‘I wish Wally wasn’t leaving,’ said Millie. She and Alice-Miranda were munching on their sandwiches as they headed for the stables.

‘Yes, but he said from the time he arrived that it’s been his dream to work with thoroughbreds in a racing stable,’ Alice-Miranda replied.

‘But why? What’s wrong with ponies like Chops? Who’d want to work with a single breed when you can have twelve varieties in one special little package?’

Alice-Miranda laughed. ‘Mmm . . . I can see your point.’ She held her hands out as if weighing each option. ‘Working with Rockstar, the most successful racehorse on the planet, or working with Chops, the laziest pony on earth.’

‘Hey, don’t talk about my boy like that – he’s got feelings too, you know.’ Millie smiled, and then thought about it a bit more. ‘No, scratch that – he can’t feel anything. I have to kick him so much to get him moving, I think he must have armour underneath that furry coat of his.’

Alice-Miranda giggled.

As the girls entered the cool stone building, Bonaparte let out an ear-piercing whinny and hung his head over the stall door.

‘Hello to you too.’ Alice-Miranda grabbed a couple of carrots from the feed room and strode over to the stall. She thrust the orange vegetables towards Bonaparte, who ignored them completely and reached out to nibble the birthday garland on Alice-Miranda’s head. It was tradition to wear the flowers all day.

‘Excuse me.’ Alice-Miranda pulled back to see Bonaparte chewing on a purple iris, which he promptly spat onto the ground.

‘That will teach you,’ she chided. ‘Not very tasty, I assume.’

Chops, on the other hand, was dozing, completely oblivious to the arrival of his mistress.

‘Hey lazybones,’ Millie called as she went to get a brush and comb from the tack room. Chops opened one eye and then closed it again.

Wally Whitstable appeared pushing an empty wheelbarrow.

‘Good afternoon, girls, and happy birthday, Miss Alice-Miranda,’ the lad said with a nod. He deposited the wheelbarrow into an empty stall and retrieved a rake that was leaning against the wall. ‘I can’t imagine those two ponies of yours being more different. Chops here has been sleeping all morning and that bloke –’ he pointed an accusing finger towards Bonaparte – ‘has been trying to break out of his stall. Rotten little monster almost took my hand off before and I was gonna give him a treat. But he can forget that now.’

‘I’m so sorry,’ Alice-Miranda apologised on Bonaparte’s behalf. ‘I thought his manners had improved lately but obviously not.’

‘If you’re going to work with racehorses, you’d better get used to it,’ Millie piped up from inside the stall where she was combing Chops’s matted mane.

‘I suppose you’re right there,’ Wally agreed.

‘When do you start your new job?’ Millie asked.

‘On the weekend,’ Wally replied. ‘But I don’t want to leave Charlie in the lurch, either. He had a lad lined up to take my place here but the boy’s been offered a spot at a farm in Downsfordvale that’s closer to his home and so now Charlie’s back to square one.’

‘No doubt Mr Charles will find someone. This is such a wonderful opportunity for you, Mr Walt,’ Alice-Miranda said reassuringly as she walked over to the tack room and emerged with a hoof pick. She placed her floral garland on a small table in the main part of the stables before she opened Bony’s stall door, walked inside and ran her hand down his foreleg. ‘Have you heard about Miss Pepper?’

‘No, what about Miss Pepper?’ Wally replied.

‘I’m afraid she had an accident this morning and broke her hip. She’s going to be in hospital for a couple of weeks,’ said Alice-Miranda.

Wally winced. ‘Goodness, that sounds bad. I wonder who’ll be riding Rockstar now.’

‘Maybe you will,’ Alice-Miranda said.

‘No way! I’m not riding him. Everyone says he’s the meanest racehorse in the world, except with Miss Pepper. I heard he even bit Her Majesty last time she was here.’

‘Oh goodness, really? Aunty Gee would have given him a big telling-off for that sort of behaviour. I think she’s very proud of him, most of the time,’ Alice-Miranda replied. ‘She says he’s the best horse she’s ever had. Anyway, I think you’ll have a wonderful time at Chesterfield Downs and hopefully we can come over and visit.’

‘I’d like that,’ Wally replied. ‘Dick Wigglesworth, the stable foreman, has known me since I was a boy. He’s a good fellow and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind you popping in to say hello. Besides, isn’t Queen Georgiana your aunty or something anyway?’

‘She’s Mummy’s and Aunt Charlotte’s godmother and Granny’s best friend since kindergarten,’ said Alice-Miranda.

‘And she and I are like that.’ Millie crossed her fingers and held them in the air. ‘She gave me a hug on board the Octavia and you know Her Majesty doesn’t just hug anyone.’

Wally laughed at the thought of Queen Georgiana offering random hugs to strangers. He glanced at his watch.

‘Hadn’t you two better be getting back to class? You don’t want to miss your afternoon lessons,’ he said.

‘I do,’ Millie groaned. ‘I’ve got PE and Miss Wall is making us run cross country. I’d rather do Jacinta’s dirty laundry than run that course.’

Alice-Miranda let go of Bony’s foot and ducked around under his head. She popped up hanging over the stable door. ‘You know, if Charlie doesn’t find someone, Millie and I can take over here for a little while. I don’t mind mucking out,’ she offered.

‘Pooh! Speak for yourself.’ Millie hauled herself up onto Chops’s bare back. ‘I’d rather go riding.’

‘We can still ride,’ Alice-Miranda said, ‘but they’re our ponies. We should be looking after them.’

Millie grinned mischievously. ‘Maybe we can get Sloane to give us a hand.’

‘I think you’ve got more chance of Chops winning the Queen’s Cup,’ Alice-Miranda giggled.

‘You’re right about that,’ Wally nodded.