Taunton Barr

by Brian Cain

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX

  Winston dropped back into Flax Burton and a family firestorm. Lindy always looked strong and focused but often times were hard for her. She existed apart from Kristy, her nanny, and the local staff pretty well alone. She sometimes went shopping with Kalika but this had become rare since Kalika was engaged to Ellis. She spent an equal amount of time with Flaxmead, she battled with calling him Taunton, she despised how he had been treated in the past, she wondered if she would ever get over her affiliation with horses, especially this one, her brother. She had tried two years back when Roger was alive but lasted no more than three days, she took on board what that did to Flaxmead, he paced the fence and searched the grounds of Glastonbury looking for her clearing fences and anything else that got in his way. She had still not forgiven herself for attempting to what she now believed to be desertion, it was that point in her and Rogers life they agreed that Flaxmead was put on earth to do far more than just exist. When Kristy was born she need not hide, she had been doing that since she left her home in Australia and pushed on with her riding career with Flaxmead, a worldly form she considered to be sent from the earth to fulfil her life, without him she would be lost. She looked at him with a beaming smile every morning they made contact, Flaxmead would cry out when he smelt her in the air, he need not ever see her to be fulfilled. She kept busy, focused, cooked her own and her daughters meals, prepared all Flaxmead's food, painstakingly spoke to him about what was going on, without it she knew she would sink into hapless despair, what she had lost, her family, her partner, would sneak up and bite her heart. But Flaxmead was a relationship destined by fortitude, Blake knew it the moment he saw them together, two positive elements of earth had collided he had seen such results before but not in context. Lindy and Kalika were the daughters Blake yearned for, he had no idea why his paternal daughter was in comparison irresponsible and without destiny, however it never stopped him loving her and he thought of her every morning when he woke. It sometimes dragged him into the pits of despair and depression, he became angered by his own attitude, it was two girls and a horse that pulled him from anguish and gave him the direction he so yearned. This family he was determined, would give and receive regardless of commercial or family influence, and it was getting harder. The world was on Lindys shoulders and he knew it, he often contemplated what he had done, long nights working on keeping his family together had changed him to some degree, people didn't know him anymore, outsiders viewed him as doing the strangest things. Taunton Barr will win the grand national, and his pseudo daughter could then contemplate moving on as she wished. Ellis must marry Kalika and move on, Cecelia must be part of the family or she would perish, these things tore at this heart and he yearned for rest.

  He expected Lindy but not Kalika and Ellis, they were all waiting at his office, a statement had been issued by Blake as he left Silverstone via the net. He admitted Cecelia Ridgehaven was his paternal daughter, he did it for her, the torrid intrusions in her life that moulded her like a piece of plasticine would now tread far more cautiously. He also announced her pregnancy to hot shot Peter Stock, he pushed the fact he was over the moon to become a grandfather. Cecelia and Stock heard the statements on the news, they immediately left Silverstone and headed for Flax Burton, Stock commented to Cecelia no one had ever put their entire character and career on the line for what he viewed as support for he and his partner.

  Cecelia Ridgehaven's parents had lived in separate rooms and lived separate lives for many years, they created a false home but it had not helped Cecelia, she sensed something was terribly wrong. Assisted at every corner by Blake she wondered why the flamboyant billionaire was always no further away than her shoulder. Her parents struggled to control her as she spiralled out of control on many occasions, Blake always bailed her out. Then she found a second birth certificate, issued later than the original she had been given whilst rummaging through her mothers belongings looking for answers. It listed her father as Winston Blake, she confronted her mother but her mother denied the document was real. She found her mother had for a short time worked for Blake while at Hornswaddle and Fothrington, a night of wine and song in a foreign land and Cecelia was conceived. The destruction of many lives was at steak and Cecelia's mother left her workplace but Blake tracked and protected his daughter, he explained the situation to his wife, she explained she had also strayed and his daughter was in fact someone else's. He had an understanding of these things for his wife had far more lonely nights at home than he cared to remember as he pushed on with his commercial banking career, was to late to look back even then. Was it luck that swayed his judgement with Cecelia's mother, alcohol or destiny. Blake was a firm believer that when managing things even you own life you are responsible for every decision you make. Cecelia is of Blake, she bears his tenacity and confronted him many years back, she loved her parents to the extent they agreed to live as if they were as it appeared, although they knew the truth. Cecelia's parents heard the news, they hugged each other knowing their child was safe and finally went their own ways relieved of a burden they thought they would never be free of.

  However for Blake things were very different, he was about to be confronted by some very angry people. Ellis heard the news whilst with Kalika, she flew into a rage, they attended the Flax Burton Complex and meet with Lindy at the kitchen table, Ellis insisted on being present, he had for some time known what Blake was capable of when cornered, in the Barton case he had not ruled out collusion to murder. Mavis fussed around them listening to some very heated people prepare a broadside for Blake. Mavis had heard enough and intervened with comment. 'Excuse me,' there was sudden silence and they looked at Mavis. 'If it wasn't for Mr Blake none of us would be here, especially me. He sent money to my sister when her husband was in hospital injured at work a long time ago, was anonymous but I know it was him, took the company involved to the cleaners. He has owned up about Cecelia to protect her from something you mark my words. You Lindy he worships the ground you walk on and you Kalika, to hear you speak of him like this because it affects your self importance all created by his nature makes me sick if you don't mind me saying. I'm buggered off waiting on you lot you make me sick. And you Graham you think Mr Blake is caught up in this Barton business, if he is was for a bloody good reason and probably involved protecting you girls from something. Some of the things you got up to Kalika make my bleeding hair curl I tell you. You remember when that handsome young man what's his na.....'

  Kalika spoke up. 'That will be enough thanks Mavis.'

  Graham wasn't so inclined, he looked very inquisitive. 'Handsome young man, go on Mavis.'

  'You shouldn't throw stones when in a glass house young lady.'

  'I see what you mean thanks Mavis.'

  Ellis pushed on. 'Handsome young man, I thought you were rather distant with men, until I meet you.'

  Mavis continued milling about the sink whilst talking. 'Was what put her off men, three days in hospital she was, or she wouldn't have an Olympic gold medal, was Mr Blake who took care of all that. Was a young football star from Bristol, he vanished not long after it all.'

  Lindys face had fury creep across it, she fixed her gaze on Kalika. 'You aborted.' Kalika looked away. Lindy stood up. 'You aborted your child.'

  Mavis jumped in. 'She was bleeding badly when riding, Mr Blake had her rushed to hospital, nothing they could do.'

  Lindy sat down, he face displayed remorse. 'Forgive me.'

  Mavis continued. 'Your mum worked with Mr Blake the exact years of your age ago, perhaps you need talk to him about that as well.'

  Kalika looked at Mavis with daggers in her eyes. 'Why would I need do that.'

  'I hear a lot here, like I said, people in glass houses need to settle down mate.'

  Lindy spoke. 'That's why your on the will.'

  Kalika squinted at her. 'What will.'

  'I was in the office, Winston asked me to sign some papers, I rummaged around looking for them on his desk and while I was doing it found a new wil
l he had just signed.'

  'And.'

  'To my daughters Kalika Jacqueline and Cecelia Jacqueline I bequeath my commercial estate in even amounts to be determined by the executor.'

  Kalika looked petrified. 'When did you see this.'

  'Just recently, few days ago.'

  Kalika shook her head, she looked around dazed and confused, she looked at Mavis. 'Mavis, please.'

  'He's your father, Cecelia is your half sister.'

  Kalika held her face in the palms of her hands shaking her head, she began to cry, Ellis comforted her. 'Oh my god,' she sobbed. 'I'm related to that bitch.'

  Lindy spoke. 'Makes a bit more sense, your both drop dead gorgeous, long blonde hair, blue eyes and have the will of a lion. I think Mavis is right, she didn't live next door to her real father and suffered the consequences. Same kind of problems I and Winston have with distance in relationships, I understand these things because I was involved and have experienced them. Cecelia may have just found what she's been wanting.'

  Mavis interrupted. 'She knows.'

  Kalika glared at her, lowering her hands from her face, she stood up. 'That bitch knew she was my sister.'

  'She's known for a long time, she's kept it to herself just like they agreed.'

  Kalika stamped her feet and shook herself sobbing as she spoke. 'My entire life is a sham, what a pack of bastards.' Ellis turned her toward him and held her tight as she sobbed on his shoulder.

  Lindy had other ideas. 'She protected you, became someone she wasn't to protect everyone just like Winston.'

  Mavis gave Kalika a damp face towel. 'Better clean yourself up, I hear a helicopter you know who that'll be.'

  Lindy stood up. 'We say nothing, just play along, we have a goal we are nearly there.'

  Kalika pushed Graham away. 'I'm in no condition to talk to Winston.'

  Lindy became stern. 'Get your act together, Cecelia's pregnant you want what happened to you to happen to her.'

  Kalika suddenly glared at Lindy. 'No, she stops riding period.'

  Lindy continued. 'We have a jockey for Saracen.'

  Kalika drew a big breath and wiped her face clean of running mascara. 'There is no way Cecelia goes near a horse.'

  Lindy smiled at her. 'Would appear blood is thicker than mascara, we better decide what to do the choppers on the ground.'

  Ellis spoke up. 'No point in dividing the truth, we know about Cecelia, if Cecelia is your sister we treat her as such.'

  Mavis started to put come cake and tea in front of them on the kitchen table, a grand wooden affair with ornate carved legs of oak. 'Here, you better pull yourselves together, some nice strong tea is about all I can offer.'

  The kitchen went silent, they heard the chopper lift off and the back door to the patio open and close, but Winston did not enter the kitchen, he went direct to his office. Lindy broke the silence. 'I need to talk to Winston about something.'

  Kalika spoke with sudden rage. 'I need to talk to him about a few things.'

  Lindy forced a half smile as she rose to her feet. 'Well that's an improvement over the past few minutes.'

  Ellis took Kalika's hand on the table, she looked away. 'Some things are a lot clearer to me now, no wonder he protects you like you're his daughter.'

  Lindy walked to Winston's office and went in without knocking, she sat down in front of Winston at his desk. 'You left the will out on purpose.'

  Winston looked fresh faced and prepared, his fingers locked together on the desk in front of him. 'No, an oversight.'

  'You've never asked me to go to your desk before.'

  'I've never been so busy, old and at times incompetent.'

  'Well you were certainly busy a few decades back.'

  'My wife Jacqueline was unwell for a long time before she passed.'

  'I figured that was her name.'

  'This is going to be one of the worst days of your life.'

  'Depends how you look at it, I planned to leave it till I was gone but couldn't do it.'

  'Cecelia is not far away, where did you go, only takes twenty minutes by chopper, you've been well over an hour.'

  'That's why you'll win the national, nothing gets passed you.'

  'Wasn't the question.'

  'I looked for Graham, only to find he was here.'

  Lindy looked around with suspicion. 'Roger knew something but never told me.'

  'I cant help you there, he knew many things that would affect many people, if I knew who it was they would have been caught very quickly.'

  'Or vanished.'

  Winston sat back in his chair with a look of stone. 'Some things are beyond my control.'

  'They can't find the people who got Roger because they are gone, am I right.'

  'I don't know what you mean.'

  'Graham has heaps of leads, some very obvious, he would have moved on them if he knew by now. I think he knows who did it but can't find them, they've vanished.'

  'Not unusual for wanted people to hide.'

  'My partner was murdered wasn't he.'

  'Im not sure, test results would suggest that, but Roger was not a well man, he was haunted by the same disease that took my wife Jacqueline.'

  'You agreed to do things for him should he pass.'

  'Of course.'

  'Did he know about Kalika.'

  'No, one thing that haunts me, I wanted to tell him and had it planned but he passed before I could carry the plan out.'

  'Why do I have to ask about these things.'

  'Because I promised Roger I would look after you as my own, and I wish you were.'

  'What was wrong with him.'

  'Hodgkin's Lymphoma, generally brought on by stress, when I got him involved with Flaxmead it took it's toll.'

  'That's why he went to the hospital twice a week.'

  'Yes.'

  'He refused to tell me.'

  'As I would have.'

  'You blame yourself.'

  'One can be a catalyst but bear no blame, I asked the question he became angry I would suggest such a thing.'

  'Why haven't you told me these things before.'

  'You didn't need to know, especially when he came to me and told me you had become very close.'

  'Bit of a mess.'

  'We only had one shot at it, I have no comparison to make a validated fact sheet on how many mistakes we made. At the time it was rather difficult, from where I sit now I have three wonderful daughters, doesn't get much better than that princess.'

  'When I came over here you visited my dad, what did he say.'

  'He didn't say anything, he knew you were going where you wanted to be and that I would watch over you as my own. What I can tell you is your parents will be at Aintree.'

  'They never call.'

  'They don't have to I call them every week.'

  She stood up, her face beamed. 'Really, I didn't know.'

  'We agreed you must be left to think for yourself. You can present them with a granddaughter.'

  'They don't know.'

  'No, as I said, they leave you to get on with things.'

  'Why haven't you told them.'

  'I would never do such a thing under the circumstances, takes time to instigate such things, sometimes we run out of time.'

  'Do you think they will disown me when I tell them.'

  'Don't be absurd, your parents are wonderful people.'

  'They bought Greedy Piggy Creek coal mine and shut it down, where did they get the money, I assume....'

  'You assume correctly, they wanted me to have Flaxmead, the Fields were devastated when Dylan was killed, I arranged indirectly for your parents and the Fields to gain control of areas of the Valley that threatened their lifestyles. A considerable amount of money was given to them when I was given Flaxmead, your parents took the money and indirectly injected it into the Fields property by buying Greedy Piggy Creek, they have no idea it's in their name, they think your parents own it. As you think I own Flaxmead but on the papers I only appear as th
e trainer.'

  'Then who owns him.'

  'You do.'

  Lindy slumped down in her chair. 'What....he's mine, but I've never signed anything to do with him.'

  'Always has been yours, to suggest someone else should have him is ridiculous. you signed the paperwork but Roger didn't explain what you were signing.'

  'Do you have more money than sense.'

  'No, if I did things would be a lot different, life's not like that unfortunately, you said I was going to have a bad day but turned out good for you.'

  'No, I was wrong, I didn't have enough information about anything it seems.'

  'No one does, your goal is to win the national, things that distract from that are hardly going to help. Nothing is as it seems. You mentioned it so many times to Roger nothing became more important to him. Not only that you can.'

  'It's hard to run forty horses here, having trouble getting enough riders to put in saddles.'

  'Mechanic has informed me it won't happen.'

  'Why.'

  'Because the risk of infiltration is too great.'

  'We have twenty two.'

  'Then that's what we use, nice to see you have focus again.' Lindy went on to discuss diet and some other minor points when they were pulled up by a loud knock on the door. Winston looked toward the door with an inquisitive squint, Lindy froze. 'Come in.'

  In walked Kalika and Cecelia hand in hand, they closed the door behind them and walked to stand beside Lindy in front of Winston's desk. They had both been crying and let their hair down from being worn in the usual bun, it was obvious there was a genetic trait. Winston got up and looked out the bay window standing behind his chair with his back to them. 'So, you know who you are now.'

  The spoke in unison. 'Father we.....'

  'Know nothing of why and never will because I'm not sure myself. Had I a magic phrase I could hand you that told how fortunate I am I would indeed deliver it but find myself humbled and embarrassed. The traits in both of you are my responsibility and I have never shied away from that, thank god I had the courage to follow my instincts for today they make me the luckiest person alive.' Lindy got up to walk out. 'Lindy stay where you are.'

  'But I think....'

  'Rubbish sit down.' He turned and looked at his daughters. 'Looks like you have been healing wounds.'

  Kalika spoke. 'I'm riding Saracen in the national.'

  A look of fury crept across Winston's face. 'What did you say.'

  Kalika stamped her foot on the ground and took a step closer stopped by the edge of the desk. 'I said I'm riding Saracen in the national, Cecelia is carrying my niece or nephew but we both want Saracen to run, she thinks I would be the only person she would want to run him.'

  Winston took a deep breath. 'I absolutely forbid you to go anywhere near that race.'

  She squinted and wore a look of determination. 'Don't you tell me what I can do and when I can do it, I'm a Blake I'm sure you know what that means.'

  Winston yelled at the top of his voice. 'Get out!' They stood in silence. 'I said get out and come back when you have regained your intellect.'

  Cecelia stepped forward next to her sister. 'She'll ride Saracen if she wants, we're Blake's and there's not much you can do about that so suck it up.' She looked down at Lindy. 'Come on Lindy, leave him along to get used to it for a while.'

  They left the room and drew big breaths holding their chest with their right hands in the hall gathered around each other. Kalika shook her head. 'That didn't go well.'

  Lindy chuckled. 'Bullshit, we only had one Blake now we got three, come on, if you're going to ride Saracen we have a lot of work to do.'

  'What about Dad.'

  'Not the time for Dad, time to focus on what we are doing, leave him, a wise man told me once anger is far more useable than despair. He'll watch us like a hawk from the window so we better get on with it, we won't impress him with luvy duvy shit at this particular time. What will reassure him is results.'

  'He said he was lucky to have us.'

  Lindy huffed. 'Everyone's entitled to their own opinion.'

  Kalika looked around at rear. 'I haven't ridden or trained much lately I got a fat arse.'

  Cecelia looked at her with a frown. 'Your arse is identical to mine you saying I got a fat arse.'

  'Well no... I was just.....'

  Lindy rolled her eyes walking away. 'Come on get on it.'

  'What about Dad.'

  She turned and spoke as she walked backwards. 'He's scared just like we will be if we don't have our act together on the line. He's scared he'll loose us, I'm scared I'll loose him now get with it.' They strode off toward the barn complex three wide and in deep conversation.

  Winston watched them from the window then sat down at his desk, he held his forehead in both hands leaning on the desk with his elbows, he was as fearful as he had ever been.