Alice's POV
Danny had made his 'famous' salad, whatever it was. Actually, I shouldn't be mocking him at all. A man who can cook... I am a very lucky girl but, a man who can cook and it actually does taste good, I'm an extremely lucky girl. I smiled, he'd sent me off on a mission to gather everyone! Some people had been easier than others. Most of them were already in the house but Liv, Thabo, Georgina and one of the workers, Nikki were missing.
As I wandered over to the stables, where I figured they would be, I saw Liv and Thabo huddled together and I couldn't help but grin, they were so cute! Nikki seemed to be showing Georgina something on one of her horses.
"Hey Alice." Liv smiled, greeting me as I wandered over.
"Hey." I replied as everyone else greeted me. I looked over to where Nikki and Georgina were stood talking. Nikki had the horses hoof up in her hands.
"Georgina... this isn't good." Nikki sighed in her northern English accent although now and then she did drop out of it a little. "You need a vet."
"What's the problem?" I asked walking forward.
"Alice no, you're..." Georgina began,
"Pregnant, trust me I know!" I laughed, "Come on."
Nikki picked the horses foot up once more and signalled for me to come over. I patted the pony gently, the signs of old age were obvious.
"An abscess right here." Nikki explained pointing to the horses frog, a sensitive part of the foot. "She's been lame a week, she has shoes on the front and last time she tried to cast one it didn't come clean off, she ran round on it, nail got stuck in the frog."
"Nasty." I murmured, "How've you been treating it?"
"Well, the blacksmith came up straight away and removed it, and since then she's been on antibiotics and I've been using purple spray but you know..." Nikki glanced over to Georgina.
"Oh guys, tea's ready, Danny's losing his mind so I'd go!" I beamed sensing she wanted rid of her boss.
Georgina sighed but otherwise walked off leaving Nikki and I alone. I turned to face her with an expectant look. I had an idea what her suggestion was.
"It's... Look she's old Alice, real old and well take a look." Nikki sighed, standing back. I lifted the foot and had a look. I pressed gently on the frog and then on the abscess. This girl knew her stuff. I nodded placing the foot down.
"You want me to break it to Georgina?" I asked patting the old mare's neck. Nikki shook her head and rested one hand on the horse.
"I'll do it." Nikki replied, "End of the day, I'll be the one on the end of it... nothing new."
"What do you mean?" I asked as she placed the horse back in its stable. She sighed and bolted the door before we both set of walking back.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not ungrateful, I'm anything but and Georgina, she's great to work for but well... let's just say looking after her horses is no easy task. She expects perfection. The yard to be speck-free, her horses to be top class and groomed to perfection, they've to be exercised everyday under her strict regime and if anything goes wrong... well it's always my fault." Nikki shook her head and I knew she had bigger problems. "But you know, I'm used to it."
"Used to it... as in you've had it all your life." I questioned as we approached the house.
"Yes." Nikki replied becoming guarded, I patted her shoulder and smiled.
"Don't worry about it... I was the same." I smiled at her before walking off. The man who transformed me would no doubt be fretting...
Danny's POV
As everyone sat down, I looked around. Where had Alice got to? I heard the door go and smiled to myself, this so better be Alice! I mean, this salad took ages! I noticed Georgina got up and rushed off. I watched her and one of the workers looked up.
"Nikki's missing..." He said, "Horses an' all."
I sighed, so that's no doubt where my wife had been. Thinking of the devil... or the angel as I prefer to call her.
"Ah, Mr Trevanion, still waiting?" She beamed as she took her usual seat beside my empty chair.
"Yes! Where you been anyway?" I asked her, placing some salad onto her plate. Everyone had started and so I didn't see why we couldn't, and so I sat down next to her.
Alice swallowed and opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by Georgina stomping into the room.
"Danny!"
"What?" I asked frowning, god what was she gonna tell me off for now?
"Will you check my horses foot for me?" Georgina asked.
"Well umm yeh..." I replied, slightly unsurely. Alice looked down at her plate and began to toy with her food before looking up and meeting Nikki's eyes with a sympathetic look.
"Georgina." Alice sighed, "Danny will only say the same..."
"I need a second opinion." Georgina explained, "Now, let's get on with dinner."
Everyone sat down including Nikki who sat as far away from everyone as she could. I sighed, poor girl. She was only doing her job. I looked to Alice, she reminded me of Alice sometimes, and I wondered if she reminded Alice of herself, as she kept her eye firmly on Nikki.