First published in 1997 by Usborne Publishing Ltd, Usborne House,
83-85 Saffron Hill, London EC1N 8RT, England.
www.usborne.com
Copyright © 2012, 2009, 2003, 1997 Usborne Publishing Ltd.
The name Usborne and the devices are the Trade Marks of Usborne Publishing Ltd.
All rights reserved. This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or used in any way except as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or loaned or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Epub ISBN 9781409555094
Kindle ISBN 9781409555100
Batch no. 01486-01
CONTENTS
Maps
1. Heated words
2. The nightmare
3. Another try
4. More lies
5. The pressure mounts
6. Some unexpected advice
7. Catastrophe strikes
8. Confessions
9. An unexpected guest
10. The truth of the matter
11. Storm brewing
12. Stormy aftermath
13. Sarah panics
14. Ride by moonlight
15. A long wait
16. A new addition
17. Back at the yard
More Sandy Lane Stables books
Maps to print out
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1
HEATED WORDS
“I can’t Tom...and that’s the end of it. I’m not riding again!” Charlie Marshall looked up from where he was grooming the piebald pony at Sandy Lane Stables, his green eyes flashing angrily. “Just get out of my face,” he shouted. “It’s got nothing to do with you. I’m not stopping you from riding, and at least it’ll be less competition for you as the star rider here.”
“That’s not fair,” Tom started.
Charlie didn’t answer, but just furiously went back to what he was doing. Tom shrugged his shoulders and left him to it. Charlie felt bad as he leaned out over the stable door and watched him go. Tom was a good friend, and he hadn’t meant things to turn into a blazing row, but right now the subject of riding was a very touchy one.
Charlie thought about calling Tom back over and apologizing, but something stopped him. A little nagging voice in his head told him it would only make things worse – that Tom would only think he’d given in, and things would just flare up again. Charlie didn’t want that. Nothing anyone could do, nothing anyone could say, was going to make him change his mind. He wasn’t getting back into the saddle, and that was that. It was only the second week of the summer holidays too – whatever was he going to do with his time if he wasn’t riding?
Charlie sighed. More than anything, he’d have liked to forget the accident he’d had at the Elmwood Racing Stables last week, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t forget it. He looked at his watch. Five past eleven. On any normal Tuesday he’d have been racing on the gallops there by now. He’d been riding out two mornings a week and hadn’t missed a slot since May. Even in term time he’d still managed to get there before school, and it was a good hour’s bus ride away. But since the accident, he hadn’t felt like going back. He’d been phoning in sick, hiding out at his usual stables – Sandy Lane.
Charlie had been riding at Sandy Lane Stables for over two years now – ever since his parents had divorced – and he’d fitted in almost immediately. He’d got on really well with all the regular riders, and the owners of the stables, Nick and Sarah Brooks, couldn’t have been more friendly. In fact, it was Nick who first suggested Charlie think about a future as a jockey... Nick who convinced him he’d got the talent. He was the right size for it too, for Charlie was small for his age.
Once the idea had been put into Charlie’s head, there had been no stopping him. He’d got a place at the British Racing School for September on the understanding that he came with four months race work experience, and that had been easy enough to arrange. Josh Wiley, the racehorse trainer at Elmwood, had been advertising for someone to ride out for him for the summer. It had all fallen into place – almost as though it was fated.
“Hey Charlie, are you OK?” Jess Adams’s cheery face peered over the stable door at him.
“I’m fine,” he answered abruptly.
“You’re very quiet in there,” she laughed, tying her messy, brown curls into a ponytail.
“Just thinking,” he grunted. “About the accident and stuff.”
“Oh.” Jess didn’t know what to say. “I’m going to my jumping lesson,” she muttered, and quickly disappeared off to Skylark’s stable.
Charlie shrugged his shoulders. For the last week his friends had been trying to get him back on a horse, and now that it was clear that they wouldn’t be able to, they seemed at a loss to know what to do. Rosie and Jess went on as though nothing had happened; Kate and her brother Alex avoided the subject; and Izzy – well, even Izzy seemed too busy with her horse, Midnight, to talk about it. Charlie knew they probably just didn’t know what to say, but it didn’t make him feel very good. Perhaps he just needed a break from horses. Maybe he just needed to get away from it all. But how? How could he get away from it all when he was living at Sandy Lane for the summer?
It had seemed such a good idea back in May when he’d arranged to board at the stables for the holidays. His mother was going to Florida with her new boyfriend, Jeff, and had wanted Charlie to go with them. But that would have meant giving up everything – his race training, the Colcott Show, the August Bank Holiday Show. Staying with Nick and Sarah at the cottage had seemed like the perfect solution. And, as Sarah was pregnant, Nick needed some extra help. Charlie’s mother had readily agreed to it. She wasn’t bad like that. Charlie knew that she sometimes found it difficult to understand him, but she supported him all the way with his riding.
Charlie led Pepper out of his stable and held his head while the rider mounted. Nick was taking a training session in the outdoor school right now. With all of the summer shows coming up, excitement was high. But as Pepper plodded off to join the back of the string of horses, Charlie felt only relief that he wasn’t taking part. He looked around him. The yard was almost empty. It was a hot July day, but Charlie felt unnaturally cold. He shivered as images of the accident invaded his thoughts. He closed his eyes...the horse walked through the gate...the grass fell away and they stretched out into a gallop. The trees flashed past in a whirl of green. Pounding hooves rang in Charlie’s ears and a lurching, sickening feeling spiralled around his stomach. The horse collapsed into nothing and...
“Charlie, Charlie. Are you listening to me?”
Charlie was brought back to earth with a bump by the sound of Tom’s voice echoing around the yard.
“What? Oh yes, I’m listening,” he answered.
“Good. Well, come on then,” Tom urged.
“What?” Charlie looked puzzled.
“Didn’t you hear a word I was saying?” Tom tried again. “Go and tack up Napoleon. Let’s go out for a ride. Come on, it’ll be fine.”
Tom was the only one who hadn’t stopped hassling Cha
rlie. His voice was coaxing, but Charlie couldn’t help feeling irritated.
“Look,” he said, grimly. “Just let it rest, will you? I’ve told you I’m not riding.”
And with that Charlie walked away. If Tom thought it would be that easy to change his mind then Tom clearly didn’t understand how difficult things were for him. But then how could he expect his friend to understand? How could he expect any of them to appreciate what he’d gone through when he hadn’t told them the full story of what had happened at the racing stables?
All was quiet as Charlie wandered off down the driveway. He stopped by the outdoor school and watched as Kate positioned Feather at the wall and neatly popped over. The rest of his friends were there – Alex, Izzy, Rosie and Jess – all of the regular riders were practising hard. But not Tom. He really ought to go and look for his friend and apologize.
Quickly, Charlie strode back up the drive and made the rounds of the boxes. He found Tom in Chancey’s stable, picking out one of his horse’s hooves.
“Er, Tom.” Charlie spoke gruffly, digging his hands deep into his pockets.
Tom looked up, startled, causing Chancey to edge away.
“What is it now?” he asked crossly.
“Look, I’m sorry about earlier,” Charlie started.
“That’s OK.” Tom shrugged, but Charlie could tell by his brusque manner that his feelings had been hurt. “I’m glad you’ve seen sense. Go and get Napoleon and we’ll go out. Let’s forget what was said.”
Charlie felt that Tom was pushing him now. Firmly, he looked Tom in the eye. “I can’t,” he said, trying to keep his cool. “I’m not ready. Look,” he tried again. “Why don’t we take the afternoon off – go down to the swimming pool or something. What do you say?”
“Some other time, Charlie,” Tom answered him abruptly. “I’ve got to train Chancey this afternoon. We need to practise if we’re going to be ready in time for the Colcott Show next week, and you ought to be doing the same, you know.”
“I’ve told you – the last thing I feel like doing at the moment is riding,” Charlie said, the anger rising in his throat in spite of himself. “And if you can’t understand that then– ”
“Then what?” Tom challenged him.
“Forget it.” Charlie thrust his hands deep into his pockets and stared into the distance.
“Look Charlie,” Tom said, more kindly this time. “You’ve got to pull yourself together. You’ve had a whole week to get back on a horse and you still haven’t done anything about it. Everyone’s losing patience with you.”
“Oh yeah?” Charlie shouted. “Like who?”
“Like Nick...like Sarah, like just about all of us at Sandy Lane,” Tom said. “I know you had a nasty fall, but it’s not as though you broke any bones or anything. Get back on a horse and get over it. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.”
Charlie looked ready to explode. “Stop feeling sorry for myself? Who do you think you are?”
Tom shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not trying to wind you up,” he said quickly. “But if you’re not riding soon, Josh Wiley will find someone else to ride out for him and you won’t get into racing school without the experience. I can’t sit by and watch you throw your place away like some loser.”
Charlie looked at Tom in disbelief. He was proud. He’d tried to apologize, and it had been thrown back in his face. Without another word, he turned on his heels and disappeared across the yard in the direction of Nick and Sarah’s cottage. Marching into the kitchen, Charlie slammed the back door shut behind him. Once alone inside, he stood with his back to the door and let out a huge sigh. And now his whole brave facade collapsed. He was so tired...tired of all the lies he was telling. And to top it all, he had a bad headache, a dull ache right behind his eyes.
A nasty fall, Tom had called it. If only he knew the horrible truth. Let them all think he was a loser – that was just punishment for what he’d done.
Charlie walked into the hallway, knocking the black labrador, Ebony, out of the way as he passed. Ebony yelped and looked up at him reproachfully.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Charlie knelt down to pat the dog’s head. “I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
2
THE NIGHTMARE
Charlie tossed and turned in his sleep. The rhythmic drumming of horses’ hooves throbbed in his head as he leaned forward in the saddle. On and on he galloped, the wind biting into his face. The ground dropped away as the other horses rode past. Charlie felt a sense of urgency rising in his throat, almost choking him, as he shielded himself from the mud spray. One more crack from the whip...one more nudge from his heels. Nearer and nearer they flew, closer to the spot.
“Stop, stop!” he cried now. But every tug on the reins seemed to send the racehorse faster and faster, until Charlie’s head was reeling. Furiously, they raced across the turf to the brow of the hill. Just over the top and down the side. Charlie’s heart was in his mouth. He knew what was coming next, and yet he couldn’t stop it. Closer and closer, nearly there now.
And then, suddenly, the black thoroughbred was dropping away, falling...falling...falling. The glint of the horses’ racing plates ahead of him was all that Charlie saw as he hit the ground, tucking himself into a neat ball as he rolled, over and over... You little idiot...you silly fool...you must have been riding too fast...of course it was your fault...
Charlie sat up rigid, the words echoing in his ears. His bedclothes were wringing wet; his heart was banging away. It was a dream, just a dream, he told himself, the same dream he’d been having for a week now.
He looked at his watch. No point in trying to get back to sleep – he’d told Nick he’d help him bring in the horses at seven thirty.
Throwing back the duvet, Charlie jumped out of bed and struggled into his clothes. Quickly, he made his way down the stairs to the kitchen. Sarah was already up and, as Charlie walked into the kitchen, she looked surprised to see him.
“Oh Charlie, you made me jump,” she said.
“I couldn’t sleep I– I–” Charlie didn’t know what to say.
“Is there anything you’d like to talk about?” Sarah suggested.
Charlie hesitated. “I don’t know I–” Charlie stopped himself. Hadn’t Tom already told him that everyone was losing patience with him? Sarah had enough on her plate with a baby on the way, without being burdened with his problems too. Yet Charlie desperately needed to talk to someone.
“Come on,” Sarah urged. “I couldn’t sleep either. The baby’s been kicking all night,” she said, patting her huge belly.
“OK, well thanks.” Charlie sat down at the round oak table as Sarah filled the teapot.
“Just over a month to go now,” she said, laughing as she dumped two cups of tea on the table and eased herself down onto the chair. “I’ll be so glad to be a normal size again.” Sarah was nearly eight months pregnant and it really showed. She took off her tortoiseshell glasses and rubbed her eyes. “Why don’t you start at the beginning. And don’t worry about boring me. I’m happy to listen if it will stop you from mooching around the yard as if the world’s come to an end.”
“If it’s going to be another lecture, then I don’t want to hear it,” Charlie said, defensively. “Tom’s already gone on at me enough about it.”
“No, it’s not a lecture,” Sarah said. “I’m not going to talk. You are.”
“Well.” Charlie stared across the room to where the morning light was streaming in through the windows. Sarah followed his gaze and got up from the table. She pulled back the curtains, so they could see out onto the yard, and sat back down. “I wish it was as simple as everyone seems to think,” Charlie started. “I wish it was just a case of getting back on a horse. Only I can’t seem to get the accident out of my head. I suppose at first I thought it was like all the other times I’d fallen, and you know there have been enough of those,” he laughed nervously. “Only this time it’s different. The feeling I had – well it was like nothing I’ve ever
felt before.” He was trying to explain things, but he knew he was waffling.
Sarah looked at him. “Go on,” she said.
“I thought I was all right at first,” he started again. “It was only when I got back to the racing stables after the ride that I realized I wasn’t, that I’d been scared. It’s like the feeling you get on a roller coaster – you go up and down and upside down, and all the time your heart is in your mouth. You’re wondering what’s coming next, and yet you know you’re safe because it’s all programmed. It’s not like that when you’re riding. When you’re riding, you’re the one in control.”
“You’ve been thinking about this too much,” Sarah said, gently.
“I know, I know,” Charlie said, holding his head in his hands.
Sarah looked across at Charlie. His blond hair flopped forward, masking his face, making it hard for her to read anything in his expression.
“I think I can understand what you’re going through,” she said, soothingly. “And you’re right – when you’re riding, you are the one in charge, which is why you have to be completely sure about what you’re doing. That shouldn’t scare you. Josh Wiley wouldn’t have taken you on if he didn’t think you were up to it, and you know Nick has complete confidence in your riding.”
Charlie looked up. His face was pale and drawn, his mouth pinched and thin.
“You’ll find a lot of people go through this at some point in their riding careers,” Sarah went on. “Lots of riders have falls...falls that scare them...terrify them even. But a true horseman doesn’t give in – you must ride again.” Sarah sat quietly, waiting for a response, and when it didn’t come, she leaned forward. “Look Charlie,” she started. “Is there something you’re not telling us?”
Charlie gulped. This was the perfect opportunity to get everything off his chest. Sarah would understand, wouldn’t she?
“I know it’s been hard for you since the divorce,” Sarah started again. “And it must be difficult seeing your mother with someone else, but you’ve got to start to rebuild your life now. She’ll be back from Florida soon and then things will be back to normal. She’s not away for long. It’ll be all right.”
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