‘Jupiter, Bringer of Jollity’ was already launching into the section Lester couldn’t help but stand to attention for: ‘I Vow to Thee My Country’.

What a homecoming. What a homecoming!

He cocked his head and strained. Hoofbeats. Good girl. His amazing girl. His world-beater.

He limped across to greet Cruisoe who rumbled with furious delight. The white fury was now next door, he noted with disapproval. There was an overweight Shetland next to that, pulling faces at him through a sheep hurdle placed across his open door. The old point-to-pointer and his cob were missing from their boxes. The latter would never complete the task before the last violin sounded.

He strained his ears again. Had they even reached the windmill?

The French horns and strings were duetting again, the timpani dancing attendance: da da da da da da… da da da da da da-da-da.

Leaning hard on his crutches, he made his way through the second yard to the open track, thrilling at the sight and sound of the herd shifting through the straw, snorting in alarm, then recognising his call to quietness.

The hooves were coming back. Impressively fast. Not quick enough, mind. He limped his way back, the cobbles making him unsteady. By goodness it hurt. The task ahead felt gargantuan, but he would meet it. He’d be in the saddle again by hound exercise.

Back at the gramophone, the final run of Holst’s glorious little violin arpeggios was upon them. Barely a minute of music left, and still half a dozen fields to cross.

He looked up at the big white moon. It had witnessed him once before, and it had forgiven him then. Sometimes in life, one had to relive a moment to get things right.

He swiftly lifted the needle and set it back to the beginning of the track, then picked up his bag, hooked it over his crutch and set off for the house.

About the Author

Fiona Walker is the bestselling author of nineteen novels. She lives in Warwickshire with her partner and two children plus an assortment of horses and dogs. Visit Fiona’s website at www.fionawalker.com.

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