on, Chrissie, and you’re not using low energy,’ and she was gone.
‘My only recourse is to resign,’ announced Bolton. ‘I doubt if you’ll find anyone to take my share, but that’s your problem, Major. Come, Cindy.’
‘I’m going to send that piccie of her widdlin’ on her compost heap to the News of the World,’ stormed Cindy. ‘Bossy old cow.’
‘I suppose we better try and soldier on till Christmas,’ spluttered the Major.
‘Oh, thank you all so much,’ whispered Etta, ‘I promise you won’t regret it.’
She couldn’t stop shaking and she couldn’t promise any such thing. It had been a terrible blow that her friends Seth, Alan, Joey and Pocock had been prepared to sacrifice Wilkie.
Niall took the initiative, smiling across at Woody, so proud his dear friend had stood out against the majority, then clearing his throat.
‘Dear God, look after Mrs Wilkinson, restore her to health, and please rain blessings on our little Village Horse.’
Etta was slightly comforted when Debbie, who was suffering from Viagra-phobia, drew her aside.
‘Oh Etta, thank you. I’m so sorry Ay didn’t stick up for Wilkie, so pleased the Boltons have gone. Normie’s so crazy about Cindy and Bolton’s invited us to his villa in Portugal, and she’d have been there the whole time.’
84
Despite the saving of Mrs Wilkinson, Etta felt terribly low and guilty that so many of the syndicate were being forced to fork out more than they could afford. Her illusions of a band of brothers had been shattered. She still loved Alan, Joey, Pocock and Seth, but felt she couldn’t trust them any more – and guilt on their parts stopped them dropping in on her. She was passionately grateful to Woody, Painswick and Ione for standing by her and gave them all bottles of sloe gin.
She was exhausted looking after Drummond and Poppy as well as Priceless, whom she adored even though his master, despite his ‘pashnit’ letter on Royal Shakespeare writing paper, clearly wasn’t interested. She mustn’t think of Valent, he belonged to Bonny, who Etta didn’t think was nearly nice enough for him.
Towards Christmas, the weather turned bitterly cold and racing was cancelled. Wilkie couldn’t go on the frozen gallops and the lads, as they broke the ice on the water buckets on dark winter mornings, longed for the spring.
Martin and Romy decided to give a dinner party to raise money for Sampson’s Fund and for WOO.
‘I hope they serve bread and water,’ said Alan, who was not invited.
Those on the guest list included Seth and Corinna, and Bonny and Valent. Martin wanted to tap Valent for cash and get him to lend Badger’s Court for fundraising extravaganzas. Having no loyalty, Martin had also invited Harvey-Holden and Jude the Obese. With the all-weather gallops and indoor school Jude had paid for, H-H was able to carry on training and was very busy buying horses for his demanding new owner, Lester Bolton.
Corinna, still on tour in The Deep Blue Sea, couldn’t make it. Valent, who couldn’t stand Martin and Romy, and who, as the fourth anniversary of Pauline’s death in the Cotchester rail crash approached, was hardly in party mode, wanted to refuse, which resulted in a frightful row with Bonny, who accused him of selfishness.
‘You come all the way back from China for the widow Bancroft’s party. You want me to love living in the sticks, and deny me the opportunity to engage with people. I so enjoy Martin and Romy, who are inviting some congenial locals – you might put me first for once.’
So Valent agreed. He could check on his cockpit office and on Marius and it would be nice to see Etta again.
Also staying with Martin and Romy was Blanche Osborne, Sampson’s chief mistress, who had caused Etta such unhappiness. She had just come reluctantly out of mourning, designer black had so suited her pale blonde hair and creamy complexion. She had left her husband Basil behind and, as Corinna was still away on tour, would make up the eight.
Martin decided it would be easier if Etta wasn’t present, even if she were only waitressing and clearing away. It would be difficult for Blanche to be herself. And after the court case over Mrs Wilkinson, he was sure Harvey-Holden would be happier if Etta wasn’t around, so he had employed Trixie, which he knew would please Seth.
Not prepared to risk Etta’s cooking after her chilli con carne fiasco, Romy had bought dinner in from William’s Kitchen. But they needed Etta’s help in bulling the place up, laying