by Lucy Daniels
Susan felt the breath go out of her body. What on earth was he doing here? she wondered. He looked very much at home as he led Munro, a tall Clydesdale cross gelding, out of the stable.
‘Hi, Susan,’ Molly greeted her with her usual easy smile. ‘I’ll just go finish up with Coco.’ She flapped a hand towards Coco’s stable, then set off across the yard at a jog.
Douglas stared at her, seeming to have lost the ability to move. Susan couldn’t take her eyes off him. His hair was flattened again, as it had been the last time she’d seen him at the nursery. He looked surprisingly good in his riding gear: a padded jacket and olive breeches above long riding boots. Susan glanced towards Coco’s stable. Molly had disappeared inside. However weird the situation was, she had to talk to Douglas before Molly reappeared. Her knees felt wobbly as she made her way over. She couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. It was Douglas who’d suggested riding. He’d obviously decided to come on his own. Now she and Mandy had gatecrashed his party.
Her face was hot as she walked towards him. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, feeling the redness in her cheeks intensify. ‘I arranged to come riding with Mandy. I’d no idea you’d be here. I thought when our date was off …’ She trailed off. She didn’t want to talk about the reason their date had been cancelled.
Douglas stared at her, a line creasing his usually good-tempered forehead. ‘You arranged to come with Mandy?’ he said. ‘But …’ He paused, then shook his head. ‘Mandy called me earlier. She told me we’d go out. There were some wild hedgehogs she wanted to show me …’ He stopped again.
It was Susan’s turn to frown. She pulled her phone from her pocket and consulted the messages. Sure enough, there was one from Mandy.
If you’re mad, then I’m sorry, it read. If not, you’re welcome.
She felt breathless as she looked up from the phone. Douglas was watching her still. ‘I’m afraid we’ve been set up,’ Susan said. Her eyes were on his face. Would he turn round and put Munro straight back into his stable? He looked, if anything, even more disconcerted than she felt.
The sound of hooves came across the yard and Molly appeared, leading Coco. Susan’s heart lifted a little, as it always did when she thought of their many happy days out, hacking around the dale. She turned quickly to Douglas. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I honestly had no idea. I’d love to ride with you if …’ She paused, then continued in a hurry, ‘… if you could forgive me for lying.’ She held her breath, but Douglas had no time to reply before Molly was upon them. ‘It’s a lovely day for it,’ she said, her voice cheery. ‘Nice of Mandy to set it up.’ She winked at Susan, who was feeling ever more embarrassed. She hoped Douglas hadn’t seen. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she’d lied again and that Mandy had set up the date with Susan’s blessing. But Douglas had turned away and was tightening Munro’s girth.
Molly looked Susan up and down, then inspected Douglas, who had finished buckling. ‘I was going to get you a hat, wasn’t I?’ she said, seeing Douglas’s uncovered head. ‘Wait there a minute.’ She rushed off again, this time in the direction of the tack room.
‘So is it okay?’ Susan asked.
The nod he sent her seemed tentative. ‘We might as well ride, now we’re here,’ he said, with the tiniest hint of a smile. Susan felt relief course through her. Awkward as it would be to go out, it would have been worse if he’d turned and walked away. Molly appeared with a couple of hats and held on to Munro while Douglas tried them on. He ran his hands through his hair before setting the first one on his head. He clipped the chinstrap into place, shook his head a little and nodded. ‘This one’s fine,’ he said. Molly went round to hold the stirrup on Munro’s saddle, and with surprising agility, Douglas pushed off, landing lightly in the saddle. He gathered in the reins in a business-like fashion, then sat very still as Molly came over to give Susan a hand.
‘You should stay away from the low path along the valley bottom,’ Molly said, looking up at Susan. ‘There’s a risk of flooding after all the rain we’ve had. Walton Bridleway should be fine but stay on the high ground when you come to the field with the big oak. You know the one I mean?’
‘I do, thanks. Don’t worry, we’ll be careful.’ Susan smiled down at Molly, who clapped a hand on Coco’s neck.
‘Have a good ride,’ she said.
A few minutes later, they turned right out of the driveway, then crossed over the road. So far, they had not exchanged a word since they mounted their horses. It felt strange to be riding out with Douglas. Susan didn’t get to ride as often as she would like, but when she did she went out with Molly or Helen Steer, the Animal Ark nurse. Coco was quite tall enough for Susan, but she felt dwarfed beside the hefty Munro. She glanced up at Douglas, who was riding easily, his body moving in motion with the steps of the large Clydesdale cross.
‘Have you done much riding?’ she asked. Douglas certainly looked happier, now they were out and moving.
He looked down at her and for the first time, sent her an echo of the huge grin that she had been missing recently. ‘I grew up on a smallholding in the Highlands,’ he said. ‘I didn’t have a pony, but the neighbours on either side did. I used to ride with them after school. I don’t really remember a time before I could ride.’
It sounded idyllic, Susan thought. She had lived in London until she was twelve. When she’d first come to Welford, she had hated it. Now she wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. She waited for a moment, hoping he would ask her about her childhood, but instead, he looked around, taking in the scenery. ‘It always looks so different from horseback,’ he said.
They had turned off the road and were riding along the bridleway that skirted the edge of the valley. The river did indeed look swollen, Susan thought as she gazed down into the gully. In summer, it was shallow, chattering over rocks. In springtime, it rose as the snow melted from the high moors. Now it was close to bursting its banks. ‘It does,’ she said, searching for something more to say, but coming up blank.
Douglas put both reins into one hand and reached up with the other to move his hair out of his eyes. His new style, with his fringe brushed forwards, made him look a little smarter, Susan thought, but it didn’t suit him nearly as well as the wild look he used to sport. ‘You’ve changed your hair,’ she said.
Douglas gave a kind of shrug. He looked, if anything, unexpectedly shy. ‘Do you like it?’ he asked.
Susan’s mind was still treacherously empty. How could she answer truthfully? She didn’t want to upset him. She was lucky to be here talking to him at all. But she had promised herself she wouldn’t lie. ‘It’s nice,’ she told him, ‘but I kind of liked it the way it was before.’ She tried to smile as she spoke to take the sting out of the words, but he looked away again at the view and didn’t smile back.
‘There’s something I want to tell you,’ she said. He turned and looked straight into her eyes. She was jolted by the pain in his. Had he been trying to please her with his new look? She’d obviously hurt him again. She had the sudden feeling that this was it: her chance to make things right or fail forever. She took a deep breath then began. ‘I want to apologise properly,’ she said. ‘And I wanted to explain something.’ She stopped. It was difficult, but he was listening. ‘You were right,’ she said, ‘to be suspicious when you saw me with Michael. I was head over heels in love with him when we were together.’ She paused. Though it was past history, it was still hard to talk about. ‘Back then I thought we’d spend our lives together and have a family and share everything.’ Her voice was shaking. ‘Then Jack came along,’ she said. ‘It was the wrong time for Michael.’ She stopped again, pressing her mouth together in a thin line. The wrong time? What an understated way to describe the devastation he’d made of her life. She swallowed, giving herself time.
‘I built a new life,’ she went on, when she had her voice under control again. ‘Just me and Jack. We were happy, but obviously I was looking for someone – I was on LoveSpark, I tried dating. Then Michael turne
d up again, just as I met you and I somehow got caught up in this … dream.’ And now the words were rushing out. ‘I’d always wondered how it would be if Michael and I had stayed together. Brought Jack up as a family. It felt like a second chance, you know?’ She stopped in desperation. Would he, could he, understand?
They were riding along steadily. The path narrowed as it descended further into the valley and there were trees either side of the track. Susan felt a shiver run down her spine. Douglas was so close beside her that their knees were almost touching. She wanted to reach out her hand for comfort, but she didn’t know how he would react. They rode on for another minute, side by side and a million miles apart. She had to continue, she thought. She had to make him see.
‘But just like the first time, it turned out to be more of a nightmare than a dream.’ Her voice sounded grim as she spoke. ‘I thought he’d changed, but he hadn’t … We’ve built a new life together, Jack and me. I know now that Michael isn’t for me. I don’t want his life. I want the one I have now. I can’t go back.’
The path opened out again. Susan could see the river rushing over the rocks fifty feet below. The pouring water sounded loud. There was only a low wall between them and the torrent beneath. She pressed Coco gently with her foot, moving away from the edge.
There was a softer look in Douglas’s eyes when she looked at him again. He gazed at her with a tentative smile and reached out a gloved hand. Susan stretched hers out and for a moment, their fingers touched. She felt strength run into her. ‘Thanks for telling me,’ he said. ‘It can’t have been easy. I do understand.’
Susan screwed up her face and shook her head. ‘I’m so sorry I lied to you,’ she said. ‘It was stupid and on the spur of the moment when Michael said he couldn’t do another day. I was ashamed as soon as I’d said it. I knew it was all wrong. I was going to tell you the very next time I saw you, but then when we met at Hope Meadows …’
Their fingers were still touching. For a moment, he gripped hers. ‘I’m glad you told me,’ he said. ‘It’s tough when too many things come up at the same time. And I can see it’s complicated with Jack. I know you must always be trying to do what’s best for him.’
They had reached the bottom of the hill and now the roar of the torrent filled her ears. Ahead of them, a narrow stone bridge led across the river. Beyond it, there were fields. They could canter, Susan thought, once they’d crossed the water. Then they could go back along the other side of the valley, or if the fields were flooded, they’d come back the way they came. They had broken the ice. It would be easier from now on. Her spirits lifted as she encouraged Coco towards the bridge.
They managed to get the horses across, though the wall of sound was deafening. Just as well Coco and Munro are quiet. On the far side, the noise retreated as they walked onto the field. The smooth stretch of grass was inviting. Susan could feel Coco becoming restive. He wanted to run.
‘Race you!’ Douglas turned to her, waited for her to nod and gather her reins, then leaned forward in his saddle and urged Munro on. A second later, Susan and Coco were chasing them across the field, the wind in their hair and a laugh in Susan’s throat.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Susan crouched over his withers, balancing like a jockey. The wind rushed in her ears and she couldn’t help grinning. Beneath her, Coco surged and stretched, hoofbeats thudding on the wet turf. There was no way she could catch Douglas on the much taller and faster Munro, but she was having a fantastic time trying.
He slowed as they approached a line of fir trees beside the wall that marked the field boundary. They ended at a comfortable canter. Douglas leaned back in his saddle. ‘Woohooo!’ he yelled. He made a motion in the air as if he was circling a lasso. ‘Could’ve been a cowboy, me,’ he cried. Susan laughed as she caught her breath. Both horses were breathing hard and snorting. Douglas grinned, exhilaration filling his eyes. ‘What now, Calamity Sue?’ he asked in the most exaggerated cowboy accent imaginable.
Susan blew out her cheeks. ‘I don’t mind,’ she said. ‘Have we got time to go a bit further?’
Douglas glanced at his watch. ‘Should do,’ he said. His eyes were sparkling and Susan felt a surge of joy. The old cheery Douglas was back. If they hadn’t been on horseback, she would have reached out to hug him.
They began to make their way along the trees towards the gate into the next field. In the distance, Susan heard the bellow of a cow. Douglas reached the gate first. He gathered the reins into one hand and opened it, backing Munro round to let Susan through first.
Susan’s breath caught in her throat as she looked out across the field. The gate was the highest point in it, and most of the rest was completely waterlogged. A herd of Highland cattle were huddled in the far corner, penned in on two sides by walls. On the third side, brown water was lapping towards them. They were trapped!
Douglas came through the gate and stopped beside her. ‘Oh no, we’ve got some trouble here,’ he said, a note of worry in his voice. Even as they watched, the area of land upon which the cattle were sheltering shrank. The water was rising fast. Susan looked down the field to see that the river had broken its banks downstream from where they had crossed. That’s where the water is coming from. The cows were milling in circles. They reached down to sniff at the water, then jumped back, eyes wide, as if alarmed.
‘What should we do?’ Susan’s heart was racing. There was no longer space for all the cattle. The water was lapping at their hooves. One of them raised its head and bellowed again, stretching out its neck.
‘We have to get them out of there,’ Douglas said. He frowned. ‘Ring Mandy,’ he said. She’ll know whose they are.’
Susan pulled her phone from her pocket. She was relieved when Mandy replied on the first ring. ‘Hi, Mandy?’ She pressed the phone to her ear. Douglas was circling on Munro. The horse was unsettled, shaking his head up and down and snorting. ‘We’re on Walton Bridleway,’ she said loudly. ‘Second field after the bridge. We’ve found some Highland cattle. The field’s flooding. The water’s rising fast.’ Even as she spoke, she could see the flood water spreading. The moat that separated them from the cows was widening.
‘They must be Jeremy Loxhill’s’ Mandy’s voice was clipped. ‘I’ll give him a call. We’ll be there shortly.’
‘They’re on their way,’ Susan called out. Munro seemed to have calmed again.
Douglas nodded. ‘That’s good,’ he said, ‘but we can’t wait. We’re going to have to get them out of there before the water gets any higher.’ There was determination in his voice. Susan felt courage surging into her. She looked across the field, trying to work out the safest route. She had ridden here a thousand times before. ‘We should follow the line of the track there,’ she pointed to the track, which lay on a ridge. Though it too was submerged, the water there would be shallower. ‘Then we can drive them along the wall. Once they’re out of the water, we can bring them up here.’
Douglas nodded once. Side by side, they rode down the slope. The water was still rising, creeping towards them. When Susan looked over at the cows, there was no land left to see. Their feet were submerged beneath the rising brown tide. They rode into the water. She could hear Coco’s hooves splashing. The water was at Coco’s knees, then Susan’s feet.
The brown water was swirling. For a moment, Coco faltered, but Susan urged him on. Douglas rode by her side. Munro seemed to be taking the unusual ride in his stride.
‘What’ll we do when we get there?’ Susan asked.
Douglas had a grim look on his face. He was riding forward nonetheless. ‘They may not want to move,’ he said. ‘We’ll have to drive them. Shout at them. Wave your arms if you think Coco’ll take it.’ Susan had never seen him look so serious.
Beneath her, Coco stumbled and lurched, and for a moment, Susan felt panic rising, but then the gelding found his feet again. Munro, easily two hands taller, was still striding forward. The cattle were eyeing them and snorting, milling round on their now submerged is
land.
‘Okay?’ Douglas looked down at Susan. How steady his blue eyes seemed. ‘Ready?’ he asked and then they surged forwards. They were close to the cattle now.
‘Wooo! Go on!’ Douglas roared at the herd and waved his left arm in the air.
The nearest cow looked at him. Her eyes were frantic.
‘Get on!’ Susan too found her voice.
The herd were milling faster and for a moment, Susan wondered if they would break through the wall, but Douglas drove Munro forward again, close to the wall and the cattle began to turn, reluctant at first, but then they too were fully in the water up to their elbows, swimming for a moment, then swishing and splashing as they reached the slope that led up to the gate.
‘We’ll drive them round the wall,’ Douglas shouted. ‘You stay behind them and I’ll go alongside to keep them moving in the right direction. You’re doing great!’
They should have left the gate open, Susan thought as they drove the cattle up the slope. Not that the other field was safe from flooding if the water continued to rise, but the way out lay in that direction. There was no way the cattle could stay here safely. She and Coco trotted behind the herd and Douglas controlled their direction as he’d said he would. He really is like a cowboy!
A movement up ahead caught her eye. The gate was opening. For a moment, Susan thought she caught a glimpse of Mandy waving, then her attention was back on the cattle in front of her. They were moving steadily now. Douglas moved out a little. They reached the gate and he circled round to turn them through it. He was still chattering soothingly the whole way. ‘Come along now, ladies, off to dry land. You all right there, Susan? See, they’re going to be fine.’
For a moment, Susan thought the cows would turn easily. They slowed. Then the lead cow snorted at something unseen, tossed her head in the air and set off again up the hill.