Chapter 28
28
The day before Ray’s visit, the nurse who was interested in re-homing Ashley came to see him. Jade didn’t know what she’d expected, but it wasn’t the stunningly attractive girl who came rather uncertainly into reception and introduced herself as Kate Turner. She had long, coppery gold hair and intense dark eyes and she was younger than she’d sounded on the phone. She looked as though she’d be more at home on a catwalk than a hospital ward, Jade decided, feeling dowdy in comparison. She found herself hoping, somewhat irrationally, that Finn wouldn’t materialise while they were talking.
Kate was wearing jodhpurs and carrying a riding hat and obviously expected to ride Ashley, which threw Jade a bit because the horse was still in his field. She’d groomed him, first thing, but she hadn’t thought to bring him in.
‘How come Ashley ended up here?’ Kate asked as they walked up to see him.
Jade hesitated. Kate was a nurse, for goodness’ sake, so why did she suddenly feel embarrassed at bringing up the subject of Ashley’s overdeveloped sex drive ?
She was saved from having to answer straight away by Kate’s exclamation of delight. ‘Oh, wow, is that him?’
They’d reached the paddock and Ashley, spotting the bearer of polo mints, pricked his ears and came trotting across to greet them. His summer coat was coming through and it gleamed chestnut in the morning sunshine. He looked the picture of health, his head and tail high, as he wheeled to a halt by the gate. Compared to the other horses in the paddock, he looked a prince, Jade thought with a little rush of pride.
‘Yes, this is Ashley.’ She stroked the horse’s nose and fed him a polo.
Kate patted his neck, her face animated. ‘He’s very handsome. I never expected him to look like this. How high is he? He’s obviously easy to catch.’
‘About fifteen two, I think. And yes, he’s never been a problem that way.’
‘But he is a problem in other ways?’ Kate’s voice was doubtful as she picked up on Jade’s tension. ‘Does he buck or something? I don’t want to take on a dangerous horse.’
‘He’s not dangerous,’ Jade rushed on, annoyed with herself. She was going to blow this if she didn’t get her act together. ‘He’s just…’ Why on earth couldn’t she bring herself to say the words? She could see Finn heading towards them. God, she was going to have to say something before he reached them.
‘He’s rather fonder of the ladies than he should be. Actually, well, to put it bluntly, he’s a bit of a sex maniac.’
‘He’s a sex maniac!’ Kate repeated loudly, and Jade realised, with intense embarrassment, that she’d followed her gaze and was looking at Finn as she spoke. ‘Haven’t you had him gelded, then?’
‘Sounds like an interesting conversation,’ Finn said, shooting a sideways look at Jade. ‘She’d have everything neutered round here if she had the chance.’ He grinned at Kate and added, ‘But I haven’t let her catch me yet.’
Jade glared at him. ‘Did you want anything in particular, Finn?’
‘I was just going into town for bits and pieces. Need anything picking up? I hear they’ve got some DIY gelding kits on special offer. I could get probably get a discount on a bulk buy.’
‘No, we don’t need anything. Thank you.’
Finn, completely unfazed by the sharpness of her voice, just nodded. Then, with another grin at Kate, he loped off down the yard.
Jade turned back to Kate, who was looking puzzled at this exchange. ‘He’s got a strange sense of humour. Anyway, as I was saying, Ashley’s here because he embarrassed his previous owner by – er – mounting a mare in the show ring. Unfortunately, the mare already had a little girl on her back.’
Kate clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes widening.
That’s it, Jade thought. She won’t want him now. But, to her surprise, Kate seemed more amused than anything else.
‘Is it all right for me to have a ride on him? Or perhaps I should rephrase that?’ She giggled and Jade found herself warming to her.
‘I’ll nip and get his tack for you. It’s in the house.’
Finn was getting into his car as she passed. He winked at her and drove off before she could say anything.
Twenty minutes later, Jade leaned on the fence and watched Kate trot Ashley round the field. He tossed his head and high stepped and generally looked very full of himself, which wasn’t surprising, Jade thought, as no one had ridden him since he’d been here. She’d meant to take him out herself, but she never had time to do much that wasn’t essential, and she’d also worried about falling off. She couldn’t afford to be injured.
Kate could ride, though, she observed, pleased. She looked good on him, her auburn hair streaming in the sunshine, her back very straight.
Rosanna, who was grazing with Conker and Sparky on the other side of the field, lifted her head to watch and Jade started to feel optimistic. It would be such a relief if Kate took Ashley on. She wondered if she should mention his escapist tendencies. Perhaps not. It wasn’t as if he’d jumped out of the field lately, or undone any bolts, but then he hadn’t had any reason to.
Kate trotted the horse over to the fence where Jade stood. ‘He’s lovely,’ she said when she’d got her breath back. ‘Just what I’m looking for. I’ve always wanted a horse, but I never thought I’d be able to afford one.’
‘They’re not cheap to keep,’ Jade cautioned.
‘I know, but I’m lucky there. My Uncle Arthur owns Willett’s stud farm on the other side of Salisbury. It’s where I’m planning to keep Ashley. That shouldn’t be a problem, should it? It’s not as though he’s going to be able to get in with any mares.’
Jade looked up into her enthusiastic face and her conscience got the better of her. ‘Ah. I’m afraid that might be more of a problem than you think. He’s a good escape artist too.’
Aiden arrived just as Kate and Jade were carrying Ashley’s tack back towards the cottage. Jade felt herself tensing as he parked up, but all he did was give her a cursory nod and go into reception.
He was sitting in a chair when she went back in with Kate.
‘I’ve just brought in a couple of invoices. Is there any particular reason why your post box is taped up?’
‘There’s a pair of great tits nesting in it, I didn’t like to turf them out.’
Aiden shook his head in mock exasperation, but he didn’t smile and Jade had a horrible feeling he was going to have another go at her about Finn.
‘Kate’s thinking of having Ashley,’ she said, deciding that at least he’d be pleased about that. ‘We’ve just been chatting about his problems.’
‘Yes, it’s a shame because I really like him. But I’m going to have to rethink my stabling arrangements. I was going to keep him at Willett’s stud farm, you see, but in view of his, er – tendencies, Jade thinks that wouldn’t be a good idea.’
‘It’d be torture for the poor sod.’ Aiden gave Jade a pointed look. ‘I’d go so far as to say cruel.’
Jade flushed and wondered if Kate was aware of the atmosphere, but she didn’t seem to be. She turned back to Jade, her eyes warm. ‘I’ll have to try and find some cheap alternative stabling. I’ll be in touch – it’s good that you’ve ruled out a hormonal problem. A behavioural problem might be easier to sort out. I’ll have a word with my uncle and see what he thinks.’
‘Of course.’ They shook hands and Kate nodded at Aiden and went out into the yard. Jade watched her through the window.
‘Pity about that,’ she said to Aiden. ‘She’d have been ideal.’
‘You’d better keep your fingers crossed that something can be done about his urges, then,’ he remarked, giving her another black look. ‘Is it all right if I nip up and see Fang?’
Jade nodded. It was on the tip of her tongue to say something, but Finn would be back any minute. There was no way she could start a ‘clearing the air’ conversation if there was a risk of him walking in on them. She took the invoices. Their talk would have to wait. With a bit of luck, in another week or two it might not even be necessary. Aiden might get over his crush on her. One thing was certain. If he didn’t get over it soon, then she was going to have to seriously think about getting another vet.
She told Finn about Kate’s stabling problem later that night as she washed up the plates from their tea. ‘It’s such a shame. It was going so well. Although I could have done without your smart remarks about DIY gelding kits.’
He picked up a tea towel and grinned at her. ‘Touch a nerve, did I?’
‘No, you did not touch a nerve.’
‘You mean you don’t want to neuter all the males in the vicinity? How about Aiden?’ His grey eyes challenged hers.
Was he insinuating she’d led Aiden on? She was already regretting she’d ever gone out for that meal.
‘Why don’t you mind your own business?’ she said, more abruptly than she’d meant to.
He put the tea towel down and raised his hands in self-defence. ‘Oooh, I have touched a nerve, haven’t I?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ Forcing indifference into her voice, she met his eyes and hoped he wouldn’t be able to read her expression and see how close he was to the mark. Though it wasn’t Aiden she was wary of. She was sorry he’d read more into their friendship than there was. But time would sort things out between them.
Finn, however, was a different matter. He unnerved her. Made her feel as though she could break apart under his gaze. Especially the way he was looking at her now. Half quizzical, half knowing. Sarah had a lot to answer for, she thought, blinking and turning away from him to study a damp patch on the wall just above the kettle.
It was a huge effort to keep her voice casual. ‘I’m just disappointed that Kate’s not taking Ashley. They’d have been good for each other. I feel as though I’ve failed him. ’
‘You haven’t failed him.’ Finn’s tone changed completely, and he came across the kitchen. ‘No one could work harder than you do, Jade. You go well beyond the call of duty for this lot. At the risk of you telling me to mind my own business again, I’d like to recommend that now and again, you spare a thought for yourself. There’s a world out there, you know.’
She looked at him. All traces of mockery had gone from his face now and she felt choked.
‘I’ll bear that in mind,’ she said and fled before he could take advantage of her shattered defences.