Her mum squeezed her hand. ‘It’s probably good to do something to take your mind off things.’

Lauren nodded. They began to eat. It was macaroni cheese, one of her favourite meals, but she found she could only manage a few forkfuls and she was glad when the time came to clear away.

Afterwards, she and Hannah went down to the field and saddled up Magpie and Twilight. They were just putting their hats on when Jessica and Mel turned up. Lauren was dreading telling them the news but as soon as she saw them, she knew they had already heard. Their faces were worried.

‘Hi, Lauren,’ Mel said. ‘Have… have you heard the news about Mrs Fontana?’

Lauren nodded. Mel and Jessica hadn’t been friends with Mrs Fontana in the same way she had but they knew her and they knew how much Lauren liked her.

‘Are you OK?’ Jessica asked her.

‘Yeah,’ Lauren muttered.

Twilight nuzzled her arm.

‘Do you still want to go for a ride?’ Mel asked.

Lauren nodded and put her foot in the stirrup. ‘Yes.’ She swung herself on to Twilight’s back as Hannah mounted Magpie and the four of them rode into the woods.

It was strange riding through the trees and remembering all the times she had met Mrs Fontana there, but there was something comforting about being with Twilight and the others. They rode to where the banks and hills were. Hannah had a great time on Magpie. He was fast but responsive and she soon had him cantering up and down the slopes. ‘This is great!’ she exclaimed.

She saw Lauren’s face and looked guilty.

Lauren didn’t want Hannah feeling bad for enjoying herself. After all, she’d never even met Mrs Fontana.

‘It is fun, isn’t it?’ she said, forcing herself to smile. ‘Come on, Twilight!’ She cantered him after Magpie. ‘Who wants a game of tag?’

‘Me!’ the others all cried.

They raced round, chasing each other on the ponies.

‘We’ll have to come here again when I next visit,’ Hannah said when they finally began riding home.

‘Yes, we could have a picnic if it was the summer,’ Mel said.

‘Maybe we could even ask if we could camp out here,’ said Jess. ‘And get Grace and Jo-Ann to come.’

‘That sounds brilliant!’ said Hannah. She began to plan with the others what they could do.

Lauren patted Twilight’s neck and let them talk. The afternoon had been better than she had thought it would be, but now she was longing to turn him into a unicorn and for them to just be on their own.

After supper that night, Lauren helped Hannah pack her things so that they could spend as much time as possible with the ponies the next day before she had to go. Hannah smiled at Lauren as they finished and closed her case. ‘Thanks. It’s been brilliant being here, Lauren.’

‘Will you ask your mum and dad if you can come again in the summer?’ Lauren said.