by Brian Cain
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
Lindy had her weekly meeting with Winston, they meet in the office after morning training not long after the sun had come up. It was the only time put aside where they would talk openly about business without the context of family being intrusive. As the approach to a common goal was the national, many things intervened that distorted direct facts, Lindy was used to this as much as Winston. Winston was not dressed, he was in his dressing gown and slippers, Lindy thought this was most unusual, she always asked direct questions should they be of a subject that affected business. She was arranging the chair in front of Winston's desk and looked concerned. 'You haven't dressed, why.'
'I haven't been to bed, I had a few hours on the couch in the lounge, feel asleep watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail.'
'That wasn't the question.'
'I was about to when I realised the time, I didn't want to be late so here I am.'
'You don't make mistakes like that.'
'Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from poor judgement.'
Lindy giggled. 'You think I should watch Monty Python of a night.'
'I recommend it to everyone.'
Lindy sat down. 'Cecelia hasn't been to training for several days now, we have been running Saracen with a female jockey. He's picked up a bit.'
'And where is Cecelia do we know.'
'The rumour is she's pregnant to that Stock racing driver.'
'Rumour, any value in it.'
'Would appear so, Kalika rang and asked her what's going on but she didn't want to talk.'
Winston rolled his lips and blinked several times. 'Do I have to talk to her.'
'No, her family has given us permission to run Saracen, they know less than we do.'
'We will have to get that in writing.'
'Kalika has written a letter, only yesterday, see what happens.'
'Okay, keep running Saracen and fix a jockey that he can work with.'
'They don't mind running him but no one want's to know, Cecilia is such a bitch.'
'Commercially I think you're trying to tell me Cecelia has problems communicating with others to the point they have problems getting involved.'
'No I said she's a bitch of a thing.'
Winston raised his eyebrows and coughed, shuffled some paper on his desk, he looked back up. 'Offer to buy Saracen from the Rutherfords.'
'Was Cecelia's wining horse, they'll never part with him.'
'I just bought the entire stable from them apart from Saracen, moving them to Glastonbury, if what you say is true they wouldn't want Saracen parked up in a yard somewhere, they have other things on their mind at present.'
'Oh really, good grief. Why.'
'Not really sure, they asked for help so I gave them some. Offer half a million pounds for Saracen.'
'He's won no where near that money of late.'
'He was the first horse to push Flaxy over jumps, that's worth a half a million in anyone's books. How far off Flaxy is he with an alternate jockey.'
'Four lengths.'
'Then he's just as good as any of them.'
'He hears my commands and because he was trained by Roger Flaxy hears Cecelia's, can be a problem sometimes.'
'Why have you never mentioned this before.'
'I have tried to manage it but they're both set in their ways.'
Winston thought for a while. 'Leave it to me, I'll talk to the Rutherford's in person.'
'Why is that.'
'What.'
'You protect her.'
'Who.'
'Cecelia.'
'We are talking commercial interest, of course I would, I want the first three places in the national.'
'That's not the reason.'
'Cecelia is missing training, she is supposedly pregnant, hanging around with Stock whom I am no fan of I can assure you.'
'This supercar thing is taking off, Stock is winning everything apart from the last race, must be a bit disappointing you sold it off.'
'Not really, I still hold a governing share.'
Lindy hesitated, she knew Winston well and read his face. 'It's something else.'
'Not sure what you mean.'
'With Cecelia, if we buy Saracen we can shut him down.'
'Would you deny Saracen a run in the national, don't even answer, you know you would be the first to jump to his defence. Stop digging, this is not a family meeting.'
'So it's true.'
'What is.'
'The rumours.'
'I will be contacting the Ridgehaven's and you arrange for a jockey to run Saracen he is a contender for at least a place and you need focus on Taunton because you have a lot coming at you. The point you believe Cecelia is a bitch is not of commercial value.'
Lindy remained calm. 'Agreed.'
'You've put another kilo on Taunton's saddle, working out okay.'
'I lost a bit less than a kilo so added some to his expected handicap weight.'
'You're scrawny enough as it is are you eating well.'
'Goes up and down a little bit you know that, you sound like my mum.'
'He's picked up half a second and carrying more weight, sounds good.'
'He's picked it up over Bechers, he's really getting used to it.'
'Took a long time.'
'Not often you have to convince a horse it should jump into a hell hole.'
'Sound like we're on track.'
'It's still not the real thing.'
'Well very soon it will be so focus. Allahabad has pulled up lame.'
'You believe that.'
'No, tracked the horse to Scotland where it's training out of sight, no prizes for guessing who's running with it.'
'Moet.'
'Yes, that's not all, remember the Australian jumper Angaston.'
'Was a flat runner, never got near Flaxy.'
'Just rolled up here, has times the same as the best of them. Now over ten horses within six lengths of Flaxy.'
'You concerned about our chances.'
'No, just our focus, things of heart must be put aside.'
'I feel we're above expectations.'
'But not by much, have you given any thought to a race strategy.'
'I let him go, he's not sure on what to do, he likes to argue about things, I'm not sure, at times he's run better but not consistent.'
Winston got up and looked out the bay window. 'It's awful close now, from tomorrow he runs with thirty nine others.'
'We don't have that many jumpers.'
'Then run the flat's around the jumps, throw everything you can at him.'
'He's doing well.....'
'I want to know Lindy.'
She stood up and shuffled the chair. 'Good idea, so do I.'
'If there's any reservations I want to know.'
'Why, would you deny him a run, and I comes to that.'
'We need better than fifty percent chance, far better.'
'Why, my opinion is he is at seventy.'
'Because when it comes to matters of heart those things are important. You think I'd let you loose in front of thirty nine other horses without the strongest of chances you are gravely mistaken.'
He didn't turn round, Lindy walked to the door, he heard it open. 'It's true isn't it.'
'What is love.'
'About Cecelia.' There was silence, he stood fast, after a few seconds he heard the door close.
He sat down and called mechanic on his phone. 'Mechanic, get me a chopper from Bristol, find out where Peter Stock is, that's the choppers destination, soon as you can please.'
By the time Winston showered, dressed, and purchased Saracen from the Ridgehaven's a chopper was on the lawn adjacent to the house. It headed for Silverstone race circuit, near Towcester steeplechase circuit. The chopper covered the hundred and forty kilometres in twenty minutes and landed adjacent to the pits where testing race cars was the order of the day. Cecelia was standing against the back outside wall of the pits, inside the pit garage was Peter Stock work
ing with engineers to improve the performance of his car. Cecelia's hair was blown everywhere by the landing aircraft to the rear of the pit garage, she noticed the insignia of Bristol Charter, she knew who it was, she went pale. Winston climbed out and headed toward her, an official from the circuit stopped Winston part was across the tarmac. 'Excuse me you can't park that helicopter there mate.'
'I have and you're not my mate.' He walked on to Cecelia, she walked from the wall and stopped him short of the pit back door. 'Father no.'
'Is it true, Im to be a grandfather.'
'Yes.'
'Where is he.'
'Inside, please father no.'
He took her hand and smiled. 'Not this time princess, wait here.'
Stock had come to the rear door with others to see the commotion, he wore a puzzled face and walked out toward them, Winston saw him and they meet a few metres from Cecilia. 'Winston Blake, unexpected.'
'Not if you sit where I do, your performance has dropped away, lost the last race by a considerable margin.'
'Oh that, we are just attending to that, should be fixed today, that's why we are up early.'
Cecelia walked up behind Winston. 'Father please leave us be.'
Stock looked pale, shocked, he swallowed hard. 'Father, what th.....'
Winston took Stock by the arm and led him from earshot. 'I'm no fan of yours, circumstances however prevail that I should show myself. You harm one hair be it physical or emotional to Cecelia and you will need a ticket to the moon.'
'Easy pal, not exactly a fan of yours.'
Winston let go of Stock pushing him to arms length. 'This is the only language you understand after studying your character and background. Cecelia is part of me, harm her and I will take a part of you plus her from you.'
'Hey mate, she stays with me, no one takes this one, she's having my child.'
'So I hear, that's my grandchild, how would you feel about that.'
Stock looked wide eyed. 'Never really thought about it but now you mention it I'd probably carry on like you.'
'Good, would appear we see eye to eye on something. Just thought I'd drop in and make sure everyone knew where they stood.'
Cecelia again approached Winston and took his arm turning him around. 'Please father leave us, will be okay, sorry I haven't been doing what's best.'
'But you have, person in your position has made good choices, just failed to tell anyone and that's understandable.'
'Dad will be devastated when he finds out.'
'He's known for a long time, we just want the best for you.'
She looked drained and upset. 'He's known, does mum know he knows.'
'No.'
'Father I'm scared.'
He took her in his arms. 'Nothing is going to happen to you love I promise, I have Saracen, he will run in the national, you can watch him, I forbid you to ride him in your condition.'
'What about Lindy and Kalika.'
'They are not stupid Cecelia. They now know why you are like you are, you have been searching for something neither your dad or I could give you, I hope you have found it. Rebellion is over, get on with your life.'
'What about mum.'
'She doesn't know your father knows, will be okay, love will prevail.'
'I love Peter.'
'That I'm sure of, if he loves you that I'm not sure of.'
'Hang on sport give us a go.'
'Exactly why I'm here, win or get out of it, one cannot serve two masters, especially someone like you Stock.'
'You have no faith in me a.'
'Your damn right, get on with it or I'll take her away from you.'
'No way.'
'Now you got your chance.'
'Fair enough.'
'Just remember you will have to deal with Lindy Cumberland and Kalika Palmer, I'm not the only one in on this.'
'That little Sheila that came down for a ride that rides that black thing, Taunton or whatever they call it.'
'Yes.'
'Nothing like a bit of incentive, your all wrong, you'll see.'
'We hope so.' Winston held Cecilia at arms length. 'I have to go princess, just like you asked, will leave you alone, call if you need us.'
'Saracen.'
'He's with Taunton, Kalika and Lindy will watch over him, you sort this out here.' He let go of her and walked toward the chopper.
'Father.' He looked back. 'Thank you.'
He smiled, walked the fifty metres to the chopper and climbed in, it hadn't shut down, it powered up and took off, banked sharply and headed south west.
Stock grabbed Cecelia and held her tight. 'He came to take you away he reckons.'
She looked in his eyes. 'Up to us, not him.'
He looked off toward the chopper as it faded in the distance. 'Yeah, he has no chance love.'