3.

April 2001

Lise looked around her new home, wiping the dust off her hands and transferring them to her faded jeans. Her gaze was rewarded with the tiring sight of boxes - many boxes that still needed unpacking.

"You can totally wait," she commented to no one in particular, ignoring the voice that was telling her it'd be smarter to at least have her bedroom and breakfast for the morning organised before she went wandering.

Closing the door on her logical thoughts, she stepped away from the house and headed over to the nearest building - a stable. She paused at the entryway, a risen voice thickly accented causing her to just stop and listen.

“I wish they wouldn't interfere sometimes! Those girls think they can do everything. Women!” the young Irishman muttered, holding a yearling while an older male cleaned a cut on it's near hind cannon.

The young horse had escaped the day before and hurt itself. All, Declan concluded, because two of his coworkers were trying to prove a point about females handling high-strung colts.

“Well, taking that outburst into consideration, I guess you’re going to have a problem with me,” Lise commented suddenly, leaning casually against the nearest box as she gazed down the breezeway at the two men treating the young horse.

“And who are ye?” the broad Irish fellow asked, not bothering to hide his disinterest.

“Your new work mate,” she grinned, stepping forward and offering her hand.

“I’m Trevor,” the older male with slightly greying hair stepped forward, taking her hand in a firm shake while the younger stayed where he was, holding the horse.

“Lise Hemmingway,” she responded, smiling at the man, before her gaze traveled to meet the eyes of the other male.

“…and this is Declan. Generally we both deal with the stallions.”

“Mmm… I guess you won’t have to deal with me that often then. I’m possibly taking on the assistant neo-natal position when the breeding season comes back around,” she told them, referring to the numerous young foals that were born and raised on the property.

Declan raised a brow, taking in the young woman properly this time. She stared back, not impressed with his sudden appraisal but willing to sum up the two figures. She noticed a considerable contrast between the older man’s kind brown eyes, well worn clothes and rough hands, and the younger male’s taller frame, neater clothes and challenging blue eyes fitting well with his ebony hair.

“How old are ye?” Declan blurted out suddenly, his gaze returning to her face.

“How old do I look?” she challenged.

“Sixteen, seventeen,” he shrugged.

“That’s an awfully young age to be working in such a specialised field, don’t you think?” she commented, turning from the pair and heading down the breezeway.

“It was nice meeting you, Trevor.”

The older man chuckled as he looked up at Declan; quickly discerning the younger man wasn’t impressed.

“I like her already.”

Declan grunted, turned the horse around and lead it back into its box, removing the bit and head collar before exiting the box and sliding the door shut.

"Another one ta put up with who probably thinks she knows everything. Just what we need."

"I bet you twenty bucks you've changed your mind by the end of the month," the older male smiled at him, his look telling Declan he knew something the younger male didn't.

Not bloody likely!

"I'll take that bet."

***

Madison grinned as she watched Jacinta manage yet another clear round while under the tuition of Jack. Talented, indeed. I hope he doesn't push her too hard. She was all too aware of how seriously Jacinta took her competing and riding. But you're supposed to enjoy it, too. Glancing at her watch she strolled over to the tie up area, aware that her four o'clock lesson would be here shortly. The two young girls that were to be riding were new clients, meaning she'd need to go through the run down of approaching the horse, moving around the horse, untying and leading over to the arena for a lesson.

Many that turned up for lessons were well aware of being around horses and had done so for years but because she never knew how much they knew and how much they thought they knew, it was always safer to explain how things were done at the East Riding School.

She cast her eye over the two ponies that were waiting patiently, half dozing in the shade, taking advantage of the rest before two new bodies were placed on them. Bodies that often represented beginners, legs flapping, insistently asking the loyal creatures to move forward, reins being yanked on, asking them to slow - sometimes the legs and arms at the same time; just to make things a little more confusing. Tucking a strand of auburn hair that had escaped back behind her ear, Madison looked up slowly as she heard excited laughter followed by the constant sound of running feet.

"Well, glad they know how to behave around horses," she muttered sarcastically, stepping away from the horses and towards the two children; a friendly smile making its way onto her face.

"Geordie and Hannah?" she queried, stopping in front of them, her gaze flicking up to the two mothers behind the pair before refocusing on her students.

The pair nodded, both smiling widely.

"Great! We might as well get started. You can call me Emmy and over here," she gestured, turning her attention to the two steeds in the tie up area, "are Sheila and Dundee. Geordie, you're on the chestnut mare Sheila, and Hannah you'll be riding Dundee today."

Both girls rushed towards their mounts for the lesson, causing Madison to half smile at her mistake.

"Before you both rush in there," she called out loudly, strolling after them, "I'd like to show you how we prefer people to move around the horses while at the East."

"Oh, we already know all that," Geordie spoke up, stroking the face of Sheila.

"Wonderful! Then you'll know that I'd much rather you walk up to the side of the horse and pat her from there as a way of hello, rather than directly in front of her," she commented easily, still smiling.

Frowning, the pair of girls both turned to face her.

"Ok. So let me go over how we approach and handle the horses here," she stated again, this time having both girls attention.

Madison did some math in her head, well aware that she'd easily have two horses untacked, brushed and put away within twenty minutes, but with two horse crazy girls who didn't appear to be interested in leaving any time soon, she questioned if half an hour was even going to be doable.

She smiled at the two parents as they wandered over to the tie up area while the young girls headed the ponies into their stalls. The open toed shoes of the parents didn't go unnoticed as she commented on how well suited to each of the mounts their daughters had been. Or rather, how well each pony put up with the two who constantly wanted to canter, tried to talk her into letting them jump higher than would be safe and who spent a reasonable amount of time pulling on the ponies' mouths. Boy am I glad that Mel is taking these two next time.

Madison frowned as it became further evident that the parent's weren't overly horsey as they stood directly in front of the ponies with plastic bags full of apples and carrots, distracting the animals, making it hard for either girl to be able to tie up their ponies.

"Can you help me, please?" Geordie queried, relief evident when Madison ducked under the rail and pushed Shiela back far enough to be able to get the head collar on.

"Me too!" Hannah whined, pulling on her reins with all her might in an attempt to get Dundee to back off the rail so she could reach her head collar.

Madison questioned not for the first time why parents couldn't stay away until the kids had tied up and untacked their horses. I doubt insisting on that would go down very well with anyone… except me, of course. Oh well, deal with them for the next half hour and then Mel can worry about it. But how do I convince her to take them on again without her being suspicious of me not wanting to teach them?

She grinned, questioning whether telling her twin that she’d enjoy their energy when teaching them would be giving too much away. A frown marred her features as one of the mothers questioned her about whether or not the riding school ran day programs over the holidays. Dear God, no! Plastering on a smile she prayed with all her might that the last couple of places had already been taken.

“Indeed we do. Remind me to give you some flyers before you leave and if you ring the office tomorrow between eight and four, you should get a hold of my mother who runs bookings.”

I may just be lucky enough considering school holidays start next week. We should already be all booked up for the day programs… I think I need a new job.

Realising both girls had brushed most of the sweat out of their ponies’ coats, she picked up a rug, flinging it over the back of Dundee, quickly explaining the order in which the buckles and straps should be done up. The sooner we get these on, the sooner these poor ponies can go out and you two energetic girls can be on your merry way.

***

"Watch this here filly. I think she's just slightly over having had IV needles for the past three days," Declan warned, holding the young animal as Lise pulled the cap off the needle.

"Well, you'll just have to save me if anything goes wrong," she commented dryly, expertly putting her thumb to the equine's jugular groove, inserting the needle smoothly into the vein and pulling back with the syringe, noting with satisfaction the red liquid that coloured the small tube before administering the previously clear liquid.

Declan was slowly becoming impressed with Lise. He’d seen a lot of her over the past week as any work that had required two, Trevor had made some poor excuse to not help but not so surprisingly, always seemed to know what Lise was up to and where she could be found to help. Declan grinned as he realized the older man’s plan was working. A figure came to stand in front of the box the pair were working in, his body blocking out the light as he peered in curiously. Declan rolled his eyes at the sight of the older male's sudden interest as his gaze fell upon Lise.

"Well hello gorgeous! Why doesn’t anyone tell me when we get a new worker? I don't believe we've met. I'm Tony. And you are?" he questioned as she brushed past him out of the box.

"Uninterested," Lise commented dryly, never taking her gaze off the treatment chart she had picked up to fill in.

Still in the box with the sick yearling, Declan chuckled softly, amused at her bluntness.

"What have the others already told you about me? It's all a pack of lies, I promise you," Tony commented, winking at her.

"So you being found hung over in Declan's bed wasn't really a mistake? The girls swore it was," she stated sincerely.

"I… what?" he asked, suddenly confused.

Declan thrust his hand over his mouth, barely managing to contain the laughter that was now coming out in bursts. This girl knew exactly how to treat males like Tony… and pick them it appeared, as he was sure she hadn't yet been warned about the sleazy stud hand. The female staff hadn’t exactly taken a liking to Lise, something he found surprisingly appealing.

"Give it up Tony, she knows about us. I guess everyone does," he commented as he exited the box, sighing dramatically to add emphasis to his statement.

Lise grinned as the young Irishman winked at her before strolling down the breezeway whistling YMCA. Observing the whole display from the other end of the stables, Trevor shook his head, grinning wryly.

"I should have made that bet fifty bucks," he muttered, entering the next box with a full hay net.