‘Coming?’ The grin was still lingering, and he glanced at her foot. ‘Can you walk on it?’
‘Of course I can.’ Pippa took a faltering step, then another, still thinking about that smile.
‘Right. Round two.’ Gil grabbed a bucket, and waited for Pippa to cross the yard. Maybe espadrilles weren’t the best thing for her feet out here. She probably ought to buy her and Harriet some wellies, steel-toe capped ones preferably.
Chapter Eleven
Posy was grazing on the lawn at the front of the house and to Pippa’s surprise, she stuffed her nose inside the bucket Harriet had taken from Gil. The pony let Harriet grab the rope too and lead her back to him, having evidently decided to submit this time, and he wedged her firmly against the post and rail fence on the drive. Although she flattened her ears and gave him what even Pippa recognised from ten feet away was a filthy look, she offered no further objection to the needle he jabbed efficiently into her neck.
‘Done. Same again next month.’ He straightened up and gave her a pat. ‘Well done, Posy, you were very brave,’ he said loudly, and Pippa caught his amused glance on her as Harriet giggled. ‘Thanks, Harriet. I literally couldn’t have done it without you. She barely lets me near her.’
‘You’re welcome. She’s sweet.’ Harriet was stroking Posy whilst the pony tried to stick her nose in the now-empty bucket. ‘How old is she?’
‘Don’t know exactly but at least twenty. That’s why she needs a close eye kept on her, she’s not quite as fit as she thinks she is.’
Pippa seriously doubted that. Geriatric or not, Posy clearly still had a decent turn of foot. Those stubby little legs had shot across the yard pretty smartly from what she’d just seen.
‘Can you tell their age by their teeth? I read that somewhere.’ Harriet looked away shyly and Gil nodded.
‘Well done, you do. I’ll show you some other time, when Posy’s not expecting it, okay? There’s only so much attention from me she’ll submit to at any one time. Her teeth are quite brown, which is a sign of age, as well as the way they’re sloping. She’s also prone to laminitis brought on by a hormonal condition called Cushing’s Disease.’ He paused and Harriet was waiting for more, listening intently. ‘It’s incurable but it can be managed by medication and good care. Laminitis causes severe pain in the worst cases as a bone inside her hoof can rotate or sink. If she eats too much lush grass the extra sugars and starch ferment in the gastrointestinal tract and create a bacterial imbalance that can also cause attacks of laminitis. It’s very serious.’
‘Wow. I had no idea. It’s so cool that you know all this stuff.’
‘I’m a vet, I’m supposed to.’ He was still smiling at Harriet and Pippa was finding it hard to cling to her animosity in the face of his kindness and patience towards her daughter. ‘So that’s why she’s turned out in the morning and comes back in around lunchtime. Are you taking her back to the stable? Just make sure you close the door.’
He shot Pippa another look and she caught his amusement. At times he was so hard to read, it was like trying to decipher a book in a language she’d never learned. She watched as Posy walked quietly alongside Harriet towards the barn, something clenching in her heart at the sight.
‘You’d better get that foot up and some ice on it, Pippa.’
‘I’m fine.’ She wasn’t expecting his concern. ‘Posy really doesn’t like you, does she?’
‘It’s because I’m the voice of reason in her life and won’t let her stuff her face on summer grass until she drops dead.’
‘Who does she actually belong to?’ The thought had only just occurred to Pippa. ‘You?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. What would I want with a small, angry pony who can’t stand the sight of me?’ He shrugged. ‘She was here when I moved back into the house. Legend has it she was left behind by a client who didn’t want her, and I’ve been supervising her diet ever since, much to her disgust.’
‘But you’ll take her with you when you go?’
‘I will not. Where do you think she’s going to live when I’m in a rented flat somewhere?’ Gil set off towards the yard and Pippa hurried to catch him up, ignoring the discomfort in her foot. ‘She’s like a bloody homing pigeon. I reckon if I let her loose on the fells, she’d just find her way back again.’
‘Well, she can’t stay here! The last thing I need is another tenant, and a four-legged one at that. You’ll have to sell her or something.’
‘I won’t. Your house, your pony, your problem. You sell her. She must be worth fifty quid to someone. Oh and by the way.’ He paused to stare at Pippa and her heart sank. She recognised that expression and knew she wouldn’t like whatever was coming next. ‘Dorothy’s looking for a bit of help with her animals. I had a word with Harriet earlier and she’s up for it, seeing as she doesn’t have much else to do right now. Be good for her and I’m glad to get Posy off my hands as well.’
It took Pippa a few seconds to process his words and her own were a furious splutter when she eventually found her voice. ‘You what? How dare you talk to Harriet without speaking to me first? And the answer’s no, by the way. She has hardly any experience of animals and I’m not sure she should go within twenty feet of Posy again, not from what I’ve just seen. Nor any of Dorothy’s animals, whatever they might be!’
‘Fine.’ His lips curled. ‘Then be sure to let Harriet know your decision, because Dorothy’s expecting her at the farm in an hour to show her around. I said I’d go with her.’
‘You should’ve asked me first!’ Back in the kitchen, Pippa was trying with everything she possessed not to let her temper get the better of her. ‘He had no right talking to you without involving me. You’re still a child, and one who knows almost nothing about animals.’
‘Yes, but I’m not stupid, am I? And I’m not a child, Mum. Not any longer.’ Harriet dipped her head but not before Pippa had seen the glimmer of tears. ‘You’re the only one that thinks I’m not up to it.’
‘I don’t think that at all, Harriet. Of course you’re not stupid, or not up to the challenge.’ Pippa dragged out one of the rickety chairs and sank onto it. ‘It’s just, well, I’m worried about you, that’s all. How much help can you be to Dorothy if you’ve never really looked after animals before?’
‘I can learn.’ For once Harriet wasn’t holding her phone and Pippa caught the hopeful note in her voice. From everything she’d seen of Harriet and Lola together so far, she had no idea how she was going to separate her daughter from yet more animals when it was time to leave for home. Harriet might get attached to them all and then Pippa would be the one dragging her back to the London life she’d yearned for right up until Gil had interfered.
‘And what if you get bitten or kicked, or something.’ Pippa hadn’t forgotten all the unpleasant odours she’d been subjected to in the practice this week and she pulled a face. ‘It’ll be filthy, smelly work.’ She hoped that might do the trick and put Harriet off.
