Page 47 of Christmas at Sturcombe Bay
Jess’s mouth quirked into a wry smile. “I’ll think about it.”
They turned and began to amble back.
“You’ve done well today,” Cassie remarked. “Would you like to ride out again?”
“Yes, I would. Would it be okay?”
“Of course. Mornings are the best time, if you’re on a late shift. I’d be able to ride out with you then.”
“That’s great.” She patted Bella’s sleek neck. She was already growing fond of the big, placid horse. “Thank you.”
But her mind was still drifting back to the conversation about Paul Channing. Someone to have fun with — no strings. Maybe. But . . . she was already far too attracted to him.
She needed to be very careful. Not let him talk her out of her last red jelly baby.
* * *
“Hi.” Paul strolled into the stable yard and greeted his sister with a cheerful grin.
Cassie glanced over her shoulder. “Good afternoon, brother dearest. Have you just come to pester me, or are you planning to go out for a ride?”
“That’s the general idea.”
“Good.” Cassie held out a shovel. “You can help me muck out first.”
Paul rolled his eyes, but took the shovel. “Okay. Which one do you want me to do?”
“You do that one, I’ll do this one.”
“Right.”
He pulled off his jacket and hung it over one of the half-doors. He really didn’t mind helping his sister with the chores. He liked the horses, and he knew that caring for them required a lot of hard work.
And oddly, he quite liked the rich organic smell as he heaved shovel loads of old straw into a wheelbarrow and trundled it to the compost heap where Tom Cullen would come to collect it to use as fertiliser for his organic crops.
By the time the job was finished he was breathing hard. “Phew! That’s warmed me up. Are you coming out?”
“Yes.” Cassie took the two shovels and scraped them clean with a piece of wood. “I want to give Cody an outing.”
“How’s he doing?”
“Pretty well. He’s putting on weight and he likes a good canter. Do you want to take Smudge?”
“Okay.”
The two horses were very happy to come out of the paddock and have their saddles put on. Hobo came hirpling out from the back door of the house, eager to join them.
They let themselves out through the gate and set off along the bridleway at an easy trot, Hobo snuffling happily along the hedgerows beside them.
The sky was a pale, cool blue, drifted with white cotton-wool clouds, and a cool breeze was blowing in from the sea. Paul was glad he’d put his jacket on again after saddling Smudge.
The big bay gelding was inclined to be wayward. A string of owners had found him too difficult to manage, which was why hehad ended up with the Horse Rescue Society. But he seemed to like Paul and the feeling was mutual.
“So, did you have a nice time last night?” Cassie enquired, eyeing him sideways with a look of sardonic amusement.
Paul laughed dryly. “I’m not sure if ‘nice’ applies. She’s got a very sharp tongue, that lass. I suppose I should have been forewarned.”
His sister raised a questioning eyebrow.
