Postby KP Presents » Wed Jun 24, 2015 3:02 am
As Jannifer slowly opened her eyes, for a few minutes she wondered where she was – it was so quiet, the twins were making no noise, and the cockerel was crowing somewhere...
“The Cockerel?” Sitting up, she looked round the room to see Alice and Natalie still asleep on the camp beds that had been set up for them in the room. Their cases lay along the side of one wall, and she could see the toilet through the door that led to a shower as well.
Slipping out of the bed, she stretched and yawned before she went to relieve herself, and then put on a pair of slippers before she left the room. Hearing talking in the direction of the kitchen, she walked in to find Fi sitting with her grandparents. Fi was already dressed, in a checked blouse and jeans, while her grandfather was wearing a blue denim shirt and jeans, and her grandmother a grey dress.
“Hey,” Fi said as she saw Jannifer walk in, “sleep well?”
“I think so – did I hear a cockerel?”
“Old Jeb,” Joe said as he drank from a large mug, “shoulda warned you girls about that. Did he wake anyone else?”
“I don’t think so – I have younger twin sisters, so I’m used to getting up early.”
“Well, sit yourself down,” Fiona said as she pointed to the table, “have some fruit juice, and I’ll rustle up some eggs and bacon for you.”
“Thanks,” Jannifer said as she poured a glass of orange juice. “How did you sleep Fi?”
“Like a log – but I always get up early when I’m here anyway. Must be in my blood.”
“Buried not quite as deep as your momma, but it’s there,” Fiona said as she placed a plate with two eggs and bacon in front of her granddaughter. “Would you like the same Jannifer?”
“Thanks – morning Heidi, Cindy.”
“Hey,” Heidi said as she came in, rubbing her eyes, “we’re not the last up then?”
“Nope,” Fi said through a mouthful of egg, “sit down, help yourself.”
“Well, I need to go and meet the boys,” Joe said as he stood up. “If you’re coming out later, Fi, we’ll be up by Red Rock.”
“Gotcha, grandpa – we’ll see how the girls get on this morning,” Fi said as Joe put on the old denim jacket and a large hat, and headed out of the door.
“Do yourselves a big favour,” Fi said, “and when you dress, put on something that will cover your arms and legs. You’ll thank me for it later. These eggs are wonderful grandma.”
“Should be – fresh laid last night. Want some girls?”
“Please,” Cindy said as she looked round. “This place looks even bigger in the daylight Fi.”
“Oh you’ve seen nothing yet,” Fi said with a smile, “nothing yet...”
“Here,” Fi said as she looked through an old box in the stable, “if we’re going out on the horses, you need something to keep your head cool later.”
The other five were standing around, having heeded her advice to wear long sleeved blouses and jeans, as she passed them round various hats to try on. “Do I look like a real Annie Oakley now,” Alice said as she tilted her brown hat to one side, and put her foot up on the hay bale.
“Try Calamity Jane,” Natalie said with a laugh, earning herself a swift punch from Alice as Luke appeared at the bran doors.
“You managed to find what you need, Miss Fi?”
“I think so Luke,” Fi said with a smile, “do you think they’ll survive their first attempt?”
The ranch hand came in and looked at the five girls, before he said “Well, I reckon there’s only one way to find out. Follow me girls.”
The six girls followed Luke out of a paddock, Heidi looking up at the sky with the white clouds lazily crossing it, and walked towards a fenced off corral where three horses were munching on some feed.
“I’ve already saddled them up,” Luke said as they got closer, “and I know Mandy’s gonna be real pleased to see you again, Miss Fi.”
“I’m real pleased to see her,” Fi said as she climbed over the fence and stroked the neck of a chestnut mare. “How are you, old girl – pleased to see me?”
As the mare nodded its head, Luke smiled and looked at the other three girls. “The thing with horses, girls, is you have to let them know you’re not going to hurt them. So just come over here, and stroke the necks of the other two, while Miss Fi gets acquainted with Mandy again.”
“How does...” Alice was struck dumb as she watched Fi climb effortlessly onto the mare’s back, taking the reins and trotting Mandy around the corral.
“Now, this young one here is April, and her male friend here is Jonas,” Luke said as he stroked the neck of the other two horses. “Don’t be shy – come in close and let them know who you are.”
Natalie slowly walked over, the brim of her hat shading her eyes, and stroked the neck of the young mare as it stood there, nodding its head gently as it pulled on the feed.
“You are a magnificent creature, aren’t you,” she whispered as Cindy came over and put her hand on April from the other side, the other girls gathering around Jonas.
“They seem very tame,” Heidi said as she looked at the male horse.
“Tame‘s a relative term,” Fi said as she drew up on Mandy, “but they’re well trained, and strong enough that two of us can ride on each of them. Mind you, you have to get used to how you ride a horse, so – who wants to go first?”
“I’m game,” Alice said as she patted Jonas’ neck.
“Me too,” Cindy said as Luke took the reins of both horses and led them to the centre of the paddock.
“All right, girls,” he said as Heidi, Jannifer and Nats sat on the fence, “the trick is to let the horse know you’re there without scaring them. If we can get them to carry you and not feel spooked, that’s good enough for today.” He looked at Cindy, and said “put your foot in the stirrup there, Miss Cindy, and then when I say, push yourself up and sit on the saddle.”
Alice watched as Cindy put her foot up into the metal ring, and then pushed herself up, putting her leg over the back of April and then looking at the other girls as she steadied herself.
“Well done, little lady,” Luke said as he helped Alice into the other saddle, and then took the reins of both horses. “Now then, as we move along, just relax and trust Miss Fi and me.”
“Oh,” Cindy said as April was led on by Luke, grinning as she moved with the horse and allowed herself to move up and down with the horse’s movement. Alice grinned as well as the others watched them being walked round the paddock, Fi following them on Mandy.
“That doesn’t look too difficult,” Natalie said as she watched with Heidi and Jannifer.
“Yeah,” Heidi said as she looked at them, “I think we can manage that.”
“It’s a really weird feeling,” Cindy said as she bounced gently up and down.
“But nice,” Alice said.
“Yeah – the faster you go, the more you have to control it, but we’re not talking more than a gentle trot today,” Fi said as they came to a halt in front of the other three girls. She slipped off her horse, and helped the other two to come down, before looking at the other three.
“Ready?”
Looking at each other, they jumped down and walked over, waiting as they were helped into the saddle.
“Have some water while we give them a walk,” Fi called over to Alice and Cindy, “bottles are in the coolbag.”
“I need this,” Cindy said as she took a bottle out, and handed a second one to Alice. “How do you feel after that?”
“I think I could manage a little faster,” Alice said, “but can I be honest?”
“Hmm?”
“Out here, on a ranch, with the horses – don’t you find yourself imagining you’re in an old Western movie?”
“What, with Clint Eastwood?”
“Nah – older than that, with Randolph Scott or Roy Rogers?”
“Who?”
Alice looked at Cindy and shook her head. “The old westerns, where the women were beautiful and the Indians would kidnap them...”
“Never really seen them,” Cindy said with a shrug.
“I’ll have to ask Fi if she’s got any on DVD or something,” Alice said quietly, “I can see me as the rancher’s daughter, taken captive and rescued by the ranch hand.”
“Or the mysterious black clad avenger.”
“Hmm,” Alice said as she watched Nats laughing on the back of Mandy.
“Who turns out to really be the young daughter of the woman who owns the saloon?”
“Even better,” Alice said, and then she turned her head slowly to look at Cindy.
“Right then,” Luke said as they came back over, “let’s see how you manage with two of you on their backs. Miss Fi, you want to climb back on Mandy?”
“Sure, Luke,” Fi said as she jumped behind Heidi while Cindy got on behind Jannifer and Alice behind Natalie.
“Listen, Luke,” Fi said, “how about we make this a bit more exciting for three of them?”
“Make sure they have to trust their partner?”
“Yup – got any thongs?”
Luke went back into the barn, returning with three lengths of soft leather.
“Begging your pardon, Miss Heidi,” he said as he touched his hat, “but would you please cross your wrists in front of yourself?”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ll fix your wrists to the front of the saddle, and then give Miss Fi the reins.”
“Interesting,” Heidi said as she let the ranch hand lash her wrists together, and then tie them down to the front of the saddle.
“Well, this is going to be fun,” Natalie said as she allowed Luke to bind her wrists, and then Jannifer was taken care of, before he patted the neck of all three horses.
“Follow my lead,” Fi said to Cindy and Alice, as she used the reins to make Mandy walk forward, the other two horses following as Luke watched from the side. The horses walked round the corral, the girls in front giggling as Fi looked at Luke.
“Don’t go too far,” he said as he opened a gate, and watched the three horses walk out, the girls bouncing up and down as they made their way up to the ranch.
“Okay, I see why the jeans and sleeves now,” Heidi said as her legs rubbed on the side of Mandy. “Protection.”
“That’s right,” she said as they made their way to the large house, “let me show you some of the other buildings before we take the horses back.”