Secrets (8 page)

Barney, used to Joe and Ellie’s gentle riding, protested by swishing his tail and tucking his nose in mutinously. Ellie chewed her lip. Barney wasn’t the most sensitive pony, but he didn’t like to be pushed around. Luke rode him into a figure of eight, keeping his reins short and his legs on. Barney deliberately seemed to go on the wrong leg in protest. Luke, who was usually supremely laid-back and relaxed when he was riding, now looked tense.

“Luke!” Ellie went after him. “Calm down. Don’t get wound up just because your parents are here.”

“I’m not wound up!” he said sharply as he rode on past.

Ellie sighed and went over to where Luke’s parents were talking to Len. “Can I have the grooming kit? I’ll give Barney a brush before he goes in.”

“You must be Ellie,” Luke’s mother said as Len handed the basket over. “I’m Angela.”

“Hi.” Close up, Ellie could see that everything about Luke’s mother was immaculate—her nails were painted a bright, flawless red and her make-up was perfect. She looked as if she had never been messy in her life.

“So we’re expecting good things in this class?” Luke’s father said to Len.

“Aye. The pony’s a cracker—he’s won almost every time out this year. It’s a difficult course, no two ways about it, but he should jump it no problem. Luke’s a good rider.” A rare smile crossed Len’s face. “Reminds me of when I was a lad.”

“You’ve been very good to him,” Angela said lightly. “We do appreciate it, Len. I don’t know what we’d have done if you hadn’t let him come and stay with you. He’s always loved it at your house. It’s been like a second home to him.”

First home
. Ellie bit back the sharp words just in time.

Richard turned to Len. “He just didn’t have the right temperament for boarding school.”

“He was such a difficult child,” sighed Angela. “He really needed somewhere like your yard, Len.”

No, he needed parents who were there for him and loved him
, Ellie thought angrily. She could see exactly why Luke felt so bitter towards his parents; they talked about him as if he was a dog or a horse. She felt a rush of protective sympathy. No wonder he was wary of loving anything or anyone apart from Pip.

Barney was jogging and pulling now. Ellie decided not to say anything but just help clean him up and get him ready.

“Good luck!” she called when Luke finally rode into the ring.

Luke was very tense. From the moment he pushed Barney into a canter and the pony took off on the wrong leg, Ellie had a bad feeling about the round. The fences were large and imposing, all made from rustic poles and hedges rather than the brightly colored jumps in the show-jumping classes. Usually Barney jumped beautifully, but feeling the tension in Luke, he played up, rushing at the fences and fighting for his head. Ellie groaned as he knocked fences seven and eight down, and when Luke smacked him, he ground to a halt at jump number nine.

Ellie glanced over at her uncle. He had a face like thunder. Luke’s parents were looking disappointed.

“Just get around the rest safely,” Ellie prayed. Barney didn’t knock anything else down, but Luke rode through the finish grim-faced. He had to ride into the second ring immediately, where the second judge was waiting to watch his individual show. Barney went on the wrong leg on his second canter strike-off. It was clear his chance in the class was completely over.

Len strode over to help Luke unsaddle Barney for the conformation section. He looked furious. “You blew it!” he hissed. “You completely messed up.”

“I know—all right!” Luke muttered.

“You could have won that class. What happened in there?”

“It was just one of those things!” The steward motioned to Luke to go in and he made his escape by leading Barney into the ring.

“Damn idiot!” snapped Len, marching away. Luke led Barney out of the ring after the show. Ellie helped him tack up in silence. His parents came over.

“Well, that wasn’t the greatest performance,” his father commented.

Luke didn’t say anything.

“You should have ridden him forward, got him moving more.”

“Do
not
give me riding advice!” Luke ground out.

“Now, Luke. Your father’s only trying to be helpful,” his mother chided.

“Well, I don’t need his help!” Furious, Luke led Barney away.

“See? What can you do?” his mother said to his dad, spreading her hands.

Ellie ran after Luke, but he was vaulting on Barney. Without looking back, he trotted down the path and up towards the stables. Ellie raced after him. She was out of breath by the time she reached the horsebox. Luke had untacked Barney and was letting him graze, talking and laughing with Bea, Liam and Daniel from next door.

“Are … are you OK?” Ellie panted.

“Of course I am.” Luke shrugged as if nothing had happened. “Why?”

She stared at him. “Your parents—”

“What about them?” he cut in. “I’m fine, Ellie.”

“Well, apart from just having got a load of faults in the ring!” put in Liam.

“Yeah, well,” Luke said flippantly, “I have to give the rest of you a chance some of the time.”

“Very generous of you,” said Bea dryly.

“You look hot,” said Liam to Ellie.

“I could cool you down with the hose?” offered Daniel.

“No, thanks,” Ellie said hastily.

“Oh, go on. I could spray all of the girls. We could have a wet T-shirt competition,” teased Daniel.

“A wet T-shirt competition?” purred a voice from behind them. “Now
that
sounds interesting. But only if it’s the boys.”

Ellie’s heart sank.
Anna Hallett.
The dark-haired girl walked up to them. She was wearing denim hot pants with brown boots that showed off her long, tanned legs.

“Hey, gorgeous,” she greeted Luke, walking over to kiss him on the lips. “Glad to see me?”

“You bet, babe,” he said, kissing her back lingeringly.

Ellie looked away sharply.

“How did your class go then?” Anna said when they finally broke apart.

“Not so great.” Luke shrugged. “But who cares? Should we go and find a drink?”

“Sounds good to me,” said Anna.

“We’ll come along,” chimed in Liam and Bea.

“Here, Ellie. Take Barney.” Luke threw Barney’s leadrope at her.

“But, Luke, there’s loads to do!” Ellie protested. “Don’t just go off!”

“See ya!” he called, setting off down the hill with his arm around Anna’s shoulders.

Ellie could have stamped her foot in frustration. She hated the act Luke was putting on and there was so much to do with the horses. Barney needed washing down, but she also had to get Picasso out; his class was next. Fizz also needed preparing for the hunter pony lead-rein class that afternoon, and Bill had come second in his class in the morning with Oliver, which meant he was due in the main ring for the overall hunter pony championship at 3 p.m.
Thanks for nothing, Luke
, she thought as she quickly led Barney to the wash station.

To Ellie’s relief, Helen arrived back at the trailer and took over with Barney while Ellie tacked up Picasso.

“What about walking the course? Do you know where Luke is?” Helen asked. “You’ll need him to hold Picasso for you while you walk the course.”

“I’ll try ringing him,” said Ellie. But Luke’s phone was switched off.

“Don’t worry. Stay calm,” instructed Helen. “I’ll come with you and then dash back here to get Fizz and Bill ready.”

“But it’s such a long way from here to the ring!” protested Ellie.

“I know, but you can’t go there on your own. If Len’s at the ringside, I’ll come straight back.”

But Len had expected Luke to be helping Ellie and he was nowhere to be seen. Helen held Picasso while Ellie walked around the course, checking the jumps, assessing the angles of the fences and counting strides between the combinations so that she could give Picasso the best ride possible. She found out from Sam, who was walking the course too, that there hadn’t been many clears in Luke’s class in the end. It was a tricky course, but Ellie was sure Picasso would cope with it.

“Thanks,” she said gratefully to Helen when she returned to Picasso. “I should be all right now. Len will turn up for the class—Luke’s bound to, as well.”

“OK, see you later!” said Helen, breaking into a run.

“I’ll come and help as soon as I’ve finished!” Ellie called after her, feeling bad that Helen had to prepare Fizz and Bill on her own.

She started riding Picasso around again. Just before the class started Len appeared. “Where’s Luke?” he asked.

Ellie shrugged. She might be fed up with Luke, but she wouldn’t cause trouble for him.

Her uncle shook his head and started to run a cloth expertly over Picasso’s coat. “I don’t know what the hell’s going on with him today, but he’d flamin’ well better snap out of it.”

Ellie stared. Her uncle knew Luke better than most people—he’d given him a home for most of his life, treated him like a son. Could he really not work out why Luke might not be his usual self that day?

“To mess things up—at a show like this …”

“Maybe it had something to do with the fact his parents are here?” Ellie said, unable to stop herself. “I mean, maybe that could have upset him?”

Her uncle frowned. “It better bloody not be that. What does it matter who’s watching you? You get in the ring and you do your stuff. End of story.”

His eyes were stony. Feeling Ellie tighten the reins angrily, Picasso fidgeted. With a supreme effort, she forced herself to control her temper. She wasn’t going to do anyone any favors by getting mad. It wouldn’t help Luke and she could just imagine her uncle’s mood if
she
messed up in the ring too.

The steward opened the rope across the entrance and called her number.

Ellie clicked her tongue and rode forward. She wished Luke had come to watch her, but as she rode through the entrance she pushed all thoughts away and concentrated on Picasso and the jumping course ahead. The dark bay pony had so much energy and power—at just the touch of her heels he could move up a gear into a gallop and he had a massive jump. The challenge was keeping him sweet; not letting him put a buck in after a fence, encouraging him to show off without going over the top. Ellie had put hours of training into him, being shouted at by her uncle, falling off, riding him on her own, and she had ridden him in for ages earlier that day. It all paid off. With the sun shining down, she jumped the best round of her life. Picasso cleared every fence without hesitation, his hooves tucked up neatly, his ears pricked. As they flew through the finish at a gallop, they heard a massive round of applause from the spectators in the stand. Ellie was overjoyed and patted him again and again. Picasso loved the clapping and praise and nodded his head up and down, as if inviting more.

There was barely time to catch her breath before she was in the conformation ring. Still on a high from the jumping, they both performed a foot-perfect show. The conformation ring was small and slightly cramped, but they managed a gallop at the end before she pulled him up and halted in front of the judges, beaming. They smiled back and Ellie felt a rush of triumph. She’d done everything she possibly could.

Her uncle thought so too. As she took Picasso out of the ring to strip his tack off and complete the final phase of the class, he strode over, his face delighted. “You nailed it, lass!” he exclaimed. “Excellent work.” Ellie could have dropped through the ground in surprise. It was the most praise her uncle had ever given her. “Picasso was brilliant,” she said, stroking the pony, who accepted her pats with a slightly haughty expression.

“You rode him flamin’ well. Luke could take a lesson or two from your book.”

Luke.
Ellie’s happiness sank a notch or two as she realized he hadn’t been there to see her round. She couldn’t help feeling hurt. They usually always stood at the ringside, cheering each other on. She’d been there for him, but just because he was upset about his parents being there he’d walked off and forgotten about her.

Trying not to think about it, she led Picasso into the ring and walked and trotted him out for the judge.

At last she was done, Picasso had been marked and all she could do was wait until the end of the class to hear the judges’ decision. As she waited, Luke’s parents came over. “Do you know where Luke is?” his father asked.

Ellie shook her head. “Sorry.”

“We really wanted to see him. We thought we’d have a chance to spend time with him after his class,” Angela said, looking put out. “We came all this way.”

Ellie hesitated. “I can text him for you.” She took out her phone and turned it on. No messages from Luke. Not even a good luck. She tried phoning him, but he didn’t answer so she texted him instead:
Yr mom and dad are here by the ring. They want to c u. Can u come? E x

A moment later a text flashed up. She clicked on
VIEW
.

2 busy enjoying myself. L.

That was it. No asking her how she’d done. Nothing. Just that he was “too busy enjoying himself”. Anger swept through her.

“From Luke?” his mother said, and Ellie realized they’d seen her reading the new text.

“Yeah. I’m sorry, but he says he’s too busy.” She didn’t want to but she lied for him. “There’re just so many ponies to get ready today.”
And Anna to hang around with …
she added in her head, thinking of poor Helen being rushed off her feet back at the trailer.

Luke’s mother looked irritated. “I knew he’d be like this,” she said to Luke’s dad. “I don’t know why we bothered coming. He’s so selfish!”

Ellie only just stopped her mouth from falling open. OK, Luke was selfish and behaving badly that day, but couldn’t his mother see
why
he acted as he did? She put her foot in the stirrup. “I’d better keep Picasso moving,” she said, riding away.

When the class results were announced over the loudspeaker, Ellie stood with her uncle, wishing Luke was there as the numbers were read out. Sixth place, fifth, fourth, third, second …

Ellie crossed her fingers, her stomach filled with butterflies.
Please, please, please
, she prayed.