The Horses of Follyfoot by Monica Dickens

Author:Monica Dickens
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781849399364
Publisher: Andersen Press Ltd

Chapter 16

BLANK WAS ALL right, but he had to stay in bed and rest for the last few days of Dora’s time in America. He wanted to get up and go to see Mr Nelson again about the sale of the farmland, but the doctor would not allow it.

Michael came to ask how he was. He sat in the kitchen with Dora and had a Coke. When she told Michael that she was leaving in two days, he said, ‘What’s he going to do then with that good-looking bay horse when you’re not here to ride him?’

‘He’s giving it away.’

‘Crazy waste. Who to?’

‘Me, Robin’s coming to England as soon as they have space on the plane.’

‘Lucky,’ said Michael.

***

The day before she was to leave Dora went up to tell Blank that the air-cargo people were on the telephone. An unexpected vacancy had come up, and Robin could fly in two days’ time.

‘Chuckie will take care of everything,’ Blank said. ‘She knows it all.’

Dora got on the bicycle and rode down to the stables. Chuckie was out in the ring, lungeing a young horse.

‘Robin can fly the day after tomorrow,’ Dora said. ‘Could you get him to the airport?’

‘No sweat,’ said Chuckie.

‘All his papers are in order, aren’t they?’ Dora asked. ‘He’s had his encephalitis shots, of course.’

‘Dammit,’ said Chuckie. She was still lungeing the young horse. Dora rotated with her in the middle of the ring. ‘I was going to have the vet come next week to give the first shot to the ones who haven’t had it.’

‘Can’t he come today? It’s an emergency.’

‘The horse wouldn’t get the immunisation certificate. He has to have two shots at an interval of ten days.’

‘But, Mrs Fiske!’ Dora stood wringing her hands while the colt lolloped round them. ‘If he doesn’t get on that plane, it may be weeks before he can get another place. I want to get him on that plane so badly.’

‘You and me too, babe.’ Chuckie flicked the colt with the long whip. ‘I want to get him out of here. I’ve got a year-round boarder waiting for that stall. I can’t tie up space with a horse that isn’t going to stay. I’m not in this business for my health, you know. Hey, Dora, listen.’ She began to haul in the colt, hand over hand on the lunge rein. ‘I tell you what we’ll do …’

Next day, Mrs Blankenheimer drove her to the airport. Robin was to follow the next day.

When Mrs Blank came out to tell Dora it was time to leave Dora was sitting with Blank on the terrace in the late-afternoon sun. He was wrapped in a blanket, humped and sad.

‘I will miss you, Door.’

‘I can never thank you enough.’

They made rather stilted conversation, like people at railway stations, not knowing how to fill in the long goodbyes.

‘You’ll let me know, won’t you, when you hear about the farmland?’ Dora said for the tenth time.

‘Yes,’ said Blank for the tenth time. ‘I’ll let you know.’

Mrs Blank came out with the local paper.

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