Part 15 (2/2)

Finn joined in. 'You should see Tama riding. He goes like this-and this-and Ruru stands way up on his hind legs. Cool! He looks just like Zorro!'

We were almost ready to leave when Sacha announced that she was opting out. She'd managed to cadge a lift into town with a friend's aunt who lived out our way.

'Not coming?' I stopped in my tracks. 'I thought you loved riding more than anything in the world?'

Her eyes slid away from mine. 'I'm not eleven years old any more,' she declared flatly. 'I've done that girly horsey thing.'

'Oh.' I felt deflated. 'That was sudden.'

'Tabby wants to meet up.'

'Well that's fine, but why don't you bring your friends here, like you planned?'

She shrugged ruefully. 'Changed my mind. What would we actually do?'

'Well . . . I don't know. Hang out. Play tennis. Listen to music. Bonfire on the beach.'

'And count sheep.' Sacha yawned. 'Yeah, right. We don't even have broadband. You're a skeleton by the time you've downloaded a music video. I'm sorry, Mum, I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, but there's sod all for a bunch of teenagers to do out here.'

'Don't you like us anymore?'

'Silly sausage.' She smiled and touched my cheek. 'I just need my own s.p.a.ce a little bit. Anyway, must get on-I've got half an hour to practise this new piece.'

She set off to the sitting room and after a moment I heard the flute. It was a dreamy, haunting melody, a little like birdsong. I stepped into the hall to listen, and the music broke off.

'Mum, stop loitering out there!'

I stuck my head around the door. 'What's that gorgeous thing you're playing? Sounds familiar.'

She had her flute in one hand, scowling at the music. 'Debussy's Syrinx. I've always wanted to learn this.'

'Ah, Syrinx. Now, this is one of those Greek myths where the girl gives her life to save her virtue, isn't it? Good, old-fas.h.i.+oned values.'

'Mm. Actually it's a really sad story. It's about Pan. He was chasing this red-hot chick, Syrinx. When she got to a river she had nowhere left to run, so she begged for help from the G.o.ds. Instead of doing something useful like giving her wings, they helpfully turned her into marsh reeds and that was the end of her. Pan was really upset about the whole thing, so he cut the reeds and made them into pipes.'

'Pan pipes.'

'Pan pipes. Then he played this lament for her on those same pipes. So it has to sound kind of ethereal, like those creepy patupaiarehe playing their wooden flutes. Brrr!' She pretended to s.h.i.+ver. 'Come to think of it, Syrinx and Ira's Hinemoana have a lot in common, don't they? They should set up an enchanted maidens' self-help group.'

As she spoke, her phone began to vibrate. She took a look at the screen, and frowned.

'Who?' I asked, leaning closer.

'Tabby.' The phone disappeared into her pocket.

'I see you've taken off your locket.'

'My-?' She touched her throat.

'Your locket that Ivan gave you. Does that mean you've moved on?'

'No.' A shadow of anxiety darkened her face, and I fervently wished I hadn't mentioned the wretched thing. 'I left it by my bed, and now I can't find it. Really worried. I just hope it's in the house somewhere.'

'It will be,' I said. 'Don't worry.'

'Okay.' Tama watched me climb out of the car. 'No Sacha, I see. That must mean it's your turn today?'

'Yes!' yelped Charlie. 'She promised!'

I raised both hands. 'No, no. Sorry. I'm chauffeur.'

'Suit yourself,' said Tama placidly, and I felt a twinge of disappointment.

Finn climbed up on the fence to practise his tight-rope walking, while Ira and Charlie went to see the newest foal. Tama soon had me picking out some spiny seeds that were caught in Ruru's piebald coat. It wasn't easy because the ma.s.sive horse loved to wander around the yard, nudging his master's shoulder.

As he moved unhurriedly among his animals, it struck me that Tama Pardoe seemed entirely content precisely as he was. How many of us can claim to be unequivocally content? Everyone believes they would be happy if . . . if they had a different job, perhaps, or they hit a lottery jackpot; if they had better-behaved children, a bigger house, a happier marriage. Me, I'd always reckoned my cup would overflow if I had a bikini body.

'Ever thought of becoming a Buddhist monk?' I asked.

'I am a Buddhist monk.'

'Really?'

'No, not really.'

When it was time for the riders to go, Charlie made one last appeal to my better nature. 'Please come,' he begged. 'You'll really, really love it.'

The wide eyes were too much. 'Okay,' I blurted. 'But if I break my leg, you're all dead.'

If he felt any triumph, Tama hid it well. There was just a twitch of the mouth and a brief, dark-eyed glance in my direction as he reached for another saddle. 'You've met Kakama,' he said, patting the mare's creamy neck. 'She's your hostess for today.'

I managed to get myself astride without nose-diving right over the top and off the other side, and the five of us headed sedately through the dunes. Kakama's foal cavorted alongside, whinnying. Finn and Charlie were already confident, singing as they rode and occasionally breaking into a b.u.mpy trot as we crossed the beach and began to walk along the glittering sand below the high-tide mark. It was a glorious scene, but I couldn't admire it. I'd forgotten how insanely high you are when perched on a horse.

'I feel awfully . . .' Waves swirled around Kakama's legs. 'I haven't done this for . . . um, and these great big saddles are pretty wacky.'

Tama was riding beside me. He leaned down and disentangled a twig from Kakama's mane. 'You're looking good.'

Gradually, I was soothed by the leisurely sway of the horses' gait. I could hear the boys behind us, yakking, bending Ira's ear. I began to feel more secure. Actually, I felt great. Tama was right: Kakama wasn't about to bolt. She had no malice. If she'd been a human being, she would have been the kindly sort who makes tea and pats your hand.

Eventually, Tama glanced at me. 'Shall we take the brakes off?'

I gulped.

'You'll be fine,' he said, with infectious confidence. 'She will take care of you.'

<script>