Liberty and the Dream Ride (11 page)

He looked over at Marcus who had taken Liberty's reins and was about to lead the mare back to her box.

“You can't handle her with your arm in a cast. Here – I'll take her back to the stall,” he said grumpily, taking Liberty from Marcus.

Valmont headed off, leading Liberty towards the stables, but he had only gone a little way when he stopped abruptly and began to search his pockets.

“Lost something, sir?” Marcus asked.

“I don't seem to have my passcard for the stall on me,” Valmont said. “I must have misplaced it…” He patted the pockets of his suit jacket.

Marcus dug into his jeans pocket and handed over his own green card. “Here,” he said. “You can take mine.”

Issie couldn't help remembering the green passcard she had found on the ground that night when the intruder got away. Had Valmont dropped his card in the dark that night? But why would he be lurking around his own horse?

It didn't make sense.
Mind you
, Issie thought,
a lot of things about Valmont didn't make sense
.
OK, Marcus was injured, but since when did the super-rich head of the stables take it upon himself to volunteer to do a groom's job and put the horse away in its box?

As she watched Valmont lead Liberty away, she heard her name being called. She turned round and saw Tom Avery hurrying over to join them. He had the strangest look on his face.

“Tom, what is it? Is something wrong?”

“Issie,” Avery said. “The officials have just posted the final list of scores for the dressage test…”

“Ohmygod!” Issie bit her lip. “Tom? Where am I?”

“Issie, it's brilliant,” Avery said. “Liberty is in eighth place and Comet is fifth!”

And for the first time ever that Issie could remember, Avery lunged forward and gave her a hug. She felt a shock of pain in her ribs, but she didn't care because this was one of the best moments in her life.

“Issie, you've got two horses in the top ten!”

Yesterday a plaited and polished Comet had trotted majestically into the arena to perform his dressage test. But today the dainty plaits and elegant dressage saddle were gone. Comet was kitted out in serious cross-country equipment, the full battle armour of martingale, breastplate and grackle noseband with sets of leather tendon boots front and back to protect him from impact as well as a set of white bell boots up front.

The change in costume hadn't gone unnoticed by the little skewbald. He knew exactly why he was dressed this way and his eyes were shining with anticipation. Cross-country was the phase of three-day eventing that he truly loved and he couldn't wait to get on the course.

In the loose box with him, Issie was also dressed in protective body armour. She wore a high-impact helmet, gloves and her air-tech jacket was rigged so that a fall would set it off instantly. She checked the jacket panels and did up the zips on her leather riding boots while Stella continued to work away on Comet's legs, applying a thick layer of white grease to the front of his legs, smothering the stifle and knees. The grease was used to help the horse to slide over a fence if he caught it with his legs, and hopefully the slippery substance would also offer a coating of protection to keep him from getting cuts and scrapes on the course.

Stella stood back and admired her work. The white paste made it look like the skewbald had even more white patches than before. “He's ready for you,” she said.

“Just a second,” Issie replied. She had strapped on her stopwatch and was now doing up the tabs on her competition number, which she wore over the air-tech vest.

“It's crazy, isn't it?” Stella said as she handed Issie the reins. “You and me getting ready to ride the Four-Star. I never believed this would really happen.”

“I know,” Issie agreed. “It seems like just yesterday that we were little kids together at Chevalier Point Pony Club and now here we are riding at Kentucky…”

“Well,” Stella said, “technically you're riding at Kentucky – I'm just the girl who's holding the horse for you.”

Issie looked at her best friend. “Don't say that, Stella! You know that I could never have got here without you. You've been amazing, and I don't just mean as my groom: everything you've done behind the scenes, schooling the horses and keeping them fit, making sure they are in peak condition. You've always been there for me from the very start. I don't know if I have ever told you how much it means to me…”

Stella rolled her eyes. “You haven't won yet you know, Issie! Isn't it a bit early to be giving your thank-you speech to the academy?”

Issie laughed. “Did I mention that you're also incredibly good at bringing me back to earth whenever I'm being a twit?”

“Yeah, yeah, I'm the wind beneath your wings!” Stella said as she legged Issie up on to Comet's back. “Now I put a lot of work into tacking this horse up so you just bring my boy home in one piece, OK? I'm going to be in Liberty's stall when you get back. I'll have her ready for you to ride your second clear round of the day.”

Issie smiled. “Thanks again, Stella. I mean it.”

“I know you do,” Stella said. “Now go and kick some cross-country ass!”

“You'll report to the box at nine ten,” Avery told her as they walked together towards the starting area. “I don't think you need to warm him up too much before then. Trot a bit to loosen him up and then pop him over a couple of low jumps just to get him thinking…”

“OK,” Issie nodded. She was trying to listen to Avery's advice, but she was so nervous that she couldn't think straight!

She had just caught sight of one of the stars of the three-day eventing scene, Vaughn Leveritt and his magnificent chestnut, Gravitate, coming home over the final jump in the course – the Bourbon Barrels – to cross the finish line. Vaughn gave his horse a massive pat on his sleek neck as they crossed the line, but Issie could see that he looked disappointed with the ride. She understood why a few seconds later when she heard Betsy Bevan over the loudspeakers saying that Vaughn had incurred 40 faults with two refusals on the course at the Angled Rails and the Arrowheads.

He wasn't the only one to come to grief on the course already that morning. Even the more experienced riders were having run-outs and crashes. Shane Campbell had been having a brilliant round on his mare, Queen Latifah, until he reached the Squirrel Tails, where Latifah promptly took a dislike to the squirrels that earned them 20 faults.

“This course is riding much harder than everyone expected it to,” Avery admitted. “The Arrowheads have caused several refusals, so remember to hold your line and aim for the flag in the distance as we discussed. And don't let him get too fast when he hits the water at the Duck Marsh – sit back and balance him, OK?”

“Uh-huh.” Issie could feel the butterflies flitting about madly in her tummy now, doing loop-the-loops in formation.

Avery suddenly patted the pockets of his gilet and looked worried.

“What is it?” Issie asked.

Avery checked a second time. “I've forgotten my stopwatch,” he said. He looked up at Issie. “You go ahead and take Comet over to the warm-up arena. I'll just dash back and get it and meet you there.”

Avery set off at a brisk jog towards the stables and Issie walked on by herself towards the arena. She hadn't got far when she heard someone calling her name.

“Isadora!” The chubby figure of Tiggy Brocklebent, decked out in tweeds and jods, came striding vigorously across the field, with a notebook in her hands.

“I'd like a quick interview before you go out on the course,” Tiggy said.

Issie hesitated. “I don't have much time, Tiggy, and I need to warm up.”

“Oh, it won't take long!” Tiggy said, pulling out her pen. “Just a few quick questions.”

Issie sighed. “Fine, go ahead.”

“Excellent!” Tiggy said. “Now, you're riding two horses round the course today – will you be taking the same route on both of them?”

“I am,” Issie said. “I plan to take a direct route straight through the big jumps on Comet and Liberty.”

Tiggy looked surprised. “I expected you to take the easier options on Comet because he's so little.”

“I know,” Issie agreed, “but Comet can handle himself over big fences – and besides, with his little strides he's slower in the gallop than the other horses, so I can't afford to waste time by choosing the longer routes.”

“You're sitting in fifth position on Blackthorn Comet and eighth on Valmont Liberty,” Tiggy said. “Which horse do you rate your chances on?”

Issie froze. She didn't know what to say. She had taken Liberty on as a chance ride for the experience and to help out Marcus, but truly it was Comet that she was pinning her hopes on for glory.

Based on her cross-country track record with Liberty she would rate finishing without a broken bone as a success – but she was hardly going to tell Tiggy that!

“I can't choose between them,” Issie told Tiggy. “They are both great horses. I'm very grateful to the Valmont Stables for giving me the chance ride on Liberty.”

“Tactful answer,” Tiggy said as if she didn't entirely believe her. She stepped closer to Comet and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Tell me the truth – did you have any qualms about taking the ride on Valmont Liberty, what with the money troubles?”

“What are you talking about?” Issie said.

Tiggy's whisper grew hoarse with gossipy excitement. “I've been hearing rumours this week from some very good sources,” Tiggy said. “Tyrel Valmont has what you might call a ‘little problem' with failing to pay his bills. My sources say the tax department has demanded three million dollars by the end of this month, and if Valmont can't come up with the money he'll have to sell the stables!”

Tiggy saw the expression of complete shock on Issie's face.

“You didn't know about any of this?” Tiggy asked.

“No,” Issie said. “Not until now.”

“Valmont is determined to keep it hush-hush,” Tiggy told her. “He doesn't want anyone to know that he's having financial difficulties, especially as it's not the first time. He was nearly bankrupt last year until a two-million-dollar cash injection out of the blue sorted everything out. Now he's back in trouble again… and you just happen to be his star performer.”

Issie's cheeks flushed hot and she tried to pull her thoughts together, unable to shake a feeling of growing concern. “I'm sorry, but I need to go now,” she said, hurriedly looking at her watch. “I have to warm up and get ready.”

“Not before you promise me the exclusive interview with you at the end of the competition!” Tiggy said. “
Horsing Around
's readers would love to hear the story of your first Four-Star.”

“Fine,” Issie said. “Just let me go!”

As Issie trotted Comet back and forth in the warm-up arena she tried desperately to focus on the imposing cross-country course ahead of her, but for some reason all she could think about was Tyrel Valmont and his money problems. If what Tiggy had said was true, then Valmont was putting up a bold front when actually he was on the brink of financial ruin!

Now in possession of his stopwatch, Avery had arrived at the warm-up arena brimming with last-minute advice. “Keep your eyes constantly on your watch and check your timing markers on the course as you go,” he reminded Issie. “The optimum time of sixteen minutes and ten seconds is very tight and Comet will be hard-pressed to make it. You'll need to gallop hard the whole way to—”

“Issie!” It was Marcus and Tara Kelly.

“We know you're on your way to the start box,” Marcus told her. “We just came to wish you good luck.”

“Thanks,” Issie said. Then she asked, “If you're both here then who is back at the stables with Liberty?”

“Stella's getting her ready for your next ride,” Tara said. “And I saw Mr Valmont earlier – he mentioned that he might check up on her before she competes.”

“Issie!” Avery said. “We have to go. They're calling you now. You're due in the start box.”

As soon as they reached the box, a white-coated steward stepped forward and grabbed Comet by the bridle, leading the skewbald into the wooden fenced-off area where he would wait until the starter set him off to begin his cross-country.

The steward looked at the little skewbald, who was already getting anxious in the small space and was clearly keen to begin. “Are you ready to go?” he asked Issie.

“No! I mean, wait! Just give me a moment!” Issie said, hanging on to Comet, who was beginning to dance about beneath her. “I just need to talk to that boy over there before I go.”

She waved her hand frantically to beckon Marcus over.

“What is it?” Marcus asked as he hurried to her side.

“I need to ask you a question,” Issie said. “When Valmont Promise died, was he insured?”

Marcus frowned. “Yeah. There's an insurance policy on all Valmont horses, but for Promise it was a big one, like, millions.”

Issie felt her heart racing and it wasn't because she was about to ride a cross-country. “Marcus, this is important. Who got the money when Promise died?”

“Mr Valmont, of course!” Marcus said. “It was his horse!”

“And if Liberty died? Who would get the three million dollars that Liberty is insured for?”

“I…”

Marcus didn't get the chance to answer. The start-gate steward finally lost his patience. “I'm sorry, Miss Brown,” he said, “but your time is up. Are you ready or do I have to disqualify you?”

Issie was starting to get a very bad feeling about Tyrel Valmont, and she had more questions to ask Marcus, but the gate steward was serious – she couldn't delay any longer.

“I'm ready,” she said reluctantly, gathering up her reins and rising up in her stirrups.

“And four… three… two… one… go!” The steward's flag dropped and Issie and Comet shot forward out of the box out on to the rolling green turf of the Kentucky Four-Star cross-country course.

“Day two of the Kentucky Four-Star,” Mike Partridge's voice rang out over the Tannoy. “The cross-country is underway and you're about to see the fourth competitor for the day, Isadora Brown on Blackthorn Comet, take her first fence – the Lexington Flower Box.”

The Flower Box was a straightforward jump, but as Issie came towards it she pushed Comet on hard nonetheless. Avery had long ago taught her always to ride hard at the first fence. Often the horse hadn't yet woken up to the fact that he was about to start jumping and there was nothing in the world more frustrating than an unnecessary refusal at the first jump.

Issie kicked on and Comet flew the flowers, settling immediately into a powerful forward stride as they approached fence two, the Stone Walls.

The Stone Walls were a classic cross-country fence, solid and imposing. Comet popped them easily, his tail swishing as he flew the second element. He was buzzing with energy and keen to get going, his gallop opening up on the next stretch of green turf before they reached fence three, a round wooden jump known as The Mushroom.

As they bore down on the jump Issie knew that she should be focusing on riding the most important cross-country course of her entire life, but instead her mind kept leaping back to her conversation with Tiggy Brocklebent.

The journalist said Valmont was strapped for cash last year, but then miraculously received two million dollars. Was that money the insurance payout made after Valmont Promise's tragic death? And now Valmont needed three million dollars in a hurry – the exact sum he would get if Liberty died!

Was it possible that Valmont killed one of his own horses for the insurance money and was planning to do it all over again with poor Liberty? Marcus had admitted that he thought Liberty wasn't really worth three million – Valmont would never actually get that price if he tried to sell the mare.
Far better to knock her off and get the full amount
.