Rejection Runs Deep (The Canleigh Series, book 1: A chilling psychological family drama) by Carole Williams (uplifting novels TXT) 📕

was to be a christening during the morning service on Sunday.  Happy, exciting events.  Not grim, like Granny’s funeral must have been.  Delia had never been to a funeral and in a way was glad she had been too ill to attend.  She didn’t know how she would have got through it.

The grave was where she had thought it would be, next to the Grandfather Delia had never known but whom Anne had loved with all her heart.  Delia’s pain was intense when she saw it, still covered with masses of flowers and wreaths, many wilting now and ready to be thrown away.  She hadn’t brought anything and felt guilty.  Granny’s roses would be in full bloom in her rose garden.  She would bring a huge bunch next time.

Delia’s heart pounded as she approached the grave.  She tried to read the inscriptions on the cards but her eyes misted over.  She still couldn’t believe her Granny was here, underneath this great pile of earth and flowers.  It didn’t seem possible.  She would be at the Dower House, coming along soon to make her weekly visit to her husband’s grave where she would place her posy.  Delia glanced at Grandfather’s grave.  The dead tulips beneath his ornate headstone a reminder that they had been Granny’s last offering.  Delia was surprised her father hadn’t removed them before he went to Italy.  Unless, of course, he hadn’t bothered to visit the churchyard since the funeral.

Knowing how Granny disliked dead flowers, Delia removed them, took a fresher looking wreath from Granny’s grave and placed it on his.  Granny would have been pleased.  Delia could almost hear her say

“That was nice of you Delia, to remember your Grandfather, even though you didn’t know him.  He was a wonderful man.  You would have liked him very much.”

“I’ll do what you did, Granny,” Delia whispered, kneeling by the graves.  “I’ll come every week and bring you both something from the garden.  I won’t forget.  I promise.”

She stood up and looked around the churchyard.  She had always liked it here.  It was so peaceful with only the sounds of the birds for company.  There were a few old, mature trees; mainly Yew and Conifers and the scent of pine, mixed with the floral wreaths and hemlock growing amongst the gravestones, was strong.  She breathed it in.  It was a wonderful place to remain for eternity and one day she would be here too.  Delia was a firm believer in the afterlife and knew she would be with her Granny again one day.

She turned to leave, returning to where the animals were waiting patiently for her.  She shut the church gate behind her and then the grief hit her like a thunderbolt from the blue.  Sinking down beside the old stone wall which surrounded the church she burst into tears and let them flow.  Star nuzzled her shoulder, Gruff licked her hands and face but she cried as she had never cried before, thinking she would never stop.

*   *   *

Ralph was wrong.  Velvet didn’t wait a week.  The foal decided to make its entrance into the world the following weekend.  Ralph, having checked her over before bedtime returned to the house and announced the birth looked imminent.

“Better get your gear together you two,” he said to the two teenagers.  “Could be a long night tonight … and we’ll need plenty of sustenance,” he grinned at Constance, who leapt eagerly to her feet to prepare something.

“Oh great!” Delia cried.  “I’m really looking forward to this.

“I hope you don’t faint,” teased Philip, receiving a sharp dig in his ribs.

Within half an hour Delia, Philip and Ralph were bowling down to the stables in the Landrover armed with sleeping bags, blankets, an enormous box full of beef sandwiches, chocolate cake and three flasks of coffee.

Delia loved this part of Tangles, reached by a windy country lane, flanked by vast paddocks divided by copper beech hedges.  On the right of the lane, four brick constructed blocks stood side by side, each housing six loose boxes.  One block was kept for visiting thoroughbreds owned by Ralph’s show jumping pupils and the rest housed rescued horses and ponies, many of whom, once they were fit and if docile enough, he used for patrons who just wanted to enjoy being on horseback with no ambitions in the show jumping ring.   At right angles was another building which contained the office, tack room and feed store.  Above were not exactly luxurious, but comfortable bedsits for the two grooms.

The indoor schooling arena; a large structure with a sawdust floor and a high, well-lit ceiling for ease of use during winter evenings stood on the opposite side of the lane with another block of stables where Ralph kept Thunderbolt, his prized hunter, and Verity, who had now been joined by Star.  There was also an isolation area if a horse should become ill or needed to be separated from the others for any reason and a dedicated foaling box which was kept for the odd new arrival Ralph had to supervise.

Velvet was in the foaling box.  Ralph led Philip and Delia into the adjacent empty stall where he had placed three camp beds earlier.  Peep holes had been carved in the panelling between their stall and the foaling box so that Velvet could be observed but not disturbed more than necessary.

Delia and Philip watched how matters were progressing, while Ralph slept soundly beside them, knowing Philip, who had been present at a previous couple of births, would wake him as soon as anything occurred.

“Fancy something to eat?” whispered Philip.  “It could be a long time yet.”

Delia shook her head, unable to tear her eyes away from the peep hole.  She was far too excited to even think about food.

The low-powered lamp gave ample light for the mare to be seen pacing up and down restlessly for nearly two