Chapter Five

ANNA HALLETT ARRIVED IN her silver sports car. Shaking back her mane of dark brown hair, she waved at Luke as she walked up the yard, her tight cream breeches and short-sleeved T-shirt showing off her perfect figure. Ellie looked down at her own blue jodhpurs, dusty from her falls that morning, and T-shirt covered with slobber where Picasso had rubbed his mouth against her when she had taken off his bridle. Her long ponytail had shavings in it and she could tell she had a spot coming on her chin. She couldn’t ever imagine looking so effortlessly glamorous and beautiful.

Luke went to meet Anna, Pip trotting beside him. Even in his work clothes he looked gorgeous too. They looked as if they should be in an advert together. Anna smiled up at Luke through her long eyelashes. “Been missing me?”

“You bet,” he murmured.

Pip went over to greet Anna, putting her front paws up on Anna’s breeches. “Get down!” Anna snapped, frowning.

Ellie went to the tackroom and fetched Lucifer’s saddle and bridle. She knew Anna wouldn’t want to tack him up herself but would expect him warmed up, ready and waiting in the school for her lesson with Len.

When Lucifer saw her coming, he pricked his ears and whinnied. Ellie smiled. Lucifer’s dark eyes fixed on her.

“Hey, boy,” she said, letting herself into his stable. He nuzzled her. She pictured him when he’d arrived at the yard, attacking other horses, refusing human contact, threatening people who came into his stable with his teeth and hooves until Ellie had helped him. Feeling his lips hopefully exploring the outside of her pockets for treats, Ellie rubbed his neck.

She took Lucifer up to the schooling ring and rode him around, warming him up and enjoying the way he responded to the lightest of pressure on the reins. Lucifer liked to be trusted and the softer his rider was with their aids, the better he went.

When Anna came to the gate with Luke, Ellie halted. Most of Len’s clients would smile and say thanks if Ellie had been working their horse in, but Anna didn’t say a word to her.

“He’s looking well,” Anna said to Luke.

“Ellie’s in charge of grooming him and we ride him between us when you’re not here,” Luke replied.

Anna’s eyes barely flickered in Ellie’s direction. “Have you heard about my new horse?” she asked Luke as she went into the school.

“Yeah.”

Anna nodded. “I want a youngster I can really work with. You know, one that I can feel I’ve brought on.”

Ellie stared. Anna didn’t have a clue what it meant to bring a horse on. There was so much more to it than turning up and riding them occasionally. “So are you going to come down every day then?” she said, dismounting.

Anna looked as startled as if the fence post had just talked. “Sorry?”

“Well, that’s what people do when they’re bringing a young horse on. They work closely with them—every day.”

Anna gave a high laugh. “I won’t exactly be doing that!”

“Well then, you can’t say you’re—”

“Hey, Ellie,” Luke interrupted. “Wasn’t that Stu calling for you?”

She frowned. “No.”

“I think it was,” he said firmly. “Why don’t you work Lucifer in, Anna? Len will be up in a moment and I’ll just go with Ellie to see what Stu wants.”

Anna smiled at him. “Come back soon, though.”

“’Course,” he replied and winked at her. Then, grabbing Ellie’s shoulder, he steered her out of the school.

“What are you doing?” she said, shaking him off as they walked through the gate.

“El-liee!” Luke stared at her. “You can’t go around offending one of Len’s most important clients. You have to be nice to Anna.”

“So is that why you’re going out with her?” retorted Ellie, unable to resist.

“No!”

“So how would she feel about you flirting with other girls like that girl at the show!”

“Don’t you dare tell her about that!” Luke said warningly.

Ellie put her hands on her hips. “Oh, you’re daring me are you?”

“No! Look, OK, you’re right.” Luke took a deep breath, appearing to force himself to calm down. “I shouldn’t have chatted up that girl. But you shouldn’t tell Anna that she doesn’t know how to bring a young horse on. Agreed?”

Staring into his blue eyes, Ellie felt her anger fade slightly. It was a fair point, even she had to admit it. “OK,” she muttered.

“Luke! What are you doing?” Anna called, a slight edge to her voice.

They looked around and saw she had halted and was watching them. “Just coming. Stu doesn’t need me after all.” Luke jumped back over the gate. “So, come on then. Let me see how well he goes for you.”

Shaking her head, Ellie walked away down the

yard.

Later that day, after Anna had left, John, the vet, arrived to examine Lexi. He diagnosed the mare as having a vertebra knocked out of place at the top of her spine, with muscle pain, advising a course of anti-inflammatories and visits from the equine physiotherapist. “She’ll be in pain until this injury is sorted out, so no exercise until the swelling and pain has gone,” he told Stuart and Ellie. “Be very careful even putting a headcollar on. She looks like she’ll be a really nice horse when she’s better though.”

Ellie stroked the mare’s cheek. “We’ll help you get well,” she promised as she took her headcollar off.

She wondered when the Halletts’ new horse was arriving. Len had said it would be that afternoon.

She’d left the stable and found Luke pacing around the yard, talking angrily on his cell phone. “What? But why? Look, there’s no need. I’m sure you’re busy as always. Well, so what if Dad wants to come?” He broke off with a muttered exclamation. “Whatever. Come if you must.” Clicking the END CALL button, he raised his eyes to the sky.

“What’s up?” said Ellie, surprised at seeing Luke so tense. Usually, nothing ever fazed him.

“It’s my parents. For some reason they’ve decided they’re coming to Hickstead to watch me on the hunter pony day.”

“So?” Ellie frowned, not understanding. “They probably just want to see you in the show. It’s a big thing—the Royal International.”

“They haven’t seen me since Christmas and now they want to turn up just ’cause there’s something happening where they can play the proud parents.” He swore. “Well, I don’t want them there.”

Ellie couldn’t imagine feeling like that about her parents. She’d have given anything to have them still alive and able to come and watch. But she knew Luke’s childhood had been totally different from hers. His dad had often been away working, and his mother had travelled with him, so Luke was sent to boarding school at seven and spent most of his breaks at Len’s house. Luke once told Ellie that Len had been more of a father to him than his dad ever was.

Luke folded his arms angrily. For a moment Ellie had the unfamiliar urge to comfort him. “Hey, don’t worry,” she said, her voice softening. “There’ll be so much to do at the show. I bet you can avoid them and I’ll help you get away from them if you need.”

He managed a smile. “Thanks.”

Just then there was the sound of a horsebox drawing into the car park. “I bet that’s the new horse. Let’s go and see,” Ellie said.

They walked curiously to the car park. Len was there before them.

“Got here at last,” said the groom driving the trailer. He jumped out and handed Len some papers. As Len checked through them, the groom let down the ramp and winked at Ellie. “This baby for you?”

“Oh no, I’m not Anna Hallett,” Ellie said quickly, biting back a smile at the thought. She watched as the groom brought a dark bay horse out. He walked quietly down the ramp. Ellie frowned. Usually, as soon as she saw a new horse, she had a feeling about it, sensing whether it was happy or stressed, anxious or laid-back, but with this one she felt nothing. She looked at the horse, reaching out with her mind, but all she found was a blank.

Whistling, the groom stripped off the horse’s travelling boots, rug and tail guard. “Where do you want him then?” he asked Len.

“I’ll take him,” Ellie offered. Len nodded.

“He’s a stunner,” said Luke, walking around and taking in the horse’s delicate head, his perfect conformation.

“Looks quiet too,” commented Len.

“Oh, Rocky’s a lamb in the stable,” said the groom quickly. “We’ve had him six months. Never had a moment’s problem with him.”

“And he’s already been backed?” said Len.

“Yeah. Quiet as a donkey to ride. Right.” The groom handed the leadrope to Ellie. “I’d best be off.”

Ellie clicked her tongue. She felt a moment’s tension run through the horse, but then he turned and followed her, his head low. She looked at him curiously as she led him to his new stable. His eyes seemed strange. Usually, horses’ eyes were so full of expression—they might be cheerful, wise, scared. Whatever a horse was feeling, she could always read something in its gaze. But this horse’s eyes seemed completely dead of emotion. Unease prickled through her. She shut the door. The horse stood still, his head turned away from her. Something was definitely not right.

Ellie touched his neck and focused her mind, wondering what feelings she would pick up. She frowned. There was simply nothing there. She’d never felt anything like it. It was like a complete blank. She shut her eyes to concentrate harder.

You can talk to me if you want, she thought to the horse. I can hear you.

The air in the stable felt silent, blocked, like being underwater, and she had the sensation of fog swirling in her head …

“What are you doing?” Ellie jumped at the sound of Luke’s voice. He had come to the door.

“Nothing,” she said, patting the horse’s neck.

“Jeff sure knows how to pick them. First Lucifer. Now him,” Luke said admiringly.

Ellie nodded. But as she left the stable she took one last, long look at the horse, with the distinct feeling that something was really badly wrong.

I’ve never felt anything like it, she told Spirit as she stood with him that night. I couldn’t get any feelings from him. Nothing.

Spirit sent her a picture of a stone wall.

For a moment she thought he was trying to say something about the field, but then she realized the meaning behind the picture. Yes, that it! It’s as if he’s putting up a wall, that there’s a barrier around him. I saw a fog too.

Keep trying. She could feel Spirit’s concern.

I will. Ellie had learned enough to know that sometimes you just had to be patient and wait. You couldn’t force a horse to talk to you. Sometimes all you could do was send it love and then it would eventually open its mind. It was just that she’d never felt such utter silence from a horse before.

At least I’m helping Lexi, she thought. After everyone had left the yard that night she had gone to the mare’s stable and stood with her again, channeling healing energy, feeling the mare relax under her hands, her pain easing some more. Ellie suddenly remembered her other big news. Oh, and Spirit—I’m buying Hope! My gran said I could!

She felt his happiness.

I know I don’t really need another horse, I’ve got you, but she’s sweet and Uncle Len might have sold her otherwise. For some reason, Ellie felt the urge to make excuses.

It’s good, Spirit reassured her. I think you’re meant to be together. I’ve always felt that.

She’s just a foal, Ellie said quickly. It doesn’t change anything between you and me.

Spirit nuzzled her. No, nothing will.

Ellie felt a wave of happiness and rested her cheek against his. There was so much to look forward to, she realized—training Hope, the Royal International the following week, her birthday, and Luke’s promise that they would celebrate it. What had he meant? Most of all, though, she felt happy because she had Spirit there to share everything with her just as he’d always done. She smiled. Yes. Life was good.