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‘Guilty.’
‘A lot of people are pretty happy about the new practice, I expect you’ll soon have a full client list.’
‘Let’s hope so. And about those lessons… for Abigail. She can ride, but she needs a refresher and a sense of the area out on a hack. She’s also really keen to learn jumping.’
‘Like I said, Arnold is your man.’ Hazel’s response didn’t miss a beat. ‘He’s a great jumper and a brilliant teacher. He’s been in several competitions – those rosettes in the office are mostly his.’ Gus remembered a line of rosettes pinned up on one wall behind the desk. ‘He only stopped competing when we both took on this place and it all got a bit much.’
Gus knew Abigail would appreciate either teacher, but Hazel seemed gentle, kind, and his daughter needed that. She’d been through enough. Not that he knew anything about Arnold, he might well be the better bet out of the two. And he had to wonder why Hazel had been all for it, offering him lessons with her, with nominated days and times, yet now he was asking about Abigail, she was saying she didn’t have availability and pushing him towards her brother.
With someone arriving in the parking area where he’d left his car, a horse rider dressed in the full gear, Gus sensed they were way too busy to discuss lessons for anyone right now.
‘You finally caught her,’ said Gus, when he saw Arnold bringing the other horse in from the paddock.
‘She likes to give me the run around, this one.’ Arnold secured her halter to the wall with a piece of rope the same way Hazel had done with Minstrel.
The guy was friendly and his sister could be too, which gave Gus a good feeling about the Heritage View Stables. He could see himself, Abigail, and Denby being a real part of all this. That was all he really wanted, a fresh start that brought with it a sense of permanence.
Hazel saw the young boy approaching, and after reminding him not to walk around the back of the horse, she removed Minstrel’s harness and put on his bridle, the bit slipping into the mouth with ease before she checked the fitting was comfortable.
‘We got a bit behind,’ Arnold grumbled as the boy asked if it was almost time. Someone else had just arrived in the car park, presumably the other kid in the lesson. ‘Almost ready.’
‘Sorry, I expect that’s my fault,’ Gus apologised as he watched Hazel start the grooming process for Peony. ‘You’re doing it all over again?’ From the information Hazel had given him he knew horses were groomed prior to their morning turnout.
Hazel smiled. ‘It’s a good idea before a lesson, it makes sure the horse is comfortable, but at least it’s quicker this time round.’ She ran her hand down the horse’s leg to let her know she was going to clean her hooves for her and obediently Peony lifted her foot, eyes closing against the sun and the odd fly.
Arnold came over to Gus and apologised. ‘I’m sorry, I wasn’t implying I’m behind because you’re here today.’
‘It’s not a problem.’ But he didn’t want to be in the way. He’d seen enough, time to get on. ‘Thank you both for today. And Hazel, I really appreciate you showing me around.’
‘See you again soon,’ Arnold smiled before telling his sister, ‘Be quick, lesson starts in less than five.’
‘I know,’ she said in a tone that suggested he might have said it a few times already. She was onto the second hoof already.
It had to be hard, running a business with a sibling. Thank goodness there was only him to worry about with his practice. Gus was his own boss with nobody else at the helm. ‘I’ll leave you to it, then,’ he said to Hazel as she flicked more dirt from the hoof and looked briefly at him. ‘I’ll be in touch, it was good to meet you. Again.’
He walked away.Again?Why had he said that? Judging by the look on her face, it had conjured up visions of his naked torso for her as well as him.
But he shook off the embarrassment and climbed back into his car. Things were falling into place and already he had a good feeling about being here in this stunning village on the east coast of England.
