New Boss at Birchfields by Henrietta Reid

of a half-eaten snack. She set to work determinedly. She would let her new employer know right away that she had no intention of slacking.
    It didn ’ t take her long to get things shipshape. Finally there remained the snack on the windowsill to be dealt with, and she was wondering what she ought to do with someone ’ s half eaten roll when she became conscious that she was being observed, and turned to find Johnny regarding her, a smile on his freckled face.
    ‘ Hello! So you ’ re really working here? This is a bit of luck. First time a pretty girl has joined the gang! ’ he said with boyish admiration, and Briony had to laugh.
    ‘ Thanks! But I doubt if I ’ ll look very pretty by the end of the day. This isn ’ t the sort of job for anyone who wants to look glamorous. ’
    ‘ No. ’ He sauntered about admiring the new order she had established. ‘ I ’ m sorry, it was a bit of a mess. The boss is always on to us about the way we keep it, but usually when the tack ’ s finished there just isn ’ t time to tidy up. ’
    ‘ It appears to me that Mr. Lennox has very high standards, ’ Briony sniffed.
    Johnny looked at her, faintly puzzled. ‘ Yes, that ’ s true. But then he works very hard himself, you know. ’
    ‘ You seem to like working for him, ’ Briony remarked. ‘ But from what I ’ ve seen so far he appears to be a bit of a taskmaster. ’
    ‘ He doesn ’ t go in for fancy talk, ’ Johnny admitted. ‘ And he has some splendid animals. No broken-down old nags for the Lennox Riding School! I like it here—I always wanted to work with horses. And Mr. Lennox ’ s bark is worse than his bite. ’
    ‘ His bark is quite enough as far as I ’ m concerned, ’ Briony told him.
    Johnny grinned. ‘ You don ’ t know half of it. Watch k you don ’ t get into hot water or you ’ ll really get the edge of his tongue! ’
    She glanced about with satisfaction. ‘ I don ’ t think he can have any complaints about the tack room at any rate—except for those dreadful bits and pieces on the windowsill. ’
    ‘ Oh, just shove them in the cupboard, ’ Johnny told her airily. ‘ And mind you don ’ t throw away Andy ’ s bun, ’ he added with a grin. ‘ He ’ ll want it for his elevenses. ’
    ‘ And now I ’ d better give a hand helping to water the ponies, ’ Briony remarked when she had done as he directed. ‘ And I think you ’ d better get back to work or Mr. Lennox will be down on you like a ton of bricks. ’
    Johnny sighed as he slid off the table. ‘ All right, but I ’ ll help you with the buckets first. They ’ re pretty heavy. I can ’ t imagine why the boss gave you that job. ’
    Well, I can, Briony was thinking as she walked towards the water trough in the yard. He intended her to realise that unless she could measure up to Johnny and Andy she would not be worth her keep, and he was determined to test her mettle at the outset.
    She told Johnny that she would be perfectly well able to manage on her own, but he insisted on helping her with the first bucket. They were half way across the yard when a deep harsh voice startled both of them. Water from the bucket splashed over and drenched Briony ’ s ankles. Johnny turned, blinking nervously as Blane Lennox advanced. His walk was typical of the man, Briony decided, deliberate—yes, and arrogant too.
    ‘ I want it to be understood, Johnny, that you ’ re not here to assist Briony. You ’ ve your own work to do. Go about it immediately. ’
    As Johnny hastened away, Briony picked up the bucket. As Johnny had said, it was heavy, but aware that Blane Lennox was watching her, she held herself as upright as possible. She would let him see that she was able to measure up to the boys.
    But she breathed a sigh of relief when, later in the morning, they had a tea-break in the tack room. Andy McLeish quickly returned to work, but Johnny lingered a little.
    As he followed her out into the yard, a small car drove in. Out of it stepped