Dreams come true - Part two

Cathy and her husband were having a row.

“Why you want us to buy some run down old farm at the back of beyond I just don’t understand!” Simon’s mouth was set in a thin straight line.

Ever since Cathy had gone back to look at the old Follyfoot site five years ago she had secretly vowed that if it ever came up for sale she would do her utmost to buy it. When the estate agent had sent her the details she’d whooped with joy and hounded Simon until he had agreed to go and take a look.

“Please let’s not spoil the day by arguing. You never know you might just see the potential it's got.” Cathy had her pleading face on.

He smiled and patted her thigh. “You sound like an estate agent.” He could never stay cross with her for long.

She grinned and then felt a knot of excitement as they drove down the track towards the farm.

“Talking of which….” As they pulled up they could see a smartly dressed man standing in the middle of the yard, clipboard in hand, looking completely out of place in the shabby surroundings.

“Ah good morning Mr and Mrs…” he looked down at his clipboard …”West. Shall we take a look around and I’ll show you what great potential this farm has.”

They both stifled a laugh and dutifully followed him around for the next fifteen minutes. Cathy was horrified at how much more the place had deteriorated since her last visit. The farmhouse would have to be gutted and as for the farm buildings she shuddered at the thought of how much it would all cost. She went over to the old lightning tree, put her hand on the trunk and shut her eyes. Really, she thought to herself, I’m far too old to be making childish wishes but this means so much to me. As she wandered back she saw Simon was shaking the estate agents hand.

“O.K Mr West I’ve got your mobile number and as soon as I hear anything I’ll call you. Goodbye Mrs West. “As he drove out of the yard Cathy turned to Simon who was looking smug.

“I don’t believe you! A while ago you were moaning this was a hideous dump and no way could we afford to buy it, let alone do it up. And now you’ve just put an offer in?”

“I didn’t want to get your hopes up until I’d seen the place for myself. It’s perfect for what we want and it’s been on the market a long time so the estate agent reckons my low offer will be accepted” He started to laugh as Cathy opened and shut her mouth, huffed and puffed and then finally said “Oh Simon I don’t know whether to slap your face or kiss you”

Just then Simons mobile rang. Cathy held her breath, this could be it. Was another dream going to come true? She couldn’t bear it and walked away not wanting to hear in case their offer was turned down. For a while now they had been looking for somewhere to start up a livery yard and riding school but had been unable to find anything in their price range.

She felt Simon’s hand on her shoulder. “Cathy love, stop fretting, it’s ours!”

“Oh Simon I can’t believe it” and she flung her arms around him and started to cry with relief.

*********************

Six months later……

“I’m just going down to the village, we’re out of milk.” Cathy grabbed some keys and kissed Simon on the cheek.

“Mmmm yeah, see you later” Simon, who was project managing the rebuild of follyfoot, was preoccupied with architect's drawings of the farmhouse. None of it was going fast enough for Cathy who wanted to be out of the mobile home they were temporarily living in at the farm. As she drove to the village, thoughts of Dora came into her head. It would be great to find out where she was after all these years. After leaving follyfoot when she was eighteen to train for exams at a large Equestrian centre in Dorset, they had kept in touch for a while but Dora’s letters had suddenly stopped. Pulling up outside the village post office she looked over at a motorbike shop on the opposite side of the road. An idea came to her and she got out and walked over to the workshop next to it.

“Excuse me,” she asked a greasy looking mechanic “I don’t suppose someone called Ron Stryker works here?”

“Well love,” he said looking her up and down. “It just so happens a Ron does work here. Oi Ron!! He called. ” Bit of skirt out here looking for you. Now what do you want him for when I’m available darlin’?” he moved closer to her. Yuk thought Cathy and inched away.

Ron came out from the back wiping his hands on an oily rag “Put ‘er down mate, she came to see...... .” Surprise registered on his face when he realised who it was. “Flippin’ ‘eck! If it ‘aint miss ginger pigtails! Wot you doing ‘ere?”

“Can we go someplace and talk and I’ll tell you all about it?” She didn’t want nosey Mr greasy mechanic listening in.

Ron looked at his watch and nodded at the pub across the road. “Look, why don’t we go an' talk over a pint?”

“I’d love to Ron”. As they crossed the road Cathy burbled excitedly at him about buying the farm.

“I fink that’s great" Ron enthused ”but I fink you ought to know that the farmer who bought it became a recluse in the end and let the place go to rack and ruin. Rumour 'as it he died in the kitchen an' nobody found ‘im fer weeks. The place was crawling wiv maggots and the smell was enough to make yer ‘eave and….”

“O.K. Ron spare me the gory details.” Cathy shuddered.

“Sorry luv." he grinned "Any’ow that was years ago an’ no one seemed interested in buying the place which is why it was in such a state.”

They got themselves drinks and sat outside in the beer garden. “You know Ron, what I’d dearly love to do is get in touch with Dora and Steve again.”

“Well I might be able ter ‘elp yer with Steve. He got hitched to a girl from the village an’ they moved to Scotland. I got ‘is mobile number if ya want it. Although I aint spoke to ‘im for nearly a year an’ I kinda got the impression that things were none to rosy wiv ‘im then. As fer Dora I aint got a clue as she did a disappearing act after she sold the farm.”

“I’ll give Steve a ring; he might know where she went.” They spent a pleasant half hour reminiscing about old times and then Cathy drove home promising to let Ron know if she heard anything about Dora.

********************

The farmhouse was now finished and they sat eating breakfast in the newly refurbished kitchen which smelt of fresh paint and new wood. Cathy was reading the local paper “Hey have a look at this. There’s a horse sale today at Ribblesdale. Shall we go? We might see a few ponies for the riding school.” Now that the stables were finished Cathy was keen to get the business up and running.

“I don’t know love. It’ll probably be full of dodgy old nags.”

“We don’t have to buy anything but it would be interesting to take a look. Anyway you could do with a rest after all this building work and the stress.” He had to agree with her that the last few months had been a bit fraught trying to get it finished and not go over budget. “And you think going to a horse sale with you is going to be relaxing?”

Cathy poked her tongue out and then put her pleading face on again.

Simon rolled his eyes “O.K. but no sneaking off and buying some poor old crock. We need usable horses Cathy. This isn’t a home of rest for horses anymore.”

Cathy grabbed her coat. “Come on then. What are we waiting for?”

Ribblesdale was a pretty little village and as they came down a steep hill towards it Cathy looked out across the fields at the dry stone walls and old barns dotted about. She loved the Yorkshire countryside and sometimes had to pinch herself to make sure she really was back here.

“Oh look there it is!” At the bottom of the hill in a field were horseboxes parked up and horses in makeshift stalls. “Now remember what I said Cathy, no three legged donkeys.”

They walked along the row of horses discussing the pros and cons of each one in turn until they came to a chestnut. His ribs were sticking out, coat matted and dull. His head hung low, bottom lip drooping.

“He looks familiar with that white blaze and those white stockings.” She went round to his offside and saw the splash of white on his side and belly. “It’s Copper, Dora’s old horse, it has to be. He must be nearly thirty now and he looks so awful.” She turned pleading eyes on Simon.

“No Cathy. I told you no waifs and strays.”

“Cracking good horses that” An old man appeared by Cathy’s shoulder. He wore a dirty hacking jacket and brown stained baggy jodhpurs He smelled like he hadn’t washed for a week. Cathy backed away wrinkling her nose.

“You want to buy him? Super show jumper but so quiet your granny could ride him. I’m sure we could do a deal here.” he rubbed his hands together. Simon grabbed her arm and pulled her away. “No…. I don’t think so. Shame on you for bringing a horse here in that state.” He gave the man an evil look.

"Suit yerself" he sneered and spat on the floor as they walked away.

She turned to look at Copper again and someone caught her eye. Standing behind the old man was a woman staring intently at the chestnut. Simon was dragging her away so fast that when she turned to look again a crowd of people blocked her view. “Simon I thought I saw……..oh this is spooky! I could have sworn I just saw Dora”

They spent the next hour bidding and bought a couple of decent ponies for the riding school. Then Copper was led into the arena. A few people sniggered and made witty comments about knackers’ yards and Cathy looked at Simon but his face was set. “No, we’ve spent enough, we’re not buying him.”

Her eyes searched the crowd and she caught sight of the mystery woman bidding for him. “Simon I’m sure that’s Dora. I’m going for a closer look" and she pushed her way through until she was standing next to her. The woman was biting her thumb nail waiting to see if she’d been successful. Nobody else made any bids and she looked ready to faint with relief when she realised Copper was hers.

Cathy tapped her on the shoulder. “Dora?” The woman spun round. There was fear in her eyes then shock as she recognised who it was. She couldn’t believe how awful Dora looked. Her face had a haunted look and she was very thin. “Cathy? I’ve just bought Copper and I’ve no money to pay for him.”

Dora started to sway and she grabbed her to stop her from falling. “You look like you could do with a cup of tea and a sit down. Let’s get things sorted here and we’ll go back to Follyfoot.” Dora couldn’t take this in and it showed on her bemused face. “I’ll explain it all on the way back.” Simon had found them by this time and looked enquiringly at Cathy.

”This is Dora. She’s coming back to follyfoot with us. Oh yes, and she’s bought Copper so he’s coming too.”

Simon shook his head. “A quiet relaxing day at the horse sale you said. Might have known it wouldn’t be!”

After unloading the ponies at the farm, Simon and Cathy turned them out and watched as they tore off down the hill squealing and bucking. Dora had put Copper into one of the new stables and was watching him over the door.

Cathy joined her and asked “You O.K?” Dora turned a tear streaked face towards her.

“Come on, let’s go and have a cup of tea and you can tell me all about it.”

********************

Cathy sat quietly while Dora told her story.

"After you left, things went on in the same way for a while but then Uncle died. He left the big house to my father but he didn't want it so it was sold. Uncle left me follyfoot but the place was falling apart even then, I struggled trying to keep things going. Then Steve started seeing a girl from the village, got married and moved away. I really loved him you know but it wasn't meant to be."

"I know you did" Cathy put her hand on Dora’s and gave it a squeeze. "But I do happen to know he's divorced now. I phoned him asking if he knew where you were. He's coming to our open day next month."

Dora nodded and sat staring into space for a few minutes so Cathy had to prompt her "and then?"

"Oh sorry I was miles away, thinking about Steve. Anyway a few months later Slugger had a stroke and died. That left just me and Ron to cope with everything. He soon got fed up with all the work and took a job in that motorbike shop in the village. I can't blame him really, it was a miserable time. To cut a long story short I had no choice but to sell up, there was no money left. I found good homes for all the old horses but it broke my heart when Copper had to be sold. I ended up going abroad and living with my parents for a while as I needed to get away and sort my head out. But I missed Yorkshire so much I came back a few years later."

"I know that feeling very well" Cathy smiled at her.

“I’ve got a job working at Manor Farm for Mrs Wolfenstowe looking after her event horses. I live in a damp old caravan and she pays me a pittance. She sent me to look out for a pony for her daughter at that horse sale but as you know when I saw Copper I had to buy him. There was no way I was leaving without him. God knows how he ended up with that dreadful old man. And I don’t have the money to pay you back."

“Why don’t you come and work for us? We’re going to need someone to manage the riding stables as I’ll be busy setting up the farm shop and tea room as well as the B&B. You can live in the cottage we've had built out the back.” She grasped Dora’s hands across the table and shook them gently “Please say you will, it will be like old times. If you hadn’t taken me under your wing all those years ago I wouldn’t be here now”.

Dora’s face split into a huge grin “Are you sure?”

“Positive. Come on; let’s go tell Simon the good news.”

As they walked across the yard Dora went over to the lightening tree and rested her head on the trunk. "Thank you" she whispered.

**********************

One year later…….

Dora stood by the gate and looked out over the fields. It seemed such a long time ago since Cathy had asked her to come and work at the farm. It had been the turning point of her life and she'd never been happier. The new follyfoot had been a huge success and Simon had even agreed to taking in a few needy horses now and then. Suddenly there were shrieks behind her and she turned to see a little girl racing towards her. "Mummy, mummy, Jasmines foal is coming out. Come and look!” she cried and tugged at her arm.

"O.K. O.K. I'm coming" she laughed as her daughter dragged her into the loose box that contained Jasmine and her newly born foal.

"What’ll we call him?" she asked excitedly. Dora looked at the chestnut colt with the white blaze. “We shall call him Copper after my old horse.” Sadly, Copper had died not long after Dora had rescued him but at least his last few months had been spent in comfort.

The stable door opened with a creak and the little girl turned round as her father entered. “Daddy, Daddy, look at the foal. We’re going to call him Copper!” Steve scooped her up into his arms and grinned widely at a smiling Dora. 

The end.

© Suzy 2008