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Keri
It was uncomfortable, sitting there watching the old ladies cry. I felt right out of place, totally useless. I didn’t dare look at Jess. This was not the holiday she had been looking for. Even though she had solved the puzzle of the tapu house. I know she had imagined lying on the beach or swimming in someone’s pool. It couldn’t have been further from that. We’d found ourselves in the middle of a family intrigue.
At Chloe’s house, her mum got on the phone and rang around to see who needed kid-sitting. Turned out only Lily needed looking after, and she wanted Arona to be with her. We arranged with Uncle Mohi to let us have the horses again. Just three horses, and we would take them down the beach and teach the younger kids how to ride by themselves, to give them confidence.
Not that Arona needed any more confidence on the horse. On the beach the next day she showed us just what she could do. It was quite impressive. We spent most of the morning there, stopping for a swim when we got too hot to ride, then we headed back to the farm after eating a few sandwiches Nanny Anahera had made for us.
Uncle Mohi was arriving back from the hui to do some work on the farm as we arrived. There was haymaking to be arranged. It had to be done before the weekend as rain was coming.
“The meeting is still going on,” he said. “Why don’t you leave the horses with me and go for a swim at the river.”
“No, Dad. No! I want to ride over there ...” Arona pointed to a part of the beach that was protected by a curve of rocks and a small clay cliff.
“Alright. But be careful over there, if you go for a swim. The tide is just on the turn and it can get a bit rough sometimes.”
“I know, Dad,” Arona said scornfully. “I’ve swum there heaps of times. I’m okay.”
“She probably will be fine, he told us. She swims like a fish. Okay, bring the horses back when you’ve finished, and you can help me rub them down and put them away.”
“Okay, no problem. We’ll do that. Thanks Uncle ...”