sisters. This was kind of a joke, because the three of them didn’t actually look anything like each other. Issie had olive skin and long, dark straight hair just like her mum. Stella was a redhead with curls and freckles and Kate was tall and lanky with short-bobbed blonde hair and pale blue eyes. “Never mind looks. On the inside, where it matters, you three girls are cut from the same cloth,” Mrs Brown would say, smiling and shaking her head. “Utterly horse-mad!”
Issie looked at her watch. Quarter to nine. The rally was about to start and she was absolutely dying of thirst. She had just enough coins in her pocket to use the drinks machine in the clubroom.
“Stella,” she said, “can you do me a favour? Can you watch Storm for a couple of minutes? I want to get a drink.”
“I want one too. I’ll come with you,” Stella said.
Issie shook her head. “Tom said I shouldn’t leave Storm alone by himself.”
Stella looked at Storm, who was happily nibbling at his hay net. “He’s not alone. He’s with Coco,” she said. “He’ll be fine. We’ll only be a minute.”
“I know, but…” Issie wasn’t sure about this, but she didn’t want to be a drama queen. After all, they were only going to the clubroom.
“OK, OK!” she caved. “But we have to be quick, all right?”
The two girls raced across the paddock to the clubroom and bounded up the steps. Issie dug into her pockets and hastily fed the change into the drinks machine. She listened for the clunk-clunk, and then stuck her hand into the hole to retrieve her can of Coke.
“Ohhh, I might get some crisps too!” Stella said. “I love crisps for breakfast.” She grinned at Issie as she put her money in the vending machine.
“Come on. We better get back,” Issie said nervously. She was beginning to regret leaving Storm. Avery had been quite firm when he told her not to leave the colt tied up by himself. If anything happened she wouldn’t forgive herself.
Issie stepped out of the clubroom and looked back towards the horse float where Storm was tethered. “Ohmygod!” she said.
“What’s wrong?” Stella said. But Issie didn’t answer her. She had already leapt off the clubroom steps and was sprinting back across the paddock.
Issie could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she ran towards the horse float. Storm was standing where she had left him—but there was a dark figure next to the colt, with one hand grasping Storm’s halter.
“Hey!” Issie yelled as she ran across the paddock. “Hey!”
At the sound of Issie’s voice, the dark figure turned round. It was a woman. She was dressed in crisp white jodhpurs, long black boots and a black shirt. Her face was hidden behind dark glasses and the dramatic sweep of her long dark hair, but that didn’t matter. Issie had recognised her even before she caught a glimpse of her features.
“You came!” Issie’s face broke into a broad grin as she ran towards the woman. “I hadn’t heard anything for so long, I had almost given up!”
The woman, who had been gently stroking the colt’s muzzle, whispered something to the young horse and let go of the halter. She stepped forward to greet Issie, giving her two brisk kisses, one on each cheek, just as the French always do, before wrapping her in her arms in the most enormous hug.
“Isadora!” the woman cried. “Bonjour! It is so good to see you once again!”
Issie couldn’t believe it. It was Francoise D’arth. The famed French horsewoman, head rider of El Caballo Danza Magnifico, here at Chevalier Point!
The last time Francoise had arrived in Chevalier Point with her troupe of dancing Lipizzaners and Anglo-Arabians she had turned Issie’s world upside down.
Francoise had recognised Blaze—only she said her name wasn’t Blaze at all, it was Salome and she belonged to El Caballo Danza Magnifico. The mare had been stolen and now they wanted her back. Issie hadn’t wanted to believe her, but Francoise had proof. The Frenchwoman was amazed that she had found the mare again. Issie had no choice but to agree to return her. She was totally devastated when Francoise took Blaze away. Then, just when Issie thought she’d lost her beloved mare forever, Blaze was unexpectedly returned to her once more. Francoise claimed that “a mysterious benefactor” had paid handsomely for the mare, with instructions that Blaze be given back to Issie.
Issie had never discovered who this “benefactor” was, or why they had bought her horse back. Whoever it was, she owed them a great debt and she knew it. Blaze was hers for always now. And despite all that had happened, Issie still considered Francoise to be her friend. After all, Francoise didn’t own El Caballo Danza Magnifico—she just worked for them. Francoise loved horses as much as Issie did—she was the one who had trained Blaze and she truly understood just how special the bond was between Issie and her pony.
When Issie had found out that Blaze was pregnant and Marius was the father she had written immediately to Francoise D’arth to tell her the exciting news. Francoise hadn’t replied, but Issie figured that was because she was away on tour with El Caballo Danza Magnifico. After Storm was born, Issie had written to Francoise again, sending photos this time—and still no reply. And now, suddenly out of the blue, here she was!
Francoise turned her gaze to the bay colt. “He is beautiful, Isadora. Everything you said about him in your letters was true.” She ran her hand down Storm’s legs, feeling the strength of his bone and muscle. She could not hide the fact that she was impressed by this colt. “He is even more beautiful than in your photos. This horse is destined for greatness.”
“I’m glad you like him,” said a rather stern voice. Issie turned round to see Tom Avery standing behind her. “Well, this is a surprise!” Avery said with a tone that indicated it was not an entirely pleasant one. “What are you doing here, Francoise?”
“Tom!” Francoise smiled warmly. “It is good to see you again. It has been too long.” She stepped forward and greeted him with a kiss on both cheeks. Avery’s face betrayed little emotion as he waited for Francoise to continue.
“When I got Isadora’s letter telling me that Blaze was in foal to Marius I was so happy,” Francoise said. “Then I received the next letter, saying that a foal had been born, and well, of course I was very intrigued. I had to come and meet this colt.”
“Really?” Avery cocked an eyebrow at her. Issie noticed that he still wasn’t smiling. “Is that all, Francoise? It’s a long way to come just to say hello. I have a feeling that there is something you aren’t telling us.”
Francoise’s cheery smile faded and was replaced by a rather more serious expression.
“Oui. Yes. You are right, Tom. There is more to tell you—and much that we need to talk about.”
“I thought there might be,” Avery said. “El Caballo Danza Magnifico wouldn’t send you all the way here just to check on this colt.”
Francoise nodded. “You are right.” She looked at the colt standing in front of her. “I was told to come here and see for myself whether this young horse was indeed the son of Marius.” Francoise paused. “I was told that if Nightstorm had the same great conformation and temperament as his sire then I was to pay as much as you asked and bring him home to Spain.”
“Francoise,
