One Night Only (59 page)

“No
,
no
t
a
t
all,
”
sai
d
Ruth
,
sittin
g
tal
l
an
d
feelin
g
very
muc
h
i
n
he
r
comfor
t
zon
e
no
w
tha
t
a
subjec
t
clos
e
t
o
her hear
t
ha
d
com
e
u
p
i
n
th
e
conversation
.
“M
y
husband
,
I
mean
,
m
y
ex
-husband
,
wa
s
a
jocke
y
.
”

T
es
s
an
d
Polly
’
s
eye
s
widened
.
Rut
h
o
n
to
p
o
f
a
jockey!
A
jocke
y
o
n
to
p
o
f
Ruth
!
No
,
no
,
no
!

“I’
m
joking
!
I
though
t
tha
t
woul
d
ge
t a
reaction!” laughe
d
Ruth
.
“Imagin
e
m
e
an
d
a
jocke
y
i
n
th
e
sack
!
I’d
swallo
w
hi
m
u
p
i
n
on
e
gulp
!
No
,
m
y
ex-husban
d
Jeffrey
wa
s
a
traine
r
.
A
professiona
l
traine
r
.
On
e
o
f
th
e
best
,
i
f
I
d
o
sa
y
so
,
an
d
h
e
owne
d
hi
s
ow
n
racehorse
,
Melanie
’
s
W
a
y
.
W
e
name
d
i
t
afte
r
ou
r
daughte
r
.
”
He
r
eye
s
glistened
a
s
sh
e
spoke
.
“Horse-racin
g
wa
s
ou
r
life
,
reall
y
,
bu
t
he wa
s
awa
y
a
lot
.
I
staye
d
a
t
hom
e
an
d
looke
d
afte
r
the childre
n
i
n
th
e
earl
y
years
,
bu
t
the
n
I
di
d
a
cours
e
in graphi
c
desig
n
an
d
starte
d
m
y
ow
n
busines
s
fro
m
home.
W
it
h
hi
s
hug
e
connections
,
i
t
gre
w
an
d
gre
w
an
d
then befor
e
I
kne
w
i
t
I
wa
s
se
t
u
p
i
n
th
e
centr
e
o
f
Londo
n
and i
t
wa
s
al
l
goin
g
reall
y
wel
l
unti
l
.
.
.
”
Sh
e
traile
d
of
f
and too
k
a
si
p
o
f
he
r
drink
.

“
Y
o
u
don
’
t
hav
e
t
o
tal
k
abou
t
thi
s
i
f
yo
u
don
’
t
want to,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
,
placin
g
a
han
d
ove
r
Ruth
’
s
.
“
W
e
ca
n
just g
o
an
d
stic
k
a
five
r
o
n
th
e
nos
e
o
f
th
e
hors
e
wit
h
the cooles
t
nam
e
i
f
yo
u
want
?
That
’
s
ho
w
I
wor
k
th
e
Grand National
.
I
clos
e
m
y
eye
s
an
d
stic
k
a
pi
n
o
n
th
e
pag
e
and
I
eve
n
wo
n
a
tenne
r
once.
”

“No
,
no
,
I
thin
k
it
’
s
importan
t
I
d
o
tal
k
abou
t
it,
”
said Ruth
.
“M
y
God
,
I’v
e
bee
n
dyin
g
t
o
tal
k
abou
t
i
t
fo
r
ages
bu
t
m
y
friend
s
i
n
Londo
n .
.
.
well
,
wh
o
wa
s
I
withou
t
the grea
t
Jeffre
y
Landsbury?
”

“Jeffre
y
Landsbury
!
Wha
t a
pos
h
name,
”
sai
d
Gina
.
“He sound
s
lik
e
a
characte
r
i
n
a
crim
e
novel
.
Jeffre
y
Landsbury!”
“So
,
wha
t
happened?
”
aske
d
T
es
s
an
d
Poll
y
gav
e
he
r
a
shar
p
dig
.

“
T
ess
!
I
thin
k
Rut
h
know
s
wha
t
sh
e
want
s
t
o
tel
l
and wha
t
sh
e
doesn
’
t
.
Don
’
t
forc
e
her!
”

“It
’
s
fine,
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
“I’v
e
bee
n
talkin
g
t
o
counsellors fo
r
year
s
abou
t
wha
t
happene
d
s
o
it
’
s
nic
e
t
o
hav
e
some
rea
l
peopl
e
t
o
communicat
e
wit
h
fo
r
a
change.
”

“G
o
on,
”
sai
d
T
ess
,
enjoyin
g
th
e
gossip
.