An Unexpected Summer

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

The clattering of hooves announced the arrival of Clara. Putting down his coffee cup, Mark Tatenoon strode out into the yard. He was dressed in murky green baggy trousers and a fleece- typical walking clothes.

 Drawing to a halt, Clara vaulted off the dappled grey horse and removed her helmet.

“Good ride?” Mark enquired. He was an only parent, having single handedly looked after Clara, following the tragic death of her mother two years earlier. Unlike other single parents and children, they had always had a very close bond.

Running a hand through her blond hair, Clarasmiled up at her dad.

“Yes, thanks,” she replied. “We went up to crystal creek and had breakfast up on the hill. Princess goes like a bullet up there.”

The hill referred to the highest hill out of the four surrounding the old stone cottage. Up there, all you could see for miles was the hilly landscape, beautifully bleak and bare. It had a vicious wind though, which, if you were not accustomed to it, could blow you around, but it was the favourite place of all the locals. But there were barely any locals. It was most likely the most deserted place in Connemara, Ireland. Apart from a battered farmhouse surrounded by rabbit infested fields that was barely ever rented and the deserted Victorian estate, Mark and Clara had no neighbors, unless you counted the people living in the small village nearby.

“I’m going out to collect some samples soon,” said Mark. He was an author and naturalist, but he only wrote non-fictional books. All of them were about Ireland, and most of them were about Connemara. They were guidebooks and wildlife books. They were basically designed for tourists, some for the more advanced naturalist and the occasional textbook for those studying ecology, and did not involve him going into an office- “It would take too long,” he had said, “and I want to work here.”- but he did have to go out into the surrounding hills and fields to collect samples for his research. Also, as he did all his own illustrations, he had to have the flowers and other wildlife to draw precisely.

“Starting a new book, are you?” she asked, raising her eyebrows slightly. “Thought you said you couldn’t take all the “publicity””. She was talking about the recent invitation he had received to give a talk at a Book Festival in Wales. He hadn’t accepted yet, but he was definitely thinking about it. Not that their current financial situation was bad, but it would be nice to have a bit more money.

“You’ll like this one.” Mark grinned. “It’s about poisonous plants; you know, what’s safe and what’s not for humans and dogs to eat.” He cast a glance at the pony standing beside Clara and smiled. “And horses,” he added.

Clara grinned too.

“Once I’ve put Princess away, I’ll make a start on lunch,” she said.

“Oh and by the way,” Mark called, as Clara began to walk towards the wooden stable block, “Somebody’s rented the farmhouse!”

*

“Jake, will you sit down in your seat NOW!” said Rachel through gritted teeth. They executed another turn in the Land Rover, sliding along the wet tarmac as Meryl expertly manhandled the steering wheel.

“Forget it Rach.” She smiled at her best friend, “He’ll sit down eventually.”

Rachel smiled back. Despite her infuriating children, she was in high spirits. Desperate to get away from her stressful South-London life as a lawyer, she had rang up Meryl, her best friend, and had arranged to go with their children and dogs to a farmhouse in Ireland for the six weeks during the summer holidays.

Casting a glance back, she looked on at the tangle of children and teenagers. There were seven altogether; she had three and Meryl had four. Plus the two dogs, a spaniel and a border collie, and themselves. Rachel’s three children were Jake, Rose and Bethany, and Meryl had three boys, Kyle, James, Jack, and her only daughter, Rochelle. Jake, at the age of eight, couldn’t get enough of the sound of his own voice. He was playing on his Nintendo 3DS, a birthday present. Rachel had given it to him for the journey to keep him quiet, but he was still shouting insults at his thirteen year old sister Bethany, who had shoved in her earphones and listened to music loaded on her mobile pretty much the whole way whilst reading her riding book. Bethany had always been quite introverted, but the world of horses had opened her up. She loved horses and Rachel had been more than happy to arrange for riding lessons when she realised the positive impact they were having on her.  

Rose was sitting in the middle, playing with her favourite doll and chattering quietly to herself. Typically for a seven-year-old girl, she was obsessed with dolls and pretty princesses and all little girl obsessions. Well, Jake called it “prissy stuff”, but not to his mum’s face as she loved Rose’s antics. Bethany had never gone through a girly stage, and Rachel had always longed to make Barbie dresses, pink cupcakes and style her daughter’s curls. Everyone had a soft spot for Rose, even boisterous Jake, who was an energetic, outgoing and intelligent boy. However, to his family he was also very infuriating.

“Shut up you idiots,” Bethany snapped at Jake and Jack, who were sitting together, laughing and jeering. 14-year-old James, who was sitting behind Bethany, tapped her shoulder eagerly. He had a massive crush on her, but, annoyingly for him, she never paid any heed.

“I’ll shut them up if you like,” he offered.

Bethany sighed inwardly- this boy was exhausting.

“It’s fine. I’m sure I’ll survive.”

James looked disappointed, but didn’t give up.

“So, this horsey stuff, is it interesting? I’ve always wanted to try riding, it looks really fun, and I don’t think falling off would hurt!”

Bethany sighed and turned back to her book. As she did she caught the eye of Kyle, Meryl’s oldest, who was rolling his eyes at his younger brother. Bethany smirked. James’ expression resembled that of a puppy who had had his toy confiscated.

Next to Kyle was Rochelle; the only girl out of Meryl’s four. She was filing her lilac nails, and managing to text at the same time. She was James’s un-identical twin, and, although they would never admit it, they were quite fond of each other.

“How long until we get there?” asked Rachel. The two dogs were causing chaos; the Collie, Tess, was fighting for Jake’s attention whilst being waylaid by the Spaniel, Otis, who was trying to play with her.

Also, Jake and Bethany were trying to kill each other, whilst James was having a slanging match with Kyle, who had started laughing at him for trying to appease Bethany with his knowledge- or lack of it- about horses.

“About an hour,” Meryl shouted, trying to be heard above the commotion.

“An hour too long,” muttered Rachel as they snaked along the country lanes and tree lined avenues. “I just hope they shut up when we get there . . .”