fly up to interview Amber if she got a ride in the National. He didn’t realize he simply hadn’t the strength.
Feeling horribly disloyal to Marius, knowing the press would have a field day, Amber rang her godmother Taggie to discover when Rupert had ten minutes free and drove over to Penscombe. She had spent a lot of time there as a child, but always been aware that Rupert was the rich man in his castle, the Lloyd-Foxes the comparatively poor men at his gate. Rupert’s daughter Tabitha had won Olympic Gold for eventing and another daughter, Eddie’s mother Perdita, was an international polo player. Suddenly Amber had a desperate urge to be up with them.
Taggie hugged her, loving as ever, but she looked harassed. ‘I’m afraid Rupert’s very uptight.’
Amber found Rupert in his office, which had two doors so he could escape from people he didn’t want to see; probably her as well, when she begged him to let her ride Mrs Wilkinson.
‘Dad’s only got a few weeks to live. He’ll never see another Grand National.’
‘You don’t have the experience,’ said Rupert flatly, horrified how thin and pale she looked. ‘It’s too tough for a slight girl on a very small horse. Aintree has made heroic efforts to make the entire course, and particularly the fences, more forgiving, but there are still thirty of them. Thirty fences, four and a half miles, loose horses careering everywhere, like no other race. Statistically half the field don’t come home. No mare’s won for years. No woman rider’s ever won. No grey’s won since Nicolaus Silver. The odds are against you. Like girls playing rugger against Martin Johnson.’ Rupert took a deep breath. ‘I don’t want to risk you or Mrs Wilkinson’s lives, angel.’
‘Mrs Wilkinson will be much safer if I’m riding her. Her whiskers have grown, we’ll slide through the gaps. Please, Rupert, for Dad’s sake.’
Bitterly regretting there would now be no chance of Eddie riding his grandfather’s three-thousandth winner on the People’s Pony, Rupert agreed to let Amber ride her instead.
‘But you’re going to have to build up some muscle. Tomorrow you’re taking Wilkie drag hunting, four runs over really fast, high black fences to give her some practice.’
Feeling sick with guilt, Amber drove back to Throstledown. Marius was so proud, would he regard her riding Wilkie as the final betrayal and chuck her out? Mistletoe ran out to welcome her, but Painswick had fortunately gone shopping. Amber was about to break the news to Marius when a car drew up and a lot of terriers and India Oakridge fell out.
‘Daddy, Daddy,’ screamed India, rushing into the office, ‘look what Mummy’s just bought me.’
They were the first cuddly Wilkinsons and Chisolms.
‘They’re absolutely awesome. Wilkie neighs, sticks her tongue out and shakes hands and Chisolm bleats and butts people. Look, she’s got a flower in her mouth. Aren’t they lovely?’
‘That is neat,’ said Amber, picking up Wilkie, ‘and just like her. Where did you get it?’
‘Cavendish House, they’re galloping out of the shops,’ said India’s mother, walking in wearing dark glasses.
‘Look at Chisolm,’ cried India. Having wound up the goat, she put her on the table, where she promptly butted Marius’s whisky on to the floor.
‘Well done, Chisolm,’ said Olivia coolly. ‘Daddy shouldn’t be drinking whisky in the middle of the afternoon anyway.’ Then, turning to Amber, ‘And you can get out. This is where I belong.’
If it hadn’t been for the split-second lighthouse beam of hope and happiness on Marius’s face, Amber might have put up a ght.
‘OK, I’ll pack my things.’
‘Amber, wait,’ called out Marius, but he didn’t follow her upstairs.
There wasn’t much to pack, she’d lived in Marius’s shirts since she’d been there.
Back in the kitchen she found India had escaped to see the horses, and Marius and Olivia gazing at each other as though they were playing statues.
‘I’m off,’ said Amber. ‘I just want to say one thing, Olivia. Marius loves you. He and I only got together because we both desperately needed someone, but we aren’t making each other happy. He’s a brilliant trainer, and you were a brilliant team together, but he’s done really well in the last year without you, so don’t mess him around any more.’ For a second she crouched down to stroke Mistletoe. ‘And please look after this sweet dog because she’s got a lousy home here.’
‘How dare you,’ exploded Olivia, but Amber had turned to Marius. ‘Thank you for having me to stay. Sorry I won’t have time to write a