Driving Force Part 35

ForpooroldPeterman,however,itwasalreadytoolate.WhenGuggenheimandIwentoutintothedarkgarden,mygameoldpartnerwaslyingintheshadowsonmylawnbarelyayardfromwhereI'dlefthim,hisvisibleeyealreadydull,thestillnessofdeathunmistakable.

Guggenheim'sgriefwasforhisowncareer;mineforthelong-agoracesandthespeedof.a.greathorse.

Guggenheimhadbroughtnotsoapforfindingticksbutaverysmallbattery-poweredhand-heldvacuumcleaner.HetriedhisbestalloverPeterman,butaninspectionofthecollecteddebrisfromthehorse'sskindisappointedhimabysmally.

Hebentoverhismicroscopeinmykitchenutteringsoftdespairingmoans.

'Nothing.Nothing.Youmusthavebroughtallofthemonthesoap.'Hesoundedalmostaccusing,asifI'druinedthingsonpurpose.'b.u.t.thisistypical.ThecarrierofE.risticiiisbrutallyelusive.Ticksfeedonblood.Theyburrowtheirheadsrightthroughtheskinoftheirhost.TheEhrlichiaethatliveinthetickpa.s.sfromthetickintothebloodofthehostandcombinewithcertainbloodcells.Iwon'tboreyouwithit,it'sincrediblycomplicated...b.u.t.they'reonlyviableinlivingcells,andthishorsehasbeendeadforhours.'

'Haveadrink?'Isuggested.

'Alcohol'sirrelevant,'hesaid.

'Mm.'

Ipouredformyself,however,andafteraminutehetookthewhiskybottleoutofmyhandandhalffilledthegla.s.sI'dsetoutforhim.

'Anaestheticforlosthopes,'hesaid.'Isupposeyou'reright.'

'WhenIwasyourage,'Isaid,'Irodethewind.Quiteoften.'

Helookedatmeoverhisgla.s.s.'You'resayingtherewillbeotherdays?Youdon'tunderstand.'

'Ido,youknow.I'lltrytogetyousomemoreofthoseticks.'

'How?'

'I'llsleeponit.'

Wefoundadinnerofsortsinthefridgeandcupboard,andhesleptinLizzie'sroomsilentlyallnight.

InthemorningItelephonedJohnTigwoodandtoldhimPetermanwasdead.

Tigwood'svoice,pompousasever,fullofbogusfruitiness,wasalsodefensiveandquerulous.

'MarigoldEnglishcomplainedtomethatthehorsewasillandshesaidhehadticks.Rubbish.Utterrubbish,Itoldherso.Horsesdon'thaveticks,dogsandcattledo.I'mnothavingheroryougoingroundspreadingsuchmaliciousrumours.'

Isawwithclaritythathefearedhiswholeactwouldfallapartifnoonewouldboardhisgeriatrics.Nomorecollectingtins.Nomoreself-importantbustlingabout.HehadaspowerfulareasonforkeepingquietasIhad.

'Thehorseisatmyhouse,'Isaid.I'llgettheknackerstocollecthim,ifyoulike.'

'Yes,'heagreed.

'Howaretheotheroldhorses?'Iasked.

'Perfectlywell,'hesaidfuriously.'Andit'syourfaultPetermanwenttoMrsEnglish.Sherefusedpointblanktotakeanyoftheothers.'

Imadesoothingnoisesandputdownthereceiver.

Lookingaboutsixteen,GuggenheimcamemournfullydownstairsandstaredoutofthewindowatPeterman'scarca.s.sasifwillinghimbacktotick-infestedlife.

'I'dbettergobacktoEdinburgh,'hesaiddespondently,'unlessanyotherhorsesareill.'

'Icanfindoutatlunch.AllthegossipandnewsinPixhillwillbeavailablethen,atMichaelWatermead'shouse.'

Hesaidifitwasallrightwithmehewouldstayuntilafterthatandthenleave:hehadon-goingworkinthelaboratorythatheshouldn'tbeneglecting.Fine,Iagreed;andhecouldcomebackinstantly,ofcourse,ifanythingsignificanthappened.

Hegloomilywatchedtheknackerspositiontheirvanbymygardengateandwinchthethinoldcorpseaway.Whatwouldbecomeofhim?Guggenheimasked.Gluefactory,Isaid.Helookedasifhe'djusta.s.soonnothaveknown.

Hecouldn'tbelieve,hesaid,thestateofmysitting-room,stillinamess.Hecouldn'tbelievetheimpactthathaddestroyedthehelicopterandthecar.Themindthathaddoneit,Itoldhim,wa.s.stillwanderingaroundsomewhere,stillinpossessionoftheaxe.

'Butaren'tyou...well...scared?'heasked.

'Careful,'Isaid.'That'swhyI'mnottakingyouwithmetolunch.Idon'twantanyoneknowingIknowascientist,especiallyonewho'sanexpertonticks.Ihopeyoudon'tmind.'

'Ofcoursenot.'Helookedattheaxe-slashedroomands.h.i.+vered.

Itookhimtothefarmyard,though,andshowedhimthehorseboxeswhichimpressedhimbytheirsize.IexplainedaboutthecontainersunderthreeofthemandsaidIthoughtthetickshadcomeintoEnglandthatwayontherabbits.

'Therewouldhavetobeairholesinthecontainers,'hesaid.

'Sotherewould.'

'Haven'tyoulooked?'

'No.'

Hewa.s.surprised,butIdidn'texplain.ItookhimbacktomyhouseandlefthimtherewhileIwenttotheWatermeads'lunch.

MaudiegreetedmewithaffectionandMichaelwithwarmth.Manyoftheusualpeoplewerethere:theUshersandBruceFarwayincluded.Tessaindulgedinback-turningandwhisperingintoBenjy'sear.Theyoungerchildrenweremissing:they'dgonetostaywithSusanandHughPalmerstonefortheweekend.'TheygetonsowellwithCinders,'Maudiesaid.'Suchanicelittlegirl.'IrealisedthatI'dhopedCinderswouldagainbeattheWatermeads'.Don'tthinkabouther,Itoldmyself.Couldn'thelpit.

IaskedMichaelifhe'dacceptedanyoftheoldhorsesyet.

'Twoofthem,'hesaid,nodding.'Skittisholdthings.Runningaboutinmybottompaddockliketwo-year-olds.'

IaskedDotthesamequestionandgotadifferentanswer.

'BenjysayswecanputTigwoodoffforafewdays.Don'tknowwhat'sgotintotheolds.h.i.+t,actuallydoingwhatIasked.'

'Whatdidthatoldhorsedieof,lastyear?'

'Oldage.Somesortoffever.Whatdoesitmatter?Ihatehavingthemabouttheplace.'

Thevetwho'dgivenmygeriatricpa.s.sengerstheallclearwasthere,comparingnoteswithBruceFarway.

'How'strade?'Iaskedthem.'HowarethesickofPixhill?Anythinginteresting?'

'Iheartheknackerswereatyourhousethismorning,'thevetobserved.

'Newszoomsround,'Isaid,resignedly.'Oneoftheoldhorsesdied.'

'Youdidn'tcallmein.'

'Ididn'tknowhewasthatill,orIwouldhavedone.'

Henodded.'They'reold.Theydie.Can'tbehelped,it'snature.'

'Isanyoneelseintrouble?Anyonegotlastyear'sbug?'

'No,thankgoodness.Justtheusualtendonsandteeth.'

'Whatwaslastyear'sbug?'Farwayasked.

Thevetsaid,'Someunspecifiedinfection.Horsesgotfeverish.Igavethemvariousantibiotics,andtheyrecovered.'Hefrowned.'Itwasworrying,really,becauseallthosehorseslosttheirspeedandformafterit.But,thankgoodness,itwasn'twidespread.'

'Interesting,though,'Farwaysaid.

You'llbeinvolvedinPixhill'sfortunesbeforeyouknowit,'thevetteasedhim,andFarwaylookeddisconcerted.

Maudie'ssister,Lorna,cameproprietoriallytoFarway'sside,takinghisarmandeyeingmewiththedisapprovalleftoverfrommynothavingtransportedthegeriatricswithoutpayment.Ifoundherdisapprobationmuchlessalarmingthanherearlierinterestinme.Farwaygaveherafondlookwhilesharingheropinionsofmyself.

Idriftedawayfromthem,feelingisolatedbyhowmuchIhaddiscoveredandwonderingwhatelseIdidn'tknow.

Ed,Tessa'sbrother,stoodalone,lookingsurly.Italkedtohimforabit,tryingtocheerhimup.

'Yourememberyourshow-stopperlastweek?'Iaskedhim.'AboutJerichoRichmakingaplayforTessa?'

'ItwastruewhatIsaid,'heinsisteddefensively.

'Idon'tdoubt.i.t.'

'Hewaspawingher.Isawhim.Sheslappedhisface.'

'Really?'

'Don'tyoubelieveme?NoonebelievesawordIsay.'Self-pityswampedhim.'JerichoRichsworeatherandtoldherhewouldtakehishorsesawayandTessasaidifhedidshe'dgeteven.Sillylittleb.i.t.c.h.Howcouldshegetevenwithamanlikethat?So,anyway,hedidtakethehorsesawayandwhathasTessadoneabout.i.t?b.l.o.o.d.ynothing,ofcourse.AndDadisn'tevenangrywithher,onlywithmefortellingeveryonewhyJerichoRichleft.Itisn'tfair: 'No,'Iagreed.

'You'renottoobad,'hesaidreluctantly.

IsatnexttoMaudieatlunchb.u.t.therewaslittleleftoftheenjoymentI'dfoundatthattableaweekago.Maudiesensedit,tryingtodispelmysadness,butIleftafterthecoffeewithnogreatregrets.

TherewerenofeverishhorsesinPixhill,IreportedtoGuggenheim,anddrovehiminhisowndepress...o...b..cktotheairport.OnthewayhomeIstoppedforpetroland,afterabitofthought,phonedNina'sStow-on-the-Woldnumber.

'Um,'Isaid,'whenyoucometoworktomorrow,bringaparachute.'

'What?'

'ForlandingbehindtheenemylinesinoccupiedFrance.'

'Isthistheconcussion?'

'Itisnot.Youdon'thavetogoifyoudon'twantto.'

'Iwishyou'dexplain.'

'CanImeetyousomewhere?Areyoubusy?'

'I'malone...andbored.'

'Good.Imean,howabouttheCotswoldGateway?Icouldbetherebeforesix.'

'Allright.'

AccordinglyIchangeddirectionanddrovewestandnorthtoarriveanhourandahalflateratalargeimpersonaloldhotelontheA40mainroadwhichranacrossthetopoftheCotswoldtownofBurford.Iparkedoutsidethegreatold-fas.h.i.+onedcharmingpile,alandmarkpa.s.sedendlesstimesinmylifeonthewaytoCheltenhamraces.

ShewasalreadytherewhenIarrived,havinghadbyfartheshorterjourney,andshewastheoriginalcompellingNina,notthescrubbedandworkadayversion.

Shewa.s.sittinginachintzarmchairbesideaglowinglogfireintheentrancehall,ateatrayprimlybeforeheronalowtable.

Post-Cheltenhambutbeforethesummertouristseason,theplacewasalmostempty.SherosewhenIcamein,andenjoyedmyadmirationofherappearance.Nojeans,thistime:thelongslenderlegswerecoveredinsteadbyblacktights.Nosloppyoldsweaterbutablackskirt,blackwaistcoat,whitesilks.h.i.+rtwithbigsleeves,largegoldcufflinksandalongneck-chainofenoughhalf-sovereignstofundaransom.Shesmelled,notofhorses,butsubtlyofgardenias.Theeconomicalbonesofherfacewererevealedandsoftenedbyadustingofpowder.Lips,softlyred.

'Ihardlyliketoaskyou...'Isaid,kissinghercheekasiffromlongclosehabit,'lookingasyoudo...'

'Yousoundedserious.'

'Mm.'

Wesatdownnearenoughtoeachothertotalk,thoughtherewasnoonetooverhear.

'Firstofall,'Isaid,'Ifoundoutwhat'sbeencarriedundermylorries,anditisnota.s.simpleasdrugs.'ShewaitedwhileIpaused,herinterestsharpeningtoacute.'IwenttoseeatopCustomsmaninPortsmouth,'Isaid,'toaskwhatcouldn'tmovefreelyinandoutofBritainundertheECregulations.Iexpectyouknow,theCustomsmenneversearchanytrafficnowadaysunlesstheyhavespecificinformationthatdrugswillbefoundinacertainvehicle.Inpractice,itmeansthatanything-guns,cocaine,whatever,comingherefromEurope-hasuntroubledentry.Buthegotveryexcitedaboutcatsanddogs,andrabies...anditseemsthequarantinerulesapply,andalsooneneedsalicenceforthingslikeveterinarymedicines.Anyway,myboxeshavebeencarryingextralivestock,thoughnotcatsanddogs,Idon'tthink,becausetheywouldbothmakeanoise.'

Makeanoise?

'Sure.Ifyoucarriedacatinoneofthosecontainers,someonewouldhearitcomplaining.'

'Butwhy?You'velostme.Whytakelivestockinthosecontainers?'

'Sothattheladswiththehorseswouldn'tknowabout.i.t.Ifanyhorseboxcarriedanythinginpublicoutoftheordinary,halfthevillagewouldhearabout.i.tinthepub.'

'Thenwho'sbeencarryingsecretlivestock?'

'Oneofmydrivers.'

'Whichone?'

'Lewis.'

'Ohno,Freddie.Hehasthatbaby!'