Walker: Secrets

Chapter 41

'Maddie? Maddie, is that you?'

Maddie stopped Bel, turning around as she heard someone calling her name. 'Rose!' She smiled, the young girl she'd rescued a few weeks back running up to her and Bel. 'Hello.' She laughed as the girl gave her a hug then she knelt down to her level. 'What are you doing here?'

'Mommy is bringing me here for riding lessons.' Rose exclaimed happily. 'I want a pony just like Bel when I grow up and I need to know how to ride-'

'Rose? Rose... There you are.' Jenny said as she hurried over to them. 'Oh Rose, how many times have I told you not to run away on me?'

'It's Maddie Mommy! Look!'

She chuckled. 'Yes, I can see that. I'm sorry Maddie, I hope she's not bothering you.' She turned to the older girl. 'Rose hasn't stopped talking about you and Bel.'

'It's quite alright, Mrs. Young.' Maddie assured her with a smile. 'I'm just glad that she's well. I hear she's coming here for riding lessons?'

'Yeah, today is her first day-'

Rose grabbed hold of her mother's hand, pointing to a horse walking past. 'Look mommy! Can I go pat it?'

'I don't think you can pat that horse sweetie.' The muzzle it was wearing didn't particularly make it look like it was a safe horse. 'Is it alright if she pats your horse?'

'Sure. Here-' Maddie pulled a sugar cube from her pocket. 'You ever fed a horse before?' Rose shook her head. 'Alright, well, here's what you do. Hold out your hand flat, like this-' She demonstrated for her and the little girl followed her lead. 'Good. Now I'll place this on top-' Which she did. 'And you hold it out for Bel. Keep your thumb tucked in. There you go.'

Rose began to laugh as Bel munched away at the sugar cube then quickly wiped her hands on her new jodhpurs. 'It tickles!'

'Well done sweetie.' Jenny had taken a photo of her daughter feeding the horse. 'Now come on, we don't want to bother Maddie. I'm sure she's very busy.'

'It's alright, Mrs. Young.' Maddie assured her, a smile on her face seeing how gentle Bel was being with the young girl. 'Bel and I have finished for this afternoon. When does her lesson start?'

'Not for another fifteen minutes or so. We got here early.'

'Well, in that case, would it be alright if Rose rides Bel back to her stall for me?'

Rose looked up at her mother. 'Oh please, please Mommy.'

'Alright, since Maddie says you can.'

'Thank you!'

'Alrighty, helmet on first.' Maddie instructed and Rose quickly put on the pink helmet her mother had been carrying. 'And up we go.' With one smooth motion she lifted Rose up into the saddle. 'You hold on tight to the horn now, okay?'

'Yep.' Rose wrapped her little hands tightly around the horn. 'It's very high...'

'Bel is a tall horse.' She chuckled. 'Mrs. Young, would you mind walking beside Rose? Wouldn't want her to fall off before her first lesson even starts.'

'Of course. You listen to Maddie honey, don't let go.'

'I won't mommy.'

With that precaution in place, Maddie started Bel forward, Rose giggling all the while being led to the barn.

'Well, what do we have here?' Mika exclaimed, seeing Rose riding on Bel as Maddie led her back to her stall. 'Is someone running off with your horse Maddie?'

'Hardly.' Maddie chuckled. 'Mika, this is Rose and her mother Jenny Young. Rose is coming here for riding lessons.' She glanced back at Rose and Jenny as she brought Bel to a halt in front of her stall. 'This here is Mika, she's one of the employees here and she looks after Bel for me.'