Deadfall (36 page)

‘Wow!' Linc breathed, almost reverently. ‘That's amazing! Thank you. Thank you so much. I didn't expect anything like this.'

His father looked half-embarrassed. ‘Well, it's yours, for God's sake! Should have had it before now, by rights, but you weren't here, were you?'

Linc suppressed a wry smile. Since his uncharacteristic show of emotion after Linc's accident, his father had been more distant than ever. This brusque retort was more like the man he knew.

‘Well, thank you anyway. It's nice to have. I wasn't even sure it was still in the family.'

Lord Tremayne grunted. ‘Even that wastrel St John knew better than to gamble away the Farthingscourt Emerald.'

‘I'll look even more like him if I start wearing this. Perhaps I should get my ear pierced so I can wear the earring, too . . .' he mused.

His father treated him to a withering look but
didn't rise to the bait. ‘So, what are you doing with yourself today – to celebrate, I mean? Taking that girl of yours somewhere?'

‘Actually, Crispin and Nikki have invited us over for a meal,' he said. Crispin had, in fact, only just rung with the offer and he hadn't yet had a chance to put it to Josie. After last night, he wasn't sure how she'd react, and the thought was deeply unsettling. How had things become such a mess?

‘That'll be nice. Young Nikki's a pretty good cook. But we'll have a proper family dinner party when I get back. I'd like to see Josie again.'

‘Sure,' Linc agreed. He hadn't told his father about Abby's accusations and the present sensitive nature of his relationship with Josie. Time enough if anything came of it, God forbid.

Crispin and Nikki's dinner party was a great success. When Linc rang Josie to relay the invitation she accepted instantly, showing none of the previous night's indecision, but scolded him unmercifully for not warning her of his birthday in advance.

‘What the hell am I going to get you?' she wanted to know.

‘You don't have to get me anything,' he said in the age-old and totally unrealistic way that people have in such situations. ‘Anyway, how was I supposed to warn you? I could hardly just come out with it in conversation. “Oh, by the way, I think you should know it's my birthday next week.” It's not exactly subtle!'

‘Well,
I
would have found a way,' she maintained, ‘if it was
my
birthday – which, while we're on the subject, is on December the twenty-eighth.'

In spite of her complaints, she turned up at North Lodge Cottage at the appointed time with a large, square silver-papered box under her arm. Crispin sent her through to the sitting room, where Linc was already drinking a beer and playing with the laptop computer which had been his brother's and Nikki's present to him, and went to fetch her a glass of wine.

Putting aside his new toy, Linc got up to meet her, said ‘Hi', and kissed her on the cheek.

She responded in kind and then held out the package. ‘This is for you. Many happies, and don't you dare say “you shouldn't have”!'

‘Thank you.' He took it meekly, but his eyes returned to her face, asking softly, ‘Are we all right? Last night, I wasn't sure . . .'

She nodded. ‘We're fine. It's just, all this stuff going on . . . I feel like I'm being pulled in all directions. But I lay awake a long time last night, thinking, and I know now that whatever happens I'm with you. Nothing else feels right. So,' she added briskly, ‘you're stuck with me, buster! Now open the bloody present, will you!'

The box, when he finally fought his way through the paper and sticky tape, contained a new crash hat.

‘I thought you might need that if you're riding Hobo tomorrow,' Josie told him. ‘Since your old one is completely shattered!'

‘God! I hadn't thought of that. Yes, thank you very much.' Not having ridden Noddy all week, Linc had forgotten that – designed to absorb and disperse the shock from a fall such as he had suffered – his helmet would almost certainly need replacing.

‘It's the same size and make as your old one, so it should fit. Sorry it's not more exciting but I knew you'd need one.'

‘No, it's brilliant. I'd completely forgotten. Thanks.'

After an initial protest for form's sake, Nikki gladly accepted Josie's offer of help in the kitchen, and it was decided by mutual consent that Linc and Crispin would go for a walk while the girls put the finishing touches to the meal.

Although the day had been fine and fairly bright, a chilly east wind had sprung up as the sun started to sink and now the sky threatened rain. Crispin hesitated at the door, looking at his brother's canvas jacket.

‘That might be the height of fashion, Bro, but it doesn't look very weatherproof. Do you want to borrow a proper coat?' He indicated a miscellaneous collection of garments that hung on a row of hooks in the porch.

‘Well, I didn't know I was going to be trudging round the countryside in the dark, did I?' Linc pointed out. ‘Thanks. I will borrow something, if I may. Actually, that's the downside of going out with a model. You've got a lot to live up to.'

‘You know Josie's not like that,' Crispin said, holding out an old and much-worn waxed jacket. ‘Here, take this, we call it our utility coat. It's nobody's in particular and available for the use of the community – well, within reason anyway!'

They walked for the best part of an hour through the gathering dusk, Linc enjoying the company of his younger brother more than he could ever remember. He supposed it was because they were
both more mature and shedding all the hang-ups of sibling rivalry, but whatever the reason they returned to the cottage in light-hearted mood. The wind had become unseasonably cold as darkness fell and Linc slid his hands into the pockets of the borrowed coat amongst the jumble of bits and pieces they already contained. He tried not to analyse these, but the left pocket was being weighed down by what felt like a plastic tub, and by the time they got back to the house curiosity had got the better of him and in the light of the porch he investigated it.

It turned out to be a pot of Vaseline, exactly like the one he'd bought to stop the pink skin around Noddy's mouth chapping. In fact, judging by the horse hairs stuck to a smear of grease on the outside of the pot, it
was
his. By the weight of it, there was a fair amount left, so he showed Crispin.

‘Somebody's pilfered my Vaseline,' he joked. ‘I'd better have it back because I'm riding Nina's horse tomorrow, and she has been known to forget the odd item of kit!'

Crispin nodded. ‘Yeah, take it. I can't remember who was wearing that coat last Saturday. Must have been either Beverley or Niks. Let's blame Beverley, shall we?'

‘So, where is Mother-in-law this evening?' Linc asked. ‘Have you sent her out for the evening, or is she gagged and bound in one of the rooms upstairs?'

‘Don't tempt me,' Crispin said, laughing. ‘Actually, she's gone back to Surrey because her house-sitter couldn't stay another week. But,' he said, holding up a hand, ‘before you cheer, she's coming back in time for the fair.'

The inner door opened and Nikki peered round it.

‘Oh, there you are! When I said go for a walk, I didn't mean to Shaftesbury and back! You've got two minutes flat to go to the loo, wash your hands and be sitting at the table.'

They made it, in due course, with just seconds to spare, arriving at the table almost at the same time as the prawn cocktails that formed the first course.

Josie and Nikki followed them in, bearing two of these apiece and laughing about something that one of them had said. They were both flushed from the heat of the kitchen and appeared to have struck up a friendship.

‘Well, no need to feel guilty about leaving you two to do all the work,' Crispin commented. ‘You've obviously been having a ball out there.'

‘Just as if you were feeling guilty anyway!' Nikki scoffed, putting a cocktail down in front of her husband. ‘I bet you didn't even spare a thought for us. Well, as a matter of fact, we
have
had fun, talking about girl stuff. Comparing notes, you might say.' This last was said with a sideways glance and a wink at Josie, who smiled in return.

‘Oh, God! Now I'm feeling really nervous!' Crispin said. ‘Comparing notes? On what?'

‘Oh, yes, we're really going to tell you. Get on with your starter.'

Linc raised an eyebrow at Josie, who shook her head.

‘No. Absolutely not. It's girls' stuff. We don't ask what you guys talk about. By the way, have you seen the kittens? Nikki's going to let me have one when they're ready to go. I thought Abby might like it.'

‘You mean, you want one and that's a convenient excuse,' Linc teased. Crispin had showed him the cardboard box that was home to their tabby cat and her six young kittens when he'd first arrived.

The meal was excellent, the conversation non-stop, and by midnight, when Linc reluctantly broke the party up by reminding the others that he had to be up early to ride Hobo at the one-day event, they decided they'd all attend the horse trials to cheer him on.

With the possible exception of Crispin, who was neither pregnant nor driving nor due to ride the following day, wine had been drunk only in moderation, and Linc had no qualms about seeing Josie set off for home in the E-type. Crispin and Nikki thoughtfully waved goodbye from the doorway of the cottage, leaving Linc to walk her to her car.

‘Do you know . . .' Josie said, as they reached the gate . . . ‘Nikki asked me how long I'd known you, and I realised it's only been six weeks. It feels like ages.'

‘I'm not quite sure how to take that,' he remarked, stopping and turning to face her.

She laughed. ‘No, it's just that so much has happened.'

‘You didn't tell her about the engagement?'

‘Of course not. We agreed, didn't we?'

‘Mmm. Did I ever tell you – you look beautiful in the moonlight?'

‘There is no moon,' Josie pointed out.

‘Oh, God! Where's your sense of romance, Jo Jo? What am I supposed to say, you little wretch? You look beautiful under a cloudy sky with spits of drizzle in the wind? Come here . . .'

It was several minutes before the growl of the sports car's engine split the night air.

Hobo looked fit and ready for anything when Linc joined him on the showground the next morning. Nina's groom had saddled him and was gently warming him up under his owner's watchful eye.

‘You'll soon be able to ride him again yourself,' Linc commented, noticing that her arm was no longer in plaster. He pulled on his new crash hat, wincing as it pressed on the remains of his bruises, and adjusted the strap under his chin.

‘Mmm. I've ridden him at home, but this is a bit different.'

‘Not that I'm anxious to lose the ride, especially with Noddy sidelined for the foreseeable, but I thought you must be itching to get back on.'

‘Mmm,' she said again, looking pensive. ‘Actually, I'd be quite happy for you to go on riding him, if you'd like to. I think he goes much better for you. You give him confidence.'

‘Oh, I think that's just practice. Once you get into the swing of it again, you'll be all right.'

Nina bit her lip and then took a deep breath. ‘No. I've been thinking about it for quite a while, and I'd like you to ride him for me. If you want to, that is. To be honest, I'm not really brave enough. I prefer the behind the scenes stuff, getting him fit and schooling him, maybe the odd local hunter trial. But with something like this, I find watching you take him round is all the excitement I need!'

‘Well, I'd love to, of course. He's a super horse, but I want you to promise that if you ever change
your mind, you won't hesitate to tell me – no matter what stage of his career we've reached.'

‘That wouldn't be very fair!' she protested.

‘Promise?' Linc was adamant.

She nodded. ‘Okay, I promise. But it won't happen.'

Whether Linc's resulting high spirits lifted Hobo's performance or not it was impossible to tell, but the horse positively sparkled in his dressage test, and as they changed his tack for the showjumping it was with the knowledge that at this early stage he led the field by a comfortable margin.

With a neat clear round in the showjumping behind him and the start of the cross-country delayed by a fault in the public address system, Linc was free to wander round the trade stands with his brother and the two girls, both of whom appeared to be in high spirits. Josie was, as usual, effortlessly elegant, in denim and cashmere topped off by a linen hat that stopped her long hair whipping about in the breeze. Nikki was equally chic, and side by side, one dark and one blonde, they turned quite a few heads.

Crispin was experimenting with a new digital camera and was consequently taking pictures of anything vaguely photogenic – and quite a lot that wasn't, as far as Linc could see – and as a result, kept getting left behind. Linc and the girls browsed the stalls, collecting oddments that took their fancy and, in a charity tombola, Linc won a huge teddy bear that he presented to Josie with a flourish.

Nikki leaned close and whispered something in Josie's ear. It made her laugh, and as they moved on, Linc thought contentedly that the girls' growing
friendship boded well for the future.

Crispin had crouched down, taking a picture of a small child who held the lead of a huge hairy dog, and Linc had paused to watch, leaving the girls to go on ahead, when a gust of wind lifted the brim of Josie's hat, snatching it from her head and tossing it on the rough grass between the two nearest stands. As she turned to retrieve it, three things happened almost simultaneously: the long-silent loudspeaker system whined and popped as it finally came to life, a rousing cheer went up from a group of youngsters outside the beer tent across the way and, just yards away from Josie's stooping form, the driver of an idling Land-Rover suddenly put it into reverse.