The Nothing Girl Part 33

Finally, Russell said, 'OK, open your eyes.

It was a birthday cake. It was THE birthday cake. It was fabulous. Two storeys high or whatever you call a cake with two floors, covered in green and purple iced stripes and spots. The two levels were deliberately crooked, giving it a wonderful lop-sided look. Big purple cellophane bows decorated the sides and funky green sparklers were carefully embedded in the top. It was the most exuberant, joyful cake Id ever seen in my entire life.

Russell lit the sparklers and they all sang, 'Happy Birthday. They all looked so pleased and excited and I thought suddenly how lucky I was and that maybe the future could take care of itself after all.

'Dont try and blow the sparklers out, said Russell helpfully. 'But dont forget to make a wish.

So I did and it came true.

We all had a slice, there and then. The bottom layer was orange and lemon and the top layer was chocolate, so some of us, Russell, had two slices.

I said to Sharon, 'Did you make this?

She nodded, proud and happy, and I made up my mind there and then that she would have her own cake shop one day. Genius like this deserved world-wide appreciation.

Eggs, bacon, mushrooms, toast, marmalade, birthday cake, and two gla.s.ses of Bucks Fizz. I was feeling more cheerful than I had in weeks. I tied the scarf round my neck and carefully put the mouse and book to one side.

There was an odd pause and in the silence, I heard the sound of an engine.

'Goodness, said Russell. 'I wonder what this could be.

'Oh. Perhaps I should open the gate, said Kevin.

'Yes, said Sharon. 'I will help.

'I will come too, said Mrs Crisp and I stared at them, wondering if I wasnt the only one whod had too much to drink at breakfast.

Russell stopped and for some reason shoved a couple of carrots in his pocket, but Id been married to him for nearly six months now and it took a lot more than that to amaze me these days.

A horsebox was backing in through the gate. There were lots of shouted instructions which Martin Braithwaite had the sense to ignore. At last, he switched off the engine and jumped down.

'Morning all. Happy Birthday, Jenny. He began to let down the back. Kevin went to help.

'Stand here, Jenny, said Russell and disappeared inside the box. Everything went very quiet. Suddenly, I was breathless. Something was going to happen. He re-appeared, and following him down the ramp, picking his way carefully, came a neat, dapple-grey horse, st.u.r.dily built and with an iron grey mane and tail.

He arrived at the bottom, lifted his head, p.r.i.c.ked his ears, looked straight at me at me! and uttered a soft, low sound.

I was transfixed; rooted to the spot. Huge, liquid, dark eyes surveyed me placidly and apparently I wasnt found wanting because he stretched his head towards me.

I stepped forward. He lowered his head and I felt his warm breath through my T-shirt. I gently stroked his cheek. He was beautiful.

'Happy birthday, Jenny, said Russell, softly, and put the leading rein into my hand.

Chapter Twelve.

I felt exactly the same disbelief Id experienced when he asked me to marry him that this was something too good ever to happen to me.

'Here, said Russell, handing me a carrot. 'Show him youre his friend.

He took the carrot very gently, his soft lips tickling my palm. I gently stroked his velvet nose.

'That was good, Jenny. Youre very confident, said Russell. This was probably not the moment to tell him Id spent the last fifteen years with an invisible horse.

'May I hope that, just for once, I have rendered my wife speechless for all the right reasons?

I nodded, still unable to drag my eyes away. Hed finished his carrot and was now calmly surveying the yard around him, apparently quite at home.

Russell was rattling on. 'You never asked where I was going, did you, so thank you for making it so easy for me. I have to say Ive been all over the county this last month. You very nearly got a beautiful little mare, the colour of polished mahogany, named Firefly, but something held me back and as soon as I clapped eyes on this fellow, I knew he was the one for you. Hes absolutely bombproof. Hes loving and affectionate and a complete gentleman. In fact, his previous owner says that if ever she felt herself falling off, he would stop of his own accord and wait for her to pull herself back together again. He loves attention and being handled. I think the two of you were made for each other.

I could hardly get it out. 'Whats his name?

'Thomas.

I caught my breath. Thomas hadnt stayed but hed sent. I should have known. I should have trusted him. He would never leave me completely alone. Warm joy flooded through me.

'Hes really for me?

'Hes really for you.

I tidied his forelock neatly and stroked his face, almost too full to speak. 'Thank you.

'Youre welcome.

'No, really, thank you.

'No really, youre welcome.

A thought occurred to me. I said quietly, 'But ...what about ... you know ... next year?

'Well talk about that later. Shall we take him inside to meet the resident loonies? Now, just keep a firm hold, look as if you know what youre doing, and lead him in. Kevin, can you open his box, please?

The first one was still empty, but I led him into the second. Marilyn was next door and Boxer in the big one at the end. Both of them nearly fell over themselves, craning their necks to look.

'Yes, its easy to see whos going to be the brains of this outfit, said Russell, following on behind. 'Mind you, in this place you could stand a brick on the table and it would still be the most intelligent thing for miles around.

I proudly led Thomas into his box. Kevin had it all ready for him. I unclipped the rein, gave him a final pat, and joined Russell.

'Thats it, he said. 'Lets just give him a little peace and quiet. They can all get acquainted and then, if Marilyn hasnt eaten him, well turn them out together. Anyone fancy another slice of cake?

But I couldnt be dragged away. I watched Thomas my Thomas investigate his box, pull at his hay net, peer through the part.i.tion at Marilyn, who peered back, rather in the manner of the abyss, and then, apparently, he went to sleep.

'Told you, said Russell, turning up with a plate and a mug. 'Nothing rattles him. A bit of much-needed sanity around the place. By the way, tell that cat of yours if I find him on my bed again, Ill make mittens out of him.

'Russell ...

'Yes, love? Do you want that cake?

I shook my head. 'Russell, what about when I ... leave? I could reasonably take the cat with me, but a horse ...?

'I told you, Ill help you find somewhere. And even if we cant, you can still keep him here. I dont mind. And Mrs Crisp will be pleased to see you when you visit.

'Russell, your next wife is not ... going to want me wandering in and out a couple of times a week.

'My next wife? he said, thunderstruck. 'What next wife?

'Well, when Im ... gone, youll still need money, wont you? You should be looking around, so you have someone already lined up. Smooth transition.

He actually put the cake down. 'I dont want to marry anyone else, he said, after a long pause.

'But what about ...?

'I dont know. Ill think of something. But it definitely wont be marriage; Ill tell you that for nothing.

I said in a small voice, 'Has it been so ... bad?

'No, of course not, but I cant see myself marrying again, somehow.

'Russell, youre an idiot. Youre ... personable, quite charming when you concentrate, and you have this lovely house. Unless theres something ... badly wrong with the women in Rushford, youll be fighting them off with a stick.

'Mrs Crisp will be my chaperone and bodyguard. Ill buy her one of those earpieces and some dark gla.s.ses.

He would go back to Francesca. As soon as the door closed behind me, she would be over here like a Bengal tiger to a tethered goat.

He was watching me. 'No, I wont.

'Wont what?

'Get back with Francesca. Im not putting my hand in that fire again. Im off leggy red-heads for good. They bring you nothing but grief, said my leggy, red-headed husband.

I put my hand on his arm. 'I worry about you.

Something odd flickered and was gone. 'Well, I worry about you. Just promise me you wont go back to your aunt.

'I promise.

Thomas moved around his box again, calling me back to the moment.

'I havent thanked you.

'Yes, you have.

I put my arms around him and hugged him as hard as I could. The first time Id ever done that.

'Thank you, Russell. Thank you so much. You dont ... know what this means to me.

He tensed and patted my shoulder awkwardly. I was embarra.s.sing him, so I let go and stepped back.

'Well, again, thank you.

He turned quickly away and began hunting through the contents of a dusty cupboard.

'Again, youre welcome.

I had my first riding lesson a couple of days later.

They marked out an area in our second field, with oil drums at each corner, marked A, B, C and, astonishingly, D. I could only a.s.sume this was for their benefit as I was already on nodding terms with the alphabet and Thomas probably couldnt read. I wore a smart new safety hat, and with the aid of a box, climbed clumsily into the saddle. It was an awfully long way up. I could practically see the sea.

Boxer watched from over the hedge. Marilyn watched through the hedge and everyone else watched from the gate.

With Russell standing in the centre like a ringmaster, I walked Thomas from A to B, turned left at C, and walked him back to A and so on. Once I got used to the strangeness, it wasnt too difficult. Then we trotted and I b.u.mped gracelessly around like a like a very graceless thing. We finished with a walk up the lane so I could show off to the Braithwaites. Their eight-year-old daughter, Fiona, was on her own pony, casually jumping fences that looked taller than me, watched by her proud parents. Everyone waved.

When we got home, I had to get my legs used to land again, and then I had to rub Thomas down under Russells watchful eye, pick out his feet he lifted each one for me, such a gentleman wash his bit, and clean the tack. It took three times as long as the actual ride and I was exhausted at the end of it. No wonder Russell was so thin.

But I was learning. I was actually learning to ride. And the day Russell saddled up Boxer as well and we rode together up on the moors was one of the best days of my life. We went for miles, closing our ears to the anxious cries of a small donkey suffering separation anxiety, drifting up from the valley below.

She was in the yard when we got back. I suspect Mrs Crisp and Sharon had been playing with her in our absence, but this did not prevent her scolding us every inch of the way across the yard. We turned the two horses into the field where they immediately enjoyed a luxurious roll and while they were on their backs with their legs in the air, she had a go at them as well.

'Does she not have a volume control? said Kevin, moving out of range.

Mrs Crisp, whod vainly been trying to get a word in, mouthed a sentence at me. She tried again, just as Marilyn finally fell silent and the words, 'So theyre on their way over, reverberated around the yard.

Russell stepped back. 'Why are you yelling at me?

What she would have done to him at this point was never established, because, with the inevitability of death and taxes, my relations were upon us.

'Quick, muttered Russell, 'Let me look at you.

'What?

'Are you injured at all? Bruised? Ill? Unhappy? Tired? Quick, tell me, so I can think of excuses.

'Im fine, I said, trying not to laugh. 'Just for once, youre ... completely in the clear.

Oh no he wasnt.

I forgot to take my riding hat off.

They stopped dead as they took in the implication.

Aunt Julia opened her mouth.

Uncle Richard, with true heroism, spoke first.