ForpooroldPeterman,however,itwasalreadytoolate.WhenGuggenheimandIwentoutintothedarkgarden,mygameoldpartnerwaslyingintheshadowsonmylawnbarelyayardfromwhereI"dlefthim,hisvisibleeyealreadydull,thestillnessofdeathunmistakable.
Guggenheim"sgriefwasforhisowncareer;mineforthelong-agoracesandthespeedof.a.greathorse.
Guggenheimhadbroughtnotsoapforfindingticksbutaverysmallbattery-poweredhand-heldvacuumcleaner.HetriedhisbestalloverPeterman,butaninspectionofthecollecteddebrisfromthehorse"sskindisappointedhimabysmally.
Hebentoverhismicroscopeinmykitchenutteringsoftdespairingmoans.
"Nothing.Nothing.Youmusthavebroughtallofthemonthesoap."Hesoundedalmostaccusing,asifI"druinedthingsonpurpose."b.u.t.thisistypical.ThecarrierofE.risticiiisbrutallyelusive.Ticksfeedonblood.Theyburrowtheirheadsrightthroughtheskinoftheirhost.TheEhrlichiaethatliveinthetickpa.s.sfromthetickintothebloodofthehostandcombinewithcertainbloodcells.Iwon"tboreyouwithit,it"sincrediblycomplicated...b.u.t.they"reonlyviableinlivingcells,andthishorsehasbeendeadforhours."
"Haveadrink?"Isuggested.
"Alcohol"sirrelevant,"hesaid.
"Mm."
Ipouredformyself,however,andafteraminutehetookthewhiskybottleoutofmyhandandhalffilledthegla.s.sI"dsetoutforhim.
"Anaestheticforlosthopes,"hesaid."Isupposeyou"reright."
"WhenIwasyourage,"Isaid,"Irodethewind.Quiteoften."
Helookedatmeoverhisgla.s.s."You"resayingtherewillbeotherdays?Youdon"tunderstand."
"Ido,youknow.I"lltrytogetyousomemoreofthoseticks."
"How?"
"I"llsleeponit."
Wefoundadinnerofsortsinthefridgeandcupboard,andhesleptinLizzie"sroomsilentlyallnight.
InthemorningItelephonedJohnTigwoodandtoldhimPetermanwasdead.
Tigwood"svoice,pompousasever,fullofbogusfruitiness,wasalsodefensiveandquerulous.
"MarigoldEnglishcomplainedtomethatthehorsewasillandshesaidhehadticks.Rubbish.Utterrubbish,Itoldherso.Horsesdon"thaveticks,dogsandcattledo.I"mnothavingheroryougoingroundspreadingsuchmaliciousrumours."
Isawwithclaritythathefearedhiswholeactwouldfallapartifnoonewouldboardhisgeriatrics.Nomorecollectingtins.Nomoreself-importantbustlingabout.HehadaspowerfulareasonforkeepingquietasIhad.
"Thehorseisatmyhouse,"Isaid.I"llgettheknackerstocollecthim,ifyoulike."
"Yes,"heagreed.
"Howaretheotheroldhorses?"Iasked.
"Perfectlywell,"hesaidfuriously."Andit"syourfaultPetermanwenttoMrsEnglish.Sherefusedpointblanktotakeanyoftheothers."
Imadesoothingnoisesandputdownthereceiver.
Lookingaboutsixteen,GuggenheimcamemournfullydownstairsandstaredoutofthewindowatPeterman"scarca.s.sasifwillinghimbacktotick-infestedlife.
"I"dbettergobacktoEdinburgh,"hesaiddespondently,"unlessanyotherhorsesareill."
"Icanfindoutatlunch.AllthegossipandnewsinPixhillwillbeavailablethen,atMichaelWatermead"shouse."
Hesaidifitwasallrightwithmehewouldstayuntilafterthatandthenleave:hehadon-goingworkinthelaboratorythatheshouldn"tbeneglecting.Fine,Iagreed;andhecouldcomebackinstantly,ofcourse,ifanythingsignificanthappened.
Hegloomilywatchedtheknackerspositiontheirvanbymygardengateandwinchthethinoldcorpseaway.Whatwouldbecomeofhim?Guggenheimasked.Gluefactory,Isaid.Helookedasifhe"djusta.s.soonnothaveknown.
Hecouldn"tbelieve,hesaid,thestateofmysitting-room,stillinamess.Hecouldn"tbelievetheimpactthathaddestroyedthehelicopterandthecar.Themindthathaddoneit,Itoldhim,wa.s.stillwanderingaroundsomewhere,stillinpossessionoftheaxe.
"Butaren"tyou...well...scared?"heasked.
"Careful,"Isaid."That"swhyI"mnottakingyouwithmetolunch.Idon"twantanyoneknowingIknowascientist,especiallyonewho"sanexpertonticks.Ihopeyoudon"tmind."
"Ofcoursenot."Helookedattheaxe-slashedroomandshivered.
Itookhimtothefarmyard,though,andshowedhimthehorseboxeswhichimpressedhimbytheirsize.IexplainedaboutthecontainersunderthreeofthemandsaidIthoughtthetickshadcomeintoEnglandthatwayontherabbits.
"Therewouldhavetobeairholesinthecontainers,"hesaid.
"Sotherewould."
"Haven"tyoulooked?"
"No."
Hewa.s.surprised,butIdidn"texplain.ItookhimbacktomyhouseandlefthimtherewhileIwenttotheWatermeads"lunch.
MaudiegreetedmewithaffectionandMichaelwithwarmth.Manyoftheusualpeoplewerethere:theUshersandBruceFarwayincluded.Tessaindulgedinback-turningandwhisperingintoBenjy"sear.Theyoungerchildrenweremissing:they"dgonetostaywithSusanandHughPalmerstonefortheweekend."TheygetonsowellwithCinders,"Maudiesaid."Suchanicelittlegirl."IrealisedthatI"dhopedCinderswouldagainbeattheWatermeads".Don"tthinkabouther,Itoldmyself.Couldn"thelpit.
IaskedMichaelifhe"dacceptedanyoftheoldhorsesyet.
"Twoofthem,"hesaid,nodding."Skittisholdthings.Runningaboutinmybottompaddockliketwo-year-olds."
IaskedDotthesamequestionandgotadifferentanswer.
"BenjysayswecanputTigwoodoffforafewdays.Don"tknowwhat"sgotintotheolds.h.i.t,actuallydoingwhatIasked."
"Whatdidthatoldhorsedieof,lastyear?"
"Oldage.Somesortoffever.Whatdoesitmatter?Ihatehavingthemabouttheplace."
Thevetwho"dgivenmygeriatricpa.s.sengerstheallclearwasthere,comparingnoteswithBruceFarway.
"How"strade?"Iaskedthem."HowarethesickofPixhill?Anythinginteresting?"
"Iheartheknackerswereatyourhousethismorning,"thevetobserved.
"Newszoomsround,"Isaid,resignedly."Oneoftheoldhorsesdied."
"Youdidn"tcallmein."
"Ididn"tknowhewasthatill,orIwouldhavedone."
Henodded."They"reold.Theydie.Can"tbehelped,it"snature."
"Isanyoneelseintrouble?Anyonegotlastyear"sbug?"
"No,thankgoodness.Justtheusualtendonsandteeth."
"Whatwaslastyear"sbug?"Farwayasked.
Thevetsaid,"Someunspecifiedinfection.Horsesgotfeverish.Igavethemvariousantibiotics,andtheyrecovered."Hefrowned."Itwasworrying,really,becauseallthosehorseslosttheirspeedandformafterit.But,thankgoodness,itwasn"twidespread."
"Interesting,though,"Farwaysaid.
You"llbeinvolvedinPixhill"sfortunesbeforeyouknowit,"thevetteasedhim,andFarwaylookeddisconcerted.
Maudie"ssister,Lorna,cameproprietoriallytoFarway"sside,takinghisarmandeyeingmewiththedisapprovalleftoverfrommynothavingtransportedthegeriatricswithoutpayment.Ifoundherdisapprobationmuchlessalarmingthanherearlierinterestinme.Farwaygaveherafondlookwhilesharingheropinionsofmyself.
Idriftedawayfromthem,feelingisolatedbyhowmuchIhaddiscoveredandwonderingwhatelseIdidn"tknow.
Ed,Tessa"sbrother,stoodalone,lookingsurly.Italkedtohimforabit,tryingtocheerhimup.
"Yourememberyourshow-stopperlastweek?"Iaskedhim."AboutJerichoRichmakingaplayforTessa?"
"ItwastruewhatIsaid,"heinsisteddefensively.
"Idon"tdoubt.i.t."
"Hewaspawingher.Isawhim.Sheslappedhisface."
"Really?"
"Don"tyoubelieveme?NoonebelievesawordIsay."Self-pityswampedhim."JerichoRichsworeatherandtoldherhewouldtakehishorsesawayandTessasaidifhedidshe"dgeteven.Sillylittleb.i.t.c.h.Howcouldshegetevenwithamanlikethat?So,anyway,hedidtakethehorsesawayandwhathasTessadoneabout.i.t?b.l.o.o.d.ynothing,ofcourse.AndDadisn"tevenangrywithher,onlywithmefortellingeveryonewhyJerichoRichleft.Itisn"tfair: "No,"Iagreed.
"You"renottoobad,"hesaidreluctantly.
IsatnexttoMaudieatlunchb.u.t.therewaslittleleftoftheenjoymentI"dfoundatthattableaweekago.Maudiesensedit,tryingtodispelmysadness,butIleftafterthecoffeewithnogreatregrets.
TherewerenofeverishhorsesinPixhill,IreportedtoGuggenheim,anddrovehiminhisowndepress...o...b..cktotheairport.OnthewayhomeIstoppedforpetroland,afterabitofthought,phonedNina"sStow-on-the-Woldnumber.
"Um,"Isaid,"whenyoucometoworktomorrow,bringaparachute."
"What?"
"ForlandingbehindtheenemylinesinoccupiedFrance."
"Isthistheconcussion?"
"Itisnot.Youdon"thavetogoifyoudon"twantto."
"Iwishyou"dexplain."
"CanImeetyousomewhere?Areyoubusy?"
"I"malone...andbored."
"Good.Imean,howabouttheCotswoldGateway?Icouldbetherebeforesix."
"Allright."
AccordinglyIchangeddirectionanddrovewestandnorthtoarriveanhourandahalflateratalargeimpersonaloldhotelontheA40mainroadwhichranacrossthetopoftheCotswoldtownofBurford.Iparkedoutsidethegreatold-fashionedcharmingpile,alandmarkpa.s.sedendlesstimesinmylifeonthewaytoCheltenhamraces.
ShewasalreadytherewhenIarrived,havinghadbyfartheshorterjourney,andshewastheoriginalcompellingNina,notthescrubbedandworkadayversion.
Shewa.s.sittinginachintzarmchairbesideaglowinglogfireintheentrancehall,ateatrayprimlybeforeheronalowtable.
Post-Cheltenhambutbeforethesummertouristseason,theplacewasalmostempty.SherosewhenIcamein,andenjoyedmyadmirationofherappearance.Nojeans,thistime:thelongslenderlegswerecoveredinsteadbyblacktights.Nosloppyoldsweaterbutablackskirt,blackwaistcoat,whitesilkshirtwithbigsleeves,largegoldcufflinksandalongneck-chainofenoughhalf-sovereignstofundaransom.Shesmelled,notofhorses,butsubtlyofgardenias.Theeconomicalbonesofherfacewererevealedandsoftenedbyadustingofpowder.Lips,softlyred.
"Ihardlyliketoaskyou..."Isaid,kissinghercheekasiffromlongclosehabit,"lookingasyoudo..."
"Yousoundedserious."
"Mm."
Wesatdownnearenoughtoeachothertotalk,thoughtherewasnoonetooverhear.
"Firstofall,"Isaid,"Ifoundoutwhat"sbeencarriedundermylorries,anditisnota.s.simpleasdrugs."ShewaitedwhileIpaused,herinterestsharpeningtoacute."IwenttoseeatopCustomsmaninPortsmouth,"Isaid,"toaskwhatcouldn"tmovefreelyinandoutofBritainundertheECregulations.Iexpectyouknow,theCustomsmenneversearchanytrafficnowadaysunlesstheyhavespecificinformationthatdrugswillbefoundinacertainvehicle.Inpractice,itmeansthatanything-guns,cocaine,whatever,comingherefromEurope-hasuntroubledentry.Buthegotveryexcitedaboutcatsanddogs,andrabies...anditseemsthequarantinerulesapply,andalsooneneedsalicenceforthingslikeveterinarymedicines.Anyway,myboxeshavebeencarryingextralivestock,thoughnotcatsanddogs,Idon"tthink,becausetheywouldbothmakeanoise."
Makeanoise?
"Sure.Ifyoucarriedacatinoneofthosecontainers,someonewouldhearitcomplaining."
"Butwhy?You"velostme.Whytakelivestockinthosecontainers?"
"Sothattheladswiththehorseswouldn"tknowabout.i.t.Ifanyhorseboxcarriedanythinginpublicoutoftheordinary,halfthevillagewouldhearabout.i.tinthepub."
"Thenwho"sbeencarryingsecretlivestock?"
"Oneofmydrivers."
"Whichone?"
"Lewis."
"Ohno,Freddie.Hehasthatbaby!"