The Secret Life of Evie Hamilton - Catherine Alliott [130]
‘Hath she been picking out your feet, then? Hm?’ Pause while she checked.
‘No, Mumma,’ came a high-pitched, tremulous lisp. ‘She hathn't.’
Oh dear God, he could talk. It was too much for Ludo. He snorted.
A horrible hush ensued. It hung there in the night air, suspended. I shut my eyes tight, held and clenched everything.
‘Who's there?’ The unmistakable tones of the real Camilla Gavin rang out from next door. ‘Who's there?’ she barked again, fearlessly. Oh, no, no fear, not like me. I was the fourth-former hiding in the loos, and she was the headmistress, out of Hector's box in a trice, bolting it shut. Working her way along the line of stables, happily away from us, in the opposite direction, we heard her kick in the doors, one by one. Not a headmistress now, but a cop looking for villains, like something out of The Sweeney. She wasn't even armed, I thought in awe. There could be anyone in there. But then again, who'd tangle with her?
‘Come on – come out! Bloody gypos – out!’
She marched back our way, towards the only box she'd yet to kick in, Felix's. I moaned low. My fate was sealed. As she opened the door and expertly pushed the pony back, simultaneously flicking on the light, Ludo seized my face in his and kissed me very hard on the lips.
‘Good God,’ she spluttered.
I pushed Ludo away and sprang to my feet.
‘What on earth are you doing?’ Her incredulous eyes darted from me to Ludo, then back to me. She knew exactly what we were doing.
‘Well, excuse me, Mrs Horse-lady,’ Ludo drawled, straightening up. ‘This is Evie's family home. One might just as well ask what you're doing here, interfering with horses in the middle of the night. But since you ask, I came to check out the lighting for my sister's wedding here. Found Evie checking old Hector's rug – she's that fussy about his layers. The fact that I backed her into a stable and stole a kiss is really none of your business.’
‘Good gracious,’ she gaped, momentarily stunned. ‘Evie, are you all right?’
‘Yes,’ I whispered pathetically, hanging my head. It wasn't hard.
‘What's the matter, Milly?’ Ludo teased. ‘No one ever backed you up into a stable before? Except old Heccy, perhaps?’
‘How dare you!’
He sauntered past her, hands in his pockets, out into the yard. She stared after him, her mouth hanging open. Ludo turned to flash her a grin, then strolled off whistling, around the corner towards the gate, and out into the night. When he'd gone, she turned to me, aghast.
‘What a dreadful man!’
‘Dreadful.’
‘Is he a gypsy?’
‘Quite possibly. Some sort of vagrant.’
‘A very well-spoken one. Perhaps a drug addict? From the Varsity?’
‘Perhaps.’
‘Are you all right?’
‘Yes. Thanks to you.’
‘You should have slapped his face!’
‘I… was about to.’
‘Wish I'd slapped it for you!’
‘I wish you had too.’
We stared at each other. I had a nasty feeling she wasn't entirely convinced. Could go either way.
‘Would you like me to put another rug on Hector?’ I asked unctuously. ‘I was worried he might be cold.’
‘No. No, I've felt behind his ears, he's fine.’ It was the right move, though.
‘Good, well, if you're sure… I'll be off then.’ I slid past her nervously in the stable. Out of the door.
‘Sure you're all right to drive?’ she said gruffly. ‘Want a lift?’
‘No, no, I'm fine, the car's just here. Thanks, though!’ I fled towards it, feet flying.
‘Good for you for checking on old Hector!’ she called after me.
‘Not a problem!’ I trilled back, throwing myself into the front seat. I glanced in the rear-view mirror. She was coming after me. Oh God.
‘Sure you're OK?’
‘Absolutely!’
I turned the ignition and performed an immaculate three-point turn in the drive. Then I roared out of it, wheels spinning in the mud, hopefully not splattering her too disastrously.
A few hundred yards down the dark lane,