Read Online Time to Pay by Lyndon Stacey - Free Book Online

room.’
    â€˜Oh.’ Uncertainly. ‘I didn’t realise – I mean, I just assumed you had stables yourself.’
    â€˜I’m sure there won’t be a problem. Listen, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.’
    Eve was already out of bed as Gideon leaned over to put the handset back. Yawning, she wrapped a black satin housecoat around her and padded across to the door, winding her hair into a knot in preparation for her shower.
    â€˜You don’t have to get up, if you don’t want to,’ he told her.
    â€˜Oh, but I do,’ she said with a smile. ‘I’ve got a gallery to open and I’m late as it is. I’ll only be five.’
    As predicted, Pippa raised no objections and the Daniels’ cream and brown horsebox delivered the problem horse just after three that same afternoon. Tilly backed the vehicle right up to the stone arched entrance to the Priory stableyard, so that Nero, should he somehow get free, would only have the run of the yard.
    â€˜Thanks guys, this is brilliant – such a help,’ she called, jumping down from the cab as Pippa and Gideon went to meet her.
    â€˜That’s all right,’ Pippa said. ‘How are you? Gideon told us about the break-in; how awful!’
    â€˜Yeah, it’s been pretty bloody, but at least they didn’t take too much.’
    â€˜How’s your mum?’ Gideon asked.
    â€˜Much quieter, thanks. She’s still sedated but at least she’s finally facing up to everything. We were beginning to wonder if she ever would. It’s been awful, and what makes it worse is not being able to have Damien’s body for a proper funeral. It makes it hard to move on, you know?’
    From within the lorry came a heavy banging as Nero began to complain at being kept waiting, and Tilly made a face.
    â€˜Oh, he’s done that all the way over. Every time we stopped at a junction he’d start up: bang, bang, bang. It was almost driving me mad!’
    â€˜Well, let’s get him in. Have you got time for a cuppa before you start back?’ Pippa enquired.
    â€˜Oh, I’d love one,’ Tilly said, going round to the back of the lorry. ‘Where do you want him?’
    â€˜In the end box,’ Gideon said. ‘Shall I bring him down?’
    â€˜Be my guest.’
    Nero had worked up a sweat and came out of the lorry with a rush, pulling right to the end of the extra-long lead rope Gideon had fastened to his headcollar. Once in the yard he went into rapid reverse, his head held high and shod hooves drumming a frantic tattoo on the cobbles. Gideon went with him for a few strides, offeringno resistance and avoiding eye contact until the brown horse backed himself into a corner and stopped. Then, still not looking directly at Nero, he moved slowly up the rope, soothing him with a steady stream of nonsense. Gradually the animal’s head came down and when Gideon was finally close enough to reach out a hand and rub him between the eyes, Nero sighed and relaxed.
    â€˜All right now? Come on, you daft bugger,’ Gideon said. ‘Let’s go and see your new home.’
    With the horse safely installed, Tilly fetched his saddle and bridle from the lorry, and Pippa followed with a big canvas bag containing a number of rugs and blankets.
    â€˜He has to have his own saddle because he’s got such a high wither,’ Tilly said, meaning the bony part of a horse’s anatomy, at the base of its neck. ‘And we always keep separate rugs for each horse, so I’ve brought those, too.’
    Ten minutes later, happy that Nero was settling, the three of them made their way across the yard, through the boot room and into the huge kitchen, where heat from the old-fashioned range banished the chill of the cold wind outside.
    The Priory kitchen was one of Gideon’s favourite places on earth. Cavernous and cosy at one and the same time, it had dark beams, warm ochre-painted walls