. “Daisy’s house isn’t far from here. We could see if she’d let us turn out our ponies in one of her fields, then we could come back on foot.”
Three of them agreed, but Rosie still wouldn’t budge.
“She might make us sandwiches,” Alice said, trying to persuade her.
Alice also had her own reasons for this new plan. Daisy had a full set of show jumps that her father drilled her over endlessly in his efforts to transform Daisy from a slightly dippy rider into an international show jumper. Alice was hoping she could school Scout over them before turning him out.
So with Rosie grumbling loudly about how faint she felt, they set off in the direction of Daisy’s. After ten minutes walking the ponies on long reins they reached Daisy’s detached, isolated house. Alice jumped off and ran up the path to ring the doorbell. It echoed loudly inside. Empty. Alice walked round the side of the house and saw Daisy’s black pony, Shadow, grazing alone. He lifted his head when he saw Alice and flattened back his ears, shaking his head grumpily and flicking his tail before returning to graze. In the next field were the pristine show jumps, in a clearly marked-out arena. It was so tempting, but Alice knew they couldn’t just ride round without asking, or unsaddle their ponies and turn them out without permission, especially knowing what Daisy’s dad was like. He’d be furious if he found out that the ‘competition’ were using his jumps to improve their chances of winning the Cup and depriving Daisy.
For Rosie, finding no one at home was the last straw. She muttered, “I knew this was a bad idea!” before heading Dancer down the lane in the direction of home. Reluctantly, the others followed. There was nothing else they could do. They’d have to go back to Blackberry Farm after all.
At the end of the lane they walked and trotted quietly for a
while through the woods feeling glum, when suddenly Daisy shot out of a side path, almost riding straight into them. She looked totally startled.
“Wow!” Charlie exclaimed as Pirate jinked sideways. “You don’t hang around!”
“Wh— what do you mean…?” Daisy whispered, her eyes as big as saucers and her face looking a shade paler than normal.
“We rode past your place about twenty minutes ago,” Alice explained, still thinking of the show jumps, “and it was deserted apart from Shadow. You must have got back and tacked up about a second after we called for you.”
“Bad timing,” Rosie sighed grumpily. “If only you’d turned up five minutes earlier we could have been enjoying a decent lunch by now.”
Daisy looked alarmed. “You… you called at my house? What, for lunch…?”
“Not exactly. We were hoping we could turn out our ponies with Shadow for a while, that was all,” Charlie replied, as Daisy hurriedly started to circle her pony away on the narrow path.
The girls exchanged looks. Daisy was often a bit on the loopy side, but she was behaving more bizarrely than usual even by her standards.
“Sorry,” she replied hesitantly over her shoulder, not looking the others in the eye. “I’d ask you back now, only, well I know my dad wouldn’t like it. He can be a bit funny about… erm…”
“Everything?” Rosie huffed.
Daisy nodded slightly. “Kind of.”
Mia was about to push it, but Alice jumped in. “It’s okay, Daisy, it was only a thought. Thanks anyway.”
Daisy gave Alice a weak smile as she quickly walked Shadow away and disappeared down the path the girls had just ridden along.
“Is she going home already?” Charlie asked. “Shadow can only have been out for about ten minutes. That’s hardly enough time to even warm him up.”
“She’s getting odder each time we see her,” Mia said.
“It’s really not her fault,” Alice replied, defensively. “She’s all right – I bet it’s her ridiculously strict dad piling on the pressure this close to the Show.”
“Well, he can’t be that strict or he’d make sure she groomed that poor pony properly,” Mia sniffed. “He looks dreadful. I’d never turn Wish out looking like that, even for a hack.”
Moonlight: Star of the Show Page 4