Born In The Saddle - Quicksilver Stud - Book 1 (#wattys2016)

Chapter 11

She turned just as I looked up. I stopped dead in my tracks and stared. She stared back but her expression was instantly smug and superior.

Urgh, Tiffany Wickham. I should have known she'd pop up at some point. And of course it had to be today when I was looking like a survivor of some kind of natural disaster. She dropped her eyes and slowly lifted them so I knew she was taking in my muddied state. Her smirk increased.

Tiffany hadn't changed much since I'd last seen her. She was taller obviously and she was wearing a thick layer of makeup making her look about twenty rather than the fourteen years she actually was. But apart from that she had the same long ice blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and a superiority complex that would have made even the Queen feel like a tramp. She looked down her nose at me from across the yard. I could see her lips move and the people nearest her snickered and rolled their eyes in my direction.

If it's possible for a fourteen year old girl to have an arch nemesis then Tiffany Wickham was mine. While my rosette wall was a sea of red for first place, then hers was a sea of blue for second. At least until I moved to London anyway.

I sunk my teeth into my lip and told myself to just ignore her. I caught sight of Connor standing at the gate of the arena, he was watching me and from the expression on his face I could tell he was saying the same thing. Clay was in the middle of the arena bawling out instructions but he'd also spotted my stand off with Tiffany. He continued his lesson but every now and again flicked his eyes across the yard, probably checking that Tiffany and I hadn't started a round of hair pulling or name calling.

I shook off the tension that had gripped me and forced myself to carry on. Afterall she wouldn't be here for long, and I had work to do. I turned to head towards the common room only to find a little girl standing at me feet. It's just as well I looked before moving, otherwise I would have flattened her before even realising she was there.

I looked down into a pair of big, round green eyes. She was a pretty little thing, and looked super cute in her miniature riding gear. She gave me a big gap toothed grin so I smiled warmly back.

'Hello. And who are you?' I asked.

'Ellie.' She replied innocently. And then out of nowhere she asked bluntly, 'Are you Carl Michaelson's daughter?'

My smile instantly dropped and the look of horror must have been clear across my face. The pigtailed little girl looked surprised and stepped back a pace.

'I'm sorry.' A flustered young mother rushed towards us and scooped the little girl up in her arms. 'Ellie darling, what have I told you about wandering off.' I heard the woman say as she strode away. Ellie looked across her mother's shoulder and waved at me. But I didn't respond. I felt numb suddenly, unable to move. I think I may have been hyperventilating. Somehow that sweet, innocent little girl had punched me hard in the gut like she was wielding the right hook of a champion boxer.

How did she even know who my dad was? She couldn't have been more then three or four years old. But I guess that goes with the fact he was known as a living legend. His reputation's lived on after him.

The entire gathering of Pony Club gossips had stopped talking and had watched the whole thing. The look of delight on Tiffany's face made my stomach twist in knots. Behind them in the arena my eyes landed on Clay who had also stopped and was staring now, his expression taut and troubled.

My cheeks burned and I could feel tears spring up behind my eyes. Without waiting another second I dropped my head and watched my feet as they stalked quickly through the rest of the stable yard. Their pace steadily increased until I found myself running at full pelt down one the paths between the fields. I only stopped when I realised I could hardly breathe anymore. I climbed the fence nearest to me and just sat there, heaving for breath, and fighting back the tears that had broken free while I ran.