***
The living room was quiet as the person stepped into the room looking around. The coast was clear as they approached the stove. Lifting the lid on the pot bubbling on the hob they poured in a splash of a clear liquid from a bottle. Looking around they shook their head and poured in the remainder of the bottle.
***
“Soup?” ‘Chelle groaned. “I hate soup, it’s never very filling.”
“Here.” Sue dropped a loaf of bread on the table in front of her. “Stuff yourself with that.”
***
Silence, she stepped inside. The staff were unconscious, slumped at the dining table. “Crap…” She looked at the bottle, her intention had for them to fall asleep in bed and not want to go out not to leave them comatose. She tried to move them, but they were too heavy and unwieldy.
She took out her phone and sent a text.
***
I woke feeling sick, my head spinning as I tried to sit up from my bunk. Looking down I wondered why I had gone to bed fully clothed and could not remember anything of the evening after dinnertime. Sue groaned, standing up before her knees crumpled and she slipped to the floor, staggering back to her feet crying out in pain.
“Oh God my head again…” She rubbed her eyes. “What the hell is wrong with us?”
“Hello?” Anne walked into the room. “Are you all okay?” She looked nervous, her eyes darting between us.
“Oh, God Anne…” Sue suddenly bent double, rushing to the toilet to be sick.
“Look, if you are all ill, I’ll do the stables the best I can. Rest, it must be food poisoning.” She rushed from the room before any of us could say another word.
10
Wooing a Groom
“Very good Victoria!” I smiled as the rider performed a near-perfect twenty-metre circle.
“Now that’s how it should…” I stopped dead. Standing in the open doorway was the man from the club. I quickly looked myself up and down, my hair was sweaty and flat beneath my riding hat, I’d been mucking out and no doubt stank and hadn’t been able to find any clean breeches so the pair I had on was dotted with hoof oil stains and worse. “Hello? What the hell are you doing here?”
Edwin smiled, “What a pleasant greeting. I was waiting for you to come to the club for that drink, but, as you wouldn’t come to me, I thought I would come and take you out.”
“I’m not sure. Oh, I am flattered, however, if you remember the first time we met, you did sort of threaten my friend.”
“Ah, I wanted to say sorry for being so aggressive that time. It was wrong, it had been a stressful day” He opened his arms, shrugging. “But it was so long ago, and anyway, you’re a beautiful young woman who intrigues me. I would hope you would like to take me up on the offer of lunch. Even just for a free meal, you look starved.” He watched smiling as I gave myself an appraisal, he laughed as he could tell what I was thinking.
“I can’t go out now, I look a mess! And I stink, I’ve been mucking out.”
“Not at all, you look beautiful.”
“You liar…” I blushed. “I look terrible…”
“Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder. As I said, I would like to take you to lunch. Nothing more, just to say sorry and to try to restart our friendship on the right foot this time.”
“Oh okay. That’s very nice of you, and I have to admit I’m starving. But I have to finish up here first.” I glanced at my watch. “It’ll be at least twenty minutes.”
“I’ll wait in my car.” He smiled and waved.
“Oh, God!” Anne swore under her breath as she watched Edwin step out of the indoor school. “What’s up?” She trembled as he reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder.
“There is nothing wrong. I just want to take one of your staff.”
“What!” She yelped. “What has she done?…”
“For lunch…” He smiled. “You seem overly nervous. I have to assure you that there is nothing for you to worry about, as long as you keep our arrangement. And, I know you will. So please, allow me this, indulgence.”
***
I tapped on the window of the car, it whirred down and Edwin smiled. “Get in…”
“Look, It’s so nice of you, but really I can’t go out. As I said, I smell really terrible and I’m filthy.”
“Amanda… I missed you when you didn’t take up the offer of a drink. Please don’t make me wait again. You look delightful, the picture of the modern equestrian and I’m sure you smell delightful.”
“Okay, I’m sure you won’t say that when you have shared a car with me, you can leave the window open. But I have bus fare for when you throw me out.”
Edwin laughed, gesturing for me to join him on the back seat. Anne watched as the car pulled away.
“What is she doing with him?” Sue hissed.
“I couldn’t stop her.” Anne sighed. “And Sue, I really tried.”
***
“Look I’m flattered, but unless you are going to take me to a burger van I don’t think there is anywhere which will let me in looking like this.”
“You’re so modest. I own a lovely little place, where you’ll be more than welcome.”
The car pulled up at a small restaurant, there were tables outside on the street and pretty plants lining the windows. Edwin held the door open and the staff bustled to clear a table in the window. He led me to the table and helped to sit with a crisp napkin placed on my knee.
“Oh, this is lovely Edwin…” I added as a whisper. “Did you say you
