Nothing but Trouble

Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

THE HORSES GOT Monday off, but no such luck for the humans. Well, most of the humans. By the time I’d eaten breakfast and gone outside to clean Folly’s stable, there was still no sign of the Uglies.

Jenny wasn’t amused. “The whole point of staying here is that you learn about the commitment of owning a horse, not just how to ride it. Where are they?”

“I think they mentioned a party last night.” Judging by the slamming doors and laughing, they’d got back at two in the morning.

“Party or no party, the horses still need to be done.”

Jenny marched off to the barn while I cleaned out Folly’s automatic water drinker. She nuzzled me gently from behind, making me jump then giggle. It was funny how a couple of days ago I’d been terrified of her.

“I haven’t got any treats, girl, but I’ll see if I can pinch you a carrot later, how about that?”

A bleary-eyed Connor shuffled past outside, scratching his head.

“Good morning,” I said.

“Not sure about the good part, but yeah, morning.”

Annabel and Felicity turned up on the yard almost an hour later, looking furious at having to be there at all.

“This is ridiculous,” I overheard Annabel say. “She said we have to learn about horse ownership, but I already have a horse and a groom to look after it. Why should I have to get up and do manual labour?”

Maybe so you know what it’s like to live in the real world?

With no riding on the agenda, I had most of the day to myself. The big, squashy sofa next to the window called my name, but while I was in my room picking out a book to read, the Uglies commandeered the entire lounge to do their own spa day. Soon enough, the place smelled more pungent than a Lush store, and then they added nail varnish to the mix.

Sod it. I slunk back to my room where a text from Mike proved the most exciting thing to happen all day.

Mike: Ella, your brother and I are both worried. Where are you?

He was worried? How touching.

I ignored him.

By Tuesday I’d caught cabin fever, and my jaw hurt from clenching it so much as I listened to the Uglies’ screeching. It was almost a relief to get on Folly again.

“We’re going to work on rising trot today,” Connor said.

“Is that where the horse runs?”

He nodded and laughed. Well, I was glad someone found it funny. He’d put me on the lunge again and paused for a second to fasten a strap around Folly’s neck.

“We call it an ‘oh s**t’ strap. If you start to lose your balance, grab it. Now, when she speeds up, stand up and then sit down in time to her strides.”

Having something to hold on to gave me the safety net I needed, and by the end of the lesson, I’d managed a few steps of proper, honest-to-goodness rising trot, and I felt really pleased with myself. I imagine Folly was relieved as well, because having me bopping around on her back all day couldn’t be comfortable.

“You look happier today,” Connor said as we walked back to the stables.

“Probably because I didn’t keep feeling like I was going to tumble off the side.”

“You’re doing better than you think you are.”

“I’m not sure...”

He gave me a sharp look. “Enough. Stop being negative.”

“Yes, master.”

He chuckled. “That’s better. What do you want to do this afternoon? We can ride out again or you can carry on from the lesson you just had.”

I was torn. I’d enjoyed the ride out in the countryside. No—I closed my eyes briefly—I’d enjoyed talking to Connor. Not the beginning bit, obviously, but after I snapped at him, he’d thawed out a bit. Under his cocky charm and his rudeness, there was a nice guy lurking, and I’d met him on Sunday.

My heart did a little flip at the thought of getting to know Connor better, and I chided myself. What was the point? After the end of next week, I’d never see him again. I’d come here to ride, to complete my challenge and move onto the next disaster.

“Could I have another lesson?”

He shrugged. “Whatever you want.”

I really did manage to tack Folly up by myself for the second session. Connor checked everything and pronounced me good to go.

“You’re learning. Two days ago you didn’t know where to start.”

I was, wasn’t I? I couldn’t help smiling, and when one side of Connor’s lips quirked upwards, a little giddiness crept in.

“You want to try steering by yourself this afternoon?”

“Do you think I’m ready?”

“I wouldn’t have suggested it otherwise.”

Connor set up a line of cones down the middle of the arena and taught me how to weave in and out of them by squeezing one rein, then the other.

“There’s no need to pull hard,” he said. “Her mouth’s very sensitive. Think how it would feel if someone yanked on a piece of metal sitting on your gums. The key is to be gentle.”

I heeded his advice, and half an hour later, I steered around the cones like an old pro even if my circles turned out a little lopsided.

“That’s good. Now try it in trot.”

Two things at once? That was asking a bit much, but I daren’t chicken out. Not with Mr. Hotness tapping his foot in the middle of the arena, waiting for me to speed up.

Oh well, here goes nothing. I pushed Folly into a trot, resisting the urge to reach for the neck strap. I had to do two laps before I felt confident enough to try for the cones, but when I did, I managed to get from one end to the other and couldn’t help letting out a small cheer when I reached the far fence.

“We’ll stop there,” Connor said. “Always end on a good note.”

“I did it! I actually did it!”

“It’s like riding a bike. Once you get the hang of rising trot, you won’t forget. Are you okay to put Folly away on your own?”

“I think so.” What did he plan to do? I was curious, but I didn’t want to pry.

As it turned out, I didn’t have to. Jenny was grooming Captain when I got up to the yard, and I stopped to say hello to both of them.

“Are you going to ride him?” I asked.

“Connor is. Captain had a fall a few months back and lost his confidence jumping. Connor’s been helping him get it back again.”

“Can I watch?”

“Sure. You might get put to work helping with the fences, though,” she warned.

I didn’t mind that. It was better than being on my own inside.

When I got back to the arena, Connor was already on Captain, cantering round. He’d set up a pair of brightly coloured jumps halfway down the arena, three feet or so high. It wasn’t long before he thundered towards one of them.

My heart went into my mouth as Captain jinked and dived to the side. Connor hung on and circled, then tried the same again. This time, Captain lurched over, an awkward cat jump where he took off with all four legs at the same time.

“You wouldn’t think it, but that’s a marked improvement on three weeks ago. Then, he spent almost an hour getting him to go over a fence at all.”

The same thing happened at the other jump, and Connor patiently cajoled Captain into going over it, patting him when he made it. By the end of the session, Captain was jumping more stylishly, and we’d even put the fences up a couple of notches.

“That was amazing,” I said as we walked back to put Captain away. “I don’t know how you stuck on for some of that.”

He laughed. “If you can stick on a rodeo pony, you can stick on anything.”

“I thought your mum wouldn’t let you do that?”

“She didn’t, but I still did it.”

Why was I not surprised?

When we got back to the yard, I helped Connor with Captain’s tack. It seemed the least I could do after all his patience with me earlier and earned me another hint of a smile. They were better than currency, and they bought a warm feeling that spread out through my insides like the burn of a good whisky.

But would I end up with a hangover?

That night, I went to bed with a smile on my face for the first time in weeks. Connor’s sweetness, June’s treacle tart, and the look on Annabel’s face when she found out June used real butter in the mashed potatoes all made for a great day. The question was, how long would the happiness last?

The answer? Until the next morning.

“Folly’s tail’s all tangled,” I said to Jenny.

“There’s spray conditioner in the storage room next to the toilet.”

After checking the corners of the ceiling carefully for spiders, I stepped inside to look for it. The shelves were filled with boxes and baskets of lotions and potions. What was kaolin paste for? And green oils? I started rummaging, but I couldn’t find any hair products. At this rate, it would be quicker to order a taxi, have it take me to the nearest supermarket, buy some L’Oréal because Folly was worth it, and drive back. I was contemplating the feasibility of that when the grating tones of the Uglies pierced the wall.

I recognised the first voice as Felicity’s, lower pitched but whinier than Annabel’s. “Did you see him in the kitchen this morning? He had his shirt off, and he’s got an eight-pack.”

“I was doing my hair, but don’t worry, I intend on seeing it tonight.”

Were they talking about Connor? Topless in the kitchen? How had I missed that? The only other man around was Lenny, and he was more of a one-pack guy. It had to be Connor. I stopped my search and held my breath while they chattered on. Yes, I knew it was rude to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help myself.

“Ooh, I wish I could get a guy like him. My mother’s always on at me to find myself a suitable man.”

Annabel cackled with laughter. “Good grief, Felicity, I’m not planning to take him to meet my mother.”

“You’re not?” Felicity’s voice belied her confusion.

Before Annabel got a chance to reply, I felt a tickle on my wrist. A quick glance revealed an eight-legged freak the size of a teacup taking a scenic tour of my hand. I opened my mouth to scream then swallowed it down when Annabel spoke again.

“You’ve got a lot to learn, haven’t you?”

Oh heck, I couldn’t run out there—they’d know I’d been listening in. I stood, statue-like, as I tried to stop myself from hyperventilating.

Annabel sighed and continued to impart her wisdom. “Look, Felicity, there are two types of men in this world—the ones you take for a wild ride between the sheets, and the ones you introduce to your family. Mother would have a fit if I announced I was dating a stable boy.”

“But what if you loved him?”

“I’m not going to fall for someone without a platinum credit card. The Connors of this planet are like paper handkerchiefs—first you use them, then you throw them away. The sooner you learn that, the sooner you’ll move up in the world.”

What a b***h! Connor might be an arse at times, but he didn’t deserve to be treated like dirt, especially by a hoity-toity cow like Annabel.

The spider interrupted my thoughts by climbing further up my arm. When it got halfway to my elbow, I swear it paused to laugh at me.

“Don’t you believe in true love, then?” It sounded like Felicity might be a bit of a romantic under her stuffy exterior.

Not so much for Annabel. “Love is something made up by greetings card manufacturers to sell more crap. The secret to a good marriage is a few shared interests and a luxurious lifestyle, that’s what Mother taught me.”

“Not the s*x, then?” Felicity dropped her voice to a whisper and I almost missed it.

There was another trill of laughter from the Wicked Witch of West London. “That’s what pool boys and tennis coaches and masseurs are for. And stable boys, of course.”

Their footsteps receded, as did their voices, and the second I heard the door click shut behind them I flung my new friend off my arm. I didn’t check to see where he landed, but I hoped he got a headache. Instead, I shot out of the closet like I had the fires of hell behind me, and I didn’t stop until I hit daylight.

All day, I agonised over whether I should say something to Connor. Did he realise Annabel was using him? That she’d toss him aside without a thought once he’d satisfied her needs? So what if he was “only” a stable boy. He deserved the same respect as anybody else.

But then again, would he care about Annabel’s lack of ethics? Wasn’t he the type of guy who’d get off on hooking a rich b***h for a few nights of fun every couple of weeks? Surely it was one of the perks of his job? A quick roll in the hay, no strings, no commitments.

At the beginning of the week, I’d have said he was exactly that man, but after another afternoon with him, this one spent talking about the horses he’d ridden as a child and my nightmare working for Barry, I wasn’t so sure.

Twice I nearly told him what I’d heard, but both times I held back. I didn’t want him to get hurt, but surely he was old enough to make his own choices?

By saying something, I risked making myself sound like a petty, jealous shrew, and I didn’t want that. After all, I wasn’t jealous, was I? Was I?

I kept telling myself that all evening. That I didn’t have any interest in a man like Connor. That I wanted steady, and I wanted dependable, not a hot-blooded heartbreaker.

I managed to keep the pretence up until the nine o’clock news came on, when Annabel’s door opened. Curled up on the sofa with a novel, I got the perfect view of her flimsy silk robe, and her hair and make-up were perfect despite the fact it was bedtime. Or, I quickly realised, because it was bedtime. She paid me no heed as she swept over to Connor’s room, on its own in the far corner. She’d forgone slippers in favour of stilettos, and they clicked on the wooden floor as my heart raced ahead of them.

A swift knock, a few whispered words, and she slipped inside. As she disappeared, so did my attempts to convince myself I didn’t care what Connor did or who he did it with.

Seeing her with him—it hurt.