Charlotte and the Starlet (17 page)

'Leila, what are you doing here?'

'Stopping you from making the biggest mistake
of your – ah choo – life. Listen, I'm sorry about the
pizza ...'

Suddenly Leila was having trouble talking. In fact
she was having trouble even breathing. She sounded
like she'd swallowed a piano accordion.

Charlotte's face registered concern.

'That's a bad wheeze.'

Leila brushed it off. She couldn't afford to soak up
the sympathy right now. 'Listen, we have to get back
to Thornton. The trials will be starting in a few hours.'

'No. You're not well.'

'Hey, it's just a cold. It'll take more than that to kill
me.'

From behind the truck the foreman and his explosives
man scanned for a reason as to why the dynamite
hadn't triggered. The dynamite man pointed.

'Fuse has gone out.'

The foreman was annoyed. He remarked that they
would have to re-lay another fuse. But the dynamite
guy smiled and held up a small gadget like a TV
remote. 'No we don't. This is a radio remote. I can
detonate by pressing this button.'

'Then do it,' said the foreman, taking his position
behind the truck.

The explosives man pushed the button and dived
for cover as a loud explosion ripped the building
apart.

Ralph and Bobby were driven away, handcuffed, in a
police car. Joel Gold looked after them sadly. So they'd
got the bad guys. The trouble was, these klutzes didn't
have any idea where Leila was. He'd been able to
locate the property where Ralph and Bobby said they
had left Leila but from there the trail went cold. The
owners of the property shipped horses all over the
world. That day alone there had been fifteen different
shipments. Leila could be anywhere.

'She might even be dead, Feathers,' he said
morbidly.

Feathers knew exactly how he felt. He felt the same
way. All his good work had come to nothing.

Inside the building where Leila and Charlotte had
been standing was nothing but a sea of broken plaster
and a cloud of dust. Of the girl and horse there was
not a trace. Then a mound of plaster on the floor
started to move and, like a crab emerging from the
sand, Charlotte stood, caked in white plaster dust.

Her first thought was for Leila.

'Leila! Leila!'

She began clawing at the pile of debris.

A hoarse wheeze was followed by a spluttered
reply. 'Over here.'

The voice came from behind her. She looked
through the swirling mist to find Leila resembling a
grey statue. Charlotte was so relieved. 'Oh, Leila.' She
threw her arms around her.

Charlotte went to the ground floor window and
looked out to find the cause of the explosion. There
had been a building next door a moment ago and now
there was just a pile of bricks.

'They've demolished the place next door,' she
said.

She watched the workmen inspecting the hole in
the ground. Looking satisfied, they climbed into their
truck and drove off.

'We better split, and pronto,' Leila said.

'You're right. I've got a train to catch.'

Leila shook her head. 'No, no, no, no. The only
place you're going is back to Thornton Downs.'

Charlotte folded her arms. 'I'm never going near
that horrid place again.'

'Kill that attitude, sister. You belong in the JOES as
much as any of those princesses. And if I'd been a
better horse you'd be kicking their butt right now.'

'It doesn't matter what you say. It's too late.'

'It's never too late. We've got a few hours yet.'

But Charlotte was shaking her head. 'The police are
looking for me. If they find me, they'll put me in jail.'

Leila shook her head. 'I'll confess.'

'Electrodes in the butt?' Charlotte reminded her.

Leila thought about that. 'I'll call Strudworth
anonymously. Say The Evil Three made me do it.'

Charlotte shook her head firmly. 'No. The Evil
Three might be spoilt conniving snakes but they're
not thieves. Anyway, you've had a long trip. You need
to rest.'

'Rest? I'm a Hollywood star. The only time I rest is
on set. Let's go.'

'No way. I'm through with that place.'

Leila blew out through her nostrils. 'I can't believe
you're scared.'

'I've killed snakes with my bare hands. I'm not
scared.'

'You might be fine with snakes that slither along
the ground but there are also snakes in designer
frocks. You can't let a few spoilt brats take away what
should be yours.'

Leila was annoying Charlotte. Possibly because
deep down Charlotte knew there was some truth in
what she said.

'You're the expert, are you?'

'I am ashamed to say I am. I've spent my life doing
the same thing as them. When new actors turn up that
might threaten me, I slip the hoof in. They're giving
you a hard time because you're good. Maybe even
better than them, and they want the JOES all to
themselves. I believe in you, now you have to believe
in you.'

Charlotte folded her arms. 'Nice speech. I guess
you adapted it from one of your movies. Sorry, but I'm
not going to be part of the JOES. It was a mistake. End
of story.'

'Is that what you would tell your mom right now, if
she were here with you in this room? That you
couldn't stand the heat and wanted the easy way out?'

She sensed Charlotte's resolve wilting. Leila played
her trump card. She dropped the plush toy down in
front of Charlotte.

'Your mom led me to you because she knows
you can't throw this chance away. Now shut up and
climb on.'

In her heart, Charlotte knew that was what she
wanted to do. She had just needed somebody else to
push her. It was not just what her mum would have
wanted, it was what
she
really wanted. She saddled up
Leila and hauled herself up.

Leila cackled. 'Thornton Downs, here we come.'

From her vantage point by the judging post, Caroline
Strudworth watched Lucinda complete a very strong
dressage. A pity the girl's personality didn't match her
riding. The crowd of parents and interested onlookers
applauded from the temporary stands erected around
the arena but it washed over Miss Strudworth, who
was still worrying about Charlotte Richards. Mr
Graham leaned over.

'Well, that's the last of them.'

Miss Strudworth took the microphone and began
her well-rehearsed little speech. 'Ladies and gentlemen,
thank you for your attendance. Tomorrow we
will have the jumps ...'

She faltered, barely able to believe her eyes.
Cantering towards her across the arena was
Charlotte Richards and Leila. A murmur went
through the crowd at the late arrival. Miss
Strudworth waited, transfixed and deeply relieved.

Charlotte saw they had made the dressage in the
nick of time. It had been several hours since they had
set out from the city. First they had cut around its
perimeter and then snuck aboard a freight train
heading in the general direction of Thornton Downs.
The train was slow but it afforded Charlotte the
opportunity to change into her riding outfit and gave
Leila the chance to rest. Her cough didn't sound good
at all. The train got them within thirty kilometres of
Thornton Downs. Leila had leapt from the train and
galloped the rest of the way, without a word of
complaint.

Looking across at the people in the stands, at Miss
Strudworth, at the other girls lined up on their horses,
Charlotte knew that Leila had been right. Charlotte
had been running away. Not any more. If Leila could
do this, so could she. Maybe she would fail but she
was not going to quit, she would give it all she had.
She owed that to her mum and dad, the people of
Snake Hills, Leila, and most of all, herself.

She stopped before Miss Strudworth.

'We've been very concerned, Richards.'

'I understand and apologise, Miss, but I would like
the opportunity to compete.'

Strudworth nodded.

'Very well. We'll discuss the other things later.
What music do you choose?'

Charlotte handed over a second-hand CD, which at
Leila's insistence she had purchased in the city with
her last forty cents.

'Track four, please.'

Strudworth studied the CD, cocked an eyebrow
and passed it across to the sound man. She picked up
the microphone.

'Charlotte Richards will perform to
Vogue
by
Madonna.'

Charlotte bowed to the judges and turned Leila
around.

'Are you certain about this?' she asked Leila.

'I've danced to this in the Whisky, Studio 54 and
the Viper Room. Just leave it to me.'

Charlotte looked at all the people looking at her
and Leila and felt her stomach turn upside down.

'I'm so nervous,' she confessed.

'Nervous is waiting for the vet when you've got
colic. Sit back, relax and let Leila do the walking. This
is my turf.'

The music began and Leila started moving in a way
Charlotte had never experienced. Leila seemed to
float across the arena, stopping on beats, shimmying,
twisting and flicking her legs at right angles. The
gasps of the crowd were audible even from the middle
of the arena.

Standing on the sidelines The Evil Three almost
swallowed their tongues. They had never seen
anything like it.

In sections where the music stopped and Madonna
said 'Vogue', Leila literally stood statue-like in
whatever pose she had just reached; leg up, leg down,
neck twisted, even rearing on hind legs, perfectly
rigid, for what seemed like an eternity. Each new stunt
brought a more expressive sigh from the crowd.
Eventually the music stopped, Leila did the splits and
the crowd erupted rapturously. Charlotte couldn't
believe it herself.

In all her years Miss Strudworth had never accorded
top marks but she simply couldn't imagine a better
dressage. The rest of the judges agreed. Mr Graham
muttered it was a tragedy the girl would probably be
expelled. Strudworth considered that.

'We'll see.'

Charlotte was dismounting, giving Leila a pat
when she saw Strudworth looming.

'Marvellous effort, Richards. Truly the most
amazing dressage I have ever witnessed.'

'Thank you, Miss.'

Strudworth cleared her throat.

'I know it can be difficult coming from the outback
to a place like this. If you apologise for taking the
money ...'

'I will not apologise. I didn't take the money and
that's that,' snapped Charlotte.

Strudworth shook her head sadly.

'Very well. As you are aware the evidence against
you is damning. You may continue to compete but
I have to warn you, the JOES isn't just about
horsemanship. It's as much about character and my
decision will reflect that.'

Her excitement punctured, Charlotte watched
Strudworth stride away.

Leila felt gutted. It was all her fault. No matter how
well they did in the dressage or the point-to-point,
Charlie was going to be blamed. She shuddered. She
felt cold and weak all of a sudden.

'Are you okay?' whispered Charlotte, as if she could
sense the problem.

'Nothing a choc-sundae wouldn't fix. Only joking,'
Leila added.

Miss Strudworth was alone in the yard that evening,
clearing up rubbish. She was distracted, wondering
just how hard those girls had pushed Charlotte
Richards. Perhaps the pizza business had been a cry
for help?