Barefoot (30 page)

‘Marnie’s are having one this year. There’s a hog roast and music. It should be cool. Everyone’s going.’

‘I’m not sure how I would get there.’

‘Hang on.’ Toni heard muffled voices, then Lauren was back on the line. ‘Mum says she’ll drop us. And pick us up again.’

That sorted that. But Toni still hadn’t decided what to do with the ponies. She would feel happier if they were safely inside, but the field shelter wasn’t big enough for them both. In the end she reached a compromise. She cycled over there before it got dark, encouraged Grace in and put the chain across so she couldn’t get out. The thoroughbred was the most likely to spook if she heard fireworks. Buster would cope.

She cycled back and arrived at the cottage, just as Lauren turned up with her mother to pick her up. No time to change after all. She always seemed to be racing against the clock nowadays.

The traffic was backed up and Lauren’s mother was forced to drop them right down at the bottom of the lane. They picked their way down the rutted drive in the dark and stood in a queue for tickets, then in another one for hot dogs. Lauren was right. Everyone had turned up.

Groups of teenagers stood around with bottles of beer, and Toni felt awkward and out of place. It was a very different atmosphere from the village display.

‘Come on. Let’s get closer to the fire,’ Lauren urged. She melted into the crowd immediately and Toni soon lost sight of her and felt herself begin to panic. There was a series of bangs and a flash of light, as the first fireworks lit the sky, and the crowd pushed forwards to get a better view.

All the people pressed around her and Toni began to find it hard to breathe. She turned and headed back against the tide, like a salmon swimming upstream. What she needed more than anything else was to get out.

‘Hey, it’s Toni.’

She tried to focus on who was talking to her and for a moment couldn’t recognise the face under the beanie. Then she saw the flint-grey eyes. Sam.

He looked concerned. ‘Are you OK?’

She shook her head.

‘I’ll catch you later,’ he nodded to the two guys he was with and they walked off, smirking.  ‘What’s up?’

‘I feel like I’m suffocating. There are too many people.’

‘OK, let’s get out of here, shall we?’ He took her arm and she let him lead her. People seemed to magically move out of his way, until they were on the edge of the crowd again and he directed her over to some bales of hay stacked alongside the drive. ‘Here. Sit down.’

‘I’m fine. Honestly.’ Toni felt embarrassed now. ‘Sorry, I don’t know what happened. I lost my friend and just got a bit freaked out.’

‘Easily done in a crowd.’ He didn’t make a big deal out of it and she was grateful.  ‘Hey, you’re shivering. I’ll go and get us some coffee, shall I? Warm you up?’

She nodded, and Sam headed over to one of the food caravans, leaving her sitting there. The temperature was beginning to drop. She hadn’t had time to change out of her riding boots and could feel her feet starting to go numb.

A few minutes later he returned holding two steaming cups. ‘Here.’

She took one of the cups and wrapped her fingers round it gratefully.

Sam pulled a bottle out of his pocket. ‘Have a slug of this in it as well. Brandy. It’ll warm you up.’

It seemed rude to say no. ‘OK. Just a little, thanks.’

He poured a generous slug into her cup and she sipped it cautiously, surprised how good it tasted.

‘Like the hair, by the way,’ he said.

Toni was amazed he had noticed. ‘Thanks.’

They sat in silence for a while watching the firework display and sipping the coffee. Gradually she felt herself begin to relax.  ‘Did you drop out of college to work for your dad in the end?’

Sam shook his head. ‘I’ve got to do a work placement for a term, so I’m doing it on the farm. I’d have preferred somewhere else obviously, but …. you know how things are.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Toni felt partly responsible.

‘Not your fault. I always planned on coming back to help eventually. That’s why I chose a business degree.’

‘So… ’ She didn’t know how to put it. ‘Is everything going to be OK?’

‘Do you mean will the farm go under?’

She blushed, and was relieved he couldn’t see in the dark.

‘Not if I can help it, no. I’ve drawn up a new marketing strategy, and come up with some pretty major changes. Sent a feasibility study to the bank.’

She nodded as if she understood, and sipped her coffee again.

‘It’s a lot for Dad to take on-board though, so we’ll just have to wait and see.’

There was a silence.

‘What news from my little brother?’ Sam asked.

‘He still seems to be having a great time,’ she tried to sound enthusiastic. ‘The ranch seems amazing. And the horses.’

‘It certainly looks fantastic,’ Sam said. ‘You never know. He might end up wanting to stay over there.’

He had voiced her deepest fear, and Toni felt her throat tighten. She took a gulp of her coffee quickly. ‘Do you really think he might not come back?’

He shrugged. ‘Why would he?’

What about me?

‘What about Rebel?’ she asked instead.

‘Dad wanted to sell him, but Mum wasn’t having any of it.’

Toni wondered if Cal knew. ‘I guess if he really clashes with your dad, he might not want to come back. I can’t imagine ever wanting to go back to live with my mother.’

‘Yeah, well, from what I hear she’s a genuine head case,’ Sam laughed.

Toni was shocked, but found herself laughing too.

‘But Dad’s OK, really he is,’ Sam went on. ‘He’s just been through a rough patch, that’s all.’ He moved closer to Toni and she found herself leaning against him. She looked up and was drawn to his mouth. It was so like Cal’s.

‘You know, if you are missing my little brother,’ he whispered, ‘you can always come out with me instead.’

Toni saw the glint in his eyes and pulled back, stood up and threw her half-drunk cup of coffee on the ground. She felt a little dizzy and wondered how much brandy he had given her. Glancing around, she saw the fireworks had finished and the crowd was beginning to break up. ‘My friend will be worrying about me.’

Sam stood up and stretched. ‘Your loss. You know where I am if you change your mind.’

Toni walked away quickly, disgusted with herself. For having the brandy and being so naïve. For nearly kissing him. When she pulled her phone out of her pocket, she realised it had been on silent all the time. She had missed three texts from Lauren.

‘Where r u?’????
The first one said.

‘Am waiting by the burger van.
Where r u???????’

‘Meeting Mum outside the entrance at nine,’
the last one read.

Then in capitals Lauren had added,

‘
DON’T PANIC. WE WON’T LEAVE WITHOUT YOU!’

*************

‘I don’t want a huge fuss.’ It was her big day and Toni wished she hadn’t told her father to surprise her. He had taken her totally seriously, and all she knew was the bare minimum. That B was helping him organise it. She had been pushed out of the cottage more than once while they had their planning meetings.

‘I hope you haven’t invited loads of people.’ Toni was getting ready and her aunt was hovering. ‘You know how much I hate crowds.’

‘Just family and a few close friends,’ B promised.

Toni put on her new outfit and began to blow-dry her hair.

‘Here. Let me straighten it for you,’ B fussed.

‘No. It’s fine. I like it natural.’

‘You look gorgeous.’

‘Sure?’ There was no full-length mirror in the cottage, so Toni had to trust her.

‘Positive. I can’t believe you’ve grown up.’

Toni couldn’t quite believe it either. She didn’t feel any different. She had desperately wanted to be sixteen, and for one reason only. So Cal would stop seeing her as a kid.

She fingered the silver horse necklace. She hadn’t taken it off all the time he had been away. Only one more week and he would be back. And she still didn’t know how she really felt.

B looked at her watch. ‘I think we better get moving.’

Toni tried to pull herself together and followed her downstairs. Her aunt was dressed from top to toe in bright orange, and had a large silk flower pinned to her already large chest. She wouldn’t lose her at least.

Whatever she felt, B and her father had put a lot of money and effort into the evening.

The least I can do is to look as if I’m enjoying it.

Her father was waiting in the sitting room, jangling his car keys. ‘You look absolutely beautiful.’

Toni blushed. ‘So
now
do I get to know where we’re going?’ she asked.

‘Wait and see.’ Her father seemed unusually nervous, and on impulse she leant over and gave him a kiss. ‘Thanks, Dad.’

‘What for?’

‘Everything. The whole of the past year. Letting me live with you. Getting a local job. Keeping Buster.’

‘I wouldn’t have it any other way. Come on. We don’t want to keep everyone waiting.’

They headed out onto the bypass in the direction of Cheltenham, then, after twenty minutes, turned off onto country lanes. Finally the car slowed to a halt in front of an imposing set of electric gates.

‘It’s Tarling House.’ Toni sat up in awe. ‘I can’t believe it. This place is
sooooo
expensive.’

‘You’re sixteen and it’s special,’ her father edged the car forwards as the gates opened. He was delighted by her response, she could tell. The driveway was over half a mile long, a graceful avenue of lime trees, with horses grazing the fields on either side. As they pulled up outside the Jacobean manor house, the manager stepped forward to open the door for them.

‘The birthday girl, I assume,’ he smiled in welcome. ‘The other guests are in the conservatory, sir, if you would like to follow me.’ He swept them through a cosy sitting room and on into a dining room, where a long table was laid for dinner.

Toni could hear the crowd of people gathered in the conservatory at one end, and began to feel increasingly freaked out. ‘Wait!’ She pulled on her father’s sleeve.

He paused and turned. ‘Hey, what’s up?’

The manager paused, too, standing discreetly to one side.

Toni peered into the conservatory. ‘B said just family and a few close friends. There must be forty at least!’

‘Close,’ he admitted.

She groaned. ‘I hate being the centre of attention. You know I do.’

‘Come and see this.’ He led her over to the table instead and there, in the middle was a beautiful cake in the shape of a horse’s head with
Happy Birthday
iced on it.’

Her eyes widened. ‘It’s fabulous!’

‘Your mother ordered it.’