June 1974
Linda Gibbs sat sorting through paperwork when the office door was flung open, Hilary one of Linda’s more senior riding instructors stepped into the room. Her once blond hair was dripping with thick black liquid which was running down her white blouse. "What the hell has happened to you?"
"Hoof oil!" Hilary snarled slamming her fist on the desk. "Let me make this clear, either she goes or I do."
Linda sighed, it had been obvious who had done this to Hilary. "I am so sorry." She paused. "We would miss you."
"What?" Hilary sat down heavily. "You would keep her?"
"By choice, no." Linda sighed. "You know the situation, she is the daughter of the person who owns the land the stables are standing on and her father has made it clear that we have to employ her to keep her out of his hair. If I fire her he will close us down." She paused. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"Well unless you know something that will remove hoof-oil?"
"Washing-up liquid. It worked for me when she did it to me. I'll buy you a new blouse though as you will never get it out of there." She smiled. "Look come round tonight I'll make some dinner and I'll get a couple of bottles of Blue Nun. I know it is not much..."
"Okay." Hilary smiled holding up her hands. "I'll come round later, we can plot how to get revenge on the nasty cow! Now I had better go and try and wash this out before it sets!" She stood up. "Washing-up liquid you say..."
***
Susan Thompson was seventeen years old, with fiery red hair and a matching temperament. Her father had got her a job at the Redbridge Riding School and had told her that she would only get her allowance if she stayed there. She hated the work, although she could ride very well the idea of days spent mucking out and grooming was something for staff to do for her, the fact that she was now staff herself frustrated her. So she found ways to find her fun, she realised pretty quickly that the head-girl was frightened of her, or at least of the threats from her father, so she found she could pretty get away with anything. Susan made it her aim to watch others suffer, she took great pleasure in setting up practical jokes, spreading rumours and being totally dislikeable. She was so above these fools that she felt they deserved all they got.
She was particularly amused by the way she had been able to trap Hilary, placing the bucket of hoof oil over the tack room door was simple but effective especially as the metal bucket had caught her in the forehead as it fell. She chuckled to herself, that pompous cow had deserved it even if the intention had been to catch out someone else but the fact that Hilary had been the victim was even better. Now the only thing she had to do was to think up the next thing to do. She smirked, she had been so clever and if everyone hated her well so what!
Susan stepped out of the tack room the yard was quiet. She paused, it was too quiet. At this time of the evening there should be activity with grooms hanging hay nets and checking horses before they went home at the end of the day. She looked around, no clearly her paranoia was in overdrive, the staff had clearly finished early. She pulled the tack room door closed behind her, it was a bit late to set another trap today, as tempting as it was. She smiled and headed down the yard towards the stables flat.
She lived with a number of the other staff in basic, but adequate accommodation beside the main yard. She remembered how she had argued with her father when she had first arrived, refusing to live in a shared room with some stranger. Of course she did not have to share for long, she soon ensured that there was nobody wanted to share with her by being obnoxious, simple things like taking one leg off their bed or pouring water on the mattress.
She hated being there, but her father had made it clear. She had failed at school and refused to go into the family business so this was the only option. Well, the only option if she wanted to keep receiving her allowance and be part of the family. "Fail at this and you are not my daughter, you can go on your own like I did..." Her father's booming voice had travelled across the yard and caused sniggering and curious looks from the other staff.
Stepping onto the back yard she was lost in thoughts, perhaps she should try to do something by herself, it had to be better than this. She snorted, no there was still fun to be had. She smiled passing an open stable door. There was a sudden movement, Susan shrieked as she was wrestled into the empty stable and flung onto the floor. She landed heavily. her fall broken by the thick straw left from the last horse who had been in there.
"Hello Susan..." Tracy snarled standing over Susan's prone body. "Some of us would like a word with you." Tracy was flanked by a number of the other staff. She had been Susan's only competition, her nemesis who had been at the yard for some years and was a tough girl used to hard knocks having grown up with three brothers. Until recently Susan had left her alone, it was just simpler and saved trouble. However the truce ended last week when Susan had added almost a whole bottle of bleach to a load of Tracy's washing. She had been there to watch as she pulled her best jodhpurs and blouses out of the washing machine all streaked and dyed. Tracy had been devastated and with one look made it clear that revenge would be sought.
Susan slowly turned over and started to get up. "Not so fast..." Tracy pushed the cold steel prongs of a pitchfork into Susan's chest, she slumped down. "Good girl..."
"Now Tracy can I ask what the hell you think you are doing?" Susan snarled.
Tracy laughed. "I am taking you down Susan." She leant on the pitchfork causing Susan to yelp.
Susan grabbed the pitchfork and tore it from Tracy's hand's as she scrambled to her feet. "Yeah..." Susan sneered. "Well you have had your fun now..." She put her hand on her shoulder. "Try harder next time bitch!" Susan started to walk from the stable. Tracy grabbed her pony-tail dragging her back before slamming her head forwards into the stable wall. Susan fell to her knees before slumping onto the straw.
***
Linda was busy in the kitchen when she heard the knock at the door. She glanced at her watch thinking that Hilary was early but she was glad to have the company. She crossed the front room and opened the door. "Well, you are early but we can open a bottle of wine while dinner...-" She looked up and saw Harry Thompson standing on her doorstep.
"I can assure you that would be unnecessary Miss Gibbs." He pushed past her and into her front room.
"Oh do come in please..." Linda muttered as she closed the front door. "How can I help you Mr Thompson."
Harry Thompson had started his career as a builders labourer and now, thirty years on was a property developer pro ported to be worth many millions. He would gladly tell anyone that he was a self-made man and that he always got his way, this lead to him using somewhat unorthodox techniques to gain contracts or gain planning permission. However it was a brave person who suggested that there was anything improper with his business, those that had done in the past seemed to meet with accidents soon afterwards. Harry was the owner of the land and buildings that made up the Redbridge Riding School and he took great pleasure in ensuring that Linda was aware of this and that her business survived only because of him.
"I wanted to just ensure that my daughter is working hard and that she is being treated well by the other staff."
Linda stammered. "Yes, she is hard working and really fits in well..."
Harry snorted. "Look don't lie to me Miss Gibbs. I know she is a lazy, good for nothing girl. I want her to learn as I did, the importance of hard work and manual labour." He paused. "However, I need to know that she is treated well."
"Is there something that is specifically of concern."
Harry smiled. "My daughter did mention that the head-girl, is it Hilary?" Linda nodded. "Well she said that she was being a bit hard on her."
"I am sure that Hilary is very fair to her, but she does have to pull her weight."
Harry sighed. "Of course. But let me put it this way, I would be unhappy if I felt that she was being mistreated."
There was a knock at the door. Linda’s heart sunk. "Excuse me..." She stood up and opened the door to Hilary.
"Hi Kath..." She smiled. "I am glad to say that the hoof oil that nasty bitch put in my hair mostly washed out. I could have killed that horrid cow, I mean..." She stopped as Linda was gesticulating at her furiously.
"And who would that be?" Harry Thompson stood up staring at Hilary in the door way.
"Shit!" Hilary hissed between her teeth. "Sorry..."
"Look it is time for me to leave." Harry stood up and pushed his way past Hilary. "Just remember what I said Miss Gibbs." He glanced back at Hilary before walking down the path and back to his car.
"Oh shit! I am so sorry..." Hilary frowned. "What did he want?"
"Apparently you are bullying his precious daughter..." She laughed. "So bloody good timing walking in the door like that!" She smiled and welcomed Hilary into the room. "Never mind, frankly she deserves all she gets! Now, shall we have a glass of wine to get the evening started?"
***
Susan slowly opened her eyes, shooting pains were running through her head. She tried to move but found that she was unable to. She panicked and struggled against the hard nylon net that enclosed her.
"No, I don't think that you will get free all that easily." Tracy laughed and tugged on the rope in her hands. Susan felt herself being lifted. Looking around she saw that she had been pushed into a large hay net which was now hanging from the block and tackle in the hay shed. She shrieked as Tracy pulled on the rope again until Susan was hanging almost at the roof height, slowly turning on the rope.
"Get me down from here!" Susan yelled. "You bloody cow, get me down!" She fought against the net causing it to swing wildly, eventually she slumped back exhausted.
"Are you quite finished?" Tracy sat on a bale looking up smiling.
"I'll get you..." Susan snarled.
"Well, it seems I have got you first." She stood up walking towards the barn doors. "Good night!" Tracy slammed the barn doors leaving Susan hanging in the dark.
***
After two bottles of Blue Nun and conversation into the early hours Linda had invited Hilary to stay for the night rather than walk back to the stables from the village, now a hand on her shoulder woke her from her slumber. She stretched and opened her eyes before sitting up slowly.
"I hope the sofa was not too uncomfortable for you last night?" Linda held out a steaming mug of coffee. "Here, that may help your head!"
"Thanks." Hilary sipped the hot coffee. "How much did I drink last night?"
"Oh you are a lightweight!" Linda laughed.
"Yeah, how often do you think I get out!" She smirked. "Anyway, you were pretty drunk too. I didn't need to know about all your sexual conquests."
"What?" Linda almost dropped her mug.
"Don't worry it didn't take long!" Hilary winked. "And your secrets are safe with me. I will just have to keep you away from the baler twine!"
Linda blushed deeply, stammering to respond. "That was one boyfriend and we didn't go out for long..."
"Don't get all knotty about it!" Hilary smirked and Linda slapped her on her shoulder. "Come on we had better get to work I suppose. Just don't expect me to do too much for a few hours."
The two women got into Linda’s car, it was not much more than a rusted shell but it allowed her to get about and in a few minutes they were pulling up at the stables. She slammed the car door and looked at her watch. "Seven o'clock and nobody is down. You see, the cat's away and the mice will have a lie in!" They both laughed before walking around to unlock the feed shed and barn.
Linda swung the doors of the barn open and pinned them back. She was just about to walk away when she heard a noise.
"What's up?" Linda stepped beside Hilary.
She held up her hand. "Shhhh... Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Linda paused. "Yes, what on earth is that?" The two women stepped into the barn. All seemed to be normal until they heard a moaning noise above their heads. Linda jumped. "What the hell!" She looked up and thought she could see something in the gloom above their heads. "There is something on the pulley." She stepped over to the tied off rope and started to loosen it.
"Hang on a minute, be careful!" Hilary shouted but it was too late, as soon as the rope was loose it shot through Linda’s hands dropping the hay net heavily on the floor between them both.
"Oh my god!" Linda stepped towards the net and saw that Susan was crammed inside. "Get her loose!" Hilary took out a pocket knife and sliced through the netting. Susan had hit her head when it had fallen and was unconscious, Hilary checked her pulse and breathing.
"She is breathing. You look after her and I will get an ambulance." Hilary ran quickly to the office.
Susan opened one eye slightly, she saw Linda kneeling beside her, she was clearly fretting. This was perfect, let them believe that they had injured her, get them all in trouble. She closed her eyes.
***
"Miss Gibbs?" The nurse stepped into the waiting area. Linda had been waiting there while the doctors had attended to Susan. She stood up. "Oh hello. Would you like to come through." Linda followed the nurse back into the main part of the casualty ward, she pulled open a curtain, Susan was lying on a bed, she was awake but looking groggy. "She may be concussed so we would like to keep her in overnight."
There was a commotion that had started outside, Linda heard someone being told that they could not come through, but it was clear that they were ignoring them. The curtain was flung open and Harry Thompson entered the cubical. Linda gasped and started to apologise to him.
Harry ignored her turning to the nurse. "This is my daughter." The nurse glanced at Linda, she nodded briefly. "What is she doing in here?"
"Miss Gibbs brought your daughter in."
"Well, she is not required any more is she?" Harry turned to Linda. "Go away..."
Linda stepped out of the cubical, she paused turning to go back in but thought better of it. She walked quickly out to her car.
***
Hilary was waiting when Linda returned to the yard. "How is she?"
"Oh she will be fine. They think she may have concussion so they are keeping her in overnight."
"Thank goodness we can have a night without her." Hilary checked herself. "Sorry that sounds really bad."
"Nov?. I agree. She is someone who is a pleasure not to have around." She sighed. "I need to talk with Tracy."
"Ahh..." Hilary picked up on Linda’s body language. "So Tracy put her in a net."
"It is a Damn shame. I want to shake her by the hand, but I know I will have to let her go." Linda sighed.
"Do you want me to tell her?"
"Thanks Hil's. But I guess I had better do this."
***
"Daddy!" Susan sat up in her hospital bed.
"How are you Susan?" Harry Thompson sat down heavily in the bedside chair.
"I have concussion and I was pretty knocked about."
"What did you do to cause this?" He ignored her protests. "No Susan, you were not just assaulted for nothing. This is exactly what happened at boarding school, and you said that you had done nothing, butter wouldn't melt in your bloody mouth." He shook his head. "So what did you do the people who did this to you."
"Nothing?. They bullied me." She snapped. "You never believe me...-"
"Because you are always bloody lying. Look I have found you this job to give you an opportunity."
"Opportunity?" Susan's tone changed. "You want to get rid of me so you have dumped me in this shit hole." She snarled. "You're right I may have played a few innocent pranks on them, but I did not deserve this happening to me. I am going to tell the police, let’s see how they like being charged with assault."
Harry stood up and slapped Susan hard across her face. "Don't you dare! Have I taught you nothing? We never get the police involved in our affairs."
"Sorry daddy..." Susan rubbed her face.
"You will deal with this. If you can't I will sort it for you. But this is it. No more nonsense from you."
"Or what?" Susan sneered.
"You don't want to find out." Harry stood up and left the ward. Susan was taken aback, but knew better than to try and argue with her father. She pondered what she could do, she smiled to herself, this would of course mean revenge.
***
Linda sighed, Tracy was sitting opposite her in the stables office. She had waited until the end of the day, not least because she had wanted to put off the inevitable task. She hated having to let anyone go and especially not Tracy who had been such a promising instructor and liked by the staff and customers.
"Okay..." Tracy lifted her head from her hands. "I know what I did was stupid. But... Grrr!" She clenched her fists. "You know what she did to me, what she did to everyone." She snarled. "You should have done something about her. You sit there treating her with kid gloves and letting her get away with murder! I just took action to put her in her place..."
Linda wiped her eyes. Of course Tracy was right, she should stand up to Susan. Perhaps her father would even respect her for it. However she doubted it?. "I am so sorry, but you have to understand..."
"Understand?" Tracy snorted. "You’re firing me. Where the hell am I meant to go until I find another job?"
"Okay..." Linda looked up. "Look if you resign I can let you work some more time here, I'll be as flexible as I can be, take as long as you like and I will write you a good reference. Just do me one favour and keep away from her..."
"That won't be easy."
"Just try." Linda smiled. "I don't want to lose you and you are totally right about what you say I should do something about her and I will, it's just." Tracy started to speak but Linda cut her off, "I am just a coward."
"I wouldn't say that?." Tracy paused. "Look I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done what I did, and I do understand why you have to do what you have do. I am just sorry to leave here, it is a great yard, I have friends here. I suppose this serves me right."
"There is not one other person who doesn't support what you did to her..." Linda smiled, "In fact if I had been in your shoes..." She left her thoughts wander for a moment. "Let me have a word with a few friends, there are other yards that would snap you up. Let me at least help you out somehow."
"Thank you..."
***
Linda had not been able to sleep thoughts had kept running through her mind. By the morning she had made her mind up. She dressed quickly and made her way out to her car. The morning was bright and the sun was already starting to become warm. She only had a short drive to the headquarters of Thompson Construction in the nearby town of Ashburton. Linda pulled up in the car park beside considerably more affluent cars and walked towards the modern office building.
"Hello madam, how may I help you?" The perfectly manicured receptionist did an obvious double take as Linda approached the desk, dressed in work clothes she supposed that a visitor dressed in jodhpurs and riding boots was an unexpected sight in these offices.
"I need to see Harry Thompson."
"Do you have an appointment?" The girl knew that she did not, his diary was clear as he had specifically requested that she clear his diary this morning.
"Will you tell him that Linda Gibbs is here and I would like to see him."
The receptionist promised that she would try and asked Linda to sit down. She called through to Harry's personal assistant, she said it was unlikely that he would see her, but that she should wait. The receptionist quietly hoped that she would be made to wait a long time, just turning up demanding an appointment. She was shocked when the phone rang and she was told that Miss Gibbs should be shown straight through.
Linda stepped into the large office, Harry Thompson was sitting behind a large wooden desk and was currently speaking on the telephone. He gestured to Linda to come towards him and sit down. She perched on the edge of the leather chair and waited while Harry completed an increasingly angry phone conversation before slamming down the handset. He slowly looked up and made eye contact with Linda. She shuddered.
"Miss Gibbs, what a pleasant surprise." He glowered at her across the desk. "I suppose you have saved me coming to see you, but I am rather busy."
"I needed to talk with you..."
"Yes?"
"It's about Susan, and what happened to her."
"Oh yes." Harry stood up and stepped around the desk, he sat on the edge of the desk leaning close to Linda. She shied away nervously. "You want to talk to me about how my daughter was assaulted by one of your staff. How she is lying in hospital traumatised." He paused. "Am I on the right track?"
"Well." Linda stammered.
"Of course it is." Harry stood up quickly. "Now what did you want to say? I am all ears." He paused as Linda stuttered. "Oh, so you would prefer me to talk to you? Well, this." He pulled a brown file from his desk drawer. "...is the file which contains the deeds to your property. Do you realise how simple it would be to foreclose your tenancy?" Linda started to speak. "Shut up! I am talking now!" He slammed his large fist onto the desk causing the phone handset to rattle in its cradle. "I am permitting you to have the land and buildings at a very attractive rate because you are providing gainful employment for my daughter. If you cease to be able to do this..." He left the statement hanging. "I am a reasonable man, but let me promise you one thing. The next person to try anything like that to my daughter will find a role in my next construction project." Linda lifted a finger to question Harry. "Yes, they will find themselves as part of the foundations of the next bridge across the new dual-carriageway and Miss Gibbs, just in case you think you are immune, I can assure you that you will be there with them!"
Linda gasped, standing quickly from her chair. "Are you threatening me?..." She stuttered.
"Yes, Miss Gibbs." Harry sat down at his desk. "I am glad that you at least realise that."
"I will tell the police." Linda had expected any number of reactions from anger to surprise but she had not expected Harry to laugh loudly when she said this.
"Go on!" He wiped his eyes. "But remember two things. Firstly, I own the police. The chief constable and myself are members of the same lodge and I am benefactor of the police benevolent fund."
"And the other thing?"
"Nobody will care if someone unimportant like you disappears. They will think you have just moved on, you will be forgotten, neglected. At least I am offering you the opportunity to be a pillar in our Society." He laughed. "Do you get it, pillar?." He shook his head.
"Okay?. You have had your joke. Ha ha, let’s make fun of the country girl."
Harry looked up with an evil glint in his eye which chilled Linda to the bone. "You can believe it is a joke if you wish. Just make sure my daughter is safe, you have had more than enough warning. Now, I am a very busy man." He pressed a button on his desk and the doors behind her opened. Linda saw the two men step behind her and grasp her arms.
"Ow!" She yelped. "Okay?. I'm going." She was lifted from her feet and carried out of Harry's office and through the reception before being dropped on the floor in the car park. She sat for a moment considering the conversation she had just had before noticing the receptionist giggling at her. She stood up, brushing her jodhpurs down before driving quickly away.
***
Tracy watched the taxi pull up, she paused before realising that it was Susan in the back seat. "Shit!" It was too late to go away as she had been seen so she approached her. "Look... I am really sorry, what I did was stupid and I am leaving."
Susan smiled coldly holding her hand out. "No hard feelings. It was a joke." She started to crush Tracy's fingers, digging her nails into the back of her hand. "I can take a joke Tracy." She let go of her hand, Tracy pulled back rubbing her fingers. "The question is..." Susan started to walk away pausing to turn and face Tracy for a moment. "Can you?"
Tracy watched as Susan opened the door and stepped into the stables flat. She did not like the sound of her comments, but pushed them from her mind.
***
"So tell me again what he said to you?" Hilary poured another glass of wine.
"Well, he threatened me." Linda paused before taking a sip of the chilled liquid. "Thanks. Something about being part of the foundations of the A30."
"Do you think he really means it?"
"Hil's he is a powerful man, and to be honest I would not put anything past him. It was just the way he said it, he had no fear that he was threatening me and seemed to take no pleasure in the fact that he had frightened me. It was so..." She paused. "Matter of fact. It was like it was something that he did everyday of the week."
"Wow..." Hilary gulped down her wine.
"He is dangerous, I know that before it was the fact I could lose my home and business now, if I believe him I could lose my life." She shook her head. "Let's just keep Susan safe and encourage her to go off and trouble someone else."
"I'll drink to that..."
***
Susan herself was busy, this despite the fact that the other staff had gone to bed some hours before and the yard was dark and quiet. She had already doctored the riding out list for the next day and was now busying herself in the tack room. Once she was satisfied that she had finished what she had to do she silently closed the door and walked in the shadows back to the flat.
***
Tracy looked down the list, she was riding Pegasus. She sighed, he was a thoroughbred and one of the few horses that could not be trusted, he was prone to take a dislike to certain individuals and in his eyes Tracy was someone that deserved hatred. She was a good rider and his antics did not greatly concern her, but it would take almost all of her attention to watch for him jumping and shying. At least she had a good group of riders for her hack, they could mostly look after themselves. She grabbed the saddle and bridle and headed to his stable where the biting and kicking display would start while she tried to tack him up.
It was some minutes later and sporting a bruise on her upper arm where Pegasus' teeth had made contact even through her thick jumper that she led Pegasus out onto the yard. She got a leg up and sat in his saddle watching as the other riders gathered around her. She smiled, tapping the horse with her crop as he tried to kick out at one of the grooms. "Come on then!" She called out and they led out onto the moor.
Tracy was going to take one of the usual tracks, over their time at the stables each instructor found routes which would take one or two hours as required and include some walking, trotting and some faster riding. On this track this meant that the group would gallop up the hill to Cabbots Ridge, a long and gently rising path with a good viewpoint at the top. She raised her arm to indicate that they were about to start and pushed her horse on.
Pegasus snorted and bucked earning a crack of the crop, with this he shied quickly catching Tracy unaware, she sat the movement well but realised that her position was moving. She felt the saddle slipping beneath her and in a flash she was falling. There was nothing that she could do as she fell landing heavily on the path winding her but more seriously putting her in the path of the other riders.
Although they tried to pull their horses up it was impossible as Tracy was so quickly in front of them. The riders pulled up and rushed back to her prone body. Tracy was badly injured having fallen and been trampled and bore the marks of steel horse shoes across her arms and head. One of the riders remounted and galloped back to the yard, the others tried to make Tracy comfortable.
Pegasus had bolted and would not be found for some hours, his saddle was missing and was eventually found a short distance from the accident, when investigated it was found that the girth straps had been cleanly cut almost all the way through and had given way.