The Nothing Girl Part 41

Tanya took my place over at the main gate, peering down the road for the emergency services. Where were they? It seemed hours had pa.s.sed but it was probably less than ten minutes. Maybe they were over the other side of the county. Maybe they were already out on a call and by the time they got here, it would be too late.

We got Thomas into the field and I made myself turn my back on whatever was happening in the yard and concentrate on soothing him. It gave me a purpose and after everything that had happened to him, he deserved better than to be pitch-forked into a freezing field and left alone in the dark.

We waited. And waited. Where the h.e.l.l was Russell? What was going on in there? Thomas stood quietly enough, trembling but calm. We stood together, our cloudy breath mingling in the cold night air. I seriously considered handing him over to Francesca, but just as I opened my mouth to call her, Kevin appeared, staggering across the yard with Marilyn in his arms. He made his way to the field, followed by Francesca, who was shouting, 'Wheres Daniel? Where is Russell? Whats going on in there?

All good questions, but the poor lad was in no state to answer. He carefully set her down. She was paralysed with fright. Under her fringe, her eyes were screwed tight shut and she stood barely on widely splayed legs. She was in shock. It was a pitiful sight. So had she looked when she first came to us. I felt an icy rage. If I ever, ever saw Christopher again ...

'Whats the problem in there? I said to Kevin, although I knew the answer to that one.

'Boxer, he said, tightly, gasping for breath. That would partly be because of the smoke and partly because the little donkey was considerably heavier now than when shed first arrived. 'We thought if we get her out he might follow.

We all looked towards the stable door. It was never going to be that easy. Boxer would be climbing the walls in terror, mindlessly injuring those trying to help him.

I put my hand on his arm and said, 'Kevin ...

'Its OK, Mrs Checkland. He said Im not to go back in. I cant do anything and its too dangerous. Russell and Andrew will get him out.

He walked back into the yard, took the hose from Sharon, and started to wet the barn doors. I had no idea how much good that would do.

Thomas shuffled forward and dropped his head to Marilyn. She lifted her nose but under the fringe, her eyes were still tightly closed. He nuzzled behind her ears and she made that small sound again.

Still no sign of Andrew and Russell. Francesca was openly crying now. For two pins, Id join in. I craned my neck. Where were they? What was going on in there?

Suddenly, from within, I heard a rumble. And a clatter. Theyd got him moving. Someone shouted a warning and there was a huge crash. Something big had come down. Not Boxer. Please G.o.d, not Boxer. In my mind, I saw Russell or Andrew pinned beneath him. Trapped, while the flames drew ever closer.

Marilyn opened her eyes and did what every small donkey does when her world is coming apart around her. She complained.

She opened her mouth and let it all out. Like a whole fleet of super tankers blasting their horns at the worlds biggest fogbank. I swear I could feel my chest rumble.

Francesca, not familiar with this aspect of donkey owners.h.i.+p, took two steps back and stared wildly at her. 'What...?

Before she could say any more, Marilyn did it again.

When she finally stopped, bizarrely, I could hear sirens in the distance. Was this some sort of response? Or had she put the whole county on bomb alert by now?

Back in the yard, Boxer erupted from the stables and emerged through the smoke, a wild-eyed nightmare from h.e.l.l, trailing Russell and Andrew like a pair of party balloons. Daniel ran behind.

Russell lost his grip and went down with a curse, right under his front hooves. Andrew collided with the doorjamb and fell back into the smoke.

Boxer continued unheeding. Hooves clattering, he charged across the yard. Terrified. Blind in his panic. He ran headlong into the water trough and crashed heavily to the ground.

Russell pulled himself to his feet, staggered a little, shouted 'Andrew! and headed straight back into the stable.

Francesca screamed. Kevin shouted something and dropped the hose.

Sharon, tears rolling down her face, picked up the hose and continued hosing down the doors.

Boxer was trying to get up. Thras.h.i.+ng wildly, he lifted his huge head and his terrified screams echoed off the walls. A screaming horse is not something you ever want to hear. His flailing hooves scrabbled for purchase on the wet concrete. One hind leg was actually caught under the trough. I was terrified he would break it.

Marilyn was braying distress signals that could be heard in Venezuela.

I didnt stop to think. I threw Thoma.s.s rein at Francesca and ran back into the yard. I threw myself across Boxers head, pinning it to the ground. I expected any moment to be thrown off, or badly bitten, but if he couldnt lift his head, he couldnt get up.

I could hear Francesca screaming, 'Oh my G.o.d. Oh, my G.o.d, over and over again. I could feel Boxers steamroller breathing, hot against my leg.

Sharon dropped the hose. I could hear Tanya issuing instructions. Somehow, G.o.d knows how, they lifted the trough. Just high enough. Water sloshed everywhere. Once his leg was free, I rolled off him, and Kevin shouted to everyone to stand back and let him get up by himself.

He heaved himself to his feet, ears back, still frightened out of his few wits, ready to lash out at anything. Head down, he careered around the yard, desperately seeking a way out. And Marilyn. With Russell gone, she was his only certainty in this suddenly terrifying world.

Francesca stopped screaming, and without being told, seized the field gate and started to push it open.

She was far too slow.

Boxer breasted the gate without even noticing. Still too scared to see what he was doing, he knocked her flying. She went down like a tree and he appeared to run right over the top of her.

Horrified, I watched him disappear into the darkness. Marilyn struggled after him, crying out in distress. I raced as best I could to Francesca, dreading what I might find there.

I reached her a dark lump lying on the ground and said, 'Franny, can you hear me? Franny?

She was face down. A m.u.f.fled voice said, 'Dont call me Franny.

I swallowed hard. 'Sorry. Can you move? Do you have any pain?

She said something rude, hoisted herself on her elbows, and slowly, stiffly, rolled over on her back.

One of Kevins jobs is to go round the paddocks each morning with a bucket. Its good for the roses. He does a pretty good job, but occasionally he misses one.

Francesca had found it.

'Can you sit up?

She nodded and I helped her to a sitting position. She groaned, but made surprisingly little fuss.

'Francesca? A frantic Daniel arrived, shouldered me aside, and put his arms around her.

'Are you all right? What hurts?

'Everything, she said, comprehensively. Two large tears carved channels in the horses.h.i.+t.

He stared at her, as did we all. Smoke-blackened, hair falling down, a split lip ... I waited for the tantrum. It never came.

She made a huge effort.

'Im fine, Daniel. She sounded astonished. 'The gate hit me. Then the horse hit me. Then the ground hit me. She looked down at herself, smeared in mud and worse, wrecked shoes falling off her feet. 'Oh my G.o.d, Jenny, I look just like you.

Her smile was wobbly, but she was smiling, Francesca had made a joke. I, on the other hand, was in tears for her.

And Russell. And Andrew. Where were they? Tanya was still outside the stables, desperately shouting their names. Smoke billowed faster than ever. Any minute now, something would ignite and they were both still in there. Andrew unconscious, maybe badly injured. Russell struggling to get him out, maybe injured himself. Disoriented by the smoke.

I stood and watched like a spectator in a play.

Kevin, struggling in slow motion, Sharon and Tanya, an arm apiece, holding him back.

Mrs Crisp standing in the kitchen doorway, a dark shape against the lighted kitchen behind her, hands to her face.

Daniel clutching a smoke-blackened Francesca as if he would never let her go.

Then the world speeded up and many things happened at once.

The barn doors blew open with a boom and huge orange flames reached up to the night sky.

Flas.h.i.+ng lights announced the arrival of the emergency services. Theyd switched off the sirens, which was just as well. Marilyn might have relished the challenge. Suddenly, the yard was full of red and blue lights and men shouting and unrolling hoses.

Russell appeared, supporting a blood-stained Andrew. People ran towards them and pulled them away from the flames. Not me. My legs had stopped working. I got as far as Thomas and had to stop, leaning heavily on him and crying into his mane. He took it very well.

Russell handed Andrew over to the paramedics and pushed his way towards me.

'Hey, whats all this? Were all safe. Why are you crying?

I couldnt tell him why. The answer to that was far too complicated to attempt now.

'Ill be back in a minute. Stay here and try not to injure yourself.

He crouched by Francesca. 'Franny? Daniel told me. If you hadnt got the gate open, hed have injured himself really badly. Im more grateful that I can ever say. Are you hurt?

'No, she said, still sounding slightly surprised. 'Im not.

'Youll be stiff and sore tomorrow, he said. 'Get Daniel to take you away to a really good spa hotel for a couple of days. In fact, it might be a good idea to go now.

He stood up. 'Get her away, Daniel. Ill keep her out of it as much as I can, but if the police want to know whats been going on here, then Ill tell the truth. Im not lying to protect that s.h.i.+thead, ChristopherKingdom.

Daniel nodded, put his arm around her, and led her away. Tanya, bending over a coughing Andrew, straightened up. 'Francesca. Next week you will have lunch with Jenny and me. I will call you. It was a command.

She nodded, looking rather pale. Reaction was setting in. She waved feebly and then Daniel took her away.

Russell went off to speak to the fire brigade who had everything perfectly under control. There was a comforting feeling that tonight, finally, there were people here who knew what they were doing.

We found Boxer at the very edge of his field, snorting and trembling, but still just about on Planet Earth. Marilyn fussed around him like a small tugboat. We led them back to Thomas, who hadnt moved and the three of them huddled together.

Martin Braithwaite turned up with his horsebox and took them away. They could spend the night quietly in his barn. He would keep an eye on them for us.

Tanya took Andrew to hospital. He and Russell exchanged a few words. Russell thumped him on the arm and then hugged him. This is probably not the recommended treatment for concussion.

He said to Tanya, 'What can I say? There are no words ...

She said, 'Words are not needed, Russell.

I sat on the ground, in the cold and dark, with Kevin on one side and Sharon on the other. We waited in silence. The cat turned up, dishevelled and smoky. He climbed onto my lap and I clutched him to my chest.

Mrs Crisp tried to get us to come inside. We refused. With much groaning, she sat on the ground with us. I worried wed never get her up again.

It didnt take them long to get things under control. The barn would need to be rebuilt. Our feed was all gone. The stables next door suffered only water and smoke damage. Nothing that couldnt be put right. n.o.body was dead.

Russell dealt with everything and everyone. There was no shouting.

He found us all, sitting in the dark, like refugees. He helped Mrs Crisp to her feet and she and Sharon went off to make the reservoir of tea that was such a small and inadequate reward for our wonderful fire-fighters.

He came back to me. 'Come on. We can go back inside now, and pulled me to my feet. I tried to follow the others, but he held my arm, saying quietly, 'Whats really the matter?

Still clinging to the cat, I looked down. I looked up. I looked everywhere except 'Out with it, wife.

I shook my head.

'Jenny. Its been a long day. And its not over yet. Tell me whats wrong. You remember a long time ago you promised youd tell me. You wouldnt make me guess.

True.

I took a deep breath. 'My family. What theyve done to you. And tonight. I gestured. 'And the deal was I brought the money and you brought the house and theres no money. I cant keep up my end of the deal. You said 'Oh, for G.o.ds sake, Jenny. The cat growled. He took two hasty steps backwards. 'Are you going to throw every stupid thing Ive ever said right back at me? Now? Tonight? Because if you are then were going to be standing here for a very long time. Is that all its been for you? Just some sort of commercial transaction? Well its not. Not for me, anyway. Well, it was initially, but not for long. And I guessed fairly early on about your money. That business with the feed bill never paid and other things too. And now, now I finally get everything sorted out, its all over and youre standing in a field in the middle of the night, crying your eyes out because you think you have no worth without money? If I wasnt the most easy-going, uncomplaining, patient bloke on the planet, I swear Id be shouting my head off in frustration.

He stopped shouting, took a very deep breath, and put his arm around me.

'Its all right, Jenny. Ive got you ... Now why are you crying?

'Because Ive got you.

'Well ... good ... OK. thats all right, then. Lets go inside before that lot finish off all the lemon tart. And bring the cat.

'What?

He grinned. 'Who do you think got Boxer moving? Old b.u.g.g.e.rlugs here bit him. As far as Im concerned, he has a home for life. But you knew that anyway, didnt you?

The kitchen was full of people. All talking loudly. Mugs and plates were scattered across every available surface. There wasnt a crumb of lemon tart left anywhere.

I sat in a corner, watching, nursing a mug of tea and the cat. Gradually, they all went away. There would be questions and paperwork and explanations, but that was all for tomorrow.

Russell turned to Mrs Crisp. 'You gave them our pudding?

She smiled slightly and patted her hair. 'Well, theyre firemen.

'Stop that at once, he said. 'What sort of behaviour is that in front of two impressionable young people?

The two impressionable young people grinned at him.

'And you two can pack that in, as well. What are you doing?

Mrs Crisp had started to pile up plates and dishes. He took them from her, saying softly, 'Go to bed, Auntie Lizzie. Well see to all this in the morning.

She swallowed, and said, 'Oh ... Russell.