‘You’re going to lose the photo competition if you won’t leave the paths and get searching in some of those shady areas,’ Carole told Matt.
‘You know what?’ Matt tugged hard on his horse’s reins. ‘Wow. Did you see that? I can stop a horse. When I want to. Anyway: I’m getting off for a break. For a legit reason, which is butterfly hunting.’ He took his legs out of the stirrups and swung one leg over and, just as he dismounted, the horse started walking, and he landed in a heap on the ground. ‘MyGod, I hate riding,’ he said as Lily looked down at him and tried really hard again not to laugh. ‘It’s really bloody unnatural.’ He climbed to his feet, ran after the horse, grabbed the reins and tied them round a tree. ‘Yessss. So. Much. Better. I really don’t want to get back on.’
‘I’ve never seen you moan so much aboutanything,’ Lily said. It was true. He really wasn’t a moaner. Angry occasionally. Pissed off sometimes. Upset sometimes. Not a moaner.
‘You’ve never seen me on a horse before.’
She nodded. ‘Very true.’
‘And I’m thinking you won’t see me on one again. I think I’m going to walk back. I’ll lead the horse.’
‘Me too,’ Norm said, ‘except I can’t get off.’
‘Okay.’ Matt moved to the front of Norm’s horse and stroked her face a few times. ‘Maybe if I hold her steady you can get down.’
‘I don’t know.’ Norm had his shoulders all hunched and his face all screwed up, like a nervous small child.
Lily slid down from her own horse, tied him up and then walked over to Norm. ‘Why don’t I hold Calypso and Matt can help you down?’ She got agreatview of Matt’s shoulder and arm muscles flexing as he basically lifted Norm down and held him until he was steady on his feet.
‘Norm, you must have some inside information on where these butterflies are. I want that prize. Come and show me?’ Matt smiled at Norm and Norm smiled back and, honestly, Lily knew exactly where the butterflies were. In her stomach.
When they’d all finished wandering around, exclaiming over the many butterflies literally clinging to each other, Carole said, ‘I thought we could have a little beverage at the café in the village just here before we ride back.’
‘Not riding, Carole,’ said Norm, ‘but I’m happy to partake of a beverage.’
‘I’m wondering whether I should start walking now,’ Matt said. ‘I’m genuinely not getting back on and the walk’s going to take a while and we really need to be at the airport in good time to book those slots.’
‘You’re right. I’ll willingly sacrifice a drink in order not to get back on that animal,’ Norm said.
Lily looked at Matt and Norm. Did she want to walk back with them? Well, Matt?
She looked at Carole, Felix and Alfredo. They weremuchbetter riders than she was. There was every chance they’d break into a canter or gallop given the opportunity. She was okay on the basics, like staying on, and she could deal with a bit of trotting from time to time, but that was all.
She looked back at Matt and Norm. Matt was watching her.
‘Why don’t you come with us, Lily, but you could ride while we walk?’ he said. She was pretty sure that he knew that she was hesitating because she felt awkward talking to him but she really didn’t want to ride with the others.
‘That’s actually a very good idea,’ she said. No scary too-fast riding but not much opportunity to chat.
It was actually genuinely quite idyllic, meandering back under the late afternoon sun at Norm’s walking pace, exchanging the odd word with Matt and Norm but most of the time just listening to the hum of their voices ahead of her and the chattering sound of the cicadas. Idyllic apart from the fact that with literally every second that she spent in Matt’s presence it felt like her heart was breaking just a little bit more.
When they made it back to the stables, slightly after the others, who’d apparently managed two ouzos and an espresso each and still overtaken them – good call on wandering back with Matt and Norm rather than getting scared witless riding hell for leather – they all headed towards the car to drive back to the house.
‘Everyone in their usual places?’ Matt asked.
‘At the risk of sounding like a moaner, could I possibly not sit in the middle of the back this time?’ Alfredo asked. ‘There was something odd about the saddle and my backside’s suffering.’
‘At the risk of sounding like a six-year-old,’ Matt said, ‘my backside’s sore too and I’m taller than you so I need more space for my legs.’
‘I might vomit if I sit in the middle,’ Felix said. ‘Not joking.’
Lily sniggered. ‘All so childish. And so selfish.’
‘You bloody sit in the middle of the back then,’ Felix said. ‘I’d very happily take the teacher’s pet place up front.’
‘That will not be a problem for me,’ said Lily, ‘because I am not childish or selfish.’
‘Spoken so very unchildishly.’ Matt grinned at her.
