Barefoot Page 4

  ‘Forget it,’ Toni snapped, turning back to groom Buster.

  ‘Hey, don’t get all moody. It’s OK,’ Jen said, coming back into the barn.

  ‘What is?’ Toni felt suspicious now.

  ‘I can drop you at his place. That’s what you were going to ask, wasn’t it?’

  Toni was surprised. ‘Yes it was. How did you know?’

  ‘Believe it or not, I was your age once. It’s no problem. I reckon it’s about time you broke free from that mother of yours.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Toni stammered.

  ‘I can do Wednesday or Friday,’ Jen called over her shoulder as she led the two horses outside. ‘Just let me know.’

  That had turned out to be the easy part. Now she had the hard part. To actually call him. In the end, Toni chickened out and decided to text first, trying to make it sound as casual as possible.

  ‘Hi. wed or fri any gd for u?’

  She waited, holding her breath, but his answer pinged back immediately.

  ‘Wed @ 11. C u then’

  Arabella ruined it, of course. Sunday morning was always Toni’s favourite, because her father was home. They were sitting having a leisurely breakfast together, when her mother swept through the kitchen. ‘You have an appointment with the fracture clinic on Wednesday, Antonia. Your father has agreed to take you. I’m taking that foal up to Birmingham.’

  Toni felt her stomach turn over. ‘Wednesday! I can’t.’

  Her mother, already at the door, turned in irritation. ‘What do you mean, can’t?’

  Toni tried to think of a good excuse.

  ‘Well?’ Arabella was growing impatient.

  ‘I’ve arranged to see a friend, that’s all.’ Toni could hear how weak it sounded.

  ‘Well, unarrange it,’ her mother snapped. ‘Your appointment’s at eleven.’ She bent down to stroke Lily, then stood up again and left, banging the door behind her.

  Toni turned to her father, desperate. ‘Can’t you change it? Please Dad.’

  He shook his head.’ Sorry, darling. I would if I could, but I’ve already taken the morning off as it is.’

  Toni slumped back in her chair in despair.

  He frowned. ‘Can’t you see this friend later?’

  ‘I don’t want to mess them around.’

  ‘Well, hospital appointments aren’t that easy to change. Call her. I’m happy to drop you there afterwards.’

  Toni’s mind raced. She couldn’t let him drop her at the farm. He was bound to ask questions. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll sort something out.’ She jumped up and left the room quickly before he could ask more and get suspicious. There was only one thing for it. She was going to have to contact Cal again and change the day.

  She stressed again over the text.

  ‘Change of plan. Can’t do Wed. Is Fri still OK?’

  She waited nervously, but this time there was no immediate reply. The afternoon crawled by. It was early evening before she finally got his text.

  ‘Frid still good.’

  She found herself grinning at the small screen with relief.

  ***** Four *****

  On Wednesday morning, her father drove her to the hospital for the fracture clinic. The waiting room was packed when they arrived, with bored people either reading or glued to the TV screen in the corner. The woman they sat next to told them she had been waiting for an hour already.

  Toni’s father pulled a face. ‘Looks like we’re going to be here for a while.’

  ‘I guess you probably need to be back at work.’

  ‘Don’t worry about it. This is more important.’ He hesitated and she sensed he needed to say something else. ‘Actually, I wanted to talk to you. How are you finding things at home? With your mother, I mean?’

  Toni shrugged.

  Arabella was Arabella.

  Her father pressed on when she didn’t respond. ‘I think her moods seem to be getting worse.’

  Toni squirmed with embarrassment, feeling the woman sitting next to them listening.

  What does he expect me to say?

  She picked up a magazine and pretended to leaf through it, and eventually he got the hint and went to get some coffee from the machine.

  An hour crawled by before her name was called.

  ‘Do you want me to come in with you, or would you prefer to see him alone?’ he asked. She forgave him instantly. He was always so considerate. Not for the first time, Toni found herself wondering how on earth he put up with her mother.

  ‘Come in with me, please,’ she said, without hesitation.

  They were greeted by the same consultant, who smiled in welcome. ‘Antonia. How are you feeling?’

  She nodded. ‘Much better. And it’s Toni,’ she added.

  ‘Let’s have a look shall we, Toni?’ He removed the sling and rotated the shoulder gently, asking with each small movement if she felt pain, or any other sensation, then nodded in approval.

  ‘I think you can leave the sling off now.’

  ‘OK.’

  ‘Keep the ribs strapped, though. And try not to do anything too energetic or it could set you back. That cast will have to stay on your wrist for another three weeks at least, I’m afraid.’

  ‘That’s OK. I don’t mind.’

  He looked surprised. ‘Really? Most young people I see are pretty anxious to get on with their lives.’

  Her father rescued her. ‘I think my daughter is enjoying the rest.’

  She thought she saw a glimmer of understanding on the doctor’s face, and wondered if he was remembering his run-in with Arabella. He stood up, still polite, but eager to move on to the next patient. ‘I won’t see you again. A nurse can remove the cast for you at the next appointment. Take care, Toni.’ He smiled and opened the door to show them out.

  On Friday, Jen drove her over to Poplar Farm. ‘I’m dropping that off,’ she jerked her head towards a saddle in the back, ‘then I’ve got to go out to Ashby to check on that yearling. That should give you guys a couple of hours.’

  Toni nodded. Her stomach was in knots almost as badly as before an event.

  Jen glanced sideways as they pulled up in the car park. ‘Want some advice?’

  ‘Please.’

  ‘Chill. Jen said. ‘Guys don’t like girls who stress.’

  She drove off leaving Toni standing there, feeling anything but chilled. She took a deep breath and walked through the animal pens again and out to the yard. She saw Cal before he saw her, leading Rebel out of a stable towards the round pen. He looked up as he opened the gate and waved casually, then turned to close the gate again. Toni’s heart pounded.

  ‘You lost the sling,’ he commented as she got closer.

  She was pleased he’d noticed. ‘They said I don’t need it any more. I’ve still got to put up with this for another three weeks, though.’ She held up her wrist with the cast on.

  ‘It will heal.’ He leant across the fence and stroked the cast lightly. Even though she couldn’t feel his fingers, she could imagine his touch, and she shivered. He stepped away again and the moment passed.

  ‘How long have you got?’

  ‘A couple of hours.’ She watched as he gently slid the halter off Rebel. It was made of rope and unlike anything she had seen before.

  ‘Where did you get that from?’

  ‘I make them myself.’ He handed it over for her to see.

  She was puzzled. ‘There’s no metal rings.’

  ‘That’s the point. It’s made of one long piece of rope, knotted. See? On the pressure points. It’s much kinder.’ Free of the halter, the gelding trotted off, slowing to a walk at the other side of the pen.

  ‘You were going to explain to me what join-up is,’ she prompted.

  ‘Have a go yourself.’

  Toni felt out of her depth instantly. Dressage and showjumping were familiar territory. This was new.

  ‘I can’t do much one handed,’ she said nervously.

  ‘You’ll manage. You only have to hold the lunge
whip.’ He laughed. ‘You will actually have to come in here. It’s not gonna work with a fence between you two.’

  She ducked under the post and rail to join them, and the cob instantly broke into a trot, keeping a wary eye on her from the other side of the ring.

  Toni was used to the large dressage arena and the small pen felt claustrophobic. ‘It feels weird. The sides are so high.’

  ‘There are no corners for them to back away into,’ Cal explained. ‘I’ve been working with him in here every day for a couple of weeks.’

  Rebel was becoming agitated now, trotting for a few paces, then braking and turning sharply. Toni held back, aware how vulnerable her injuries made her feel.

  ‘Two of us in here is one too many.’ Cal handed her a light schooling line, then climbed up and perched on top of the fence. ‘Relax.’

  ‘I am relaxed,’ she lied. ‘What now?’

  ‘Face him square on to show him you’re confident.’

  But I don’t feel it.

  ‘And if you don’t feel it, act it ‘til you do.’

  He had read her mind and Toni was startled. She could act. It was what she did every day of her life. In the yard with Arabella. At competitions. Always trying to seem more confident than she felt. She took a couple of breaths until she got into the zone, then flicked the line experimentally.

  ‘Keep him going,’ Cal called.

  The cob sped up a bit until his gait was steady, but his whole body was turned away into the side of the pen, as if he were trying to get as far away from her as possible. He circled it, again and again.

  ‘What exactly am I trying to do?’ she called back. As she spun round and round Rebel trotted faster and faster.

  ‘You’re trying to push him away.’ Cal explained. ‘Watch for a change in his gait.’

  Toni was beginning to feel dizzy now and could hardly stay upright, let alone see any change in Rebel. Suddenly she felt overwhelmed and had to stop to wait for her head to stop spinning.

  ‘What’s up?’ Cal jumped down and ducked under the fence again.

  She shook her head and turned away from him, feeling unexpectedly close to tears. ‘He can sense I don’t know what I’m doing.’ She felt both stupid and frustrated all at the same time and hurled the schooling whip on the ground, clenching her jaw tightly as a pain shot through her ribs.

  Cal turned away from her and walked over to the other side of the ring, where the gelding dropped its head to nuzzle his hand. ‘Two weeks ago he wouldn’t stand and do this for me. It takes patience.’

  Toni concentrated on kicking the pieces of rubber at her feet into a pile, to avoid looking at them both.

  ‘So you’re just going to give up?’

  She heard the contempt in his voice. He probably had put her neatly into a spoilt little rich girl box. Toni picked up the schooling line again and gritted her teeth. ‘I was just taking a break, that’s all.’

  He nodded his approval and climbed back up on the fence. Toni took a deep breath and flicked the line again. Rebel broke into a trot immediately and they both began to spin.

  Round and round. Cantering now.

  Nothing else seemed to be happening, but she was determined to stick with it.

  Round and round. The pen was spinning again. She had to use all her willpower to stay upright. Then she heard Cal shout in excitement.

  ‘Hey, look!’

  Toni watched the cob as best she could as they both spun. ‘What am I looking for?’

  ‘He’s turning his inside shoulder in now. That means he wants to move into the middle to join you.’

  Toni felt a prickle of excitement.

  ‘And look at his ear.’

  ‘The inside one has moved,’ she shouted back.

  ‘Exactly. Now slow him down and get him to turn. You need to do the same thing in the other direction.’

  She slowed Rebel to a trot and turned him easily, feeling more confident all the time. Using the brief pause to regain her balance, she flicked the line again and Rebel cantered in the other direction. As she relaxed, she felt the dizziness subside.

  ‘Watch out for when he drops his head,’ Cal shouted.

  As if on cue the cob came to a halt at the edge of the ring and bowed his head low.

  Cal dropped his voice. ‘Now it’s time to call him in. Stand at a right angle to him. But whatever you do, don’t look at him.’

  Toni could sense the horse off to one side and began to turn her head, unable to resist.

  ‘Don’t look,’ he urged. ‘You’re inviting him in now.’

  She waited. Tense.

  ‘He’s coming.’

  Toni suddenly felt a soft muzzle as the cob pressed against her from behind. ‘Oh!’

  ‘Brilliant!’ Cal yelled. ‘You did it! Now turn slowly but don’t look him in the eye yet.’

  Rebel moved towards her willingly.

  ‘You’re nearly done,’ Cal encouraged her. ‘Now start to walk away and see what happens.’

  The cob instantly followed, keeping as close to her as he could.

  ‘Try twisting and turning,’ he called.

  However she turned, the cob turned too, sticking to her as closely as he could. It was just like the dance she had seen him do with Cal on the first day. ‘That’s amazing. He’s following.’

  Toni felt ecstatic.

  ‘Epic. You got him.’ Cal jumped down into the ring. ‘You can look at him now.’

  Toni turned to look at Rebel and he dropped his head low, bowing to her again. She felt a pride stirring inside her she had never experienced before.

  Cal grinned. ‘I knew you could do it.’

  ‘It was awesome.’ Toni couldn’t get over how delighted she felt.

  ‘When I put the saddle on him for the first time, he should trust me. ’ He stroked the cob’s thickset neck, his attention completely back with his horse again.

  She felt left out. ‘When are you doing that?’

  ‘Sometime over the next couple of days.’

  ‘Can I watch?’

  He shook his head. ‘Sorry. I reckon it’s best if it’s just the two of us.’

  ‘Sure.’ She tried to sound cool. Her phone beeped and she busied herself checking the text, trying to cover up how gutted she felt.

  It was from Jen. ‘30 mins OK?’

  ‘That’s my lift. I’ve got half an hour.’

  ‘Let’s go and grab something to eat.’

  ‘My shout,’ she said quickly. ‘To say thanks.’

  ‘I get it free anyway. One of the perks of being the owner’s son. I’ll just turn him out again.’

  He led Rebel across the yard and Toni followed, curious. The further in they went, the more dilapidated it got. Clearly there was no spare money around. She imagined Arabella’s reaction when the stable turned out to be a field shelter with a gate propped across the front. Electric fencing tape divided a scrubby paddock into strips. Cal put Rebel in the nearest one.

  ‘Are you going to introduce me?’

  A voice from behind made her jump. Toni spun round and saw another guy standing watching them. A bit older than Cal maybe. Less muscle. Paler. Better-dressed.

  Cal scowled and said nothing

  Toni waited for a moment, until it simply felt too rude, then stepped forward and smiled brightly. ‘Hey. I’m Toni.’

  ‘Sam. His big brother.’ His grin was the same as Cal’s and he was around the same height, but the grey eyes were harder. ‘At least your girlfriend has manners.’

  Toni blushed and glanced back to Cal.

  Is he happy at the idea I might be his girlfriend?

  He stepped forward and stood between her and his brother, frowning.

  ‘Why aren’t you at Uni?’

  ‘Easter break, remember.’

  ‘We never get a break here,’ Cal retorted, ‘so it’s easy to forget.’

  Sam stayed cool. ‘Well, I’m home for a bit now. So things should be easier.’

  Cal turned and grabbed Toni’s ar
m. ‘Let’s go. There’s a short cut this way.’

  She glanced back at Sam apologetically.