"DidanyoneelseseeJogger"srabbit?"
Isimplycan"tremember."Itwasclearfromherexpressionthatshecouldn"tseeanyimportanceiniteither.
"Oh,well.Thanksanyway,"Isaid.
Shesmiledwithoutguileandturnedbacktoherwork.
Nuns,Ithought.Rabbits.Nunsandmonks,nunsandsisters...nunsandhabits.
Jogger"swords."Takeabutcher"satthemnuns.TherewasadeadoneinthepitlastAugust-anditwascrawling."
TheonlyrabbitsthatIcouldthinkofthathemightmeanweretherabbitsbelongingtotheWatermeadchildren,butevenifoneofthoserabbitshadsomehowescapedandgotasfarastheinspectionpit,itwouldhardlyhavebeencrawlingwithmaggotsunless,ofcourse,ithadbeentheredeadfordayswhenJoggerfoundit.Itdidn"tseemtobeofanyimportance...b.u.t.toJoggerithadseemedimportantenoughforhimtotellmeabout.i.t-inhisownunintelligibleway-sevenmonthsaftertheevent.
Ilookedatmywatch.Approachingnineo"clock.WhatwasIsupposedtobedoingatnineo"clock?Thesleep-filleda.s.signationwithMarigoldEnglishswamtothesurface.
ItoldIsobelwhereIwasgoingandtoreachmebymobilephoneforawhileifsheneededme,anddrovetoMarigold"syard.
ShewasoutsideinherwoollyhatandcamehurryingtowardsmewhenIappeared,carryingwithherabowlofhorsenuts.
"Don"tgetout,"shecommanded."DrivemetolookatPeterman."
AccordinglyIfollowedherdirections,whichinvolvedb.u.mpingdownagra.s.sytracktoadistantpaddockbehindherhouse.Thepaddockslopeddowntoabrookandwasedgedwithtallwillowtreesthatwouldgivegreatshadeforoldhorseswhentheleavescameout.
Peterman,however,wasupnearthegateandlookedthoroughlymiserable.HeputhisnosedowntoMarigold"sofferedhorsenutsandthenmovedhisheadawayasifoffended.
"See?"shesaid."Hewon"teat."
"Whatarethenuts?"Iasked.
Shementionedastandardbrandmuchusedandwellrespected."Allhorseslikethem,theyneverfail."
IlookedatPeterman,puzzled."What"sthematterwithhim,then?"
Marigoldhesitated."IphonedmyoldvetonSalisburyPlaintoaskhim,buthesaidjusttogivetheoldchaptimetosettlein.ThenIcamedownhereagainyesterdayevening,andyouknowwhatanicesunnyeveningitwas?Thesunwa.s.shininglowandyellowontheoldhorse,andyoucouldseethem."
"Seewhat?"
"Ticks."
Istaredather.
"Tickbites,"shesaid."Ithinkthat"swhat"swrongwithhim.IphonedJohnTigwoodnothalfanhouragototellhimtodosomethingabout.i.tandhesaiditwasrubbishandimpossible,andanywayyou,Freddie,hadgotthelocalvetroundonTuesdaywhenthehorsesgottoPixhill,andyou"dinsistedonanexamination,andthevethadpa.s.sedthehorsesfullyfitandhadsignedadoc.u.menttothateffectwhichhewouldshowmeifIliked,andreally,Ididn"tlikehistonemuchandInearlytoldhimtofetchthehorsebackagain,b.u.t.thenI"dalreadyaskedyoutocomeandlook,andknowingthatyouwantedthisoldthingwelllookedafter...well,Idecidedtowaituntilyoucameandtoaskyouwhatyouthought."Shestopped,runningoutofbreath."Whatdoyouthink?"
"Um...whereweretheticks?"
"Onhisneck."
IpeeredatPeterman"sneck,butcouldseeonlyhisbaycoat,stillthickforthewinter.Comewarmerweatherhewouldshedalotofit,revealingtheshortcoolercoatofsummer.
"Whatweretheylike?"IaskedMarigold.
"Tinybrownthings.Thesamecolourashiscoat.Iwouldneverhaveseenthemexceptforthesun,andbecauseoneofthemmoved."
"Howmany?"
"Idon"tknow...maybesevenoreight.Icouldn"tseethemveryclearly."
"ButMarigold..."
"YouthinkI"mpotty?Whataboutthebees?"
"Er..."
Shesaidimpatiently,"Bees,Freddie.Bees.Varroajacobonsi."
"Startatthebeginning,"Ibegged.
"Theyaremites,"shesaid."Theyliveonbees.Theydon"tkillthem,theyjustsucktheirblooduntilthebeescan"tfly."
"Ididn"tknowbeeshadblood."
Shegavemeawitheringlook."Mybrotherpanicsaboutvarroa,"shesaid."He"safruitfarmerandhalfhistreesdon"tbearfruitbecausethebeesaretooweaktopollinate."
"Oh.Yes,Isee."
"Sohesmokesapipeatthem."
"ForG.o.d"ssake..."
"Pipetobaccosmokeisabouttheonlythingthatknocksoutvarroamites.Ifyoublowpipetobaccosmokeintoabeehiveallthemitesfalldowndead."
"Um,"Isaid."It"sfascinating,butwhathasitgottodowithPeterman?"
"Don"tbesoslow,"shecommanded."Tickscarryillnesses,don"tthey?Ican"trisktheticksonPetermanhoppingontomytwo-year-olds,nowcanI?"
"No,"Isaidslowly,"youcan"t."
"SoregardlessofwhatJohnTigwoodsays,I"mnotgoingtokeepthisoldhorsehere.I"mverysorry,Freddie,butyou"llhavetofindhimanotherhome."
"Yes,"Isaid."Iwill."
"When?"
Ithoughtofherstar-studdedstableandofmyownstrongdesiretotransportthemforevertothewinners"enclosures.
Isaid,I"llwalkhimdowntomyhouse.There"sapatchofgardenhecanstayintemporarily.ThenI"llwalkbackformycar.Wouldthatdo?"
Shenoddedwithapproval."You"reagoodlad,Freddie."
"I"msorrytohavegivenyouthistrouble."
"Ijusthopeyouunderstand."
Ia.s.suredherIdid.Idrovebackalongthegra.s.sytracktoherstableyard,whereshelentmealeading-reinforPetermanandthenledmebythearmtopeeroverahalf-dooratherabsoluteprideandjoy,thethree-year-oldcoltthat,ifallwentwell,wouldbecontestingthe2,000GuineasandtheDerbyagainstMichaelWatermead"ssensation,IrkabAlhawa.Inher,asinMichael,thefledglingexcitementshimmeredintheeyes,thewildhopegrowing.
"Youdosee,"shereiterated,"aboutPeterman."
"Ofcourse,"Isaid.Ikissedhercheek.Shenodded.IcouldslaughterJohnTigwood,Ithought,forputtingmeinsuchanawkwardposition,eventhough,Ithoughtmorefairly,itwasn"tactuallyhisfault,asIhadmyselfaskedMarigoldtotakespecificallyPeterman.
SighingatmyfollyIreturnedtothepaddock,putontheleading-reinandledmyoldfriendoutofhisidyllicpastureandalongtheroadtotheverymuchsmallerpatchofs.h.a.ggylawninthewalledgardenbehindmyhouse.
"Don"teattheb.l.o.o.d.ydaffodils,"Itoldhim.
Helookedatmebalefully.AsItookofftheleading-reintowalkaway,Inoticedhewasn"teveninterestedinthegra.s.s.
IcollectedmyFourtrakfromMarigold"syardandwenthomeagain.PetermanstoodmoreorlesswhereI"dlefthim,lookingmiserable,thedaffodilsintact.Ifithadn"tbeenforthefallacyofendowinganimalswithhumanfeelings,I"dhavesaidtheoldhorsewasdepressed.Igavehimabucketofwater,buthedidn"tdrink.
Variousthoughtshadbeenpoppingintomymind,almostasifacoupleofsleepingcylindershadresumedfiring.Isatdownatthecomputerinmybatteredroomandlookeduptheinstructionmanualsagainforarenewedexpeditionthroughtheoldinformationonthehealthydisks.
Insurveyingthedrivers"journeysIhadnot,I"dremembered,pulledoutJogger"sown.EvenwhenIdid,Ilearnedlittle,ashe"ddrivenveryseldom;barelyhalfadozentimesthepreviousyearandnearlyallonBankHolidayMondays,thedayswhenwithalltheholidayracemeetingscountrywide,wewerealwayssc.r.a.pingthebarrelforchauffeurs.
Irubbedmynose,thoughtabitmore,andbegantobringtothescreenthehorseboxesthemselves,onebyone,identifyingthembyregistrationnumber.
Thecolumnsonthescreencameuplookingcompletelydifferent:thesameinformationasbeforebutilluminatedfromtheside,likeMarigold"sviewofotherwiseinvisibleticks.
Identifiedbyregistrationnumber,eachbox"shistorynowgavemedates,journeys,purposeofjourney,drivers,enginehourslogged,odometerreadings,maintenanceschedules,repairs,licensing,roadworthycertificates,unladenweights,fuelcapacity,fuelactuallyuseddaybyday.
Aftersometaxingcerebration,muchconsultationwiththemanualsandafewfalsestarts,IcameupnextwithdetailsofallmaintenanceworkperformedbyJoggerthepreviousAugust.ThistimeI"dsortedtheworkbychronology,andhadprovidedmyselfmoresimplywiththedate,thehorseboxregistrationnumberandtheworkdone.
DaybysummerdayIlookedbackthroughthatonemonthinJogger"slife,andthereIfoundher,thedeadnun.
Augustloth.TheregistrationnumberofthehorseboxregularlydrivenbyPhil.Oilchangeovertheinspectionpit.Tanksofairfortheairbrakesdrained.Airbrakecompressorchecked.Allgreasenipplesfilled.Attheend,anoteenteredonthedaybyIsobelandforgotten:"Joggersaysadeadrabbitfelloutofthehorseboxintothepit.Crawlingwithticks,hesaid.Disposedofinskip."
Isatlookingvaguelyintos.p.a.ce.
AfterawhileIwentbacktothebeginningandcalledPhil"srecordstothescreen,tofindoutwherehe"dbeenonAugust10thor9thor8th.
Phil,myfaithfulaidtoldme,hadnotbeendrivingthatparticularhorseboxonanyofthosedays.He"dbeendrivinganotherbox,anolderone,whichIhad,Iremembered,subsequentlysold.
Backtothedrawingboard:backtoregistrationnumbers,thesidewaysillumination.
OnAugust7ththehorseboxPhilnowadaysdrovehadgonetoFrancewithtworunners...o...b..njyUsher.Theyhadrunonthe8thatCagnes-sur-Mer,downontheMediterranean,andreturnedtoPixhillonthe9th.
Thathorsebox,onthatjourney,hadbeendrivenbyLewis.
Lewishadactuallydriventhatparticularboxmostofthepreviousyear,asIknewperfectlywellonceI"dthoughtabout.i.t.I"dtransferredLewistothesparklingnewsuper-sixI"dboughtintheautumntoreplacetheoldone;transferredhimsothattheUsherandWatermeadhorsesshouldgoinmybeststyletotheirdestinies.LewishaddrivenoneofMichael"shorsestoDoncasterinSeptemberinthenewsuper-sixtowinthelastCla.s.sicraceoftheyear,theStLeger.
Ataboutten-fifteenItelephonedEdinburgh.
"Quipphere,"apleasantvoicesaid.English,notaScot.
"Um...excusemephoningyou,"Isaid,"butdoyouhappentoknowwhereIcouldfindmysister,Lizzie?"
Afterthebriefestofpauseshesaid,"Whichareyou,RobinorFreddie?"
"Freddie."
"Holdon."
Iheld,andheardhisvoiceyelling,"Liz,yourbrotherFred..."andthenshewas,moderatelystartled,saying,"Isityourhead?"
"What?No.Except.i.t"sbeenslowandstupid.Look,um...Lizzie,doyouknowanyonewhoknowsanythingaboutticks?"
"Ticks?"
"Yeah.Littlebiters.""ForG.o.d"ssake..."ShetoldProfessorQuippwhatIwantedandhecamebackontheline.
"Whatsortofticks?"heasked.
"That"swhatIwanttofindout.Thesortthatliveonhorsesand...er...rabbits."
"Doyouhaveanyspecimens?"
"I"vegotahorseinthegardenwhichprobablyha.s.some."
AfterasilenceLizziecameback."I"vetriedtoexplaintoQuippthatyou"reconcussed."
"Farfromit,atlast."
"Whathorseinthegarden?"
Peterman.OneofthegeriatricsfromlastTuesday.Seriously,Lizzie,askyourprofessorhowIgetinformationaboutticks.Therearetoomanymulti-millionanimalsinPixhillformessingaboutiftickscouldmakethemill."
"YeG.o.ds.
Ilistenedtothreefullminutesofsilence,thenProfessorQuippsaid,"Areyoustillthere?"
"Yes."
"I"veafriendwho"satickexpert.Hesayscanyoubringhimsomespecimens?"
"Doyoumean...putthehorseinahorseboxanddriveittoEdinburgh?"
"That"soneway,Isuppose."
"Thehorseisterriblyoldandshaky.Lizzieknows,shesawhim.Hemightnotlastthejourney."
"I"llphoneyouback,"hesaid.