MClarke - Green Wellies and Wax Jackets

by Green Wellies

‘Okay. A slight rise to the brush beforehand, but other than that, it doesn’t look a problem. Not for him, anyway.’

  Ella checked the girth, and adjusted the stirrups.

  ‘God knows what I’m going to say to Vanessa and Caroline,’ she said, as she swung up into the saddle.

  ‘How about “hello”,’ Thomas suggested.

  ‘Oh, just ignore them,’ Heather said. ‘It doesn’t matter what they think. If you want to take part in the competition, there’s no earthly reason why you shouldn’t.’

  ‘Only duty, loyalty and management of the stable yard….’

  Thomas frowned. ‘They’d not get anyone more loyal than you, Ella. But seeing as how you mentioned it, I’d better get back to Hollyfield. Best of luck, lass,’ he added. ‘I’ll be rooting for you.’

  ‘Thanks,’ she said checking the girth again. Now that she was here, she was looking forward to taking part. It had been a while since she had competed, but the familiar rush of excitement and anticipation was there, as if it had been only yesterday.

  She rubbed Majesty’s head and stroked his neck. ‘We can do it, boy,’ she murmured. ‘We can show them.’

  ‘Ready?’ Heather said.

  Ella sucked in a deep breath, and nodded.

  ‘I’ll leg you up on the count of three. One, two…Oh my God!’

  Ella’s foot was poised in the stirrup, her knee bent ready to spring up on the third count. ‘What’s wrong?’ she said, as Heather promptly dropped her leg and straightened up. ‘Heather? What is it? Is something wrong with Majesty?’

  ‘I don’t believe it.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘It’s him,’ she blurted, tugging at Ella’s sleeve. ‘It’s Simon De Silva.’

  ‘Oh, so what,’ she said, plainly irritated. ‘He’s bound to be here, isn’t he? I mean he’s being filmed at the show. Now come on and give me a leg up.’

  ‘No, I mean, he’s here,’ Heather said, her cheeks turning a ripe shade of cherry red. ‘He’s right here. He’s behind you,’ she hissed.

  ‘Miss Johnson? Miss Gabriella Johnson?’

  Ella glanced round in surprise. ‘Yes?’ she said, gazing blankly at the group of men who were assembling beside her. Two of them were dressed in dark suits and black jumpers. They looked like security men or bouncers. The other two were more casually dressed in jeans and shirts. One of them looked vaguely familiar. Oh my God! She yanked her foot out of the stirrup, and spun round. It was him - the man she had seen peering into the window of Ludlow’s Antique Emporium. Blimey. Her cheeks flushed scarlet. What was he doing here?

  ‘Hi,’ he said, stepping forwards. ‘We haven’t met, but I’m Lewis Trevelyan from Blackwater Films.’

  Ella’s eyes widened in surprise. Her mouth had formed into a silent ‘oh.’

  ‘And this is Simon De Silva – the star of our latest production.’

  ‘Hello there.’

  ‘Um…hello,’ Ella said, finding her hand grasped and shaken warmly by the dark haired young man in front of her. So this was the infamous film star that all her friends were swooning over was it? The Simon De Silva. Well, he was certainly good-looking – quite dishy, in fact, but not half as interesting to her as this other man was – this Lewis Trevelyan. He had a sort of rugged attractiveness about him that was making her feel quite giddy. The fact that he was perusing her with such obvious interest wasn’t helping matters either. She detected a determined, but mildly amused glint in his eyes.

  She glanced sideways at Heather, who gave a puzzled shrug of her shoulders. She seemed as perplexed by all this as she was.

  ‘You’re a very elusive woman, Miss Johnson,’ he said.

  ‘I am?’

  ‘I’ll say.’ He grinned, and Ella felt her heart give an unexpected little thud against her ribcage. ‘I’ve been trying to track you down for days.’

  ‘You have?’ she said.

  ‘Oh yes.’ He nodded grimly. (If she only but knew.) ‘The thing is,’ he said. ‘You’re exactly the sort of person we need for this film.’

  ‘That’s what I said,’ Heather crowed gleefully. ‘She wasn’t going to come, you know. We practically had to make her. Thomas and I planned it all between us.’

  Ella blushed, and wished Heather would shut up. She wanted to hear what else this man had to say.

  ‘She’s a top class rider, you know. Her father was…’

  ‘Robert Johnson. Yes, I know,’ Lewis said. He stuck his hands in the pockets of his jacket, and gave a slight shrug. ‘The thing is,’ he said. ‘I’ve got a bit of a problem. It’s not about the competition,’ he added, glancing sideways up at Ella. (God, she was gorgeous.) ‘Although, I suppose, in a way it is. To put it bluntly, I’ve got about ten minutes to find a horse for Simon to ride that won’t ditch him in the nearest hedge the moment he digs his heels in. Not only that, but I need someone to help him while we’re filming.’ He smiled ruefully down at her. ‘I was kind of hoping that person would be you.’

  ‘Me?’ Ella croaked. She couldn’t believe it. Why would he want her, when she had never met him, let alone spoken to him, before?

  ‘Oh go on, Ella. You can do it,’ Heather was saying cheerfully. She was looking as star struck as Kate had done, when she had first heard about the proposed filming at Hollyfield. ‘Majesty’s a real sweetie,’ she said, smiling up at Simon. ‘He’ll do anything you want him to do.’

  ‘He doesn’t kick or buck, then?’ Simon said, strolling round to the front of the horse and eyeing him up, man to beast. Majesty’s ears pricked forwards and he blew down his nostrils at him. Simon laughed, and rubbed the horse’s velvety nose with the palm of his hand.

  ‘No, no – he’s very laid back. But he can jump,’ she added, glancing back at Lewis. ‘He’d win this competition by a mile.’

  ‘That’s a pity,’ Lewis said.

  ‘Why?’ Ella looked at him, puzzled.

  ‘Because I doubt if he’ll be able to take part. Not if you agree to help us,’ he said. ‘There won’t be time.’

  Not take part? Ella glanced at Heather. But surely that was the whole point of them coming here.

  ‘It’s a lot to ask, I know,’ Lewis said. ‘And I wouldn’t ask, if I wasn’t desperate.’ He sighed, and shook his head. This was all going wrong. He was saying all the wrong things. He had been so overwhelmed with actually finding her, that for some insane reason, he had naturally assumed she would leap at the chance.

  Ella ran up Majesty’s stirrups, and patted him on the neck. Her thoughts were racing. ‘Let me get this straight,’ she said, swinging back to face Lewis. ‘You want me to help Simon ride this horse now - this instant?’

  ‘Hmm. That’s about the size of it,’ Lewis said.

  ‘And we’re going to be filmed doing it?’

  ‘I guess so.’

  ‘And the winner of the show-jumping competition – what will she get?’ she said. ‘I mean, I thought that was the prize – a part in the film with Simon De Silva.’

  ‘Ah, but we didn’t say what part,’ he said. ‘I’m sure we’ll be able to think of something for her.’

  ‘Well, it’s all very strange,’ Ella said, taking off her hat, and shaking her blonde hair free. ‘If all you had to do was ask me, why are you bothering to run the competition?’

  ‘Why?’ Lewis choked. ‘Because…Because…oh never mind – it’ll take too long to explain. You’ll do it, right?’

  ‘Yes, okay,’ she said. Though goodness knows why. She’d never hear the end of it from Vanessa and Caroline. This was their dream come true and she was going to be part of it. ‘What do you want me to do?’

  Simon De Silva was not a natural horseman. That much was apparent the moment he sat on Majesty. His legs stuck out in front of him, and he was slouched back in the saddle as if he were sitting in an armchair. The reins dangled loosely between his clenched fists.

  ‘Like this?’ he said, straightening his back.

  ‘Um, not quite,’ Ella said, walking round to inspect his positio
n. ‘Try pulling your legs back a bit, and gathering up the reins. ‘That’s better,’ she said. It couldn’t get much worse.

  ‘Well?’ Lewis said.

  Ella grimaced.

  ‘That bad, huh?’ He frowned. ‘Simon, can’t you try and look as if you know what you’re doing?’

  ‘You want me to act the part?’

  ‘It might help,’ he said.

  ‘Okay.’ Ella caught hold of the reins. ‘Let’s try him at walk.’ She clicked her tongue and Majesty sprang forwards. Simon swayed backwards like a rag doll.

  ‘Steady on,’ he muttered, clutching at the horse’s mane. ‘Caught me a bit off balance there.’

  ‘This is hopeless,’ Lewis groaned.

  ‘No wait, I’m getting the hang of it,’ Simon said. ‘It’s all about control. I can do this, Lewis.’

  ‘Yes, but we haven’t got all week,’ he said. ‘Miles wants you on set this afternoon.’ He glanced hopefully at Ella. ‘Got any suggestions?’

  ‘I’m thinking,’ she said, pursing her lips. Majesty wasn’t the problem. It was Simon’s lack of coordination that was causing him to lose his balance. If he could sit securely in his seat he would be fine. What he needed was something to hold on to – or someone.

  ‘This scene you’re shooting,’ she said. ‘I don’t suppose it could be changed, could it?’

  ‘I suspect it’s going to be cut altogether,’ Lewis muttered.

  ‘No way.’ Simon jerked on the reins, and Majesty stopped in mid stride, almost catapulting him over the horse’s head. ‘Whoops!’

  ‘My point exactly.’ Lewis said, scratching behind his ear.

  The two burly minders were standing leaning against the horsebox watching the proceedings with detached interest and trying not to smile. Every so often, they would walk around, keeping an eye on anyone venturing too close. Heather was sitting on the grass, twirling her whip between her fingers, and enjoying every minute of the performance.

  ‘I’ve got a suggestion,’ Ella said. ‘Why can’t I ride with him?’

  ‘How?’ Lewis said. He was getting rather weary of all this. Simon De Silva deserved to be shot. He had taken the part knowing what the script entailed. No actor in their right mind should agree to do an action scene, if they weren’t up to the job. And Simon’s refusal to let stuntmen take over was only hampering things for everyone.

  ‘He can sit behind me,’ Ella explained. ‘I’ll be the one in control, and all he has to do is hold on.’

  ‘Can you do that?’ Lewis said, detecting a small glimmer of hope in her idea.

  ‘I don’t see why not,’ she said. ‘Let’s try it and see.’

  This time things went much more smoothly. Apart from an undignified scramble to get on, Simon managed to sit rather well behind her, and when she urged Majesty into a loping canter, the two of them moved in unison together.

  Ella trotted Majesty in a half circle, and brought him back to the horsebox.

  ‘Well?’ she said.

  Lewis was thinking. His face was set in an expression that was both stern and distant. This might just work. It would mean re-writing part of the script, but changes like this were made all the time. No one liked them, but sometimes they were essential to the smooth running of a film. If Simon ran from the first aid post and found Ella riding the nearest horse, all they would have to do is script him leaping up behind her – leaping being the operative word. They’d have to have a hidden ramp or something, judging by his ungainly scramble a moment ago. But yes – yes it might just work.

  ‘Brilliant!’ he said.

  ‘Really?’ Ella glanced over her shoulder at Simon, who was still hanging onto her waist as if he had been welded there. ‘Well done,’ she said.

  ‘Thanks,’ he replied. ‘Although I’d like to make a small suggestion. Could I have a bit more padding, please?’ He winced, and a pained expression flitted across his face. ‘This saddle’s a bit hard.’

  ‘Good,’ Lewis said, somewhat unsympathetically. ‘Because it serves you bloody well right.’ He winked at Ella. ‘And you, Miss Johnson, are a genius.’

  The unaccustomed praise, combined with the way he was smiling up at her, was making Ella feel quite bashful. ‘Thanks,’ she said. She turned to help Simon dismount, which he did with a lot more style and finesse than he did when mounting. ‘Are you okay?’ she said.

  ‘Hmm.’ He nodded, but his drawn face indicated precisely the opposite. ‘I’ll live.’

  ‘That’s what we like to hear,’ Lewis said, thumping him heartily on the back. ‘Well done, Simon. Now then, about this change of plan…’

  Ella watched as the two of them strolled across the grass, heads bent in earnest discussion. Her heart was thumping erratically and she was feeling all hot and flustered.

  ‘Wow!’ Heather said, coming forward to hold Majesty’s reins. ‘You were great. I can’t believe you rode with Simon De Silva,’ she sighed. ‘Isn’t he gorgeous?’

  ‘Who? Oh Simon? Yes, I suppose so.’ She swung her leg over the back of the saddle, and jumped down. ‘I rather like the other bloke myself,’ she added. ‘That Lewis Trevelyan.’

  Heather turned and squinted over at the two men. ‘To be honest, I hadn’t really noticed him,’ she said. ‘But yes, I can see what you mean. He looks a bit film starrish, doesn’t he?’

  ‘He’s the producer,’ Ella said. ‘The one who’s been coming up to Hollyfield all this time. I’m not surprised Vanessa and Caroline got in such a dither about seeing him.’ She slid up the stirrups and patted Majesty on the neck. ‘Wonder if he’s married?’ she said.

  Heather raised an eyebrow at her and smiled. ‘Want me to find out?’

  ‘No.’ Ella gaped at her aghast. ‘No.’ Her voice lowered. ‘I was just wondering, that’s all.’

  Lewis was watching her as he spoke to Simon. No wonder Ursula had been so keen to keep her out of the way. She was stunning – the way she moved, the way she talked, in fact, everything about her, was beautiful. In comparison to her stepsisters, she had it all – looks, talent, the lot. He had a good feeling about this.

  ‘Right then, folks,’ he said. ‘If we could make our way over to the Grand Ring, I think it’s time we told Miles about the change of scene.’

  The final call for competitors in the Simon De Silva show jumping stakes was being made over the loudspeakers.

  Lewis caught Ella by the arm and gently pulled her to one side. ‘You’re sure about this?’ he said. ‘I mean, I know I’ve put you on the spot, but I’ll understand if you want to change your mind?’

  His touch on her arm was like an electric shock against her skin. She could smell the faint scent of his aftershave as he bowed his head close to hers. For this man, she thought dazedly, she would do anything.

  ‘No, its fine,’ she said. ‘I haven’t competed for ages, anyway.’

  ‘Why not?’ he asked. His dark eyes glittered warmly. ‘I’m sure you’d be good at it.’

  ‘I am. Or at least, I was. Time, I suppose,’ she explained. ‘Work, the horses, running the business.’

  ‘Isn’t that Ursula’s job?’

  Ella looked up at him. Her voice was starting to waver. ‘She makes it hers,’ she said. ‘But technically, it’s mine. Ursula’s not that good with horses,’ she explained. ‘But she is good at dealing with people.’

  ‘I can’t say I’d noticed,’ Lewis responded, with a knowing smile.

  Ella felt her heart melt. It was almost as if he knew what was going on over at Hollyfield. Maybe he was more astute than he looked.

  ‘Come on, we’d best get moving,’ he said. ‘Simon – do you want to ride over?’

  The star of the film gave an abrupt and firm shake of his head. ‘Think I’ll give it a miss, if it’s all the same to you.’

  ‘Saving your strength for the real thing, huh?’

  Simon pulled a face. ‘Whatever.’

  Ella looped the reins over Majesty’s head and started to lead him, with Heather following on behind, flanked by
Simon and the two bouncers. Lewis walked beside her, his long legs striding to keep up with the horse’s steady plod.

  ‘Rider number 607 – that’s Caroline Johnson riding Jasper, is disqualified,’ came the announcement over the tannoy. ‘Sixteen faults and a refusal. The next rider is number 382 – Maxine Wallace on Pepperpot...’

  ‘Oh, that’s a shame,’ Ella said, pausing to listen. ‘Caroline’s out. I wonder what went wrong.’

  ‘Putting her on a horse in the first place, I suspect,’ Lewis said. ‘Well,’ he added, catching sight of Ella’s surprised stare. ‘Be honest – she’s not the most able of horsewomen.’