Nobody Ever Suspects the Groom by Camilla Lucy Rosam

She stood, looking into the smart wooden stable, watching the dark bay

gelding mouthing his hay, his almond shaped eyes gazed calmly in to the

manger. Opening the door, she looked around and seeing that no-one was

there she entered carrying her precious bundle. Barney (for that was the

horse) lifted his head to acknowledge her and seeing it was someone he

was familiar with, he carried on eating.

Pulling the gloves out of her pocket she put them on, one couldn't

be too careful and besides she didn't want to get a nasty rash because

that would surely give the game away. She mixed the green bundle in with

the hay, it didn't show that much and besides no-one else should be up

at the stables for a couple of hours. Ben was at the show with another

two of his jumpers and the livery owners never came until the afternoon.

She hurried out the stable without so much as a backward glance

at the thoroughbred and carried on as usual with her daily chores, the

mucking out was done and so were the feeds, Ben had told her to take

Poppy out for a ride so taking her tack from the cosy room by the office

she tacked up and set of across the rolling fields that surrounded the

secluded yard.

By the time she got back 2 hours later Ben was back and was

anxiously looking over the door to a familiar stable. "Susan, thank god

you are here, its Barney, he's ill, very ill, I've called the vet but he

can't get here for at least fifteen minutes, I don't know if that's

enough time." Lines showed on his brow and he wiped the sweat that had

accumulated, "help me what shall I do?" Susan dismounted and masked her

face with concern, look you go and put Poppy away and I will see if

there's anything I can do, go and relax, you aren't doing yourself or

Barney any good in that state."

Ben took her advice and took Poppy with him, Susan got a rug and

carried on to Barney's stable, just to appear to be doing something. The

vet arrived 20 minutes later and Ben greeted him with hard features, "it

doesn't look good" he began "it's happened so suddenly, Susan said she

hadn't noticed anything and I'd trust her with my life." With that they

made their way to the stable. It was a long night for Ben and at 2oclock

in the morning he rang Susan to tell her the outcome, she was expecting

the call and answered the phone wearing a hopeful voice "hello Susan

speaking".

"Susan its me, Ben, it's bad news I'm afraid. Barney died a few minutes

ago," Susan didn't speak for a while but a small smile played on her

lips at the other end of the line.

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