One Night Only (65 page)

“It
’
s
on
!
O
h
m
y
God
,
they’r
e
linin
g
u
p
t
o
start!
”
said
Poll
y
.
“
I
thin
k
I’
m
goin
g
t
o
b
e
sick!
”

“Drink
s
ar
e
o
n
me
,
ladies!
”
sai
d
Duncan
,
wh
o
had
s
neake
d
a
we
e
nift
y
fift
y
o
n
th
e
horse
’
s
nos
e
himself
,
an
d
they
grabbe
d
thei
r
glasse
s
fro
m
th
e
ba
r
an
d
stoo
d
amongs
t
a
t
leas
t
te
n
Donega
l
men
,
waitin
g
fo
r
th
e
off
.

H
e
wa
s
a
beaut
y
,
tha
t
horse
,
an
d
ever
y
tim
e
Rut
h
saw hi
m
i
n
th
e
newspape
r
o
r
o
n
th
e
box
,
sh
e
stare
d
a
t
hi
m
and wondere
d
i
f
th
e
hors
e
kne
w
an
y
o
f
th
e
scanda
l
befor
e
she
did
.
Sh
e
wondere
d
i
f
Spud
,
a
s
h
e
wa
s
know
n
o
n
a
daily basis
,
ha
d
witnesse
d
an
y
o
f
Jeffre
y
an
d
Spencer
’
s
dirty shenanigan
s
whe
n
sh
e
wa
s
workin
g
i
n
Londo
n
o
r
when th
e
childre
n
wer
e
a
t
school
.

“G
o
on
,
ye
h
wir
y
we
e
hoo
r
yeh
,
Baker!
”
shoute
d
one o
f
th
e
me
n
a
t
th
e
tell
y
.

“He
’
s
a
quee
r
we
e
git!
”
sai
d
T
es
s
an
d
th
e
punter
s
roared
i
n
support
.

An
d
the
y
wer
e
off
!

Melanie
’
s
W
a
y
traile
d
behin
d
t
o
begi
n
with
,
har
d
to spo
t
amongs
t
th
e
flurr
y
o
f
hoove
s
an
d
colou
r
an
d
th
e
girls
squinte
d
an
d
straine
d
thei
r
eye
s
t
o
fin
d
him
.

“Ther
e
h
e
is!
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
“
I
coul
d
spo
t
hi
m
a
mile
awa
y
.
G
o
on
,
Spud
!
D
o
i
t
fo
r
you
r
mammy!
”

Th
e
rac
e
wa
s
franti
c
an
d
somewha
t
disturbin
g
with tw
o
horse
s
fallin
g
a
t
th
e
firs
t
hurdl
e
an
d
anothe
r
on
e
at th
e
second
,
bu
t
Melanie
’
s
W
a
y
unde
r
th
e
slic
k
guidanc
e
of
W
asp
y
W
ais
t
Spence
r
wa
s
makin
g
stead
y
progress
,
making
hi
s
wa
y
int
o
fourt
h
place
,
the
n
swiftl
y
ont
o
thir
d
an
d
with
onl
y
second
s
t
o
go
,
Spence
r
spurre
d
hi
m
o
n
wit
h
al
l
his
migh
t
int
o
a
might
y
first
.
H
e
ha
d
won
!
Melanie
’
s
W
a
y
had won
!

“Hol
y
shit
,
Ruth
!
Y
ou’r
e
a
blood
y
genius!
”
screamed
T
ess
.

“Bu
y
tha
t
woma
n
a
drink
!
Wh
o
i
s
she?
”
aske
d
on
e
of th
e
punter
s
wh
o
the
n
mad
e
hi
s
wa
y
ove
r
t
o
Ruth
.
H
e
was
a
red-faced
,
red-haired
,
friendl
y
cha
p
wh
o
introduced
himsel
f
a
s
Michael
.

“
I
don
’
t
nee
d
yo
u
t
o
bu
y
m
e
a
drink,
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
“But
thank
s
al
l
th
e
same
.
I’v
e
jus
t
wo
n
thre
e
thousan
d
fucking
euro
!
W
o
o
hoo
!
Drink
s
ar
e
o
n
me!
”

Th
e
me
n
scramble
d
t
o
th
e
ba
r
,
mos
t
o
f
the
m
tryin
g
to
edg
e
thei
r
wa
y
toward
s
T
es
s
an
d
Poll
y
,
bu
t
Michae
l
only ha
d
eye
s
fo
r
Ruth
.

Rut
h
coul
d
fee
l
he
r
fac
e
flush
.
Sh
e
wasn
’
t
use
d
to attentio
n
fro
m
men
,
apar
t
fro
m
whe
n
i
t
cam
e
t
o
racing tips
,
an
d
thi
s
ma
n
ha
d
barel
y
looke
d
a
t
T
es
s
o
r
Poll
y
.
Men
alway
s
looke
d
a
t
T
es
s
an
d
Poll
y
.
The
y
wer
e
lik
e
tw
o
men-
magnet
s
an
d
Ruth
,
despit
e
he
r
size
,
ha
d
alway
s
been
invisibl
e
i
n
comparison
.
H
e
wa
s
obviousl
y
afte
r
a
ti
p
but
sh
e
stil
l
fel
t
flattered
.