our latest film project…
Hester didn’t bother to read any further. She knew what the rest of the email said. And she knew exactly what it meant–total disaster. She shut the laptop immediately, as if closing it would keep the bad news locked inside where it couldn’t upset her any more. She felt a sudden chill and wrapped her dressing gown tightly around herself as she left her bedroom and walked downstairs.
Padding down to the kitchen in silence with the dogs following at her feet, Hester put the kettle on and began to make coffee. She looked out of the window towards the stables. The horses would be waking up in their stalls and expecting their breakfast. They had no idea about the email–or the bad news it contained.
“Well, my Daredevil Ponies,” Hester said darkly, “I’d like to see what stunt you can pull to get us out of this mess.”
“Hester?”
Hester turned around to find her young stable manager Aidan standing in the doorway. Aidan looked like he hadn’t slept either. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing back his long dark fringe to reveal striking blue eyes that were restless with the worry and stress they had both shared over the past few weeks.
“Has there been any news? Have you heard back from the production company yet?”
Hester nodded solemnly. “It’s all bad I’m afraid. They’ve postponed the movie–indefinitely. We’re out of work again. I just don’t believe it. Three film jobs falling through in a row. We’ve got the luck of the devil hounding us, Aidan. I just wish we had his money too. I was relying on this movie. There’s no way I can keep things going now…”
“Of course you can!” Aidan said. “Hester…I’ve been thinking about it and you don’t have to pay me. I mean, I don’t need much to live on and I’ve got my room and board here. You can forget about my salary until you’ve got some money again. I was thinking maybe we could do a deal with the feed and grain merchants too. I’m sure they’d help you out. If you just told them the situation, and we promised to pay again when things get better…”
Hester smiled back at Aidan. “That’s very kind, dear, but feed merchants aren’t very keen on charity. And in case you haven’t noticed, it’s already been over a month since I last paid you. I don’t expect you to keep working for me for free.” Hester looked at Aidan’s forlorn expression. “I appreciate your offer, I really do. But even if I wasn’t paying your salary, there’s still the mortgage. And the maintenance. This place is so big and so old, it needs an enormous amount of money just to keep it running. And all the horses need shoeing and there are vet’s bills mounting up…” Hester sank down into a kitchen chair and put her head in her hands.
“Aidan, I’ve run out of money. Worse than that, for the first time in my life I’ve run out of ideas.”
There were tears in Hester’s eyes as she turned to face her stable manager. “It’s over. I have no choice…I have to sell Blackthorn Farm.”
Sell Blackthorn Farm? Issie couldn’t believe it. The farm was her favourite place in the whole world, and she knew how much her aunt loved it too.
She still remembered when Hester first bought the farm, complete with a decaying mansion, high in the hills outside Gisborne. Issie’s mum had pronounced her sister “officially totally bonkers”.
Mrs Brown worked for a law firm and was very practical about boring things like having a proper job. So when Hester broke the news that she was giving up her acting career, buying a rundown farm manor and becoming an animal trainer, Mrs Brown was far from impressed.
The whole farm, especially the manor, needed loads of work to restore it to its former glory. Loads of cash too. Mrs Brown called Blackthorn Farm “Hester’s Money Pit”. Issie’s aunt spent all of her savings restoring the buildings inside and out, including the stable block for her stunt horses.
Eventually, though, even Mrs Brown had to admit that Hester’s hard work and determination had paid off. Hester’s mad menagerie of movie-star animals–pigs, chickens, ducks, goats and especially horses–were considered to be the best in the business. Her Daredevil Ponies had worked on loads of films doing all sorts of stunts.
“It was all going so well!” Issie said. “I can’t understand it. What happened?”
Mrs Brown sighed. “The movie business is unpredictable. Aidan told me they’ve been out of work ever since The Palomino Princess. There was a new project due to start filming this week and it fell through. Now Hester’s been left with mountains of debt and no way to make any money!”
“But she can’t sell the farm!” Issie said. “What about the horses?” Hester had over a dozen stunt horses in the stables at Blackthorn Farm.
There was silence on the phone. And then Mrs Brown finally spoke. “Aidan didn’t say, but I guess they’ll have to be sold as well.”
“Mum! This is awful…” Issie felt close to tears.
“I know,” Mrs Brown said gently. “Aidan is calling back soon. He says he has an idea that he wants to talk to you about, something that might help.”
“I’m coming home now!” Issie hung up the phone. She turned around and saw Avery standing in the hallway behind her.
“I’m guessing she doesn’t just want you to tidy your room then?” he said.
When Issie told Avery the bad news he immediately offered to give her a lift home. Issie gratefully accepted, putting her bike in the back of the Range Rover and clambering into the passenger seat. She spent the ride home in total silence, feeling sick with worry. Aunty Hess couldn’t sell Blackthorn Farm. Things sounded pretty bad, but maybe there was still hope. What was this idea that Aidan wanted to talk to her about?
Issie didn’t have long to wait before she found out. The phone was ringing as she ran in through the front door.
“I’ve got it!” she called, making a mad dash down the hallway to grab the receiver. She was still puffing and trying to catch her breath when she heard Aidan’s voice at the other end of the line.
“Issie? Is that you?” She knew that they were in the middle of a crisis here, but still Issie couldn’t help smiling when she heard Aidan’s voice. She hadn’t seen him in ages and she had missed him. She pictured his face, the thick mop of black hair and the long fringe that hung down, almost hiding those startling blue eyes.
“Issie? Are you there?”
“Sorry, I’m still puffed from running to the phone,” Issie panted.
“That’s OK,” Aidan said. “You don’t need to talk anyway. Just listen. I have a plan to save the farm and I want you to hear it because I’m going to need your help.” He paused. “Issie, I want to start a riding school.”
“What?”
“My mum used to run one years ago when I was little,” Aidan continued, “and I always thought Blackthorn Farm would be the perfect place to have one.”
“But it’s miles from anywhere!” Issie protested.
