Chapter 16
16
‘You must be Maisie?’ I called as I waved to the young girl wrapped up against the chill as she brushed down the pony that had now taken up residence in the top paddock. I’d been meaning to walk down and meet her ever since I’d told Pat to get the pony back here but what with the house renovation and more work enquiries coming my way, I’d never seemed to have the time. Not to mention that any spare moment I had, I wanted to spend with Jesse, which was a novel experience for me when it came to relationships, but thankfully, one that the man in question appeared to share. However, this weekend I’d made a point of finally coming over to say hello.
Maisie kept hold of the bridle as she turned a little to face me and gave a tentative wave back.
‘Hi.’
‘It’s lovely to meet you. I’m Felicity. You can call me Fliss if you like.’ I shook Maisie’s hand in lieu of knowing what else to do. I’d not spent much time around kids and had been far too focused on building a career and financial security than to give much thought to having any of my own. Forty wasn’t too far in the distance and I’d come to terms with that fact that I wasn’t going to be a mother. Oddly, it hadn’t been that hard. Some unasked-for advice from a psychologist one of my friends had been dating had diagnosed that this was likely due to a lack of love in my own childhood. I’d sent him a haughty stare and he’d got the message, but the fact was he’d probably hit the nail on the head. So here I was shaking hands with a ten-year-old and wondering what to say next.
‘This must be Honey. She’s absolutely beautiful.’ I gave the pony a stroke and Maisie beamed.
‘She’s the best. Thanks ever so much for letting me keep her back here.’ She turned away and resumed her brushing of the pony’s coat.
‘You’re very welcome.’ I racked my brain for something to say next.
‘I thought I might have to sell her.’
‘Really?’ My eyes drifted to the tack box on the ground next to the little girl. ‘Mind if I help?’ I asked. ‘It’s been ages since I got to do this.’
‘You had a pony too?’ she asked, enthusiasm back in her voice now.
‘I did.’ I picked up another brush from the box and moved around the pony’s head to her other side and began slowly grooming her. ‘Her name was Poppy.’
‘What colour was she?’
‘Black, just like the centre of a poppy.’
‘That’s cool.’
‘I loved her so much. I couldn’t wait for the holidays so that I could spend all day with her.’
‘You spent the whole day with her?’
‘When I could, yes. I found her very calming to be around. And a very good listener.’
Maisie giggled.
‘So why did you think you might have to sell Honey?’
‘The man here before you wouldn’t let us keep her here any more. Mum found a place but I know it was really expensive and Dad had to get up extra early to take me over there in the morning to check on her before he went to work. It was about half an hour away from our house and they said everything was OK but when he lost his job, I overheard them talking one night when I couldn’t sleep…’ She went quiet. I didn’t rush to fill the gap in conversation. Birdsong and gently baaing sheep from the neighbouring farm took over until Maisie began again. ‘I wasn’t earwigging!’ Her earnest face popped over the back of the pony.
‘I’m sure you weren’t.’ I smiled back.
‘I had a tummy ache so I’d gone down to Mum.’
I felt an unexpected stab in my chest at the simple statement and quickly pushed it away, intent on listening to Maisie.
‘But I’d heard them when I was on the stairs. They were worried about money and I felt bad.’
‘That just shows you’re a very caring person. But you don’t have to worry about any of that any more, OK? Honey can stay here as long as you want.’ I was suddenly eager to make sure that Maisie never worried again about having to sell her beloved pony or felt guilty for the expense.
‘Thanks.’ There was a pause. ‘Dad said you were nice.’ She moved to the pony’s nose and as she did, something over my shoulder caught her eye. ‘Hi, Jesse! Hi, Ned!’ Maisie bent down as Ned hared over and began wiggling his bum in delight at the attention, both his reaction and Maisie’s giggles making me smile.
‘Hi, Maisie. Honey settling in?’ Jesse asked, giving the pony a quick pat.
‘Yeah. Fliss and I were just giving her a groom.’
‘So I see. Has Fliss mentioned anything about Honey’s new home?’
‘What?’ Maisie looked between us, her face suddenly creased with concern, and I could have kicked him.
‘No! It’s good news!’ I said, hurriedly, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. ‘She’s still going to be here, just in a better stable.’
‘A better one?’ the little girl asked, still slightly wary.
‘Yes. Do you want to come and see?’
‘Oh… OK.’ She looked away for a moment and Jesse pulled a face and mouthed the word, ‘Sorry’.
‘Everything’s ready,’ Jesse said. ‘We could take Honey up there now if you like.’
A few minutes later, Maisie was leading her pony up the paddock towards the one nearer the house. We left the old field through a new gate Jesse had fitted to replace the old rusted one that I’d fallen arse over tit from and up into the top paddock where the mini Victorian stable block stood. The uneven flooring had been fixed and I’d given the place a good sweep out myself this morning, giving everything one last check over to make sure Honey would be as comfortable as possible.
Maisie looked from one of us to the other, her face serious. ‘Here?’
‘Is it all right?’ I asked, my stomach knotted with unexpected nerves.
‘Yeah. I mean, yes, it’s great.’ She peered inside and around, all the while keeping hold of Maisie’s reins. ‘It’s got running water and proper flooring and everything.’
I looked at Jesse, confused as to why she wasn’t as pleased as I’d hoped she’d be. I’d been excited getting things ready up here for Honey but I was now wondering what I’d missed. Jesse gave a shrug, clearly just as baffled.
‘Maisie?’ he asked.
‘How much is it?’ She turned to me.
‘Sorry? How much is what?’
‘To keep Honey up here instead of down there.’ She pointed to the field we’d just come from.
‘Umm, nothing. I mean…’ I looked at Jesse for help. Kids were apparently more confusing than I’d thought.
‘Fliss agreed with your dad that Honey can stay here free for the next six months.’
‘That was the other place.’
‘It’s the same deal, Maisie. I promise. I just thought…’ I cleared my throat. ‘I knew that Poppy would have preferred this shelter and thought Honey might too. It’ll be easier for you to wash her down when it’s muddy and stuff too.’ I indicated the tap.
‘The man that was here before you?—’
‘Fliss is nothing like him, Maisie,’ Jesse said, dropping down to his haunches to be on a better level with the petite little girl. ‘She’s a good person. You know, when I showed Fliss where Honey had been staying, she was having none of it! Said it wasn’t good enough for you or your pony. She wanted you to have a proper stable for Honey to make it better for both of you.’
I’d begun studying my wellies – now a bright pink pair in the correct size – feeling an unaccustomed swell of emotion at Jesse’s eagerness to put Maisie’s mind at rest as well as stand up for me. It felt like a long time since someone had done that. Not since Nanny…
I raised my head when he stopped talking. Maisie looked at me for a moment, shoved the reins into Jesse’s hand and ran over to me, her arms wrapping tightly around my waist.
‘Thank you, thank you, thank you!’
Automatically, I wrapped my own arms around her. ‘You’re very welcome, Maisie. I’m so glad you like it.’
‘I love it!’ she said, tilting her head back to look up at me.
My smile was so wide, it almost hurt. ‘Mind if I come and say hi and maybe help you groom Honey occasionally?’
‘That’d be awesome!’
Jesse and I left Honey and her owner making themselves comfortable in the pony’s new home and began walking back towards the house.
‘Somebody’s happy.’
‘I am! She was so thrilled.’
He chuckled. ‘I was talking about Maisie.’
‘Oh!’ I replied, laughing. ‘Yes. She did seem so, didn’t she? I thought I’d messed up for a minute.’
‘Nope. You just made that kid’s year.’
‘It was your idea.’
‘But not one you had to act on. That was all you. As was the decision not to charge her family anything for keeping Honey here. And don’t think I haven’t noticed you’ve been back in there with the broom again this morning.’
‘Least I could do,’ I said, giving him a shake of my head as though that was obvious. ‘I’m desperate for a coffee. Have you got time to have one with me?’
His smile was slow and sexy. ‘Always.’