A Christmas Knight

Bea nodded. ‘We have half a dozen ponies that we use for RDA sessions—they’re very calm and gentle. We run one class each day especially for RDA students. And it’s not just about physical therapy, though of course riding’s great for improving muscle tone and posture and helping to develop fine and gross motor skills. It’s about life skills, too—being with the horses helps both children and adults with communication skills, taking responsibility and being part of a team. And connecting with the animals brings in a new element to their lives.’ She paused. ‘Really, Louisa, you don’t need to worry. We’ll take very good care of him. You can come and watch, bring someone with you, or even just sit in the car and read while he’s having a lesson. Whatever makes you comfortable.’

‘I’d like to watch. Not because I don’t trust you,’ Louisa hastened to add.

‘But because he’s your baby and you don’t want to miss a thing.’ Bea smiled. ‘The first time they ride without being on a leading rein, it’s like watching them take their first steps. It always makes me tear up as much as their mums.’

And then Louisa realised that Bea would take as good care of Tyler as she would herself; as the tension in her shoulders eased, she realised how worried she’d been.

‘He’ll be fine,’ Bea said softly.

Tyler appeared before them, wearing a hard hat. ‘It fits, Mum.’ He beamed at her.

‘Come on. I’ve got half an hour before my next lesson. Let’s get Polo saddled up and you can have a walk round the paddock,’ Bea said.

Tyler’s eyes went wide. ‘Really?’

‘Really. Polo’s going to be your special horse for a while, so let’s get you introduced.’

Watching her son being led round the paddock put a real lump in Louisa’s throat. And Tyler was glowing afterwards. ‘I did it, Mum. I’m going to be a knight. Just like the man in the photograph.’

‘The man in the photograph?’ Louisa was mystified.

Bea looked at her. ‘Ah. You didn’t know.’

‘Know what?’

Bea blew out a breath. ‘I feel as if I’m breaking a confidence here. But I guess you need to see it.’ She took Louisa and Tyler back to the tack room and showed Louisa the photograph on the wall in silence. A man on a white horse, wearing black armour and carrying a lance.

When Louisa peered more closely at it, she realised that the helmet’s visor was up and she could see the rider’s face. Someone she recognised. ‘Dominic?’

‘He still has Pegasus, but he doesn’t joust any more,’ Bea said.

Dominic was a knight—or, at least, he had been one. But, given that he’d been so open about the fact that he had a horse, and that he’d helped her arrange riding lessons for Tyler, why on earth hadn’t he said anything to her when she’d mentioned how much her son wanted to be a knight? ‘Why did he give up jousting?’ she asked.

‘I think it’d be better if he told you,’ Bea said. ‘It’s not my place.’

‘Was he hurt?’ But she could see the mingled concern and awkwardness on Bea’s face. ‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that. It’s not fair to you. Forget I said anything.’

‘That’s what I want to be. A knight,’ Tyler told her.

‘A knight on a white charger, hmm?’ Louisa asked.

‘The horse isn’t white, he’s grey,’ Tyler corrected.

‘He looks white to me,’ Louisa said.

‘White horses are always called grey, Mum,’ Tyler informed her, rolling his eyes.

She ignored his impatience. In Tyler’s mind, if he knew something, it followed that the whole world must know it, too. And in the same painstaking amount of detail.

‘He’s a Percheron. They come from Normandy in France,’ Tyler explained, ‘from a place called Le Perche. It’s thought that Percherons are descended from des-triers, but they’re bigger and heavier than the medieval warhorses. Destriers were trained so you didn’t have to use the reins, because your hands would be full carrying your sword and your shield.’

‘Absolutely right,’ Dominic said. ‘Hello, Louisa.’

Louisa jumped. ‘I didn’t hear you come in.’

‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.’ He looked at Tyler. ‘And you must be Tyler. How was your first riding lesson?’

‘Brilliant, thank you,’ Tyler said politely. He peered at Dominic. ‘And you’re the knight in the picture, aren’t you? Bea says your horse is called Pegasus. That’s a cool name. How big is he?’

‘Seventeen hands.’

‘And how much does he weigh?’

‘Nearly nine hundred kilograms.’

Tyler looked serious. ‘That’s quite a lot.’

‘It feels like even more than that if he stands on your foot,’ Dominic said with a wry smile.

‘Does he live here?’

‘Yes.’ Dominic paused. ‘You can come and see him, if you like—if that’s all right with your mum.’

‘Please, Mum? Can I?’ Tyler’s gaze was full of entreaty.

‘He’s very gentle,’ Dominic reassured Louisa.

And huge, she thought, when Dominic took them over to the stables.

Tyler duly admired the horse, asking if he was allowed to stroke him and then, at Dominic’s agreement, stroking the horse’s nose. ‘He’s beautiful.’

‘He certainly is,’ Dominic agreed.

‘Are you jousting this weekend?’

‘No.’

His voice was even, but Louisa noticed the shadows in his eyes. Time to head off her son’s line of conversation. ‘Ty, we ought to—’ she began, but Tyler spoke over her.

‘But there’s that picture of you. You’re a knight. You had a lance and you were wearing armour, so you must be a jouster.’

‘Not any more.’

‘Why not?’

‘Ty, you can’t ask questions like that,’ Louisa said.

‘Why not?’