“Adam, Adam Bishop…” I held out my hand but the girl ignored me, still staring at her phone. “Okay…”
“Adam, will you show Olivia to the accommodation please?” Hilary must have noticed my puzzled look. “She will share with you, there are two bedrooms.”
“Oh? Okay. It’s this way.”
Olivia reluctantly followed me. Some weeks before I’d laid some spare paving slabs to allow for a dry path through the mud, but she sighed, shaking her head at the sight of the static caravan. Unlocking the caravan door and stepping inside was the first time she looked up from her phone. She gasped, turning on her heel and stepping back outside where her mother and Hilary were waiting.
“No!”
“No?” Hilary stuttered. “Is there something wrong?”
“I will not be living in there. Mother, tell her.”
“Now Hilary, when I agreed to let Olivia work here, I was assured there was somewhere for her to live. Now, it’s clear your other groom may not have standards but let me assure you, my daughter certainly does.”
Hilary stood open-mouthed. “There’s only the groom’s cottage, but my head girl lives there.”
“Well, she can give over her space then.” Grace smiled. “Tell her to move her stuff out. Olivia, you can move in. Hilary, keys.”
* * *
“Sally… Where are you?” She popped her head over one of the stable doors, body brush in hand. “I would go now if I were you before you lose your cottage.”
I watched as she raced across the yard and could hear raised voices. Sally came back with Hilary following closely behind.
“You know you can’t say that to her!”
“What? You cow! You’ve just made me homeless.”
“She is our sponsor…”
“She may be your sponsor…” Sally took a deep breath. “No, screw this!” She flung down the brush and stormed across the yard, getting in her car and driving away.
“Oh, shit…”
“Sorry Hilary, I’m not really sure how that could have gone worse? Can I do anything?”
“Oh, Adam… Please can you sort out Olivia’s needs? I need to find Sally and apologise.”
I nodded allowing Hilary to rush to her own car before walking back to the cottage. I popped my head around the door where Olivia was complaining about the furnishings.
“Well, I will buy them more so you can live in some comfort.”
“Hello… Sorry, Hilary had to pop out. She’s asked me to help in any way I can.” Two pairs of eyes glared at me. “Can I show you around the yard, Olivia?”
“Adam, it was Adam wasn’t it.” Grace drawled. “No, I am going to take Olivia for lunch, she’s been upset by the other groom. I will then arrange for some proper furniture to be delivered this afternoon to make this hovel at least habitable by a proper human being. Olivia will be back tomorrow morning.”
Then, as soon as they had arrived, they left. I watched the Range Rover cruise down the driveway before going back to the yard to finish my duties.
* * *
I’d finished the yard alone, completing the feeding before dragging myself, exhausted, to the caravan. I slipped off my boots grabbing a can of baked beans from a kitchen cupboard, too tired to even cook them. I flopped onto the sofa and ate them cold from the can. I’d almost fallen asleep in front of the telly when there was a gentle knock on the door. I stood up and opened the door.
“Oh hello, didn’t you used to work here?”
Sally stepped into the caravan. “Hilary asked if I could share with you.”
“Sorry, step back a little here. I thought you’d resigned.”
Sally sighed. “She needs me, I can’t just leave her. Especially with that nasty cow around.”
“She really doesn’t deserve you… Okay, you can have my room. It’s the bigger one, I’ll change the sheets. Have you eaten? Okay, I’ll make you something to eat.” Sally suddenly burst into tears, I sat beside her, hugging her. “Come on… Let’s not let her win. You’re still the boss.”
* * *
Thrown together, it was clear when I woke in the morning and made a cup of tea, Sally was depressed by the situation. I’d already been out and collected a load of her belongings which I’d seen dumped outside the cottage in the rain and put them in the living area. Sally picked through the water-damaged photographs and rosettes. She sighed as she pulled out a now damp photo of her in the arms of a handsome rider. Sighing, she pushed the photo back into the box.
“I’m sorry. Let’s see if we can face this together…”
We headed to the yard. I saw Sally looking at her cottage as she passed, there was no sign of life so we went down and fed our hungry horses.
“Right, she is getting up to muck out.” Sally stormed to the cottage and started to pound on the door, after almost ten minutes the door opened. Olivia stood in her dressing gown staring at Sally.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I am getting you up to do your job… Be on the yard in two minutes.”
“Piss off!” Olivia slammed the door in Sally’s face.
“What the-…”
“Wait, Sal, speak with Hilary first. She may not have made her role here clear.”
“She is a working pupil. That means, whoever she thinks she is, she has to work…” Sally stormed past me, shoulder slamming me on the way past.
7
Riding Lessons
“No!” Hilary shook her head. “You cannot just cut the line like that. Adam, please show her the proper line to take.”
I
