Vets in Love (39 page)

‘I can’t believe you’re being so cheerful about this,’ I begin.

‘I’ll catch you later.’ The door closes behind him and it’s just me and the Bobster.

‘Let’s go,’ I say, picking up my keys. I put the Bobster’s travel harness on – I bought it recently from the ‘For dogs’ section in Tack n Hack – and clip it to the seat belt in the car before driving up to the yard. There are lights strung across the sign outside the equestrian centre and a poster advertising Christmas Pony Parties. When I reach the car park, I spot both Mum’s car and Matt’s.

‘I smell a rat,’ I say. ‘What do you think is going on, Bobster?’

She yaps three times as if to say, ‘I don’t know.’

I let her out of the car and she races straight for Willow’s stable, throwing herself at Sage, Gabriel, Cheska and Mum, who are waiting there.

‘Nicci, I’m over here.’

I turn to find Matt emerging from the cover of the barn.

‘Matt? Did the horse not make it?’

His eyes gleam with amusement. ‘There was no horse. It was a trick. Here—’ he holds out his hand ‘— I’ve got something for you, but you have to close your eyes. Promise me you won’t peek.’

I screw up my face to make doubly sure, then, realising it isn’t a good look, I hesitate.

‘Close your eyes,’ Matt repeats. ‘No, this isn’t going to work. I’ll have to blindfold you.’ He pulls a handkerchief from his pocket, one covered with Santas. ‘A client gave it to me. It’s clean.’

I stand beside the hay, inhaling its musty scent as Matt stands close behind me, tying the blindfold around my eyes.

‘Is that too tight?’

‘It’s fine,’ I say.

‘No peeking.’ He pinches my bottom before spinning me around until I’m giddy and laughing and falling against him. I catch hold of him by the front of his coat. He takes my hand. ‘Right, Nicci. Let’s go.’

‘This is a test of trust,’ I tell him.

‘But you do trust me,’ he says.

‘You have been rather furtive over the last couple of weeks.’

‘You know I said it was a tradition in my family to
open gifts after lunch? I admit that was a cock and bull story – did you really think I’d be able to wait that long to open my presents?’

‘I did wonder.’

‘I had to think of a way of getting you to wait without arousing your suspicions.’

‘This is an elaborate way of giving me a present. Wouldn’t it be easier to have done it the usual way, through Father Christmas?’

‘Ah, this present wouldn’t fit down the chimney.’ Matt’s voice bubbles with humour and fun.

‘So it’s a big present?’ I ask, fishing for clues.

‘It’s the biggest present I’ve ever bought for anyone.’

‘So it isn’t a new pair of jodhpurs. Is it a wheelbarrow?’

‘A good idea because you need a new one, but it’s the wrong answer.’

I can’t guess now. My mind is in a spin. I catch the aroma of mince pies and mulled wine coming from the tack room as we pass – Matt is taking me on a round-about route to wherever we’re going.

‘Stop,’ he says and I become aware of people crowding in around me, but no one is saying anything. It’s as if they’re holding their breath.

‘Hi, Auntie Nicci,’ Sage pipes up after a pause.

‘Sh.’ I think that’s Mum, or Cheska. ‘She can’t see you. Gabriel, don’t you dare say a word.’

Matt removes the blindfold and stands to one side of me, holding my shoulders as if he’s worried he’s going to have to catch me.

‘Happy Christmas, Nicci.’

The light is dazzling at first, but I soon work out that I’m outside Dark Star’s old stable and Delphi is holding onto him. He’s wearing a red rug trimmed with white faux fur and matching bandages, a new leather head-collar with brass buckles and tinsel plaited through his mane and tail.

Sage can’t contain herself any longer. She’s tugging at my coat.

‘Auntie Nicci, isn’t he the best Christmas present you’ve ever had?’

I turn to Matt. ‘Dark Star? But he’s been sold.’

‘Yes, to me and I’m giving him to you,’ he explains patiently. ‘Maybe it’s against my better judgement …’

‘Oh, Matt, I thought I might never see him again. I can’t believe it.’

‘Well, you’d better because you’re riding him from now on. I expect to see you both at Badminton in the near future.’

‘Thank you.’ I can hardly speak. Hot tears are running down my cold face at the thought of what Matt has done for me, because I know how much it’s taken for him to do this. There’s so much I want to say, but Mum wants a photo of me with Dark Star and Delphi wants to drink a toast while everyone is together.

She hands me Dark Star’s lead-rope.

‘I hope you’ll be very happy with him,’ she says. ‘I’m glad he’s staying on the yard – and that I don’t have to risk my neck on him any more.’

I stroke his shining chest. He’s been bathed and clipped out. He lowers his head and rests it on my arm as Mum takes pictures with her phone, gushing on
about how this is the most romantic gesture she’s ever seen.

Cheska is more sceptical – the horse-lover’s gene has definitely passed her by. ‘You have everything a woman needs,’ she says, ‘your dream horse and a mug to pay for it.’

‘Matt’s no mug,’ I say, amused, ‘and I’ll be paying for my horses. Give me some credit.’

‘Can I have a ride on him soon?’ says Sage.

‘One day. I’ve got to get used to him first.’ With a touch of guilt, I look towards Willow’s stable, where she’s looking over the door and dropping strands of hay onto the newly swept yard. ‘Why don’t you give Willow a couple of mints?’

I keep half an eye on Sage while she’s with Willow, but Willow is as gentle as ever. I wouldn’t trust my new boy in quite the same way, but we’ll get there.

Two of the grooms turn up with trays of mulled wine and orange juice. Gabriel tries to grab a mug of wine, but Sage stops him and swaps it for the non-alcoholic option.

‘You’re too young,’ she says.

‘Mummy says I can have some.’

‘I said you can have a sip of mine,’ Cheska says. ‘Here.’

I watch Gabriel’s face as he takes a big gulp of warm spicy wine and lets it wash around his mouth. Without flinching, he swallows it back and asks for more.

‘I don’t think that had the desired effect,’ I observe.

‘It was worth a try.’ Cheska yawns. ‘You were lucky
you stayed at Matt’s last night. Guess what time the kids had me up?’

‘I dread to think.’

‘Two in the morning. Gabriel cried because he thought there was a strange man – i.e. Father Christmas – in his bedroom. I tried to persuade them to go back to sleep, but in the end I gave in.’

‘We used to be like that. I’m not surprised they’re excited, especially with Alan coming down. He is still going to Mum’s for lunch?’

‘He’s texted me to let me know he’s on his way.’

‘Cheska, you’re blushing.’

‘I’m not.’

‘Yes, you are. Are you two …’

She lowers her voice. ‘I don’t want to raise the children’s expectations, but we
are
talking, and I’m hoping Alan finds that he rather likes it around here. He could set up a good little business – everyone can use a plumber now and again.’ She pauses. ‘Don’t worry, Nicci. I’m making the most of the support and seeing the therapist Dr Mackie found for me. I’m not on some manic flight of fancy that Alan and I are going to live happily ever after. I’m crossing my fingers and everything else that today’s visit could be the beginning, a fresh start.’

‘What happened? What made him change his mind?’

‘He missed us. Okay, at first he said he missed us like a hole in the head, but then he said the nicest thing …’ Cheska’s voice trails off. She touches the corner of her mouth and continues, ‘He said he that he felt like he had a hole in his heart because we weren’t there.’

I wish her all the best, not only for her happiness, but for Sage and Gabriel’s too.

‘Here’s Shane,’ calls Sage.

‘Auntie Nicci’s other boyfriend,’ calls Gabriel.

‘He isn’t,’ Sage says, scolding him. ‘Matt only says that as a joke because Nicci spends all her time with him.’

‘Very funny,’ I say as Shane parks his four-by-four in the yard and jumps out. For once, he isn’t wearing breeches. He’s dressed in a sweater with a snowflake motif, dark trousers and black shoes.

‘I’m not stopping,’ he says. ‘Michaela’s not happy that I’ve left her looking after the turkey, but I couldn’t miss this and I wanted to say Happy Christmas to everyone.’ He walks over to me and Dark Star. ‘Congratulations on your lovely new horse.’

‘Were you in on this?’ I ask him, my face aching from smiling.

‘What do you think? I wasn’t going to let this one get away. You’re made for each other.’ He kisses my cheek. ‘I wanted to tell you – now you know Dark Star is yours – I’ve set up a meeting in the New Year with Topline, the local feed company who are really keen to sponsor a local rider, i.e. you, VB.’

‘Me? Really?’

Shane nods. ‘It’ll take some of the pressure off you, financially, at least.’

‘Shane, you are amazing.’ I can’t explain how I feel. I’m thrilled. ‘How can I ever thank you?’

‘It works both ways,’ he says. ‘I need the work. You’re a good client.’

‘You did get my present?’

‘Yes, thanks. We’re drinking it later. You know I can’t wait to see you back in the saddle.’

Holding onto the end of the lead-rope, I give Shane a hug. Dark Star takes the opportunity to make a beeline for a tray of mince pies left on the trunk outside Willow’s stable, but the Bobster gets there first and runs off with one.

Sage snatches the rest of them to safety, while I give Dark Star a tug on the rope, bringing him back to me. ‘Good boy.’

‘I must go,’ Shane says.

‘So must I,’ says Mum. ‘I don’t expect Robert’s remembered to put the potatoes in. Mind you, wild horses couldn’t have dragged me away from this.’

Everyone moves on, including the grooms who are sent to make the horses’ ‘Christmas cake’ for their evening feeds, a mixture of molasses, carrots, chaff and mix, topped with linseed jelly. Matt and I are left with Dark Star. I lead him back into the stable and take off his head-collar, at which he paws at his bed, sinks down and rolls on both sides until he gets up again, covered in shavings.

I close the door and watch him, laughing as he shakes himself, sending the shavings everywhere.

‘He knows how to enjoy himself,’ Matt comments, moving beside me and sliding his arm around my waist.

‘I don’t think you’ll ever realise how much this means to me, Matt. I thought I might never see Dark Star again.’

‘I know.’

‘I can’t believe you’ve done this for me.’ It can’t have been easy. Every time I compete, he’s going to have to live with his fear that I might fall and not come back. ‘How will you cope when I go out eventing next season? I really can’t bear to put you through—’

‘Sh,’ he says. ‘You said I was being furtive recently. Well, apart from negotiating with Delphi over the horse – she drives a hard bargain, by the way – I’ve had a couple of sessions of hypnotherapy to help me deal with my fear. I’m not sure I’ll ever be cured as such, but I reckon it’s worth a try.’

‘You’re doing that for me? Oh, Matt …’

‘You showed me that you were willing to give up your dreams for me,’ he goes on quietly. ‘I can see how much the horses mean to you. I can’t stand in your way, Nicci. And I really don’t think I can live without you. So there you go. I’ll take the chance and pray that you’ll be lucky and always come home in one piece.’

My chest tight with emotion, I turn and throw my arms around him.

‘I love you,’ I whisper in his ear.

‘Love you too,’ he smiles.

‘My present to you seems a bit small now.’

‘I don’t care,’ he says. ‘I am a very lucky man. I don’t need anything else, darling.’ He kisses me on the lips. ‘All I want for Christmas is you …’

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Published by Arrow Books 2012

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Copyright © Cathy Woodman 2012

Cathy Woodman has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance between these fictional characters and actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

First published in Great Britain in 2012 by
Arrow Books
A Random House Group company

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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978-0-099-57094-3