Page 131 of A Long Way Back
WHILE INK WAS BUSY COOKING them dinner that night, Tay went into his father’s study and shut the door before he phoned his Aunt Gill.
“Hello?” she said tentatively.
“It’s your favourite nephew.”
“William!”
“Ha ha.”
“Tay! It’s so good to hear your voice. How are you?”
“Doing well. Did Mum tell you I was going to London?”
“Yes. I hoped you’d come out and see Blue and me before you left, but I understand.”
“Well, I’m back and I want to come and see him and you tomorrow. Take him out for a ride.”
“That’s great.”
“And I have a favour to ask. I have a friend who needs a job. He’s worked with horses before. If you don’t need anyone, would you still give him a job and I’ll pay his wages? Obviously, I wouldn’t want him to know. Just a couple of days a week would be great.”
“Oh Tay, I can’t, I’m sorry. I’m overrun with teenage girls. And I can’t let you pay. If he had an accident, I’d be in trouble.”
“He’s my boyfriend.”
“Sorry but it’s still a no.”
She hadn’t even paused to gasp in shock. Tay smiled.
“What time can we come?”
“Around ten? I’ve got a group going out and you can start off with us.”
“Thanks, Gill.”
THEY LEFT DOG IN THE house before they set off the next morning. Tay didn’t want to take the risk of him upsetting the horses. It was another lovely day, but not quite as warm. Ink had just shrugged when Tay had told him there’d be no job at the stables. Tay wanted Ink to be doingsomethingwhen he had to work. There was no point busking in Beadnell.
Ink had his face turned to the window, taking in everything they passed. Tay had given him a running commentary.
“Sea, more sea, ooh more sea. That’s Holy Island. Also known as Lindisfarne.”
“Have you been there?”
“A few times. Because it’s so local, it was one of the things we studied at primary school. The island was raided by Vikings in the eighth century. A lot of monks were killed and abducted. The view at the time was that it was probably their own fault for not being pious enough, which seems a bit uncharitable. There’s a place in theAnglo-Saxon Chroniclesthat says one of the omens of the invasion werefiery dragons flying across the firmament.I drew lots of pictures of those. My mum framed one. My sisters always pretended it looked like a cat.”
“I can’t draw, but Ru was really good.”
“What were lessons like in the YOIs?”
“I was taught on my own for a while before I was allowed to mix with the others. I think to make sure I had my story straight. There was no hiding, not really. The teacher just did her job, didn’t interact much. But she had to cover every subject and art wasn’t something she was good at. I mostly had to teach myself. Boredom is a great self-motivator. As was hope.”
“Did you do as well in your exams as you said?”
“Yep. I thought it might make a difference, that I’d get a better job when I was released. But it didn’t.”
Tay winced. He didn’t like that every conversation seemed to bring Ink down. He made the turn to his aunt’s stables and hoped riding worked some sort of magic.
“What have you said about where I’ve come from?” Ink asked as Tay parked.
