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Len marched over to where Stuart was examining Milly’s leg. ‘What’s the damage?’ he said curtly.
    ‘A small cut. Bit of swelling starting. I’ll hose her down, boss.’
    Len nodded and then walked towards the house, shaking his head in disgust.
    For a moment there was silence. Helen led Barney into the stable block, one hand on his nose, the other holding the leadrope tight. Sasha took the others down to the yard, looking subdued.
    ‘Well, that helped,’ Luke said drily to Ellie as she ran over to try and help Joe up. But Joe shook his head at her quickly and stood up himself.
    Ellie swallowed, still reeling from seeing Len lash out at Joe like that. It was all her fault.
    ‘Leave it out, Luke,’ Joe muttered, his face red.
    Luke shrugged his shoulders and walked away.
    Ellie looked at Joe. ‘Joe … I’m … I’m sorry.’
    He took a breath. ‘Don’t worry. I’ve had worse.’
    ‘I just wanted to stop him.’
    ‘Look, forget it,’ Joe said. ‘Just don’t leave the lock off Barney’s door again, OK?’
    ‘Never,’ Ellie promised, still feeling awful.
    Joe managed a smile. ‘Don’t look like that. It’s fine. I’d better go and untack Picasso before he puts a foot through his reins. God knows what would happen then. Why don’t you go and see if Stuart needs a hand with Milly?’
    He walked away, leaving Ellie standing on the slope, overwhelmed by a mixture of emotions –misery, guilt, hatred of her uncle and the urge to run, it didn’t matter where, she just wanted to get far, far away. Across the wintery fields, she could see the bare peaks. The desolate grey sky pressed down with just a single bird flying across it. She wished with all her heart that she could be somewhere – anywhere – else.

Chapter Four
    Over the next month Ellie gradually got used to living at High Peak Stables. She tried not to think about her parents and the numbness settled back over her, sealing around her in a protective layer. She worked hard, hiding her unhappiness as best she could, avoiding Len and Luke. Len had his hands full with the horses and the clients he taught, and Luke was far too busy to take much notice of her, flirting with Sasha and the female livery owners who kept their horses at the yard, taking phone calls and working with the horses. He strode around the yard in the day, exuding a relentless energy, with Pip scampering at his heels, before going off on his motorbike into town in the evenings. It didn’t seem to matter how late Luke stayed out, he was still up and on the yard by seven the next morning before doing a full day’s work. But despite all the girls who seemed to fall for his charms, the only person or animal Ellie ever saw him show real affection for was Pip.
    It was a busy yard, particularly in the afternoons when the livery owners came to ride their horses. There was Eliza Peterson and her friend Carey Moss who were in their twenties, a lady called Veronica Armstrong whose ten-year-old son and four-year-old daughter rode ponies Len produced, and then there were the owners who never rode but just liked to own show horses. Ellie generally kept out of the clients’ way, preferring to spend time with the horses and Joe. And she had started school – a modern comprehensive in the nearby town where Joe was in the year above her. Everyone in her year had friends already, but that was OK. She just kept her head down and avoided trouble, wanting to get to the end of the school day as quickly as possible so she could get back on the yard.
    The horses and Joe were the only good things in her new life at High Peak Stables. No matter how bleak she felt, the horses always helped. Their presence comforted her, and seeing to their needs took her out of her own head for a little while. A part of her wished she hadn’t decided to make the stand she had. It was hard being around them and never riding. But there was no way she was going to back down and it was enough that she was around horses.