Loving Spirit (16 page)

Just then, the handle on the jockey door turned with a rattle. They leapt apart as if someone had just thrown scalding water over them.

The door opened. Luke was standing there. ‘Alfie’s about to go in the Intermediate Championship,’ he announced. ‘Are you two going to come and watch?’ He seemed to pick up on the tension. He looked from one to the other. ‘What’s going on?’

‘Going on? Nothing,’ Joe said, grabbing a whip off the floor and throwing it into a bucket with the other whips. ‘We … we were just putting stuff away.’

Ellie’s heart was pounding. ‘Yes. Just tidying up a bit.’ She turned so Luke couldn’t see her burning cheeks.

‘Well, come and see the championship then,’ said Luke, giving Ellie one last penetrating stare.

‘Sure.’ Joe went to the door. ‘Coming, Ellie?’

Ellie waited as Luke had turned and begun walking back towards the show.

‘Joe …’ she breathed, wondering what had just happened. Reaching out, she touched his hand. Their eyes met.

‘Come on,’ Joe said softly, after a moment. ‘We’d really better go, Ellie.’

She nodded, her heart still beating wildly against her ribs.

He jumped down from the horsebox. She scrambled down the steps after him, and studiously avoiding each other’s gaze, they followed Luke back across the car park.

Sunset …

Ellie walked beside Spirit along the lane as the sun slowly sank down in the sky. She rested her hand on his shoulders, feeling his muscles move beneath her palm. As always, when she was with him, and just him, she felt a sense of peace – of coming home.

Her thoughts mulled over the day. The show had been so much fun, but then there had been the moment in the horsebox with Joe …

It was only because I was upset
, she told herself.
It was hard thinking about everything that’s happened – Mum, Dad, almost losing Spirit
.

Her fingers played in Spirit’s long mane. She must stop thinking about it. Joe was her friend, that was all. Pushing the memory deep down, she remembered the rest of the show. It had been fantastic to win the class and quite weird to get on with Luke for a change. Ellie shook her head. She’d never met anyone who she could like so much one minute and then hate the next. But he’d been like a different person
while they had been at the show. Excitement bubbled through her as she suddenly remembered the moment when she had won the class. She couldn’t wait until the next time.

Sensitive to her moods as always, Spirit pushed against her.

She patted him. ‘Joe was right in the horsebox, Spirit,’ she told him. ‘So much has changed in just a few months. Not just the riding and the shows, of course, but having you and being able to talk to you, and now being able to keep you and also being able to communicate with Picasso too. Everything’s different.’

Spirit lifted his nose and explored her face with his muzzle. Ellie felt a rush of overpowering love and sighed. Without doubt, the thing that mattered most was keeping him. Everything else could change, but as long as she had Spirit she knew her life would be complete.

She remembered the bleak landscape she had arrived to, less than three months ago. The ground had been hard with frost, the wind bitter, the trees’ branches bare. But now the sun was shining, the fields were full of lambs, some bouncing, others feeding, tails waggling, while their mothers grazed. Bright yellow daffodils waved along the grass verge and the leaves on the trees were new and green.

The months ahead felt as if they were stretching
out in front of her like the golden rays of the sun stretching across the fields. What would they hold? There would be more shows. Maybe she would be able to learn how to talk properly to other horses. That was such an amazing idea. Then there would be Spirit, of course. She would do more with him, ride him with a saddle and bridle, learn more from him, love him and be loved by him.

A picture of the first time she had seen him flashed into her mind, and she remembered the feeling she’d had that day, as if she’d always known him.

You’re mine
, she had promised him.
Forever
.

She had meant it then. She knew it now. Their eyes met and she lost herself again in his gaze, feeling a wonderful sense of security. Whatever the future held, she would meet it with him.

The winter had passed; spring was here.

Special Thanks …

There are so many people to thank for Ellie and Spirit’s story. My agent, the wonderful Philippa Milnes-Smith, who encouraged me to write it from the very first moment we met, and her fabulous assistant, Holly Vitow. My editor, Lindsey Heaven, for her passion, skill and general loveliness even when we have been arguing – I know it’s only because you care! To everyone at Puffin who has put time into turning my story into proper books, especially Wendy Tse for her edits and patience and Katy Finch for the perfect covers.

On the horse front, I owe a massive thank you to Julie Templeton and Fiona Wallace of the Julie Templeton show team. They showed me around their amazing yard and patiently answered so many questions about showing, willingly giving up their busy time – any stretching of showing reality is down to me! The many non-fiction books by Mark Rashid,
an incredible horseman, have also been invaluable, as have the books by horse healers Julie Dicker and Magrit Coates.

And then there are the thanks to everyone else in my life who has been involved with this story. To Peter, Iola, Amany and Spike for putting up with me writing all the time, particularly to Peter for the endless love, support and inspiration – you are my guiding light and I love you for it! To the writing friends who make my day-to-day writing life so much more fun than it would be otherwise: Lee Weatherly, Julie Sykes, Liz Kessler, Dave Gatward and Ann Bryant (particular thanks to Lee, Liz, Ann and Julie for reading various drafts, seeing what I wanted to write and helping me iron out problems). To all the rest of the Scattered Authors, the most wonderful and generous group of writers. To my non-writing friends who keep me sane: Suzanne, Emma, Sarah, Jo, Debs, Sandra, Caroline, Wendy and Elaine. And to DB, wherever you are, for the light and the shadows you brought – this story would not be here without you. Thank you. Most of all, though, I have an immense debt of gratitude to the horses and dogs who are no longer with me, especially Tan, Bramble and Poppy. All animals are special, but some touch your life and heart in a whole different way. Those three taught me so much and I miss them all every day. Finally a huge thank you to
everyone who reads Ellie and Spirit’s story and enjoys it – listen and maybe you will hear an answer one day …