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Authors: Linda Chapman

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BOOK: Loving Spirit
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‘Won’t he tell your dad about us missing school?’

‘Not Stuart. He’s not bothered by things like that. Come on,’ Joe urged her. ‘You need to have some fun. It’ll do you good.’

A feeling of recklessness caught hold of Ellie. She loved the thought of doing something different, something other than the normal routine. ‘OK then!’

‘You’d better get changed,’ Joe said, looking at her school uniform. ‘You can’t go to a horse sale looking like that.’

Ellie quickly shut the door and pulled off the grey polo shirt and black trousers that were her school uniform. She changed back into her jodhpurs and put
on a red top and her fleece. As she fixed her hair into a ponytail, her eyes fell on the jewellery box beside her bed. Maybe she should take her money. She might see some things in Barrowton that she could get for her room. She hadn’t got any further with her plans for doing it up. She took out the whole lot – three hundred pounds – stuffed it into her purse and ran downstairs.

Ellie had never been to a horse sale before. There were people everywhere, men in flat caps, women with hard faces, a few children. There was the sound of neighing and shouting. Dogs were dashing about through people’s legs or being walked on leads. There were two barns and lots of metal pens, all filled with horses and ponies. No one remarked on the fact that Ellie and Joe should be at school.

‘That’s where they sell the tack,’ explained Joe, pointing to the barn on the left. ‘The horses and ponies are in the pens over here.’

Ellie walked around, feeling more aware of everything than she had done for a long time. The air felt tense, and full of possibilities, as the horses and ponies were bought and sold.

The pens nearest them held an assortment of shaggy ponies. There were three bay yearlings, an old grey pony, a pretty dark bay mare and a young piebald cob. They all had a card with their sale descriptions on tied to their pen gates. She could feel
how confused and anxious they were, the foals huddled together, the other ponies pacing, their eyes scared as people walked past looking at their catalogues and making comments about the horses.

Ellie stopped to stroke the bay mare. In front of them were the pens with the horses in. Her eyes scanned over them – bay, black, skewbald. Then her gaze came to rest on a dirty white-grey horse of about fifteen hands in one of the outer pens. He was an Arab with a dished face, large eyes and delicate muzzle. His mane was long and part of it had rubbed out, his tail was straggling, his ribs prominent. He was in poor condition, but that wasn’t the only reason Ellie’s gaze fell on him – he was staring straight at her. Ellie had never seen the horse before, ever. But as their eyes met she somehow had the strangest feeling that they had always known each other.

Feeling a bit stupid, she blinked and turned away.

However, even facing the other way, she could still feel the grey horse’s eyes on her back, boring into her, insisting she look back at him. She glanced round again. She knew it was mad, but she felt as if he was willing her to go over, and somehow Ellie couldn’t refuse. She took a step towards him, but just then Joe touched her arm.

‘Let’s go to the ring where they are selling the horses.’

Ellie shot one last reluctant look at the skinny grey horse and then followed Joe away.

The sales ring was a large round pen and there was sawdust on the floor. People stood all around it. All Ellie could think about was the grey horse. An auctioneer in a green waistcoat and checked shirt sat on a platform, a small hammer in his hand. A young black gelding of about 16 hands was being trotted round the ring by a man dressed in a brown overall. There was a number stuck to the horse’s flank.

‘What’ll I be bid for lot 113? Three-year-old black gelding, thoroughbred sire. Irish draught mare …’ The auctioneer’s voice came over the loudspeaker.

The people bidding were holding up their hands. Joe pushed through the crowd to find a space right by the bars of the pen, but Ellie hung back. ‘I’ll just be a moment,’ she told Joe. He nodded, absorbed now in the bidding.

Ellie made her way back through the crowds and looked across at the pen where the grey horse was. His back was to her and his head was sagging down. She could almost feel the suffering in the air around him. Suddenly he looked round over his shoulder. It was as though he had sensed she was there.

Almost before she knew it Ellie was hurrying through the crowds towards him, dodging round people, half tripping over dog leads, her eyes on the pen. By the time she reached it, the horse had come to the gate.

She drew in her breath. Closer up, she could see
the full extent of his neglect. His coat was rough and covered with dirt and grass stains. His legs were clogged with mud. There were scars on his knees, shoulder and neck. His ribs stood out. But despite his age and his half-starved condition, there was something about his eyes that captivated her. They were deep and dark and seemed to see right down inside her. She reached out and touched his neck.

A gruff voice spoke behind her. ‘That one’ll be going to the knackers then.’ Ellie glanced over her shoulder. Two men were walking nearby, commenting on the horses in the pens. The man who had spoken was pointing at the grey.

‘Not a doubt about it,’ said the second man. ‘Unwarranted and sold unsound. Look at the state of it.’

‘Meat man’ll be lucky to get his money’s worth with that,’ said the first man. He shook his head. ‘Poor old sod.’ And they walked on. The horse looked at Ellie. Suddenly she was filled with a burning conviction.

‘The meat man won’t get you,’ she said. ‘I promise.’ She knew she had to buy him. She stroked his neck once more. ‘I’ll be back in a moment!’ And she turned and fled through the crowd.

‘You want to do
what
?’ Joe stared at her. She dragged him away from the ring.

‘I want to buy a horse. How do I do it?’

‘But you can’t,’ Joe protested. ‘You haven’t got any money.’

‘I have. I’ve got three hundred pounds. It might be enough. He’s old and the people I heard talking said no one would want him apart from the meat man.’ She stumbled over the horrible words. ‘Oh, Joe, I’ve got to buy him. I can’t let that happen.’

‘Well, three hundred pounds might be enough,’ said Joe, considering it. ‘They’re not going for much to the meat man these days.’ He frowned in concern. ‘But you can’t just buy a horse, Ellie. Where are you going to keep it? You couldn’t take one home, particularly not from a sale. Dad thinks anyone who buys from a sale is a complete halfwit. He’d flip.’

‘I don’t care!’ Ellie declared. ‘I’ll find somewhere else to keep him. All he needs is a field and a shelter. I’ve got money I inherited. I bet I’d be allowed to have some of it to keep a horse. In fact, I know I would,’ she lied. ‘I’m going to do it, Joe. Just tell me how.’

Joe looked very worried. ‘Ellie, you can’t.’

Ellie glared at him. ‘Why not?’ She hadn’t felt as strongly about anything since her mum and dad … No! She stopped herself.
Don’t think about them. Not now
.

‘You can’t just buy a horse,’ Joe protested. ‘It’s mental. It’s –’ He saw her expression and broke off helplessly. ‘I’m not going to change your mind, am I?’

She shook her head. ‘Nope.’

Joe took a deep breath. ‘OK. So which horse is it?’

Ellie set off through the crowd. ‘There!’ She pointed at the horse’s pen. The horse pricked his ears and looked at her with recognition. ‘I told you I’d come back,’ Ellie murmured, going over and stroking his cheek. She looked round at Joe to see what he thought.

His jaw had dropped open. ‘Ellie! You can’t buy that. He’s a wreck!’

The horse put his ears back.

Ellie glared at Joe. ‘He’s not! Well, maybe a bit,’ she admitted. ‘But that’s why he needs my help. I’ll make him better.’

‘But he’s being sold unsound and unwarranted,’ Joe said, checking the card. ‘That means he’s lame and there’s probably all sorts of stuff wrong with him, which will mean even if you cure his lameness you won’t be able to ride him.’

‘I don’t care,’ Ellie said. This horse was alone in the world, like she was. If she bought him at least they’d have each other. ‘I want him.’ She turned back to Joe. ‘And I’m not going home without him.’

He looked at her stubborn face and groaned.

‘And here we have lot 178. A grey gelding, seventeen years old. Sold unwarranted and unsound,’ the auctioneer announced as the grey was led into the ring
by the man in the brown overalls. The horse walked slowly, his head hanging low, his hooves stumbling on the ground.

The crowd around the ring gave the horse quick dismissive glances and then looked away, chatting among themselves.

The auctioneer glanced over to where a burly man in a hat was standing near the entrance. Joe had told Ellie that was the meat man, buying horses to ship overseas or to go for pet food. He had also warned her that horses were sold in guineas and not pounds, and that he knew she would have to pay taxes and extra things like that on top. ‘The highest you can go is two hundred and twenty-five pounds,’ he’d warned her.

Ellie clutched her purse in her pocket.

‘So what am I bid for this horse?’ The auctioneer sounded as if he wanted to get it over and done with as quickly as possible. ‘Let’s start at two hundred.’

There was no movement in the crowd. Ellie went to stick her hand up, but Joe grabbed it. ‘You might get him for less,’ he hissed.

‘One hundred and fifty then?’

The meat man touched his hat in a bored way. ‘One hundred and fifty I’m bid,’ said the auctioneer. ‘One hundred and fifty. Going …’

Joe nudged Ellie and she quickly stuck her hand up.

‘We have a bid to the left,’ the auctioneer said, clearly surprised. ‘That’s one hundred and seventy-five to my left.’ The meat man touched his hat again. ‘Two hundred pounds.’

Ellie raised her hand. ‘Two hundred and twenty-five to my left …’

Ellie’s heart pounded.
Please, please, please don’t bid any more
, she silently begged the meat man.

Her heart plummeted as he bid again.

‘That’s two hundred and fifty.’

‘No!’ Ellie whispered in despair. ‘Joe …’

‘Bid again,’ he told her quickly. ‘I’ve got some money with me.’

She raised her hand.

‘That’s two hundred and seventy-five to my left …’

Ellie looked at the meat man. Relief rushed through her as she saw him give a brief shake of his head.

‘Are all bids done? Going, going …
gone
!’ The auctioneer struck his hammer down.

Ellie swung round. ‘Oh, thank you, Joe! Thank you!’ She flung her arms round him.

‘I can’t believe you’ve actually just bought a horse,’ he said, looking at her, almost in awe.

‘Neither can I!’ she said dazedly.

Just then, one of the officials came over to take Ellie’s name and details.

The man told her where to go and pay. Joe gave her some money from his wallet. ‘That should be
enough. I’ve got enough left to go and buy him a headcollar and leadrope while you pay.’

Ellie threw him a grateful smile and hurried to the little hut where people paid for the horses. As she waited, the realization of what she had just done began to sink in. What was her uncle going to say? Where was she going to keep the horse? What if the horse needed loads of vet treatment? What if her grandma and the people in charge of her inheritance wouldn’t let her have any money to pay for his keep? The adrenaline pumping inside faded and she began to feel sick.

She paid the money over the counter and, holding the receipt in her hands, she walked slowly back to the pen.
Oh God
, she thought over and over again as the reality hit her.
What have I done?

Joe was standing there. Despite his words from earlier he was stroking the horse’s neck and talking quietly to him. The horse’s eyes were half closed and he looked as if there was hardly any strength left in him, but as Ellie approached he put his head up and let out a low whinny.

In that instant, Ellie pushed aside all her worries. She broke into a run. ‘Hi, boy,’ she said as she reached the pen. He nuzzled her hands.

‘So what are you going to call him then?’ Joe asked.

Ellie thought for a moment. A word came to her. She tried it out in her head.

‘You can always name him later, I guess,’ Joe went on when she didn’t say anything. ‘You don’t need to name him now and –’

‘No, I know what he’s called,’ Ellie interrupted. She looked at the horse and spoke softly. ‘His name’s Spirit.’

The horse’s eyes met hers.

Ellie opened the gate and went inside the pen.
Spirit
. Her horse. She put her arms round his neck and had the strangest sensation that she had come home.

You’re mine
, she promised the grey horse silently.
Forever
. She meant it with her whole heart. Whatever the problems, whatever she had to face, Spirit was hers now and she was never ever going to let him go.

Chapter Five

Ellie walked slowly along the country road, with Spirit beside her and Joe on the other side of him.

When Stuart had come to meet them and found out about the horse, his eyebrows had risen almost to the top of his bald head. ‘I don’t like to think what the boss’ll say about this,’ he’d said, drawing in a whistling breath through his teeth. But he’d put out his hand and stroked Spirit’s muzzle. ‘Poor old devil. You’ve had a hard life by the look of it. What’ve they done to you?’ He glanced at Ellie and she saw the sympathy in his eyes. ‘You two hang on here with him and I’ll go back and fetch the trailer.’

But when Stuart had returned, Spirit had refused to go anywhere near the trailer. Every time Ellie tried to lead him up the ramp he pulled back violently. When tempting him with food didn’t work, Joe and Stuart got behind him to urge him in but he swung his head up, ears flattened, and lashed out with his back feet.

A few jokers from Joe’s year who were also bunking off school were standing nearby watching. ‘That your new show horse then, Joe?’

‘Will you be takin’ him in the Horse of the Year show?’

‘Bet he’ll win
all
the prizes!’

BOOK: Loving Spirit
3.2Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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