"Fact, sir. I never plays tricks with gents I knows. Honesty"s the best policy, sir; and you know as you can trust Sam Simpkins."
"But--but--Good heavens! What does it mean? Lady Tilborough never said a word. Then that"s why I couldn"t see any sign of her people down by the paddock."
"That"s it, sir."
"But why? What"s the reason?"
"No jock, sir. Ladyship"s man"s down--acciden", killed, or ill, or some"at. Anyhow, he can"t ride the mare, and as you well know, n.o.body else can."
"Oh!" groaned the doctor.
"Why, you hain"t put anything on her, have you, sir?"
"I have, Sam, heavily, and for a friend as well."
"Then you"re in the wrong box, sir, and no mistake. That comes o" gents going on their own hook instead o" taking a honest agent"s advice."
"Give me yours now, then, Sam, and I shall be for ever grateful."
"Anything to oblige an old patron, sir.--All right, I"m a-coming," cried the trainer, in answer to a call from one of the servants, who came out of a side door. "What is it?"
"Wanted by one of the men from the stables."
"All right. Here, you look out and hedge all you can, sir. Jim Crow"s your game."
"The dark horse," groaned the doctor, wildly; "he must be black. Ah, poor darling, there she is!"
For Lady Tilborough came back, in her quick, eager way. "Ah, doctor, still here?" she cried. "Where"s that scoundrel Simpkins? Hallo!
What"s the matter? Bad news?"
"Yes, horrible, I didn"t know. It"s ruin for me; but I don"t care; I"m in agony about you and the losses it means to you."
"What!" cried the lady, turning pale. "Is there another crux?"
"Yes," cried the doctor, catching her hands, and the genuine tears stood in his eyes.
"Don"t shilly-shally, man," she cried angrily. "Out with it, and get it over."
"La Sylphide!"
"What about her? Some accident?"
"Yes. I"d have given anything not to be the bearer of such hideous news."
"Let me have it at once, and I"ll bear it like a woman, doctor. I"m not one of your hysterical sort."
"No; the bravest lady I ever met."
"Then let me have it. What has the mare done?"
"Thrown your jockey or something. He"s half-killed, I believe."
"Oh, bosh! Stale news. You mean Josh Rowle?"
"Yes. How can you bear it like that?"
"Bear it?" cried the lady. "You should have seen me a couple of hours ago. Mad, doctor, mad."
"While now--"
"Merry as a lark, man; I"ve got another rider."
"You have? Oh, thank goodness! Thank goodness! Don"t take any notice of me, Lady Tilborough. I was quite knocked over."
"On account of my losing?"
"Well, yes. I was heavily on too, for myself and poor Hilt Lisle."
"Oh, you did the business for him then? I knew he was in to the tune of four thou"."
"But your man, Lady Tilborough? Can you trust him to ride the mare?"
"Trust him! Why, it"s Hilt himself."
"What! Hilt going to ride the mare?"
"Yes, my dear boy; and he"ll save the race."
"Lady Tilborough, you"ve made me a happy man," cried the doctor.
"Have I?" she said drily, and with a merry look in her eye. "Well, be happy, for I don"t think you"ll lose, Granton," she said softly. "I can read men pretty well. Long experience. That was real. You were cut up at the thought of my losing."
"Cut up?" he cried earnestly and naturally. "It made me forget poor Hilt and myself."
"Thank you, dear boy," she said quietly. "I never thought you so true a friend before."
She glanced at her watch.
"Time"s on the wing," she said. "Hilt Lisle ought to be here by now; he was to meet me at the hotel, but I must have a look at the mare."
"May I go with you?"
"If you wish to," was the reply, and joy began a triumphant dance in the young doctor"s brain, for there was a something in the way in which those words were uttered. None of the light badinage, laughter and repartee, for Lady Tilborough seemed to have suddenly turned thoughtful and subdued, as she pa.s.sed out, unconscious of the fact that the trainer had entered the hall and was watching her keenly.
"Beg pardon, sir," he said, following up Granton.
"Oh, bother! Well, what is it?"
"Sorry to see her ladyship so down in the mouth now. You should put her up to a bit of hedging on Jim Crow."