Sea Horses (6 page)

Dandy came galloping up and Joel sprang off his back. ‘Tamzin! Are you all right?’

‘I… think so,’ said Tamzin shakily. She let Joel help her to her feet, then he rounded on Moonlight.

‘You stupid animal! What got into you?’

‘Don't be angry with him!’ Tamzin pleaded. She was shocked and would have a few bruises, but there was no real damage. ‘It was that big wave. It frightened him…’ Her voice tailed off. Moonlight was staring out to sea again. He was making strange, angry whickering sounds, and his attention seemed to be fixed on the distant, hazy shape of Lion Rock.

‘What's he looking at now?’ said Joel. ‘Moonlight! Calm down, there' snothing out there!’

A chill went through Tamzin and she thought,
Isn't there?
Moonlight was between her and the sea, and she had a feeling that he was trying to shield her from it. She thought of the wave, with its grey crest like a horse's head. And the second wave, dazzlingly blue, that had rushed in to meet and clash with it. Then she remembered the first time she had met Joel on the beach. Moonlight had been with him, and against the background of the gathering storm, the pony's coat had taken on a peculiar blue tinge.

She said in a small voice, ‘It wasn't just the wave that scared him.’

‘What do you mean?’ Joel was baffled.

‘I mean… there was something else.’

‘Like what?’

‘I don't know. But it wasn't an ordinary wave. Didn't you see it? Its top was shaped like a horse's head. And when it broke, its crest wasn't white, it was grey!’

‘I don't understand. A wave's just a wave; it –’

‘But it
wasn't
just a wave!’ Suddenly Tamzin felt frightened, and almost before she knew it she was telling Joel everything that had happened last night. Nan's story, the rhyme in the old Bible, how the shape in the garden suddenly vanished – and the eerie moment when Nan's painting had seemed to come to life.

‘It made me think of Moonlight,’ she said. ‘When I first met you on the beach, his coat looked blue against the storm clouds, just like the horse in the picture. Last night I… I thought it was protecting me. And now… I've got this weird feeling that Moonlight wants to protect me, too. That's why he bolted when that wave broke. He was trying to get me away from it.’

‘So you think it had something to do with this Grey Horse?’

Tamzin bit her lip, hesitated, then nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘Oh, come on, Tam! Magic horses, evil spirits – it's all a bit far-fetched!’ Joel peered more closely at her. ‘Are you sure you didn't bump your head when you fell?’

‘I didn't! You saw the wave!’

‘I wasn't looking at any waves. I was trying to catch Moonlight.’

Her face fell. ‘So you don't believe me.’

‘Well…’ Joel sighed. ‘I'm not saying there isn't a legend, like your nan told you. But you don't honestly think it's true, do you?’

‘I don't know!’ Tamzin said in distress. ‘But weird things have been happening ever since I broke that statue. The storm, and the horse in the garden; and now the wave and Moonlight bolting.’

‘Moonlight's just an ordinary pony,’ Joel insisted. ‘He was scared by a big breaker. That's all there is to it. As for all the other things, it's coincidence, Tam. It can't possibly be anything else.’

She wasn't going to convince him, Tamzin could see. ‘OK,’ she said dismally. ‘I expect you're right, and I'm being an idiot. But will you do something for me?’

‘It depends,’ said Joel cautiously. ‘What is it?’

‘Help me look for that missing piece of the statue that I threw into the sea yesterday.’

He stared at her. ‘You're joking! It could be anywhere.’

‘Maybe. But I've got a feeling we might find it.’

‘One little bit of stone, among thousands on this beach?’ Joel made a snorting noise, like a horse. ‘Some chance!’

‘I'm going to try,’ Tamzin persisted doggedly. ‘And if I do find it, it'll make me feel a lot better.’ She frowned at him. ‘Will you help me or not?’

There was a pause, then Joel sighed. ‘OK,’ he said. ‘I'll help. But I still think it's a crazy idea.’

Tamzin didn't answer that, but turned at once towards the tumbled rocks at the foot of the cliffs. Joel followed, leading the ponies. Moonlight was subdued now and walked quietly, though now and again he looked back at the sea.

They started to search. They combed shallow pools, dug among piles of seaweed, sifted sand and stones. Tamzin worked with all her concentration, until at last she was forced to stop for a minute to ease her back, which ached from bending. Joel was a little way off, with the ponies. He had given up searching, and Tamzin was beginning to understand why. The piece of the statue could be anywhere among the rocks and pools and seaweed. The sea might have carried it away. Or it might be lying at the bottom of a deep pool, far out of reach. But Tamzin didn't want to give up. She hadn't looked in any of the caves yet. There was a large one nearby and she went towards it. It was dank and gloomy and as she ventured in she could hear water dripping. It was a dismal echoey sound, and when she called out, ‘Come on!’ to Joel, her voice echoed too.

Joel appeared at the cave mouth. ‘Tam, there's no point,’ he said. ‘It's as dark as a mine. Even if the piece was in there, you'd never see it.’

She sighed. He was right; this was hope-less. And the cave was giving her the creeps. It was like being in the mouth of a huge animal, which might at any moment clamp its jaws shut.

‘Never mind,’ Joel said as she trailed disconsolately outside again. ‘It wouldn't have made any difference if you'd found it. It's only a story, after all.’

Tamzin said, ‘Yes,’ because she didn't want to argue, then shivered.

‘You're cold,’ said Joel, ‘and your back's all damp where you fell on the sand. We'd better go back, before you catch a chill.’

She nodded. She did feel cold, and dispirited. Moonlight was subdued, too, and as they mounted and set off, his head hung low as if in defeat.

They rode slowly back along the beach and on to the valley path. Joel tried to cheer Tamzin up by talking. He asked about her family, her home, her school, then said, ‘I suppose you'll be going to the local school next week, when half term finishes.’

‘Yes, I suppose I will,’ Tamzin said reluctantly. The prospect of having to face a new school, new people, new ways of doing things, had been worrying her anyway, but after what had happened in the last few days, she simply hadn't wanted to think about it at all. ‘What's it like?’ she asked uneasily.

‘Oh, it's pretty good, as schools go,’ Joel reassured her. ‘I won't be there, though. I go to school in Truro now. You'll probably be in Mrs Beck's class. You'll like her. She's interested in legends, too.’ He grinned. ‘She might even know about the Grey Horse story and if she doesn't, you can tell her.’

‘No!’ said Tamzin, so sharply that Moonlight tossed his head in surprise.

‘Steady, Moonlight!’ Joel put out a hand to the white pony's nose, then looked curiously at Tamzin. ‘OK. Sorry if I said the wrong thing!’

‘No, I'm sorry too,’ she said. ‘I didn't mean to snap. It's just that I promised Nan I wouldn't talk about it. I shouldn't even have told you.’

‘Oh, right. Well, don't worry, I won't say anything to anyone else.’

‘Promise?’ Tamzin had to be sure.

Joel nodded. ‘Promise. If you don't want me to.’

They rode on, trotting again where the path was level and wide enough, and soon Chapel Cottage was in sight. Tamzin dismounted the way Joel had shown her. She still felt shaky as she patted Moonlight's neck.

‘Do you want another lesson soon?’ Joel asked.

Tamzin nodded, trying to push thoughts of the Grey Horse from her mind. ‘Yes, please,’ she said. ‘Except… I ought to pay for them. And I don't suppose I can afford it.’

He smiled. ‘What about helping at the stables, in exchange for lessons?’

‘Could I? Really?’

‘I should think so. I'll ask Mum about it and phone you later.’

‘All right.’ Tamzin said her goodbyes, then gave Moonlight a final hug. ‘See you again soon, Moonlight,’ she whispered. ‘And… thank you.’

She was thanking him for more than the ride, and the pony snuffed her hair softly, as though he understood. Then he, Joel and Dandy were gone, trotting on up the valley as Tamzin turned in at the gate of Chapel Cottage.

N
an was in the studio. She was sitting at her easel, working on the half-finished sky-and-sea scene that Tamzin had seen before. She said ‘Hello,’ but vaguely; she was concentrating hard on the picture.

Tamzin moved round until she could see the canvas. It was going to be another horse picture. Nan was sketching in the horse's outline; it stood facing out to sea with its head high and one forehoof raised.

Suddenly Nan gave a sigh and put her brush down.

‘It's no good,’ she said in a strange, tense voice. ‘It just won't come right.’ She blinked, and seemed to see Tamzin properly for the first time. ‘Oh! Sorry, Tamzin, love. I was miles away. Did you have fun at the stable?’

‘Yes thanks, Nan.’ Tamzin hesitated. ‘What's wrong with the picture?’

‘It's the horse. I can't get the outline right. That isn't like me; I usually… oh, never mind. Perhaps I'll try again later. Only…’

‘Only what?’ Tamzin prompted.

Nan paused, then shook her head. ‘It doesn't matter.’ Abruptly she gave Tamzin a bright, artificial smile. ‘I expect you're hungry, aren't you? I'd better think about lunch.’

She got up from the easel and hurried out of the studio. Tamzin stared after her. Nan was worried, there was no doubt of that. But she obviously didn't want to explain, and Tamzin didn't want to press her. Nor, suddenly, did she want to tell Nan what had happened on the beach. What good would it do? If Nan heard the story, it would only worry her more. It was better to say nothing.

She looked again at the picture. The unfinished horse was like a dim ghost, with the sea visible through it. For no sensible reason Tamzin's spine prickled. Then she left the studio, closing the door carefully behind her.

Tamzin's parents rang at tea time, to say goodbye before their flight left for Canada. Nan tactfully went out of the room. When the call was finished and she came back, she was in time to see Tamzin hastily wiping her eyes.

‘Are you all right?’ Nan asked sympathetically.

Tamzin nodded, though she wasn't really. ‘It's just that Canada seems such a long way away. And a whole
year
…’

‘Well, we'll just have to make sure it's a busy year, so the time passes quickly,’ said Nan, then added, ‘And a happy one, too, of course.’

Tamzin looked at her. ‘Do you think it will be happy?’

‘Well, that's up to us, isn't it? I'm sure we can have a lovely time.’ Then Nan quickly changed the subject. ‘Anyway, how are your mum and dad? All ready, and everything on time?’

Tamzin nodded again. ‘Dad's put something in the post,’ she said. ‘A going-away present, but he wouldn't tell me what it is.’

‘Has he? That's something to look forward to, then. Now, what would you like to do after tea? We could play cards again. Or Scrabble, or even chess. Can you play chess?’

‘No. I've never tried.’

‘Oh, it's a terrific game. I'll teach you, if you like.’

She was trying hard to make Tamzin feel better but Tamzin knew there was more to it than the matter of Mum and Dad. She wanted to ask about the unfinished horse picture, and why Nan had been so worried. But Nan's bracing cheerfulness was like a barrier that she couldn't cross. Whatever it was that troubled her, she was determined to forget about it and she wanted Tamzin to forget it, too.

That, though, was going to be hard for Tamzin to do.

Joel rang later that evening. Tamzin was feeling down, but she brightened when she heard what he had to say.

‘Mum says it's fine about swapping riding lessons for help at the stable,’ he told her. ‘So long as your nan agrees.’

‘I'm sure she will!’ Tamzin felt her spirits lifting. ‘When can I come?’

‘How about tomorrow? It's Sunday; we get busy on Sundays, so you can make yourself useful.’

‘Great!’

‘OK. Moonlight'll be pleased, too. Do you know, he's been really restless since we got back? He keeps staring around and whinnying. It's almost as if he's looking for you.’

‘Honestly?’ Tamzin felt a peculiar little inward lurch.

‘Yeah. He's taken to you in a big way. Funny, isn't it, how animals sometimes do that?’

‘Yes,’ said Tamzin as the little lurch came again. ‘It is.’

‘Oh, well. See you tomorrow then.’

‘Yes,’ she said again. ‘See you.’

Tamzin couldn't sleep that night. She was thinking about Mum and Dad on their long flight, hoping they were all right and would land safely. But she was also thinking about the Grey Horse.

By midnight Nan still hadn't gone to bed. Tamzin could hear faint noises from the studio. Was Nan working on the horse painting again? Why was it so important that she should get it right? It was as if she believed something awful would happen if she didn't, and that thought made Tamzin shiver.

She could dimly see the painting of the galloping horse on the wall, and she stared hard at it until the shivery feeling went away. The horse looked very much like Moonlight, and she remembered what Joel had said earlier about the pony taking a liking to her. It fitted with her own thoughts; the feeling that Moonlight had protected her on the beach today and her certainty that, somehow, there was a connection between him and the Blue Horse.