Prologue
Seven years ago.
Nora focused on the task at hand: a piaffe from the dressage markers A to E. The crowds in the cool stadium were silent in anticipation, hopefully awe as well. She felt her mount, Vanilla, raise her back slightly and begin the small, bouncing steps. Her eyes trained forward, her shoulders back, and heels down, she completed the final direction: a working canter from E to C, and then finally, a working trot down the centre line, and a halt at X. She executed a perfect, smart salute to the judges before exiting at a walk, giving her mount full reign. She bent in her Bates Isabell Dressage Saddle CAIR, rubbing the shoulder of her best friend. Her ally. Her ground she stood on, no rode on.
“Well done.” was the only words the coach gave as she entered into the walkway towards the cross-ties, but such phrases were rare and far in between. However, even though she would normally glow under a compliment like that, Nora only gave a small, tense smile.
“You did good, sweetheart!” She turned towards the voice of her new boyfriend of two weeks.
“Hey!” She turned and gave a shy smile, her hand immediately flying up to her neck grasping the gold chain with a simple but elegant heart - a gift from him. Carter’s dimpled grin made her heart skip a beat.
“Your the best one so far.” He said, taking the reins from her and giving her a one-armed hug. To bad her horse didn’t appreciate him like she did. He gave a dimpled grin before giving her a kiss. A first time for everything. Nora put a hand to her lips, her face flaming.
“Aww.” Was all she got out.
“Look, dontcha guys got better things to do than smoochin’ in the middle of the aisle? My ride starts in less then three minutes, so scram.” Jessica, a level two dressage rider stood with a hand on her hip, glaring.
“I’m so-” Nora began, only to be cut off by Carter, “You don’t find it cute?”
“Disgusting. Serious riders don’t have time for romance.” Carter tipped his head back and laughed at the reply, but moved out of the way. A giggle rose from Nora.
“Are you a serious rider?” He asked, lifting an eyebrow giving an impish grin and another giggle slid out of her lips. I really do like this guy. Love's probably on the way. Nah, maybe even here.
Nora loosened the tack on Vanilla but didn’t completely remove it: she’d be expected to ride into the arena if she won, when she won. She had to win. Carter stood nearby, chit-chatting with her and with her hand in his when it wasn't busy. The results were coming.
“I’m so nervous. Poppa made it clear I’ve gotta win this one.” She confided, and he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, “I know you’ve got this one.”
“So. Biased.” She replied with an appreciative smile, he gave that grin again.
“Nah, just well-educated.”
The riders finished and they moved together to the arena as the announcer began the results.
“For the pre-level dressage, test B...” He began and Nora zoned out, that part didn’t matter. She better have won. Her riding career, her life at the stables depended on it. Poppa wouldn’t pay for her to do something unless she was good at it and won everything. Whatever her riding instructors said didn’t mean a cent to him, only the blue ribbons had worth.
“For the first level dressage, test D.” Nora gripped the reins in her left hand and her gloves started to feel hot and sticky inside. Please, please, please. “Third place goes to Lauren Rankins on Zhibige.”
Clapping erupted from the stands and a tall, slender girl rode in with a smile across her face. Some people can be happy with a 3rd.
“Second place awards itself to Nora Allens.” She felt faint. Nauseated. No. There was a mistake. No. Please. No.
“Nora, get up there!” Carter urged, “You did amazing!”
As if in a dream, she pasted a smile on her face and collected her ribbon. Cameras flashed and she prayed that it looked like there were happy tears in her eyes.
“Congratulations...” Blah, blah, blah. It meant nothing, it was nothing. Gone were her dreams. Her career. Her life. Her horse. Her best friend. She rode back, her posture unreflective of her dressage level, her head bowed. She slipped off the horse and her legs threatened to not catch her as she landed. Carter’s arms enveloped her and she let herself sob into his fresh white shirt, mascara tainting the bleached colour.
“Shhh. It’s okay. You did amazing. You’re dad must still be happy with that.” He comforted, but she shook her head, “It-it’s not enough. It-it never is.”
She faintly heard her coach and Carter talking before Carter led her blindly away, he helped her into the middle seat of his GMC and turned the key in the ignition.
“I didn’t do good...” She sobbed, not caring where they were going, where he was taking her. He wrapped one arm around her, the other fixed to the steering wheel.
“There has to be a way around only being able to ride on your dad’s money if he won’t give it anymore.” He said softly in her ear, “We can do this. We’ll do it together.”
They drove in silence a little longer before she asked, “Where are we going? Who’s taking care of Vanilla?”
“The coach said that he could take her. He understands. It’s time you met my dad, he might be able to help us out. You’re not the only one with money back up.”
“You never told me.” She stated, “My poppa would never let that. Charity is against his religion.”
“But maybe it’ll make him see that you don’t need his money and that you can be your own boss.” He contradicted. Nora smiled through her tears and gave a weak “I hope so.”
The truck wound down an old driveway and then stopped at a good sized cabin. Nothing however about it screamed lotsa dollars.
“Dad’s at the cabin this weekend on vacation. He likes roughing it a little.” He stated casually, answering the unspoken question, “C’mon.”
“Give me a second to clean up.” She said.
“Nah, it don’t matter, you’ll know what I mean when you meet him.” He gave wink and she melted a little in her boots. She listened and hopped out, still trying to make some appearance to look good. He walked up to the door and gave four sharp raps, within seconds, the door opened.
The man at the door was heavy set and ugly. Scars littered and a smile obliterated instead of enlightened his face. Nora searched for the resemblance between Carter and and who he’d indicated was his father, but she found none - the eye, hair, and build were all completely different.
“C’mon in.” He said somewhat cordially with a different smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Carter allowed her to enter first. Then the door shut without Carter entering.
Something was wrong.
“Uh, what about Carter?” Nora asked, but the beast simply latched onto an arm and dragged her down a hall, to a staircase.
“You behave good, you won’t get hurt. If you behave bad, it’s another story.” He stated tersely. She froze and realized the grim truth of it. No. This is a prank. Carter’s gonna come and save you because that’s the way he is.
“I’m kidnapped.” She remarked casually, however, her mind churned; the brute threw his head back and laughed, “Yeah, that’s what most people would call it.”
He opened a door at the bottom of the stairs, still unrelentingly grasping her arm. Cages lined the walls: her home for the next six months.
Then came The Auction.
