Scout’s in good shape, at least, and he bravely takes the first fence—a stacked log—and the second, a brush-topped wedge, and then dives down a drop, clearing the first water jump handily.
The ditch spooks him, and he literally stares straight down as we sail over the fence behind it, but we do clear it.Barely.After that, we hit the sand gallop, and that’s where Scout really shines.No one ahead of me has finished with fewer than five time faults—the course time was set a little short, and it’s hard to keep pace when you’re constantly slowing to clear jumps.When we hang the turn, and we come up on the double angled roll tops, I worry he’ll balk, but he tosses his head and sails right over both, back-to-back.
I breathe a heavy sigh of relief as we clear a really wide hedge, coming down a little heavier on the back end than I’d have liked, and then we pick up speed for the first grass galloping area, and it really feels like we’re flying.I pat his neck.“You’re doing so well, boy.”As if he can understand me, he tucks his head and really shoots ahead.
But then there’s a massive log oxer with no ground poles or even brush, but we clear it, and right after that, there’s a tight turn and then a triple combination.Brush wedge, water, flower wedge, a low ditch with a big drop on the back end.Right as we clear it, I’m beaming, until I see Richard beside an older, white-haired man.My heart sinks, but I can’t slow.We’re galloping again, and then we’re sailing over a massive log jump.
Scout must feel that I’m nervous, because as we reach the final jump, a small ditch with a brush-topped wedge behind it, he throws his head and nearly refuses, springing over it with almost no momentum at the last moment.We clear it, but I almost fall off, half-losing my seat like a totally green idiot.
“Oh, boy, you saved me there.”Scout takes off then, and we manage to exit the round with a scrap of dignity.When the announcer shares my time, the first clear round with no time faults, I’m floored.And when he announces that it moved me from second to last into fourth place, I’m really stunned.
I’m able to almost entirely ignore Richard’s attempts to chat, thanks to the looming show jumping round.One day events are rough, but the girls all manage to get their horses reasonably cleaned up—cross-country grease is horrible stuff—and we’re going faster than I thought we could.I’d have liked more time for the horses to rest, but Scout seems ready to go again.
And at least all the jumps have the frangible pins that drop them if they’re bumped.The last thing I need is injured horses.When all is said and done, Riona puts in gorgeous rounds, and Natalie places second in her entire class.Conor and Hannah take first in their newcomer class, and she can’t stop beaming.Even Clara does fairly well, with a fifth overall out of eleven.
“Not bad for a first show back.”Natalie wraps an arm around both her girls, and she smiles at me.“Thank you so much, Sam.You are just the best trainer we could ever imagine.”
That’s when they announce my final score, with showjumping added—Scout had clear rounds, but lost in the jump-off.We need to work on his turns.“Third overall.”I sigh.“If my old trainer heard about this, I’d never live it down.”
At a regional show.How embarrassing.
“That was great.”Richard’s finally reached me, having given me time to swing down off Scout and loosen his girth a bit.“On a completely green horse who’s still quite young.How old is he?”
“He just turned nine,” I say, “but he hasn’t been ridden much.He was track broke when I started riding him a few months ago.”I force a smile.“But it’s fine.Not every show goes my way.I learned that a long time ago.”
“You’re clearly a very gifted rider for an American,” the older man beside Richard says.He looksjustlike his son, but his hair’s grey.“You shouldn’t be bringing prospects along at regional shows.”He quirks an eyebrow.“Someone with a discerning eye should be investing in your success.”He smiles.
“Uh, thank you,” I say.“But I quite like working with prospects and bringing green horses through their first shows.”It’s different than the four star and five star grand prix events, but it’s rewarding in a different and much less stressful way.
“It’s very nice to meet you.”The man casts me a sideways glance before turning back to Richard.“Richard tells me that riding horses isn’t even the only thing you do well.”He arches an eyebrow.
“I’m sorry?”I have no idea what he’s talking about, but if Richard told him Ikisswell or something?How horrifying.
“I told my father that you remodeled your own cottage before a fire made you start over.”
“Ah,” I say.“Well, that’s been a second hobby for me for a long time now.Unlike horses, that hobby makes me money.”I can’t help laughing at my own lame joke.
“Hey,” Natalie says.“Me and the girls are going to get the horses ready to load.”
“Good idea,” I say.And I thought it was, right up until they abandon me with Richard and his dad.“I should help them.”I glance over my shoulder longingly.
“We should go to dinner,” the old man says.“I’d love to get to know you better and find out what else you’re great at.”He’s smiling, and he almost looks friendly.
I’m caught up enough in the conversation and my own nervousness in meeting him that, until the flashing lights start, I don’t even notice that a few reporters have gathered and are snapping our photo.
“It is him,” one of them says.
“The duke,” another says.“I told you so.”
“And who’s his son with?”The man edges closer.“Is this your girlfriend?”the reporter asks.“What’s her name?”
“This is Samantha,” Richard says.“She’s a very talented American who recently moved here.She runs a brand-new hotel in Lismore at the Fortwilliam Estate, and she gives horseback riding tours.”He smiles, and I remember what drew me to him in the first place.He’s such a picture of refinement and handsome gentility.He looks like he could be the posterchild for some Cinderella tale.“And yes, Sam’s my girlfriend.”When he turns back toward me, he shrugs sheepishly.“Right, darling?”
Darling?I sigh, and then I force another smile.“I am, yes.”
And then the flash bulbs really explode.
Looks like some things are about to change and not in the way I expected.
