Charlotte and the Starlet 2 (3 page)

'Thank you, Miss, I did but it's nice to be back too.'

Pity they didn't all think like that. Strudworth
checked her watch: seven p.m. Time to give her little
pep-talk.

'You should eat, Richards. Buffet will be closing
presently.'

Charlotte didn't need any encouragement. With a
stomach demanding immediate action, she hastened
to the buffet. She was surprised to discover baked
beans and toast were the night's only offering. She
didn't mind though. She and her dad regularly had
baked beans for dinner. However, a lot of the other
girls were busily complaining. Especially The Evil
Three. She eavesdropped as she passed their table.

Rebecca was in full voice.

'With what our parents are paying it's an absolute
insult.'

Lucinda's brow furrowed.

'I didn't think our parents were paying anything.
Isn't the government paying for us?'

Emma moved to Rebecca's defence.

'Yes, but that proves Rebecca's point even more.
Our parents are paying nothing and even then this is
an insult. Baked beans is what they dish up to
volunteer firefighters and emergency workers, people
who
have
to eat what's put in front of them.'

Lucinda nodded.

'I see what you mean. We're elite athletes, we
deserve better.'

Rebecca chimed in.

'At least they could call them by their French name
to make them seem less poxy.'

All concurred, though none of them knew the
French for baked beans.

The sound of Strudworth slapping her riding crop
on her leather boot hushed the room. Charlotte slid to
the nearest table. She didn't know any of the other
girls at it. None had been at the previous camp with
her.

'Welcome to the JOES,' began Strudworth. 'Most of
you have met me during your trials. For those who
haven't, may I extend a cordial welcome.'

Rebecca was puzzled.

'I hate cordial.'

Charlotte shook her head in disbelief. Rebecca's
brain was as empty as a car park two hours after the
game. Surely she knew that cordial meant friendly
and warm?

Strudworth continued.

'Our term here is ten weeks. Let me be very clear.
You will be expected to attend all your academic
classes as well as the equestrian requirements of the
JOES. That means up at five a.m. grooming, arena
practice six a.m. till 7.45 a.m., breakfast and classes
from nine a.m. until three p.m. Four to six p.m. –
additional practice with your mounts –'

The big dining room doors swung open. Strudworth
halted mid-sentence. A pretty blonde girl who
wore her hair in plaits shuffled into the vast dark oak
dining room looking terrified.

Oh, oh, thought Charlotte, remembering herself in
exactly this situation last time.

The room hushed, all eyes turned upon the girl.

'Nice of you to make the time to join us.'
Strudworth tapped her toe irritably.

'That's okay. Is dinner still on? I'm starv–'

'Dinner? DINNER?' Strudworth's voice rose to a
crescendo. 'You are? May I ask?'

'Hannah Weston,' answered the girl in a voice now
suddenly frail.

'You may well be Hannah Weston ...'

Charlotte knew what was coming next.

'but you are also LATE.'

The girl tried to explain, 'The train was –'

'Weston, you have had at least six weeks to
organise your arrival. You should be intelligent
enough to know that in this country, trains never,
ever, EVER, run on time. That, I can assure you, is not
a malaise that affects Thornton Downs. Sit.'

Hannah Weston scurried to the nearest space,
which was beside Charlotte.

Charlotte noted the girl was trembling. Strudworth
began giving details of the teachers and class
locations. Charlotte whispered to Hannah.

'She's not really as bad as she seems.'

She shoved her plate of baked beans over to
Hannah and was pleased to see her tuck in.

Later when the girls were heading off to their rooms,
Strudworth pulled Charlotte aside to inform her that
the girl who was supposed to be sharing her room
wouldn't be coming.

'She decided to do ice-skating instead. Can you
believe it? So it looks as if you'll be on your own. I'm
guessing you'll probably enjoy that.'

Out of the corner of her eye, Charlotte caught
Hannah trying to decipher her billet from the master
board.

'Do you know what room Hannah Weston is in?'

Strudworth prided herself on knowing every such
detail.

'The Princess Mary of Denmark room.'

'Would you mind if she joined me?'

Strudworth examined Charlotte the way a master
cabinet maker studies his work for faults.

'I suppose not.'

At that moment Chadwick came striding towards
them, waving a clipboard.

'They've consumed over ten loaves of bread.'

His voice whined like a dentist's drill and was just
as unpleasant. Strudworth sighed.

'They do have to eat.'

She moved off, corralling Chadwick, who continued
to gesticulate.

Charlotte walked over to where Hannah was running
her finger down the board, trying to locate her
name.

'I'm Charlotte.'

'Hi. Thanks for the food, I was starving. How do
you work this thing?'

'Actually, if you want, you can bunk in with me.
Miss Strudworth says it's okay.'

Hannah looked as if somebody had just given her a
basket full of chocolates.

'Really? That would be great. I don't know anyone
here. I didn't do the trials.'

'You must be pretty good if they accepted you
without having to do trials.'

Hannah shrugged, 'I don't know.'

'Come on. I'll show you up.'

Hannah's bags were outside the hall. They were
heavy and the two of them had to stop several times
on the way up the steps and down the hallway. Finally
they made it to their room. It was only as Hannah
began unpacking that Charlotte remembered she was
supposed to be taking food to Leila.

'I'll be back later. I just need to see my horse.'

Leaving Hannah to assemble a jumble of creams,
gels and shampoos, Charlotte charged down the hall
towards the kitchen. Hopefully it wasn't shut yet.

'A carrot and an apple? Why not just douse my mane
in gasoline and set it on fire?'

Leila and Charlotte were cloistered in her stall.

'I'm sorry but there was virtually nothing left over.'

She didn't dare tell Leila she had rescued these
from the bins. 'Dinner was only baked beans, anyway.'

'I knew it. It's that accountant, Halfwick.'

'Chadwick.'

'Whatever. You mark my words. This is just the
beginning.' Leila chomped on the carrot. 'Next thing
you know you'll be riding wooden horses instead of
the real thing.'

'Charlotte? Are you here?'

It was Hannah's voice. Leila's expression demanded
an explanation.

'It's my roommate,' whispered Charlotte. She opened
the stall door and saw Hannah looking around. 'Over
here.'

Hannah came striding over. One look at Leila and
she gasped.

'What a gorgeous animal.'

Animal? Leila would give her animal ...

Charlotte knew Leila well enough to guess her
intentions. Before Leila could butt Hannah into a heap
of manure, Charlie pulled Hannah aside, shooting a
warning glance at her four-legged friend.

'Behave yourself, Leila. Hannah is my friend.'

Hannah nodded over to a brown gelding two rows
across.

'I've been assigned Lightning.'

Leila shot the horse a sympathetic glance. The poor
sap. Every second gelding in the world was named
Lightning. When they brought in the extras in Leila's
movies there were always at least three Lightnings.
For unoriginal it was right up there with 'Blackie'.

'I've got three horses at home but they said I wasn't
allowed to bring my own.'

Charlotte explained the policy.

'And Miss Strudworth is pretty good at letting you
bond with your horse. She let me have Leila over the
break.'

Leila snorted. Wasn't it more the other way around?

'So what are you doing now, Charlotte?'

'I thought I'd groom Leila. I often just like to hang
out here.'

'I'll bring Lightning over and we can do it together
and you can tell me all about yourself.'

Leila whinnied and stomped. Charlotte got the
message.

'I'm not sure Leila would like that. She prefers her
own space.'

'Okay. Well, I've already groomed Lightning so he's
fine. I'll just sit here. I bet you're a country girl, right?'

Leila moaned. Oh brother. There was nothing more
boring than teenage girls getting to know one another
with all that stuff about annoying little sisters and
cute babies and which was better – MySpace or Bebo.
The only consolation was she would be groomed
while they burbled on. But it was a small consolation.
She'd given up plenty for this gig and only because she
liked being Charlie's best pal. Now this Hannah was
muscling in. Well, she better not make a habit of it.

'It's not my fault. What could I do?'

It was the next morning. Rain drizzled from a steel-coloured
sky, its drops clinging to Charlotte's helmet
like bubble wrap, as she rode Leila over greasy grass
through a twisting slalom course.

'You could have not invited her into our lives is
what you could have done.'

Leila clipped one of the cones. It was hard talking
and negotiating the obstacles at the same time.

'You're not jealous, are you?'

Leila skidded to a halt.

'Leila does not get jealous. Leila has people jealous
of her, not vice versa.'

'Hmm, well, Leila is sounding very defensive.'

'I could have gone back to Hollywood.'

'I know.'

'Right now I could be floating in Joel Gold's pool ...'

'I appreciate you staying.'

'on a plastic whale with a gallon of designer icecream
in my own initialled bucket.'

'Okay, I get the picture.'

The sound of galloping hooves made Charlotte
look up. It was Hannah on Lightning.

She smiled as she pulled in beside them.

'Gee, you talk to your horse a lot.'

Not as much as she used to, thought Leila.

Charlotte said, 'Leila's a good listener.'

Suck, thought Leila. I'm not going to be won over
that easy. Charlotte was going to have to deliver a lot
better than a few platitudes. Treats, to be specific. Yum,
what Leila wouldn't give right now for a slab of nougat.

The image evaporated as Strudworth cantered up.

'Weston, slalom. Richards, keep moving.'

Charlotte did as she was told, urging Leila towards
the arena. She snuck a peek over her shoulder to
watch Hannah on the slalom course. She and
Lightning moved fast and smooth, like one of the
many reptiles that had given Snake Hills its name.

'Wow,' gasped Charlotte. 'No wonder she didn't
have to do a trial to qualify for the JOES. She can really
ride.'