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‘What's that?’

‘A stallion who's had the op but it hasn't quite worked. He's lost most of his tackle, but some of it might have got left behind. So he still gets the urge.’ I was quite glad it was dark.

‘Blimey. Poor bastard.’

‘Now. You rattle, and I'll go round the back.’

‘Hang on.’ He stayed my arm. ‘Can I just try something?’

‘What?’

‘You'll see. Wait there.’

I folded my arms. Whatever it was, it wouldn't work. Recently, possibly because he wasn't coming in at night and being handled much, Hector had turned rather feral. Had taken to tossing his handsome head at me, rolling his eyes and with a flick of his heels, trotting away in the equal and opposite direction. Gone was the impeccably mannered, biddable Hector, a vision in purple with immaculately groomed mane and oiled hoofs, and in his place, a thuggish, intimidating Hector, with a very muddy hoody. He'd be in a mall soon, sipping Red Bull straight from the can.

I watched as Ludo put his bucket down and stole across to the pliant, sleepy mares, one Jack's, one Phoebe's. Within seconds he'd slipped the ropes round their necks and got a head collar on each. They got to their feet, bewildered. Hector, sensing their captive state, instantly tossed his head and trotted away, metaphorical fag in mouth. Ludo ignored him and led the mares to me. I took their halter ropes, somewhat taken aback.

‘You've done that before.’

‘Alice had a pony. I have put the odd head collar on, but other than that, it's common sense. Or sexual psychology. Never chase a man. Ignore him, and he'll come running. You'll see.’

He challenged me with his eyes. I turned away abruptly and walked off, taking the mares with me.

Annoyingly, Hector, who'd initially bolshed off towards the river, had turned, and was even now following us to the gate, albeit at a wary distance.

‘Shall I have a go at getting him now?’ I asked, realizing I'd lost control in so many ways.

‘No, let him suffer. Wait till he's desperate. Don't tell me you've never kept a man at a distance, Evie? Made him wait?’

I clenched my teeth. I certainly wasn't going to tell him I'd always done the chasing. We'd reached the gate and Ludo went ahead to swing it open for me. I led the mares through, one on either side.

‘Now?’ I glanced back. An uncharacteristically anxious Hector was hovering.

‘No, take them up to the yard. We'll teach him a lesson.’

Feeling like a pliant old grey mare myself, I dutifully led them away into the night. When we got to the stables I waited on the hard standing with them, three heads drooping submissively together. A few moments later, Hector's smooth clip-clop clip-clop came at a smart trot, up the cinder path. He appeared out of the darkness looking pretty worried, I must say, not his usual arrogant self at all. The ponies all whinnied to each other in relief, and Ludo popped Hector in a stable, bolting the door firmly. Then he jerked his head at me and the mares. Clearly I'd morphed into the sort of woman who understands the jerk of a man's head, because I instantly turned and led the bemused mares back to their field. As I slipped off their halters and let them go, I watched them saunter off down the valley without even a backward glance: not looking overly disappointed at having a quiet night in in front of the river, away from Himself and his demanding ways. Not looking too deprived.

Back in the yard, Ludo was propped up against a stable door, hands in pockets, one knee bent, looking impossibly handsome and pleased with himself.

‘Are we done here?’

‘Not quite. But you can wait in the car, if you like. I won't be long.’

I disappeared into the tack room to get a bucket of water and a sponge. Please go.

‘Why, what happens now?’

I was inside Hector's stable now, bolting it firmly behind me. I wondered if I could do this in the dark, with just the diffused light from the yard. There was a stable light, but I certainly didn't want to turn it on.

‘Oh, I've just got to change his rug,’ I muttered, whipping off the muddy one and seizing the little purple number