Barefoot (5 page)

Toni had never really got close to the grooms. Glancing at Jen, she found herself curious. It seemed as if she had been around the yard forever and she got away with things the other grooms never would. Arabella had a strict ‘
no dogs on the yard
’ rule, but Jen’s spaniel, Dizzy, followed her everywhere.

‘How long have you worked for my mother?’  Toni found herself asking.

‘I stopped counting after ten years,’ Jen shouted over the music.

‘Have you ever wanted horses of your own?’

‘Nope. I like it this way. I get to be around them all day and have none of the hassle.’

She began to sing along to the music again and the message was clear. The conversation was as deep and meaningful as it was going to get.

When they arrived at Marnie’s the car park was full. Jen drove round the back and pulled in next to an ancient blue pick-up outside the feed store, before heading on into the shop to place their order and pay.

Toni wondered about following her in, but couldn’t be bothered. She had no money with her, even if she had wanted to shop. She suspected Jen would be in and out as quickly as possible anyway. She jumped down out of the Land Rover and wandered over to lean on the fence to watch some bantams competing for food instead.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a guy come out of the feed store with a bag of chaff on his shoulders. He chucked it into the rear of the pick-up and was turning to go back in, when his mobile began to ring. He paused to take it out of his pocket, sweeping his long fringe out of his eyes as he peered at the screen.

Cal.

Her heart instantly began to race
, and she turned her back quickly to buy herself some time. She wanted to see him again, but had no idea what to say. One thing was for sure. He must be at least seventeen, if he was driving the pick-up.

‘OK. I’ve paid. I’ll be a couple of minutes then we’re done.’ Jen’s voice startled her as she swept past and on into the feed store.

Toni turned
and found she was staring straight at Cal.

‘Hey. I thought it was you.’ He fixed her with that intense gaze for a couple of long seconds. His eyes were the same velvet brown as Buster’s summer coat.

Toni tried desperately to think of something to say. ‘Are you buying feed?’

He nodded to the sign over the barn. It said ‘
Feed
’ in huge letters.

‘Guess so.’

She felt really dumb.

‘How’s the wrist?’ he asked.

Toni wriggled her fingers. ‘OK. I guess. It’s getting a bit boring, though.’

‘Are you missing riding?’

Am I?

‘Sort of.  I miss hanging out with the horses more.’

‘There’s loads you can still do with them.’

All she could think of was lunging, and she wasn’t about to try that using her left arm and with a broken rib.

‘Groundwork. Flexibility exercises,’ he explained patiently. ‘The sort of stuff you saw me doing the other day.’

‘I wouldn’t know where to start,’ Toni admitted.

‘Come over one day. I’ll show you.’

She was amazed. ‘I’d love to.’

‘Here, give me your phone.’

She handed it over obediently, and he punched in his number.

‘Gotta go. Call me soon.’ He jumped into the pick-up and drove off too fast, hitting the potholes in the track and sending up sprays of muddy water.

Toni looked up and saw Jen standing watching. She walked back over and climbed into the Land Rover feeling awkward.

How likely was she to tell Arabella?

‘None of my business,’ Jen said, as if reading her mind. She turned up the radio and began to sing along tunelessly again.

*************

In the safety of her bedroom, Toni held her phone and stared at his name and number.

‘Call me soon.’

He made it sound so simple.

How soon was soon?

And if she did call him, what happened then? She couldn’t get over to Poplar Farm alone.

She raced through people who she might ask for a lift, dismissing them one by one. Arabella was unthinkable. Her father would get all protective because Cal was older. B would become suspicious if she asked to go back to the farm so soon.

That left Jen.  The more she thought about it, the more perfect it seemed. Jen was always out and about doing stuff for Arabella and could easily make a diversion, without it being noticed. She had been cool about it when they had run into Cal earlier. The more Toni thought about it, the more she liked the idea.

The next morning she deliberately got up at six to see to the ponies. Buster greeted her with a loud whinny when he saw her. She led him into the barn and took off his stable rug, then began to groom him. His clip was growing out and he was already moulting. Huge handfuls of hair began to pile up around her.  It was getting easier to use her left hand and she became so absorbed she almost forgot what she had planned when Jen strode in.

‘Hey. We haven’t seen you up this early for a couple of weeks.’ Jen set to work immediately taking off stable rugs and replacing them with field rugs. She moved at lightning speed, and was already on the second horse by the time Toni found her nerve.

‘I wanted to ask you something actually.  You know that boy we saw at Marnie’s yesterday…’

‘I thought he might be something to do with it.’

Toni blushed, but ploughed on. She couldn’t see any other option. ‘He’s invited me over to do some stuff with his horse.’

Jen roared with laughter. She was already at the tap filling a bucket with water and had to shout.  ‘That’s what he called it, did he?’

‘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.’