The Wild Boy and Queen Moon (6 page)

The gatehouse tower had been empty for years, but when Sandy’s sister Josie had run off with her lover Glynn and had a baby, they set up home there. Mr and Mrs Fielding were only just beginning to talk to Josie again, the baby winning them over. It had been a jolly village scandal at the time. When Julia rode past now, she saw Josie pinning baby washing on the line. Julia thought the story of Josie and her lover living in the Elizabethan tower with their love-child was the most romantic she had ever come across, although she knew none of their parents thought so. The tower was very beautiful, with little mullioned windows looking down the river towards the sea. Round it was an old garden that Josie had brought back to life, so that it was a mass of old roses and flowers in a froth round the base of the tower, with a lawn of turf where once the Elizabethan ladies had walked. In the summer it was so pretty it hurt. Having no water and no electricity was obviously the other side of the coin, but Julia did not think about that. She just felt, as she rode past, that life was so lovely at this minute that she might burst out of her skin. Having Faithful, and thinking of Josie’s love-story, and not being at a horse show but riding across this
lovely
landscape by herself in the sunshine – it was almost too much to take in.

She came down to the river and rode up the bank on to the sea-wall. Hardly anybody came here, save a few people off yachts wanting to stretch their legs, and the cattle grazed the wall so that the top was lovely smooth grass. The tide was fairly high and one or two yachts were coming up, hardly moving in the soft zephyrs, very leisurely. Faithful pricked her ears enquiringly at the white sails, but walked on calmly.

Now she was getting near to Drakesend, Julia’s bursting elation started to be tempered by doubts as to the reception she might get. She knew Sandy and Leo didn’t like her much. What if Sandy said she couldn’t take Faithful? She had ridden off without thinking about that possibility. What if they were out? But usually they came this way to ride, and the day was still so early they probably weren’t ready to set off yet. Even so, Julia began to have doubts, dreading the idea of another rejection. Her mother’s words had shaken her.

As she came down the sea-wall to join the lane that led up to the village, she was surprised to hear the thud of hooves behind her. She thought it was Sandy and Leo, but it was the boy on the grey thoroughbred. She had never seen him in broad daylight before, nor so close. He pulled up on the wall above her, and she could see that he didn’t want to ride past her. He seemed to contemplate
turning
back, half turning the horse, but then thought better of it and came down the wall in one bound. He went past Faithful at a canter, without a word, not even looking at Julia, and rode ahead of her up the track so fast that he was out of sight behind the high hedges of the upper lane before Julia had properly taken it in.

Who was he?

She thought she knew the face, but couldn’t put a name to it. The horse was a rose-grey mare of about fifteen hands, thoroughbred but small, with a flowing mane and tail and wonderful, athletic movement. Although she appeared to be ridden nearly always at a gallop, there was not a speck of sweat on her. She was hard and fit. Julia, typically, had noticed more of the horse than the boy.

When she got to the Drakesend turning she found Sandy and Leo standing there, looking up the lane. They turned to Julia and with one voice said, ‘Did you see him?’

‘Yes, he passed me.’

‘Do you know who he is?’

‘No.’

‘Did you see him close to? You must have done.’

‘Yes.’

‘What’s he like?’

‘Er—’Julia tried to find words for her muddled impression. ‘Sort of – well, like a – a rough sort of boy. Looked like a gypsy, save there aren’t any
round
here any more. He was bareback. Fantastic rider.’

‘And no bridle?’

‘No. Just a rope halter. I don’t know how on earth he has any control.’

‘But he does, doesn’t he? He’s amazing.’

‘Yes.’ Julia pictured the way he had hesitated on top of the wall and swung the mare with his legs, holding her, then asking her for the bound down the bank. He would be ace in the jumping ring.

‘He can certainly ride.’

‘How old is he, would you say?’

‘Oh, bit older than us. Sixteenish.’

‘Long hair?’

‘No. Well, perhaps it was tied back. Yes, it might have been long. He looked dark – cross, sort of. Wore jeans and a dirty jersey. He didn’t look at me, or say anything.’

‘We thought he had long hair.’

The two girls looked dreamy and Julia saw that they had a ‘thing’ about the boy and were hoping he was everything they were looking for in life. Julia doubted if he would fit the bill. They looked at each other and giggled a bit, then Sandy said, ‘Who’s that you’re riding?’

‘It’s my new pony. I bought it myself. I part-exchanged Minnie. And my mother won’t have it in her yard, she said, so I rode over to ask if I can keep her here.’

Both girls were obviously impressed.

‘What, you part-exchanged Minnie without telling your mother?’

‘Yes.’

‘Cor.’ Everyone knew Mrs Marsden and her quick temper. ‘I
say
! I bet she wasn’t pleased!’

‘She was furious. Well, I knew she would be.’

Sandy had a nasty feeling that her remark on the bus might have sparked off this awesome act of rebellion. She felt her blushes mounting at the thought. The new pony was nice, standing quietly while they talked, not jigging about on springs as Minnie would have been.

‘Could I keep her here, as a paying livery?’

‘Well, yes. We’ve got room.’

Even as she said it, Sandy could see that her close friendship with Leo could be threatened. Three was always awkward, two pairing against one, and could she be sure it would always be herself and Leo, the pair? Or would Julia keep herself to herself, as she did at school? And if the Magic Man ever turned up, Julia would be the attraction, she was so pretty. Sandy blushed some more, thinking such unworthy thoughts. Julia was welcome to Anthony Sneerwell.

Just as she thought this, Anthony’s car appeared at the top of the lane. He came down, driving too fast, and pulled up beside them. He stuck his head out of the window.

‘Who’s that cretin on the grey? One of your mob?’

‘No.’

‘I nearly hit him. Riding like a maniac – had the cheek to make a rude gesture at me.’

Leo said, ‘Good,’ under her breath, and Sandy said, ‘Have you come to ride? I haven’t put your horse out.’

‘Yes, I have.’

‘Try to,’ Leo said as he put his car noisily into gear and drove on into the yard.

‘Come and watch,’ Sandy said in a friendly tone to Julia. ‘It’s great fun.’

‘A laugh a minute,’ Leo said.

Heartened by the friendly invitation, Julia followed them into the yard.

SANDY SHOWED JULIA
a spare loosebox and let her get on with putting down the bedding. She went back to Leo and said, ‘Cor, what’ve we let ourselves in for?’

‘I thought you said we were full, after King of the Fireworks?’

‘That end box is big enough for a pony. And Uncle Arthur keeps saying he’s going to give up. He hardly ever comes these days.’

‘If he takes Empress of China away, poor old Fireworks’ll pine. He’s in love with her.’

‘I know. That’s half Mr Sneerwell’s trouble.’

‘Are we going to help him?’

‘Someone will have to!’

Anthony Speerwell had not yet had a satisfactory ride on King of the Fireworks. The big hunter, having fallen in love with the mare in the adjoining box, was unhappy about leaving her and, when saddled and bridled, refused to leave the yard. Any good rider would soon sort him out but the horse knew, as soon as Anthony
got
on him, that he had no authority. Twice, Sandy and Leo had led him away down the lane until he was out of earshot of the Empress’s shrill love-calls. Anthony did not seem to be ashamed of having to be led by little girls: he called the horse a ‘thicko’ and a ‘nutter’ and never seemed to think any of it might be his fault.

‘He’s got a skin as thick as a rhinoceros,’ Leo said. ‘He’d never believe you if you told him he can’t ride.’

‘When he’s fallen off enough times it might sink in.’

They sat in the tackroom and discussed Julia’s revelations, and decided that mummy Marsden would soon relent and have the pony home.

‘I don’t think she’ll trouble us for long,’ Leo said.

‘She can’t be all that bad, doing that, swapping Minnie,’ Sandy said. ‘Very brave.’

‘Hmm,’ said Leo.

They waited until the clatter of hooves going backwards and angry shouts told them Anthony was aboard and trying to leave the yard. They looked out. Julia had come out of her pony’s box and was watching critically.

‘He’s got a screw loose, this horse,’ Anthony said disparagingly.

‘Make him walk on,’ Julia said.

‘I’m trying, aren’t I?’

Julia shrugged.

Anthony gave Fireworks a wallop with the hunting crop he always brought with him, and Fireworks gave an almighty buck so that Anthony landed up the horse’s neck. Fireworks then ducked his head and Anthony slid gently down on to the ground. Fireworks turned round and went to slobber over Empress of China, looking lovingly over her door.

Julia said something scathing to Anthony which Sandy and Leo didn’t hear. They heard Anthony say, ‘If you know everything, you ride him then.’

‘All right,’ said Julia.

She went to Fireworks, led him away from the Empress and, although he was so tall and she so small, mounted him with apparently no trouble at all. She then walked him calmly and without any fuss out of the yard and into the lane.

‘You want him now?’ she called back.

Sandy and Leo exchanged glances. It was very impressive.

Anthony shouted, ‘Well, he’s given in, hasn’t he? He only does it for a minute or two.’

He lumbered away in pursuit, dressed in his best hacking clothes. He always came looking as if he was going to a show. Sandy and Leo couldn’t understand why he wasn’t mortified with embarrassment at being shown up by Julia, but obviously his rhinoceros skin was undented.

Julia came back on her feet, smiling, and went back into Faithful’s box, and in a moment King
of
the Fireworks followed at a smart trot. He went straight over to Empress of China and stuck his head in over her door. Anthony, shooting forward at the sudden stop, hit his head hard on the door lintel. His hat came down over his eyes, badly dented.

Smothering giggles, Sandy and Julia went out to help. Anthony was swearing at his horse, very angry.

‘Honestly, all horses do this sort of thing if they get the chance,’ Sandy said. ‘You’ve got to be very firm with him. Once he gets the message, he won’t try it on any more.’

‘He’s a lunatic! He’s dangerous! How am I going to get a ride if he won’t even leave the yard?’

‘You’ll have to take the Empress with you!’

‘She needs exercising,’ Sandy said. ‘Uncle Arthur hardly ever rides her now, and he doesn’t like her being out in the field unless the sun’s shining – she’s bored rigid.’

‘You could ride and lead,’ Leo suggested.

‘I’ll ride her, if you like.’ Julia emerged from Faithful’s box and made the offer. ‘If her owner wouldn’t mind, that is.’

‘No. He’s always asking us to exercise her. Go ahead. I’ll fetch her saddle and bridle.’

Neither Sandy nor Leo were keen to ride out with Anthony. They thought Julia’s offer pushy but useful. Between them they tacked up
the
chestnut mare while King of the Fireworks stood waiting hopefully. Empress of China was a clapped-out racehorse of about sixteen and a half hands, fourteen years old, a bright chestnut with a ewe neck and a spine that stuck up however much she ate. She had long rubbery ears and her lower lip hung down, giving her a goofy expression. Her eyes were shrewd; she was intelligent for a horse and not over-eager to please, although she responded to a good rider, which she rarely got.

‘She can go bonkers occasionally,’ Sandy warned Julia. ‘But nothing evil.’

Julia hopped up and the Empress’s expression changed to one of surprise. She pulled herself together even before Julia had asked anything, and set off out of the yard with King of the Fireworks at her side.

Sandy and Leo watched them go, not quite knowing what to think.

‘Perhaps Julia fancies Sneerwell.’

‘She’s welcome.’

‘He’s so handsome! But such a pig! Julia’ll find out.’

They were hungry and went into the house for elevenses. The kitchen was full. Josie and Glynn and the baby had just arrived in their Land Rover; Ian was – had been – doing his homework on the kitchen table; Mr Fielding had come in to see Glynn, and Mrs Fielding was dispensing coffee.

Leo, the only child of bookish parents, loved
this
big, noisy family kichen with all its coming and goings. Her house was silent, with only Radio Three playing quietly in the kitchen. Her parents only spoke when necessary. The Fieldings gabbled away all the time. Bill Fielding, having cut Josie off without a penny and sworn never to speak to Glynn in his life, was now, a year later, discussing with Glynn the replacing of a metal gate on the bottom meadow. Glynn was, officially, a sculptor (he had met Josie at art school), but he turned his hand to welding and carpentry to make a living, and was quite useful about the farm.