by Ali Carter
‘Who’s this stripy ginger friend?’ asked Toby and as he stretched to pat him Red-Rum shot out the door.
Lucy let out a laugh, ‘That’s my pussy Red-Rum, he’s just letting you know he’s the alpha male. He’ll be back.’
‘Lucy’s making crumpets, would you like one?’
‘No thanks, just tea for me please.’ Toby smiled. His face was tanned and he looked even more handsome than I remembered. ‘Lovely place you have here, and what a driveway, I’ve never been through such swanky gates in my life.’
‘They’re ridiculous aren’t they, my boss likes to spend money and those were the latest addition.’
‘I’d love a full tour tomorrow.’
‘How long are you staying?’ asked Lucy.
Toby looked at me to answer. I had no idea. We hadn’t discussed it.
‘How long can you stay?’ I asked.
‘Well I have a bit of time off and hoped maybe I could hang around for at least a day or two.’
‘Stay as long as you like,’ said Lucy. ‘There’s never anyone lodging here in the off season so the room’s all yours for as many days as you want.’
‘Thank you very much,’ I exclaimed in unison with Toby’s, ‘Thank you.’ I could hardly contain my happiness at the thought of, here’s hoping, several days together.
When we’d all finished two pots of tea, gone through the entirety of Toby’s walk and laughed until we felt at ease in each other’s company, Lucy left to give the horses their final feed and I knew I had at least half an hour’s grace to show Toby to his room and share my secret.
Toby plonked his satchel on the bed, swiftly followed by himself.
I sat down in the miniature armchair in the corner, trying to show a little but not too much leg as my dress rode up my thigh.
‘It’s good to see you Susie. I’ve missed you.’
‘It’s great to see you too. I’m so pleased you came.’
‘You look tired,’ he said. ‘Are you okay?’
Either I looked exhausted or Toby (a man!) just had an emotionally perceptive moment.
‘I’m very worn out and still a bit hungover.’
‘Late night? You and Lucy hit the bottle?’
‘Not exactly. I went to a dinner party and stayed the night at a beautiful house called Fontaburn Hall.’
‘Check you out, sounds smart. I bet you were with your public-school friends?’
‘Urggh! Toby! When you meet those friends I know you’ll like them. Anyway, this weekend was different, the person who owns the house, Archibald Wellingham…’
‘Archibald! Seriously? You have a friend called Archibald!’
‘No! Let me finish. My mother in her well-meaning way found a tenuous link between our families and got me an invitation to dinner and the night.’
‘Cooee, good on your mum.’
‘They were all nice enough.’
‘All? How many of you were there?’
‘Ten including me. But, Toby,’ I paused.
‘Yes, Susie,’ he mocked.
‘You must swear what I’m about to tell you won’t leave this room.’
‘I swear. It sounds exciting!’ Toby’s blue eyes lit up.
‘I need your help. I can’t take it on without you.’
‘If you’re dragging me into another aristocratic death I’m with you all the way.’ Toby laughed, he was joking.
‘I’m so pleased!’
‘Oh no. No, Susie,’ he cupped his face in his hands, ‘you can’t be serious?’
‘It’s not that straightforward, but I really have to tell you.’
‘Someone died and you think they were murdered?’
‘Am I that predictable?’
‘Only you could make such an unlikely turn of events predictable.’
I took this as a compliment and told him I didn’t necessarily think it was murder but that Hailey, an American girl who was also staying, ‘died early this morning’.
‘She died? That’s awful.’ Toby looked genuinely sad. ‘How come?’
‘No one knows. Well, actually, everyone else thinks it’s alcohol poisoning.’
‘No surprise you look tired. A heck of a lot must have been drunk?’
‘It wasn’t though. Quite a lot was drunk but I just don’t believe that’s what killed her.’
‘People have different thresholds you know.’
Yeah, yeah, I’d heard all this I thought but didn’t say.
‘You think it’s murder don’t you,’ said Toby, ‘I can tell.’
‘I never said murder. But a policewoman on the scene called her detective chief inspector, the room was cordoned off, a SOCO arrived.’ I drew breath, smiled at Toby and calmly said, ‘they obviously thought something out of the ordinary was up and so do I.’
‘I know you do! You’re keeping your emotions out of it, which suggests to me you’ve been churning the details over slowly in your mind, looking for motivations.’ He smiled at me. ‘I’m right, aren’t I? That sincere expression gives it away.’
My face relaxed, he’d hit the nail on the head. To think Toby could read me just like that – now there was a happy thought.
When I asked if I could tell him about it, it was more a matter of course than a question – I’d been dying to tell him.
‘Fire away,’ he said. ‘But, just like last time, I’ll be your sounding board, that’s all. Okay?’
‘Okay, sure.’
Careful not to influence his judgement I talked him through my stay from beginning to end. Just like it happened without adding any of my theories or prejudices. He was shocked they’d been drinking absinthe. ‘It’s lethal!’ he said, ‘with an alcohol content almost double that of whisky or vodka.’ I told him I thought they’d been drinking it neat.
‘Wow! That’s hardcore.’
‘Could it kill someone?’
‘Well, she could have passed out, gone comatose and died.’
In this case it had to be George’s fault. He was the one who wanted to play an English drinking game. A sure way of getting Hailey to join in. I reminded Toby I’d overheard George saying, ‘I thought if she got drunk enough she’d forget what she saw.’ This only confirmed my assumption.
‘Well if they’re both married and Hailey caught them smooching, it’s no surprise George wanted to cover it up somehow.’
‘But Toby,’ I said, wanting to clear my conscience, ‘if his intention wasn’t to kill her I don’t have to say anything yet, do I?’
‘You can keep it to yourself until news on the autopsy. I doubt you want to make enemies this early on.’
I certainly didn’t. I need the house party and the detective on side and if my accusations were false it would only make this harder. I must play the long game, win these people’s trust first and then I’d be free to get under their skin.
I was so pleased Toby was up for working together. But when he suggested, as Charlie had, that Hailey might’ve been ill, I wished he’d begun with a more daring theory.
‘But she was so bubbly, and quite frankly she was the life and soul of the party.’
‘If it was a rare illness, it doesn’t always show. All that alcohol could’ve covered up what really killed her.’
‘So, you’re saying it could be a perfectly natural death?’
‘I can’t say for certain as I don’t know nearly enough about it, Susie.’ Toby sounded tired and I didn’t want to push it.
But, fortunately for me, he wanted to continue. ‘Was Hailey’s body warm when you felt for her pulse?’
‘Yes.’
‘Well, there’s a slim chance she could have passed out from alcohol and died due to positional asphyxia.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Restricted breathing that then causes cardiac arrest. Was she lying in a position that could have stopped her from breathing?’
‘No, not at all. She was flat on her back staring at the ceiling.’
We both paused at the distinctive sound of riding
boots on the kitchen floor tiles. Lucy was back and Toby and I had to change the subject.
‘Just quickly,’ I whispered. ‘Maybe someone changed her position when they tried to resuscitate her?’
‘Actually,’ said Toby, ‘either way the paramedics surely would have diagnosed it.’
‘Yes, you’re right,’ I said, pleased I could at least cross one cause off my list. ‘We mustn’t ever let Lucy overhear us. Her room is through that wall,’ I pointed behind me.
‘Okay, noted.’ Toby shuffled up the bed towards me. ‘Do you think I could have a shower?’
‘Of course. I’ll show you where it is.’
I took him to the bathroom and, much like I’d been, he was thrilled to see there was a bath as well.
‘If you do have a shower,’ I thought I’d warn him, ‘it has a bit of a dodgy temperature control but if you don’t try and change it, it works okay.’
‘Thanks, Susie. Also, you mentioned a washing machine. I could do with the use of that at some point.’
‘I’ll show you later. Unless you want to put it on now?’
‘Later’s fine.’
‘We’ll probably eat about seven thirty so we can do it then.’
I went to my room, which was at the end of the narrow corridor not so far away from Toby’s. I was overcome with tiredness and lay on my bed, my limbs twitching as I unavoidably drifted into sleep.
Monday morning was here, and Lucy was right: the bright blue sky, cast with a blazing sun, didn’t have a heavy cloud in sight. I left my room looking forward to a day of hard work.
My house-guest present to Lucy included some of my very own homemade marmalade and I really should have brought two jars as she was rapidly getting through it.
‘You’re amazing, Susie. I don’t normally like things with bits in it but this is scrummy.’
I smiled at her between sips of tea. I never usually eat breakfast during the week. One of those theories that I’ll keep in shape easier if I don’t. Anyway, it’s not like I needed anything to get me going today. I’m all-abuzz with the excitement of Toby being here AND almost more so, my anxious anticipation that there will be news on Hailey’s death.
‘Nice your friend, ain’t he?’ said Lucy.
‘Yeah, Toby, he’s great.’
‘I hope he stays for a while. It makes a change to have a decent fella about. Jim and Rob could fair learn some manners from him.’
Lucy was referring to the stable lads who had leering eyes and potty mouths. Their confidence with women leapt way beyond their years. It amused me but wound Lucy up. I’m still not sure who it is she’s slept with, although it could well be both. They’re all at it in the horsey world – it’s as if the saddle provides the foreplay.
‘Hey,’ I said, ‘where’s Red-Rum?’
‘Taking advantage of this beautiful day I think. Poor little munchkin didn’t enjoy those storms. He’s been cowering under the dresser for the last day or two.’
Lucy stuck her knife into the marmalade jar, drew out a large triangular chunk and smothered it on the last corner of her already-coated-in-marmalade toast.
If anyone needed sugar it was Lucy. I’d never seen such continuous hard labour as that which goes on in a trainer’s yard. Starting with the first feed at 5.30 a.m., a strict daily routine is adhered to and there’s no excuse for not turning up to work, hence why most of the minimum-wage twenty-five employees live on site.
‘Hey Susie,’ she said as a marmalade triangle entered her mouth, ‘you should take Toby to a flat race, there’s an evening meet tonight not that far away.’
‘Are you going?’
‘Na, someone needs to give these horses their last feed and tuck them up for the night and that someone is me. Especially if I want to be the head girl here one day.’
‘Is that Francis’s job?’
‘Yeah, he’s the head lad but when he retires I reckon I’ll be in the running.’
‘I hope you are, you certainly work hard enough.’
‘You can put in a good word for me with Aidan!’
‘Of course, I will,’ I said, knowing full well it would be several years yet before Lucy was experienced enough and Francis old enough for the tables to turn.
Although, it hadn’t escaped me that Canny must favour Lucy somewhat, her having been given her own cottage when most of the other employees are left sharing accommodation on site. I’d pried a little into Canny’s private life but hadn’t got very much back. He’s been married twice, the second one really not lasting long. Lucy fell in his favour both times, saying, ‘These women like the money racing brings in but can’t stick the hard graft that winning involves. Poor Aidan,’ she’d put it, ‘he’s ace but not nearly appreciated enough.’
‘Tell me about this meet tonight,’ I said, thinking I really ought to go. I live right by Plumpton Racecourse and feel bad I’ve never been.
‘It’s on the flat at Ingle Park. The incredible speed’s exciting but it won’t be as good as watching a hunter in full flight over a flipping great obstacle.’
‘What time is it at?’
‘The first race is ten past six but you don’t need to get there that early as the last is at ten past nine.’
‘Is there a dress code?’
Lucy giggled. ‘No. Well, you can’t wear jeans and trainers, but you don’t have to dress up. This course ain’t a patch on the likes of Ascot, Epsom or Newmarket but it’s a good place to start.’
Thoroughly practised in our routine, Lucy went to get Great Knockers into the cordoned-off part of the paddock and I ran upstairs to collect my basket of drawing materials. There wasn’t a stir from Toby’s room. He must still be fast asleep.
I walked up the fence line of the horses’ field and the air buzzed with bees pollinating the purple sprouting clover. I felt so happy. A cloudless sky and bright sunshine gives the best light to work in. The clarity cuts a crisp outline of the horse and the contrast of bright light on its body and intensely dark shadows in its sockets makes it so much easier to achieve volume in a drawing. Today should be a doddle.
‘There you go, Susie,’ said Lucy, undoing Great Knockers’s headcollar. ‘She’s a lovely mare this one and a very promising point-to-pointer.’
‘Aidan’s quite successful isn’t he?’
‘He’s brilliant. Although this one’s owner ain’t giving any slack. We’re under pressure for her to beat the record of five Gold Cups in a row.’
‘Is that possible?’
‘We believe anything’s possible. We just have to work hard at fitness and hope she doesn’t get injured.’
Even I knew now, due to the continuous occupation of the walkers in the paddock, just how frequent injury amongst racehorses is.
‘Shall I stick around for a bit?’ asked Lucy. ‘I’ve got fifteen minutes spare before I have to meet a lady who’s coming to the yard.’
‘That would be great. Thanks so much. I want to start by taking photographs so if you wouldn’t mind reattaching the headcollar and encouraging Great Knockers to walk with you it’d be perfect. But, keep at least a head in front of her as otherwise your shadow will get in the way.’
Lucy was brilliant. She had a special knack of getting inside a horse’s head and making it do whatever she wanted. I snapped away from every angle as Great Knockers followed after her in a figure of eight, never once overstepping Lucy’s shadow. As they passed back and forth in front of me I became utterly mesmerised by the muscle movement on such a fit horse.
Photographs are very useful for reference but when it comes to a full understanding of the skeleton, and how joints work, drawing is the only thing for it. So, when it was time for Lucy to leave I settled into sketching, exploring the horse’s form, making many drawings as Great Knockers moved around the field.
It was such a hot day the charcoal rubbed off on my fingers even more than usual and when Lucy came back to get me for an early lunch she laughed at the, as she put it, ‘gothic make-up all over my face’. I’d ob
viously been rubbing my nose and wiping my brow, oblivious to the mess coming off my fingers.
I wiped my face with a rag before we headed back to the house, ‘Is that better?’
‘All gone!’ she smiled.
‘Have you seen Toby?’ I asked, slightly miffed he hadn’t come to find me.
‘Yeah, he’s been up a while, we’ve just got back from a lovely walk.’
This took me by surprise.
‘I gave him the full tour,’ said Lucy and then I remembered Toby had requested it last night. ‘He asked me if you’d mind him coming to see you and I didn’t know what to say.’
‘What did you tell him?’
‘I told him you were working. Come,’ she said, ‘mind if we go through the stables, I just want to say goodbye to someone.’
I didn’t mind at all. It’s not often I take the shortcut through the yard as I’m conscious of not wanting to get in anyone’s way. Also, I don’t like to draw attention to my art and fear if I get too friendly with the crew they’d all be coming to see what I’m up to. This was an interruption I really didn’t want.
It was quite a sight entering the first quad and seeing thirty or so enormous animals being washed and brushed down after exercise by an army of thick-thighed girls and boys, all in love with horses and/or each other.
‘Susie,’ said Lucy as we approached the netted bun of a woman with her back to us, ‘Meet Mrs Ramsbottom.’
Goodness gracious me! I was now standing, staring into the eyes of Archie’s cook. She nodded ‘hello’ with no recognition.
‘Hello again,’ I said, already having gathered enough to assume Victoria Ramsbottom couldn’t have been that ill on Saturday if she was now standing here in riding kit looking and sounding absolutely fine.
‘Do you know each other?’ asked Lucy.
‘We met at the weekend.’ I grinned, at which point the penny dropped and Vicky’s face fell.
‘Yes, so we did,’ she said. ‘Don’t let me hold you up, you look like you’re off somewhere.’
‘Thanks for coming today,’ said Lucy. ‘I’ll let you know when we’re short again.’
Before there was time for me to ask Lucy any questions we were outside her cottage having a laugh at Toby trying to single-handedly squeeze a trestle table out the front door, Red-Rum doing his very best to get under his feet.