Just after seven Annie gently knocked on the door. “Oh goodness, something smells amazing.”
“Oh, it’s just something simple…” I welcomed her with a hug and handed her a glass of cool white wine. “Cheers…” I sipped the sweet liquid.
“Wow!” Annie smiled. “You have a great taste in wine…”
Whether it was the hard work and the country air, or just the fact we were hungry, we demolished the lamb tagine I had created and were well into our second bottle of white when we flopped down on the sofa. I feared that Annie maybe was not as used to alcohol as me her eyes seemed a little unfocused as we chatted and it wasn’t long before she fell asleep. I gently took her wine glass and put it aside.
She was a beautiful girl, with high cheekbones and natural blond hair, the hours working with horses had left her slim, yet muscular with a noticeable six-pack beneath her light blouse which made me somewhat jealous, her features were so naturally pretty.
After an hour it seemed to be a shame to wake her, I texted May saying she had fallen asleep and wrapped her up in a clean fleece blanket, I leaned down towards her, making sure the blanket was tucked in around her neck and she reached out, her eyes still closed. I softly stroked her hand and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Good night sleeping beauty!” I watched her lips turn up in a smile as she snuggled down.
***
I was up early and showered quickly before putting the kettle on. I placed a steaming cup of tea in front of Annie, just as she opened her eyes. “Hello…” She sat up, looking around a little lost. “You fell asleep and I thought it was better that you slept here. Don’t worry I told your mum where you were…” She smiled, murmuring thanks. “Look you stay here, I’ll feed and muck out. I’ll give you a call when I have tacked up and we can have another ride, that’ll wake you up!”
I left her snuggling back under the fleece blanket as I stepped out into a crisp morning. May came out, apologising for her daughter. “Look, she wore herself out dragging me around shops.” May gave me a wry smile. “I’ll look after the horses.”
I was busy for most of the rest of the day, we rode out quickly but then I had to clip some of the livery horses and spend time exercising the others before coming back and tackling the huge pile of filthy tack. The weather had changed and it had started to rain so all the horses came home muddy needing hosing down and drying and the tack was a slimy muddy mess. I put the radio on and resigned myself to a couple of hours of therapeutic leather cleaning.
I didn’t mind the work, it was the end of a long day, but sitting in the toasty warm tack room cleaning tack left my mind free to wander, it was only when the radio news came on that my reverie was broken, I had not been listening until a familiar name was spoken;
“Edwin Smith had masterminded a major drug cartel across London and the Home Counties in one of the largest county lines drugs running operations the UK has ever seen. His arrest and subsequent charges of drugs offences, human trafficking and murder will ensure that he is sent to prison for a long time…”
I’d frozen, screaming as I felt a hand on my arm, I span, turning to run but my feet tangled in a pile of reins and I fell to the ground. I struggled but could not get free.
“Amanda!”
I looked up sobbing, I saw Anne smiling down at me. “Come on babe… You’re stronger than this. He can’t get you now…”
“Amanda!” Arms embraced me, I blinked seeing Annie kneeling above me. “Oh goodness, what’s wrong…” She helped me to my feet, sitting me on the bench seat and embracing me.
“Oh God, you’re shaking… What’s wrong?” I put my head on her shoulder and wept, the sobs wracking my body.
***
May handed me a mug. I sipped at the sweet tea, it’s warmth flooding my body. Looking around I was in their living room. I tried to struggle to my feet… “No, stay there…” She smiled, placing her hand gently on my shoulder. I nodded, looking down sipping the tea.
“Now, you don’t have to tell us, but we may be able to help.”
I looked up into her soft eyes, sighing. I gulped, coughing and placing my tea down. “If I tell you…” I stopped, looking around. “Oh, you’ve been so good to me…” May and Annie sat on the sofa opposite me, the fire was crackling in the grate. “I don’t want to have to go…”
“Who said you have to go?” May shook her head. “You’ve been amazing. The liveries love you, we love you.”
“I made a terrible mistake…” I looked at their expectant faces and started to speak, the words flooded from me, the accident, the children’s home, running away, Clapham and Edwin. I looked up at their shocked faces as I explained that my boyfriend was being charged with all sorts of terrible crimes. My words eventually petered out and I fell silent. Only the sound of the crackling fire and the ticking of the Grandfather clock in the hall remained.
“Okay…” May spoke softly. “It seems, from what you tell me, that the only thing you were guilty of was being a bit naive.” She paused. “I am guessing you didn’t know what Edwin was doing.” I shook my head vigorously. “You fell in love with someone, you didn’t do anything wrong. Am I right that you didn’t get involved with drugs…” There was an edge of steel in her words. I stuttered.
“No…” I looked up, my eyes filled with tears.
