A Fresh Start on the Bridle Path (The Glenbriar #12)

Prologue

Dagmar

Sixteen Years Ago

T he bell rang and Dagmar Ingenfeld gathered her books together, her fingers fumbling with the worn edges as she shoved them into her bag. Her head and ears burned with the stares and whispers that followed her like shadows.

‘Hey, Horse Girl, got any carrots in your lunch today?’ a sneering voice called out from the back of the classroom.

Dagmar didn’t turn around. What was the point? After four years of High School, she was used to this. It wasn’t exactly going to change, was it? She kept her head down as she headed to the door.

Another giggle, another snide comment. ‘Maybe she’s trotting off to the stables.’

‘ Neigh! ’ Someone whinnied loudly and several others burst out laughing.

‘With teeth like that, she could eat an apple through a letterbox.’

Dagmar’s cheeks flamed, but she kept walking, her steps quickening as she made her way along the hallway, now bustling with students, changing classes. She joined the throng, hoping to disappear. Why did she have to go through this torture, day in, day out?

She rounded a corner and froze, almost colliding with James Charlton. Oh god. Not him. She’d crushed on this boy since primary school. He’d seemed ok when he was little. For a while anyway. Then he’d stolen her favourite Schleich horse, the Friesian stallion – a toy that wasn’t just collectable and very realistic, but very expensive – and she’d lost it forever. That was when his true colours had started to seep out. She wouldn’t forgive or forget, especially now. Not when he was always going about with horrible friends, who teased her relentlessly about her extremely long hair and her sticky out front teeth, which were now caged in ugly braces.

As with all the other friends she’d had at primary school, they seemed to have forgotten they ever knew her, made new friends and moved on. Now she had no one. Not at school anyway. The horses were her friends and some girls at the pony club were ok, though they usually came from families with a lot more money and status than Dagmar.

James’s easy smile faded slightly when he saw her. She went to skirt around him, but he caught her eye.

‘You had Mr Duncan today?’ he asked. And his voice was normal, like he was talking to one of his friends, not her.

‘Um… No.’ Her heart raced. James’s bright blue eyes were still on her. Not only was he good looking, but he was the brainbox of their year, and everyone suspected he’d be head boy in a couple of years’ time. Dagmar knew better than to think this seemingly friendly chat meant anything. Why would it? She’d heard one girl in his group saying just the other day, ‘Who knows what Dagmar’s problem is? All we ever do is try to be sociable. And she’s just so rude.’

Ha! Rude? They were being sociable! That was a laugh. If sociable meant being constantly teased and talked about, then she wanted nothing to do with them. This little chat was more than likely another chance for them to claim they were being sociable when they just wanted further reasons to dislike her.

‘Lucky you,’ James said. ‘He’s—’

‘Hey, James, watch out! Horse Girl might kick you,’ a voice shouted from behind Dagmar.

Her face and neck were so hot it was like someone was pushing a branding iron into her skin. She glanced at James, expecting to see a smirk or a laugh, but his expression remained neutral.

Without another word, she hitched her bag higher on her shoulder, put her head down, and almost ran down the corridor.

‘Guess Horse Girl’s got a new jockey!’ the loud voice shouted.

Her eyes stung, but she kept running, wishing she could get away from it all. Away from school, away from nasty comments, and away from James Charlton.