A Worthy Cause

“Problems?” asked the Colonel as Dora replaced the receiver looking rather cross.

“That was Lady Smythe. She wants me to visit her this afternoon.”

“You’d better put your best frock and hat on if you’ve been ordered to Farrington Manor.” The Colonel chuckled as he saw a pout forming on Dora’s lips.

“There won’t be any need as I’m not going. Far too short notice, I’m too busy.”

“I think you’d better go Dora, don’t forget she pays us generously for schooling one of her problem horses.”

“I don’t want to!” shouted Dora and slammed the door on her way out. The Colonel nodded and smiled, he knew she would be looking pretty as a picture in her best dress later on. But secretly he was afraid she wasn’t going to like what Lady Smythe had to say.

“Blast, blast, blast!” shouted Dora and she kicked an empty bucket across the yard.

“Dear, dear, dear we are in a temper.” Ron sniggered.

“Oh shut up Ron!” she cried and resumed mucking out furiously.

As Steve watched her throwing straw around the stable, he remarked “If you’re not going to do that properly, I suggest you go for a ride on Copper and calm yourself down.”

“Oh it’s that Lady Smythe woman, she’s such a snob. She looks down her nose at me and treats me as if I’m one of her grooms. I can’t stand her!” She looked up as Steve laughed. “It’s not funny Steve. Just because we have Tarquin here she thinks she can order me about.”

“So what does she want this time?” he asked her.

“I’ve got to be at the manor this afternoon at 2.00pm sharp, no reason given.”

Dora scowled and angrily thrust her pitchfork into the straw.

“So this fit of pique is about wearing a dress then?” Steve guessed correctly.

“Of course it is. Well she can get stuffed, I’m going in my smelly old jodhpurs and I’m going to be very late!”

Steve was looking forward to seeing Dora in her pretty dress and delivering her to the manor at 2.00pm precisely.

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

As Dora tried to slide from the Landrover seat in a ladylike manner, her dress rode up showing shapely white legs. Steve tried not to stare as he offered her his hand. “You ought to wear a dress more often!”

Dora blushed, tugging at the dress impatiently, and then she stuffed a pink frilly hat on her head. “I look stupid and feel really uncomfortable. You’d better be back here in two hours to rescue me or I’ll never forgive you” she warned him.

Steve held up his hands “O.K. O.K. more than my life’s worth…” and he climbed back into the Landrover. As Dora walked slowly up the impressive steps of Farrington Manor, Steve wound down the window and shouted, “Your hats on crooked!” and pulled away grinning to himself. Boy, she really did have great legs!

Dora pulled the bell handle and fiddled with the sleeve of the hated dress while she waited. A flustered maid answered the door. “Hello Miss Dora, her ladyships in the drawing room. Hurry up, mustn’t keep her waiting.” As Dora entered the grand hall, she cussed her high heeled shoes as she slipped on the ornate tiled floor.

Teetering into the drawing room she was met by a stony-faced Lady Smythe staring pointedly at her watch. Looking Dora up and down she remarked “well at least you made an effort to look decent I suppose” and turned to a dumpy woman standing next to her, announcing “This is Dora Maddocks, she’s schooling Tarquin for me at the Colonel’s little stables. Dora this is Mrs Herrington-Potts, she runs the local branch of Riding for the Disabled.”

Dora felt like she ought to curtsey and had an uncontrollable urge to giggle.

Mrs Herrington- Potts flapped her hand and said “oh good heavens no need to stand on ceremony, call me Geraldine” and she smiled kindly at Dora.

Dora took an instant liking to this warm and friendly lady.

“Shall we partake in tea? Lady Smythe said grandly, and pulled a handle by the side of a huge marble fireplace to summon a servant. Once tea had been served, Lady Smythe turned to Dora and said “I believe you have too many horses at Follyfoot and the Colonel is desperate to find suitable homes for some of them. Geraldine is in need of new horses for her RDA group. So I’m sure you could find at least a few useable horses for a worthy cause like this.”

Dora was horrified. It must be a mistake. She didn’t want any of the horses to go, she loved them all.

“NO!” she shouted, jumping up and spilling tea on her dress “I don’t believe Uncle said that, we don’t have any suitable horses.” She turned to Geraldine, “sorry I don’t mean to be rude but they are all far too old and can’t be ridden.”

“Do sit down Dora, there’s a good girl” Lady Smythe said patronisingly. “You will have to get used to the idea as the Colonel has already agreed. I asked you here to meet Geraldine and discuss details with her, not so you could embarrass yourself by behaving like a spoilt child.”

Geraldine said hastily “Dora, why don’t I come to Follyfoot and see your horses for myself and we can take it from there?”

Dora nodded miserably and sat down.

“Have a cucumber sandwich dear.” said Lady Smythe.

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

“Insufferable woman!” shouted Dora as she climbed into the Landover. But she was angrier with the Colonel. “We’ve got to give some of our horses to the local branch of Riding for the Disabled.”

“And what’s wrong with that?” answered Steve. We’ve got too many horses and no spare stables. What if someone brings a really sick or old horse to us Dora? What do we do then?”

“But Steve, I can’t let any of them go, they’re too old!” she cried.

“Oh grow up girl. What about Barney, Rocky and Oscar? They would be ideal. They’ve only got to walk slowly around an indoor school for an hour or so. It wouldn’t hurt them, stop being so selfish!” But Dora could only think how she would feel when she lost some of her beloved horses. They continued the rest of the journey in angry silence and once back at the farm, Dora raced into the Colonel’s study.

“Hello Dora…I take it you didn’t enjoy your visit?” The Colonel looked calmly at Dora’s flushed and angry face.

“Oh, Uncle! Why didn’t you tell me? How could you?” and she started to cry.

“Precisely for this reason Dora. I knew you would make a scene and try to make me change my mind. Now you’d better decide which horses are to go. Geraldine has phoned and will be here in the morning.”

“But Uncle I can’t…..”

“No buts Dora, you can and you will!” and he turned away from her. He hated seeing her cry but he had to remain firm this time.

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

At nine o’clock the next morning, Geraldine arrived on a smart grey cob. “Have you somewhere to stable her while we look at the horses?” she asked. Dora shook her head and refused to look at Steve’s smug “I told you so” face.

“I suppose I could turn out Copper for a while but I’ve only just groomed him and he’ll roll and get filthy” she said in a sulky voice.

“For Christ’s sake Dora!” Steve was fast losing patience with her.

“No matter, no matter. I can just tie her up here. She’ll be fine” Geraldine smiled at Dora, who didn’t smile back. “Would you like to show me the horses?”

In spite of herself, Dora did like Geraldine. Although she began the grand tour of Follyfoot reluctantly, she soon warmed to her favourite subject.

“This is Lancelot, he’s 34. He was brought to us after he couldn’t pull carts any longer. He’d be no good for you.”

They moved to the next stable. “This is Charlie, an ex pit pony. We don’t know his age but he’s lame, so again no good for you.” And so it went on until she’d shown Geraldine every horse and pony declaring them “no good for you.”

Geraldine decided different tactics were needed.” Would you like to visit Ashercombe Stables and see our horses? You’d be more than welcome.”

This was an offer Dora couldn’t refuse. She just loved nosing around other people’s stables. “Oh, O.K. then.” She tried to appear nonchalant.

“Why don’t you ride back with me now?” She didn’t want to give Dora any time to change her mind.

“I’ll just tack up Copper and be right with you.” Dora scuttled off to the tack room.

“I’m sorry she’s being so stubborn Geraldine” Steve said. “It’s just that she loves all the horses a little too much and can’t bear to part with any of them.”

“I’m glad she does care so much. I’m hoping once she sees the set up we have for our clients she’ll change her mind. You’ve got three horses here which would fit the bill nicely. Don’t look so worried Steve, leave it with me.”

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

After a pleasant ride across fields to Ashercombe Stables, Dora was in a better frame of mind and was looking forward to seeing a new yard and horses. They entered through a huge stone archway into a courtyard surrounded by large loose boxes.

A groom appeared and whisked Copper and the grey cob off to be rubbed down.

“Well, what do you think? It’s very grand isn’t it? Geraldine enthused. “Come along through to the second yard. That’s where all the action takes place.”

Dora’s jaw dropped open. A second yard? How big was this place? And she meekly followed her through another equally huge archway. The second yard was slightly smaller but no less grand, except it was full of bustling people and fidgeting horses.

“How many grooms do you employ?” asked Dora in wonder.

“These good people are volunteers. We simply couldn’t manage without them. Now come through to the indoor school and see a lesson in progress.”

The indoor school was predictably large and Dora settled down in the gallery to watch as horses were being led around the school.

“You see the girl on the chestnut pony?”

Dora nodded.

“That’s Mary and she’s blind. This is the highlight of her week. She rides extremely well don’t you think?”

Again Dora just nodded. She tried to imagine what it would be like to ride Copper if she was blind.

Geraldine could see Dora was having a change of heart. “Well my girl. What do you think? Would some of your horses be capable of doing the light work?”

Dora was deep in thought. She suddenly felt very ashamed of herself. Steve was right, she was being selfish. She would have to learn to let go. How she hated change!

“Barney might be O.K.” In her minds eye she could see Mary riding him around the indoor school. “And several of the others might be all right.”

She jumped up suddenly. “I must get back; I’ll speak to the Colonel and phone you. Thanks so much Geraldine.” She found Copper in a large loose box with a luxuriously deep bed of clean straw. He looked as if he’d be quite happy to stay.

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

Dora watched sadly as Barney, Oscar and Rocky were loaded into the horsebox ready to set off for their new life at Ashercombe Stables.

Slugger gave Dora a hug. “Come on girl, chin up. Stables never stay empty at Follyfoot fer long. They’ll be other ‘orrible great brutes coming ‘ere needing your ‘elp sooner or later.”

Dora smiled up at slugger, but the smile quickly faded when the Colonel shouted through the open study window, “Dora! Phone for you, it’s Lady Smythe. She wants to talk to you about Tarquin.”

“Oh no…no, I’m not going up to the manor. I’m not wearing a dress again, no absolutely not, no way….” She kicked another bucket across the yard and stomped off towards the house.

“Dear, dear, dear…here we go again!” laughed Ron.

Steve smiled to himself. Maybe he was in with another chance to catch a glimpse of Dora’s lovely legs.

© Suzy 2009