Envoys Of The Vow

Chapter 1

The autumn sun was wonderfully warm, but it did not account for the sweat that was pouring off Sara’s body.  Her strappy work top was soaked through.  She knew her hair would be a soggy mess under her riding hat.  Gently she encouraged the young horse forward further down the track.

“He’s good mum, he just needs some mileage now!” Sara called back to her mother who was standing at the top of the farm track she was riding on.  They always used the track for horses that had just been backed as the hedgerows either side gave a clear route for the horse to focus on.

“Turn him at the bottom and trot back.” Anne shouted back.

Sara sighed, she did not mind riding the breakers, in fact, it was fun, but unless the horse detonated, her mother would think the day was not quite as funny as it could have been.  She patted Domino’s neck to reassure the youngster.  She turned him cautiously, as he did not know how to balance himself with the extra weight of a rider.  When they were facing straight back towards her mother, she used her slim legs to wrap around him and urge him forward again.  Talking quietly to the horse, she used her own balance to give him a reassuring frame.  Pushing him forwards, he fell into the uncomfortable and wobbly trot of the newly broken horse.

Pulling him up next to her mother, she gave Domino a nice scratch on his neck to tell him he had done well.  “He was great! I thought he might throw in the odd buck, but he didn’t seem fazed at all. ”

“Not bad for his first ride." Her mother just smiled at her and gave the horse a mint as a reward.  "Good boy. ”

Domino jumped slightly as a brown and white spaniel came bounding round the corner in front of them.

“Hey Jerry! What are you doing here?” Anne bent down to cuddle the ridiculously happy dog who had thrown itself at her feet for a scratch.

A loud whistle sounded from round the bend answering Annes question. The dog tore off back the way he had come, leaving a plume of dust that fluffed up from the bone dry track.  When the dog reappeared, he was walking obediently at his owner's leg.

“Hey Anne, Sara. Glorious day isn’t it?” John Morely smiled broadly, making his eyes crinkle at the corners.  In fact, his entire face had crinkled after years of pleasant humour. 

He was a devout regular at the local pub.  He had his own seat at the bar, with a dog bed next to it for Jerry.  As head keeper of the neighborhood shoot, he was well known to everyone as a relaxed, rural man with a penchant for swearing.  It gave rise to much amusement when, on shoot days, he transformed completely into the immaculate, country gentleman in his plus fours and posh Surrey accent.

“Hi John, what are you doing here?” Anne smiled down at the little dog who was sitting at John’s feet looking adoringly at him.

“I just popped up to ask Sara a favour.” His face crinkled with a smile again.

“Ah ok, I have to go back anyway, so will catch up soon, bring Emily up for a tea.” Anne bent down, rubbed the dog's ears and headed back up the track towards the house.