New Boss at Birchfields by Henrietta Reid Page A

a tall slim girl and a child in riding clothes.
    ‘ Here comes trouble! ’ Johnny told her. ‘ That Sandra Wilson is a little devil. She ’ s here for her own special lesson. Not that she ’ ll ever be able to ride well, not if she kept at it until she ’ s a hundred! But she thinks she knows it all and can ’ t be taught. ’
    ‘ Is that her mother with her? ’ Briony asked.
    ‘ Not likely! ’ Johnny laughed. ‘ That ’ s Senga MacNeil. She ’ s games mistress, or whatever you like to call her, at Laureston School. She ’ s new to the place, and I ’ ll say this for her, she ’ s a great rider, almost as good as the boss, and he ’ s one of the best. ’
    And now Briony looked at the tall girl more attentively. She was not really very good-looking, her face was rather too long and narrow, but the high cheekbones and slightly slanted eyes gave her an exotic look, and she wore her clothes with style. It was easy to picture her as an athlete, skiing at Aviemore, playing a hard game of tennis, excelling at all outdoor sports.
    At this point Blane Lennox made his appearance, and stood chatting with Senga MacNeil while Sandra Wilson, looking bored and sullen, flicked at her shoes with her crop.
    A few moments later Blane came striding towards the tack room . ‘ Ah, there you are! ’ he exclaimed to Briony. ‘ I ’ ve a pupil for you. ’
    ‘ What? ’ Briony exclaimed. ‘ You mean, give a lesson — now? ’ She gazed at him in dismay. Somehow she didn ’ t feel ready to give a lesson yet: she had not become acclimatised to this new job. Besides, she had not expected to have to give lessons to children as old as Sandra. She had visualised herself as leading out the very young children. It was rather daunting to have to deal right away with a pupil who, according to Johnny, thought she knew everything already.
    But Blane Lennox was saying, ‘ Yes, a lesson now. Why not? That ’ s what you ’ re employed for, isn ’ t it?’

 
    CHAPTER FOUR
    ‘ Yes. Yes, of course! ’ she said quickly.
    ‘ Well then, shake a leg, ’ he commanded impatiently. ‘ Johnny will saddle up for you. Use the Fells pony and Boru. ’ He swung around and disappeared.
    As she left the tack room with Johnny she saw him rejoin Senga MacNeil. They spoke together for a moment or two and then strolled off towards the house. The girl Sandra wandered off and began prowling about among the stables while Johnny and Briony saddled the ponies.
    ‘ Penny is a nice little pony, ’ Johnny was remarking as he tightened the girths on the Fells pony. ‘ She ’ s surefooted and safe. Now Boru ’ s a different cup of tea, ’ he went on as he placed the saddle on the back of the Connemara pony and slid it back into place. ‘ Boru is as good as gold in the right hands, but he ’ s lively and has a mind of his own. ’
    Grateful for the tips, Briony decided that Sandra had better ride Penny, but when all was ready and Johnny had hurried off to his own tasks, it soon became clear that Sandra had other ideas.
    ‘ I ’ m not going to ride that stodgy old Fells pony, ’ she protested when it was made clear to her that Penny was to be her mount. ‘ I ’ m to get lessons in jumping any day now. Besides, ’ And here she cast Briony a sly glance from the corners of her eyes, ‘ Mr. Lennox said I was to have Boru next time. He said I ’ ve come on so well I ’ m perfectly well able to ride him now. ’
    Briony hesitated. Sandra ’ s mouth was set in sulky determination and it was clear she was bent upon getting her own way. Was it true, Briony wondered, that Blane Lennox had said she was sufficiently advanced to ride the lively little Connemara pony? According to Johnny Sandra had no talent for riding, but then his standards were probably pretty high. If only there were someone she could consult! There was no sign now of either Andy or Johnny, and she could not bring herself to go to the house and ask Blane Lennox himself. The thought of