The Widower

   Marie was smiling as John walked into the Atrium. 'Don't you look the part!'

John looked down at his clothes. White shirt, stone coloured Jodhpurs held up with brown leather braces, and brown riding boots. 'I feel a little ridiculous, to be honest.'

Vicki nodded. 'I agree. Marie, is this really necessary?'

Marie looked across the table to her partner. 'Necessary, no. Is it something I feel may be good, yes.' Vicki looked less than pleased, so Marie continued. 'Look, it was fine with Joanne yesterday, she already knew that John was going to be around. Hell, it was her big mouth that let us know he was finally in the area. However, for other ponies, having a strange man walk around dressed however he wants is going to be a little odd. Dressed like this it looks like he actually belongs here, and gives him a little authority. I'm just glad the local place had something fairly close to his size.'

Vicki didn't say anything more, so John sat down, picked up some toast and started to spread marmalade on it.

'John, you're going to see the discipline side of things today. I'm going to spend time today with Lucinda.'

'And good luck to you,' butted in Vicki, acerbicly, drawing an unhappy look from Marie.

'She's new, I take it,' said John, as he poured a coffee.

'Yes. Right now, she's kicking back against the rules we insist upon for all newcomers.' She turned to Vicki. 'Where is she now.?'

'In the cell, chained and gagged.'

'Good. Hopefully a night there will have done her some good....'

-*-

Marie set a quick pace across the ground, heading beyond the stables to a low building a few hundred yards away, John following on behind, hoping the new boots wouldn't end up giving him blisters before the end of the day.

She stopped, and turned. 'Look, I sorry Vicki is a little...abrupt. She wasn't exactly on board with the idea of bringing you here.'

John nodded. 'I can imagine I'm a little disruptive.'

Marie waved him off. 'Don't worry. I'll bring her round.' She smiled and clapped her hands together. 'Ok, Lucinda, Luci, as she prefers. As you guessed, she's a new pony, and she's been passed on to us through an old friend, who thinks she needs some discipline. She's a little older than most girls we get, in that she's thirty, but she's got such a great talent for running.' John and Marie we're walking again now, heading to a door set in the side of the low building. 'She might be better than Lesley was, and that's high praise.'

'Ok, but Vicki thinks she's not worth it, right?'

'Lets put it this way. She's the hardest nut we've had to crack for quite some time. Headstrong, mouthy, disobedient, she's got it all in spades.'

'What did she do?'

Marie looked over at John. 'You're not so slow are you.... Ok, total honesty. A little bit of credit card fraud. The friend who passed her on gave her a choice. Come here and get some training, really use the talent for running, or go up before the bench.'

They had reached the door, Marie opening it up with a key. She walked in, whilst John hesitated. 'Your friend, she wouldn't happen to be a police officer, would she?'

Marie's voice rang from inside. 'Probation service... Are you coming in or not?'