Finding happiness at her.., p.23
Finding Happiness at Heritage View, page 23
‘I’m sorry we don’t visit more often.’
‘Dad, you’ve got your own lives.’ Hazel found the shortbread. ‘Arnold and I are the same here, we have our own business and lives, so we don’t get a chance to come down to you either. But it’s nice to know you’re only a phone call away.’ She proffered the box of shortbread and as Thomas took one, she left the cardboard box open on the table for them both to help themselves.
‘When Arnold called, he sounded distraught.’ Thomas filled the mugs with water on top of the tea bags and added milk to each, no sugar. ‘He talks to me a lot about you.’
‘He does?’
‘He worries about his little sister.’ They sat at the kitchen table on chairs next to each other at an angle. ‘What you went through was terrible back then and for it all to rear its ugly head now?’ He shook his head, unable to find quite the right word to describe it. ‘I’ll go and see him in a bit. I texted him already, so he knows I’m in here with you. He’ll be giving us space and seeing to the horses as a priority.’
‘As it should be,’ Hazel smiled. ‘And he really has been brilliant through all of this, it’s not often he lets his frustration show, even though he’s been carrying the load, with me picking and choosing who I think I’m able to teach.’ Tabitha gave Hazel a fright when she jumped up onto her lap. She stroked the cat from head to tail as the feline settled into position.
‘You’re a team, that’s why.’ He complimented the shortbread and reached for a second piece, but this time he didn’t start eating it straight away. ‘Hazel, I’ve a bit of a confession to make.’
Tabitha was dribbling on Hazel’s knee as she jutted out her chin and Hazel continued to rub her fingers beneath. ‘Go on,’ she urged when her dad stayed quiet.
‘It’s about that man. Ewan.’
Hearing his name sent a shudder cascading through Hazel. Calling him ‘that man’ made it easier to dissociate herself from him.
With a deep breath, Thomas wound back more than a couple of years, to the aftermath of what happened. ‘I wanted to help in any way I could after the accident.’
‘And you did. I remember you taking on some of the lessons, you and Mum being here for me and Arnold, to support us and encourage us.’ Their parents had allowed a good handover period for the business, staying in the Cove to ensure that their children knew the day-to-day running of the place before they moved further away.
‘I also went over to Ewan’s house,’ Thomas admitted.
‘When?’ Tabitha picked up on the shift in tension and leapt off Hazel’s lap to go and find a more comfortable surface that wouldn’t move, most likely the cushion of the sofa.
‘After Arnold told me Ewan had come for you at the stables.’
She would never forget it. She’d dulled the memory ever since and unfortunately now had a fresh one to keep it alive. ‘What did you do?’
‘Not a lot. I hadn’t really worked out what I was going to say. I was mad at him coming at you, threatening you, but your mum and I talked, and we both knew it must’ve come from a place of sheer terror when he thought his son was seriously hurt. I don’t know why we excused it, I suppose we wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he was like any other parent.
‘I got to the house and I could see the young boy, Levi, through the window, slumped in front of the television but otherwise alive and hopefully getting better with every passing day.’ Thomas set down his piece of shortbread. ‘Ewan came to the door and I started off by saying how sorry I was that the accident had happened, thought I’d give him a chance to apologise for turning up at the stables and scaring you out of your wits, but there was no reasoning with the man. He told me that this accident would finish you for good. You’d never teach again, your stupid riding school – that’s how he phrased it – would be as good as dead. He ran on and on about your neglect, that he was going to make an example of you.’
‘I remember when he said the same to me.’ Hazel gulped. ‘Until today, I thought maybe he’d decided the biggest focus was that Levi was all right, that that was all that mattered.’
Thomas shook his head. ‘I didn’t know his game that day, but he had one for sure. He wasn’t all about his kid’s welfare, it was more about how much trouble he could make. I’m afraid I panicked.’
‘You didn’t hit him, did you?’
Thomas chuckled. ‘Since when have I solved a problem with my fists?’
‘Good point.’ Her dad was far too gentle for that. ‘So what did you do?’
‘I always believed in you and Arnold when it came to this place. I knew you could both make it work.’ He paused. ‘But with his threats, I saw him making it difficult for the business, especially you. And my fatherly instincts came out to play, rightly or wrongly. I didn’t want that man to take anything from you. I didn’t want your name in the newspapers, as he was threatening to do. I didn’t want you to have to go to court.’
‘But we had insurance, so we were covered legally, and that cover would’ve seen to Ewan’s bills too if they were genuine.’ It hadn’t been the first thing she’d thought of when the accident happened, far from it, but Arnold had taken charge to check the particulars.
‘I wasn’t thinking straight or practically, Hazel. All I was thinking about was keeping you from harm, protecting you. You and Arnold loved horses as kids – growing up here at Heritage View was quite a life.’
‘You don’t have to remind me…’ She looked around the four walls of the kitchen, the place that was home.
‘In all the years we’d run the stables and the riding school, all those horses and all those riders, we’d never come up against a man like Ewan who was out to cause trouble. I wasn’t stupid in that respect, but I should’ve been stronger. I wanted to come to some agreement with him that would see him leave you and Arnold and the stables well alone. I listened to him rant about lost wages, physio bills, and compensation for stress. You name it, he listed it. I don’t think it mattered to him whether it was true or not.’
It dawned on Hazel with painful clarity. ‘You paid him off.’
‘I gave him a sum, he asked for more, I told him I could do it in instalments as I didn’t have cash lying around, not to mention I might have to explain it to others. He obviously realised if that were to happen, he might not get his money at all because others in my life might not be quite so stupid.’ For the first time since he’d arrived today, her dad looked tired. Always strong, forever dependable, he showed his vulnerability in having to recount the story. ‘There were twelve instalments in total, and I felt such relief when I made the last instalment. But then he showed up after I’d put the final cheque through his letterbox. He was drunk, he was angry, he was looking for you.’
‘You never said anything.’ Her voice came out small at the realisation of all the trouble behind the scenes when she hadn’t thought anyone other than her was struggling to move forwards. ‘How did you get rid of him? Don’t tell me you gave him more money?’
Thomas shook his head. ‘I knew that if I did, it would never end. And over those twelve months, I regretted my decision as it was. It felt deceitful, no matter whether I was protecting you or not.’
Hazel realised something else. ‘You never did gamble that money away, did you?’
He shook his head. ‘I made up an excuse when you questioned the invoices I had to use to cover my tracks. I hated the lies I told, but I admitted everything to Sally after we moved away. She understood, and I think she was just grateful that man had gone off the radar. Or at least that’s what we assumed.’
‘I wish he had.’
‘Do you remember my fall?’
Thomas had been out on a hack with Franklin, taking the bridleways that bisected two of the largest fields beyond Barney’s home and barn. It was quite a trek that way, but one he was used to. It hadn’t even been dark or anywhere near bonfire night, but someone had launched fireworks across the bridleway in Franklin’s path, causing Franklin to buck and Thomas to come off. Whoever the idiot had been had run off the second they’d done it, leaving Thomas lying on the ground, injured. A dog walker had found him and called an ambulance. And Franklin was by his side; he hadn’t bolted, as though he knew his master was hurt.
‘How could I ever forget? You were lucky, it could’ve been worse.’ And then she gasped. ‘You think it was Ewan who set off the fireworks.’ His name left a sour taste in her mouth.
‘I know it was him. I saw him about five minutes before the accident happened. I assumed he was going to head to the stables and so I was on my way back there to warn you.’
‘Why did you never tell the police what he did? When they asked questions in the hospital, you said nothing.’
‘I’d seen him that day, but I couldn’t actually prove it was him. Believe me, I thought about letting the police go question him, but then I had to consider the ramifications for you if he tried to finish the business by mouthing off about Levi’s accident the way he’d said he would.
‘Anyway, as I lay there in that hospital bed, I had a visitor. Ewan’s wife. She told me Ewan had been drunk and admitted everything to her. I thought she meant the fireworks, but then she produced a cheque for me. It was for the full amount of what I’d paid to him in instalments, to keep quiet about the accident and to leave you alone. She’d never known about what he was doing, the money he’d got from me, not until during divorce proceedings, anyway. She told me she’d never once blamed you or anyone else at the stables for the accident. She’d had no idea that her husband did either because at the time they were already in the process of separating. She looked devastated when she told me that one day she’d heard Levi boasting about how his dad had put the fear of God into the woman at the stables because she deserved it.
‘I can understand the divorce,’ Thomas went on. ‘She told me she was furious with Ewan because the focus should have been on Levi and his recovery, not on placing blame. She also said that she had no doubt that Levi would’ve been at fault that day because he’d inherited a lot of his father’s attitude.’ His eyes filled with tears when he admitted, ‘She sat at my bedside and cried, sad for her son, that his role model wasn’t helping him turn into the man that he should be.’
‘I can’t imagine being married to someone like that,’ said Hazel.
‘I expect she’s better off out of it.’
‘So you didn’t mention you’d seen him to the police because of that woman, Levi’s mother?’
He was unsure whether to answer but eventually told his daughter, ‘I thought I’d give her and her son a chance to avoid more trouble. She was getting out, that was what mattered, and she wanted what was best for Levi.’
‘Those fireworks could’ve killed you.’
‘But they didn’t.’
‘They could’ve seriously injured Franklin.’ Hazel felt panic rise, her whole body stiffen until her dad’s hand covered her own.
‘But they didn’t,’ he repeated.
‘Why did he show up again now?’
‘No idea. Not our business. Because now the police will charge him. And I will tell them everything that happened back then with the fireworks, everything.’
‘I told the policewoman about the time he confronted me in the stables and made threats.’
‘Then they will have all the facts. And they can take it from there. I should’ve gone to them in the first place.’
‘Hindsight is a wonderful thing.’
‘It sure is.’ Thomas took a deep breath. ‘Your fear of teaching breaks my heart, you know. I hate that you doubt yourself.’
‘My visitor today didn’t help.’
‘I’m sure it didn’t.’ His face softening, he asked, ‘Do you remember how Barney used to bring over the odd basket of apples from his trees?’
She managed a smile at the memory. ‘He brought them for the horses and I taught him how to put his hand flat to feed them. I remember his deep chuckle the first time he did it and the horse’s lips tickled his palm.’
‘And do you recall finding a bad apple one day and refusing to let any of the horses have it?’
‘I don’t.’
‘You were adamant. You marched off and threw it on the compost where it could rot away and disappear.’
‘Are you saying we should throw Ewan on the compost heap?’ The thought of doing so was enough to dampen the emotion of using his name. Thinking of him covered in soiled sawdust, dung, and food remnants was strangely satisfying.
‘If only we could. But don’t you see? He’s one bad apple in a bunch of apples that are perfectly fine. He’s one parent, one person who crossed your path and made life hard.’
‘He really did.’
‘Arnold told me a little girl fell off her horse here the other day.’
Hazel finished her tea. ‘It was terrifying.’
‘I know it must have been. It’s never easy to witness. But do you know what else? Arnold talked to the parent, explained what had happened, and that was it. The girl is perfectly fine. The parent accepts that horse riding is risky and has shown no sign they want to stop sending their child here for lessons. Let’s face it, Ewan’s problem wasn’t really what happened to his son, it was that he was out for trouble. Forget the bad apple, focus on the good ones.’
‘You’re so wise.’
With a grin, plucking another shortbread from the tin, he said, ‘I do my best.’
But Hazel’s smile faded. ‘I’m really trying, Dad. I want to get back to normal. Especially for Arnold.’
‘Your brother knows you’re trying too. I don’t think my behaviour back then helped in the way I thought it would, unfortunately. And I’m glad I’ve finally told you the truth. But it was a misguided attempt to protect you.’ He shook his head, frustrated with himself. ‘I can’t help thinking if I’d been upfront, not paid that man, let him do what he threatened then we would’ve dealt with it all and put it behind us. I think in doing that you might have been back to the teaching that you love by now.’
‘No, Dad. Do not put any blame on yourself. Everything you did, you did for me and for Arnold. But I’m glad you told me everything. It makes me even more determined to make this work.’
The back door opened as though Arnold might want to assess the situation indoors before he braved coming in. He told Thomas, ‘You know, Franklin is most put out that you bypassed him in the field.’ As soon as his boots were off, he went to his dad for a father-son hug.
‘I’ll make a fuss of him later. Hazel needed me first.’ He held a fresh mug aloft and Arnold nodded to accept the offer of tea before grabbing a piece of shortbread from the tin.
‘How are you feeling?’ Arnold looked at Hazel.
‘Not too bad.’
‘The police will take it from here. He’ll likely be charged with assault.’
Hazel wondered when their dad was going to tell Arnold all about what he’d done, paying Ewan off, but he simply passed Arnold his mug of tea once it was made. She supposed it didn’t really matter much anyway. The whole truth was something they could talk about in time. For now, a calmer home and her family by her side was all Hazel wanted.
‘I might leave you kids to it for a bit,’ said Thomas, setting his empty mug in the sink. ‘Time I went to see Franklin and tell him that we’ll go out on a long ride in the morning.’
When it was just the two of them, Hazel thanked Arnold for calling their dad. ‘I didn’t realise how much I needed to talk to him today. It’s really helped.’
‘You were attacked, twice. That’s not a small thing to get over, Hazel. And I understand that. I’ll try to be patient.’
‘You’re not doing a bad job so far.’ Her smile faded. ‘But I won’t let that man define me any longer. His threats changed a part of me, made me doubt myself, gave me an overwhelming fear. But in a weird way, him turning up today has been a good thing. I’m not for one second saying I ever want to be confronted like that again, not by anyone, but for years, I’ve remembered his face, his words, and now, when he’s saying the same thing years on, when it’s all about him and his suffering without a word about Levi, it just tells me that this is more about him than me.’ She looked at her brother. ‘What’s that smile for?’
‘I’m just pleased,’ said Arnold. ‘Pleased that you are such a strong person you can see at last that this was always about more than you and what happened in your lesson.’
‘I can’t believe I’ve let him and his behaviour rule my life for so long.’
‘But it stops now though, right?’
‘It won’t happen overnight, but I’ll take it one step at a time.’
‘Sounds wise. And Abigail would be a good start.’
‘I think so too,’ Hazel smiled, sure that if there hadn’t been quite so much drama here today, he might drop in a bit of teasing about Gus too.
‘Where are you going?’ Arnold asked when she got up from the table.
‘I’m going to get dressed and I’m going to see our horses.’ A bit of normality would do her the world of good. ‘And I’ll go find Dad and ask what he wants for dinner.’
When the front door opened, they both looked along the hallway, expecting to see Thomas when instead it was Sally.
‘Mum!’ Hazel was first to run to their mother, hugging her madly in the hallway, an excited greeting rather than the one their dad had got, where she’d fallen against him and he’d had to hold her up.
‘I couldn’t stay where I was, not when I knew what was going on up here.’ Sally hugged her son next.
‘How did you even get here?’ Arnold asked.
‘I got a train, then another train, then a third train, and a taxi from the station.’
‘You must be exhausted,’ said Arnold.
‘Not now I’m here with you two.’ She looked around the walls of the house as they all went back into the kitchen. ‘I texted your dad, he knew I was coming, I told him to keep it as a surprise. And we’re both here for a week, thought we needed some family time.’
