Читать книгу A HORSE FOR ANGEL - Sarah Lean, Sarah Lean - Страница 13

UM LEAPT UP, SCRAPING THE CHAIR AGAINST the floor, as I stumbled into the cottage dragging the grey suitcase behind me.

“What happened?” she said.

I held out my hand so she could see the graze and the blood and the dirt.

My throat ached from not crying, from holding in the things I wouldn’t be able to say. Mum brushed me down, got some tissues and antiseptic cream from her bag.

“There was a horse—”

“A horse hurt you!” Mum said, which wasn’t what I’d said at all. “What were you doing going in a field with horses? They’re unpredictable, dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. You’re far more sensible than that. Really, what has got into you, Nell?”

“I wasn’t in a field,” I said. “The horse came down the lane and nearly crashed into me.”

“What sort of horse was it?” said Aunt Liv, taking the grey suitcase from me.

“Black and white,” I said, “and very hairy.”

“It might be one of Rita’s horses,” said Alfie.

“I don’t think so,” said Aunt Liv, looking puzzled. She turned to Mum. “There used to be about a hundred of those horses next door at Keldacombe Farm, but they’ve been gone for quite a while now. They’re due to be sold soon.”

Gem gasped. “Is there a hundred now?” Then she said in a spooky kind of voice, “Like the story about the hundredth horse.”

“What story?” said Aunt Liv.

“It’s like… I think it’s if there’s a hundred horses then something special happens.”

“There were only ninety-nine at Rita’s, though,” Alfie said.

“No, but I mean if there are then the hundredth horse is magic or something… but I can’t remember exactly now.”

“Gem,” Aunt Liv interrupted, “where did you hear that nonsense?”

But Gem was looking at Alfie, who was making a face as if he was trying to make her be quiet.

“Somebody told me in the playground, ages ago,” Gem sulked.

Aunt Liv shook her head. She turned to Mum.

“It’s just some silly old wives’ tale.”

Gem mouthed, No, it’s not, and folded her arms.

Aunt Liv rolled her eyes and turned back to Mum, who had her hands on her hips, waiting for a proper explanation.

“I’ll have a chat to Rita at the farm,” Aunt Liv said. “See if she knows anything about the horse. Really, it’s nothing to worry about.”

“I think there was a girl on the horse,” I said, careful not to say anything about the carousel case. “But I didn’t really see.”

My cousins looked at each other, their eyes wide. Aunt Liv sighed, like you do when you’ve just worked something out and wish you hadn’t.

“Oh,” she said. “Perhaps that means Angel’s back.”

I noticed Gem nudge Alfie and he shushed and glared at her.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” said Mum.

“Oh, nothing,” Aunt Liv said. “There was a girl who used to hang around the horses on Rita’s farm. There was some trouble. I think she was caught stealing at the supermarket.”

Mum had a look on her face now that said, Did I really agree to this?

“Anyway,” Aunt Liv said, as if she wished she hadn’t mentioned it, “I heard her family moved away some time ago now, so nothing to worry about.”

There was a heavy silence as Mum put on her jacket and tugged her sleeves straight. Oh, good, I thought. She’s taking me home again.

“Well, as long as you’re sure you’re OK, Nell, because I have to get back now. I need to finish preparing for the conference.”

I held on to her. Because I wasn’t OK and I had nothing I wanted to stay for. Not now the carousel had gone.

“Don’t worry, Cathy,” Aunt Liv said. “We’ll take very good care of Nell.”

Mum and Aunt Liv had a private chat outside the door before Mum kissed me about fourteen times and squeezed me in a hug. I linked my fingers round her waist so she couldn’t pull away. But she did.