Eyes Of Silver, Eyes Of Gold Part 23

He turned to Mrs. Stone and nodded slightly. "Annie and I'll take care of the horse and leave him in your barn, ma'am. Looks like he won't even be sore in the morning."

Martha and Ephraim, Frank and Judith had arrived in time to hear everything Stone had to say. Ephraim watched his brother and Anne just walk away, one on each side of the horse. Cord had ridden that race knowing this would be the outcome and done it anyway, and Anne had helped him. Instead of letting her temper loose, she had turned her back on both the Stones and her husband's family as quietly as Cord had, knowing there would be neither support nor congratulations from either. Ephraim felt an unexpected outrage.

He turned on Stone. "John, for a so-called gentleman, you are a first-cla.s.s b.a.s.t.a.r.d."

Ephraim hurried to the wooden stand draped in gaudy red and white bunting where the race committee had watched the race. He wasn't even close when he heard shouting.

Jowly, paunchy, and balding, Alferd Lathrum wasn't an attractive man under any circ.u.mstances. Red-faced and shouting at the committee members at the top of his lungs he was downright ugly. As Ephraim walked up, he realized that if the committee had been inclined to award Lathrum the race at first, they just might be having second thoughts by now.

Seeing Ephraim approaching and recognizing Cord's brother, Lathrum changed targets.

"That redskin brother of yours cheated," he screamed. "He broke the rules. He didn't follow the course."

Ephraim did his lawyerly best to project calm and reason. "The rules are very clear, and it's obvious to anyone who can read he didn't break any of them, Mr. Lathrum. Are you trying to intimidate the committee with this performance?"

The committee had, in fact, had quite enough of Alferd Lathrum. The mayor, who was chairman of the committee, finally finding room to get a word in, a.s.serted his authority.

"Precisely, Mr. Lathrum. If you would just leave the stand, perhaps we can review the facts and come to a decision."

At this point John Stone put in a belated and truculent appearance. Prize money or not, the legitimate winner of this race would be easier to sell than a disqualified also ran.

Still stiff with anger, and avoiding looking at Ephraim, Stone arrogantly stated his case.

"Gentlemen, I have just reviewed your rules, and I see no basis for disqualifying my wife's horse. If you do, perhaps Mr. Bennett here would agree to represent my wife and me in a lawsuit against the committee."

The mayor raked his fingers through his hair. "Mr. Stone, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Lathrum, if you would please leave us for a few minutes, we need to discuss this, and then we'll announce our decision."

Walking away beside Cord, Anne heard her name and Cord's and turned to see Martha hurrying after them. After catching her breath, Martha said, "Why don't you wait a minute and see what happens. Ephraim's gone to talk to the committee."

Anne glanced at Cord and saw he was as surprised as she was. They had never considered support from his family. As they turned and walked back to the rest of the family with Martha, the mayor announced the results of the race through a bull horn. Mrs.

John Stone's horse, Firebrand, was the winner. Anne laughed, and since hugging Cord in front of hundreds of people was out, hugged Martha, then the horse.

Lennie appeared out of the crowd. "They want that horse to put a wreath around.

They're even going to take a photograph."

Red was busy exploring Anne's pockets, looking for carrots, and happily munched away when she produced one.

Cord handed Lennie the reins. "Take him on up there then."

Lennie showed first surprise, then uncertainty as he found himself holding his old enemy, but he led the stallion towards the stand and a share of glory.

Frank chuckled and said, "Don't want your picture taken?"

"Nope." Cord leaned against a low fence fronting the house they had stopped by.

They were suddenly surrounded by an enthusiastic group of race watchers. Armand and Helene LeClerc arrived first. Reaching only midway on Cord's chest when he was standing, Helene took advantage of his half-sitting position against the fence and took him by the shoulders and kissed him on both cheeks. Emerging from Armand's bear hug, Anne wondered if her husband could possibly be blus.h.i.+ng.

Cord also received congratulatory handshakes from Noah Reynolds, Riley, James Miles, Dr. Craig, and several people who had bought horses from him in the last year or two. Bob Windon was there, grin firmly in place, foregoing any remarks about magic for once.

Anne received a hug from her mother, who avoided Cord. Rob was escorting his mother as usual, but hung silently in the background.

The noisy crowd quieted as a tall, spare man, darker than Cord, with a large drooping mustache, and dressed in distinctly Spanish style clothes approached. This was Raoul Zamora, Alferd Lathrum's head horseman. Zamora stopped in front of Cord, nodded his head slightly, then extended his hand.

As he shook hands, Raoul said, "Ever since you rode the palomino horse back to the ranch, I wondered. Today, I know. It was an honor to witness such a ride."

Cord tugged an ear, a glint in his eyes. "If that jockey of yours had laid off the quirt, your bay horse might have caught us."

Raoul made a dismissive gesture with both hands. "Few men have your control. It is too much to expect. Today was yours."

Cord just nodded. Raoul turned half away then back. "I hear the colt is still alive. Is this true?"

Cord nodded again. "My wife talked him into living. Anne, meet Raoul Zamora.

Raoul, this is my wife, Anne Bennett."

The almost black eyes studied her. "Mrs. Bennett. Another honor for me today." He gave a small bow in her direction, then addressed Cord again. "The dark bay horse is a full brother to your colt. You might like to know that. Your colt is better." He was gone then, disappearing into the crowd.

Anne watched him go. "Why does a man like that work for Lathrum?"

"He's got a wife and six kids, and they all like to eat. Not too many riding jobs around pay that well."

"Does he mean Fortune is a full brother to the bay that wouldn't quit?"

"Yup." There was a grin in his eyes. "Like an extra Christmas present in July, isn't it, Ti-gress?"

When Lennie returned with Red, happy to leave the work of tending to the sweat soaked and tired horse to someone else, the small victory party broke up.

AN HOUR LATER, CORD WAS making up for the missed breakfast over lunch at Ephraim's, and Martha was laughing. "I was worried when you didn't eat this morning, you know. It's not like you."

"Would have lost it coming off that bank, Marty."

"I know that's what it was now."

Not looking up from his lunch, Cord said, "'Preciate your talking to the committee, Eph. Didn't figure on coming out of that the official winner, but people would know that's a h.e.l.l of a nice horse anyway."

"I suppose you practiced every one of those jumps and maneuvers somehow."

"Sure, started with little two footers months ago."

"And how did you approximate that bank?"

"Found something close over on the main ranch. Took a little digging here and there is all."

"That's all," echoed Ephraim. "It must have taken a lot of time every day then."

"Not too bad. Annie did all the grooming and put the flat miles on while I rode colts.

Kept me from getting behind with the young stock. She helped get the timing on takeoffs right too - I've never done much jumping."

Cord looked up to see Ephraim looking at him intently.

"It surprised me how angry I was at the thought of them getting away with cheating you out of the win," Ephraim said. "Zamora was right, it was an honor to watch that ride."

Cord looked at his brother warily, recognizing the first tentative step toward a major rapprochement.

Ephraim dropped his eyes. "Anyway, I probably wouldn't have done much good with the committee if Stone hadn't come right behind me." He chuckled. "He threatened to hire me to sue them."

Cord returned to his lunch. "If you hadn't gone over there first, he never would have.

Thanks."

Right then Luke and Pete burst into the kitchen. "Boy, I hope you saved some for us."

Martha said, "You know I did. Where have you two been?"

"Oh, here and there." They'd been sampling drinks at some of the post-race get togethers and everyone knew it.

"Oh, yeah, before I forget. I don't want to carry all this around any more." Luke began pulling great wads of bills from his pockets and throwing them on the table in front of Anne.

Anne watched the growing pile of bills and recognized trouble. "W-what's that?" she asked.

"Your take."

"Take?"

"From your bet. You gave us a hundred dollars."

"But that's - that's thousands."

"For gosh sakes, Anne, we explained about odds last time. The odds were twenty to one. You won two thousand dollars. This time Pete and I got smart. We each bet twenty dollars, and I happen to know Sheriff Reynolds did too. LeClercs bet ten, and so did Mr.

Miles. Everybody had a great day courtesy of our uncle. And the horse, of course." Luke was slightly tipsy and enjoying himself even more than usual.

Anne was afraid to even look up. "You s-shouldn't have done that," she said. "I thought Red would probably be disqualified, and it wouldn't have mattered if I lost the money."

As a matter of fact she had thought losing her Grenerton money might be a good thing.

Luke just laughed, but Anne's heart sank as she heard Cord drawl, "Well, isn't that great, Ti-gress. Now you don't have to stop in Denver, you can head straight for Paris - or wherever." He was furious, and what might have come of it she was just as glad not to know, for missing the undercurrents, Pete spoke up.

"We heard that poor horse isn't going anywhere as nice as Paris. Lathrum's going to buy him."

Anne jerked her head up and met Cord's eyes. What she saw there only reflected her own pain. Lathrum was a cruel man even without a reason, and he had a reason to vent his spleen on Red - he would see the horse as the weapon used to best him. Anne was afraid she was going to cry right here in front of everyone. Looking down, trying to keep the tears from starting, she saw the blur of green. "Cord, could we...?"

"Even if it's enough, they won't sell that horse to us."

"If we never try...."

"Stone won't just say no. He'll rub our noses in it."

A single tear slipped across her cheek. Cord conceded defeat by standing and starting for the door. "All right, money bags, gather it up and come on. We'll make them say no."

Anne gathered up the bills and tried to smooth them out and roll them neatly then hurried after him.

John Stone was not at home. A maid escorted them into the library where Virginia Stone waited. "I suppose you've come for your prize money." There was a rectangular-shaped piece of paper on the desk before her.

Anne poked a finger in Cord's back, wanting him to do the talking. He shot her a hard look but answered. "No, ma'am. We heard Mr. Lathrum was trying to buy your horse and wondered if you'd sold to him."

"No, as a matter of fact. He came here and discussed it, but I've promised John to sell the horse to the first person who offers what I paid, which is twenty-five hundred dollars, and Mr. Lathrum offered considerably less and wanted to negotiate. I told him he would have to speak with John - who is in town 'celebrating' with friends."

Resentment was in her voice and around her mouth. "Mr. Lathrum went to look for him. I imagine John will accept something less in the end. He really hates that horse."

She pressed hand to her forehead. "I bought him when John wasn't with me, you know.

He can't forgive that." She jerked upright, as if reminded of what she was saying and to whom she was saying it. "Well, that's neither here nor there. I'll endorse this check to you."

Cord said, "Mrs. Stone, would you sell Anne the horse?"

Something that looked remarkably like regret crossed her face. "I'm sorry, Mr.

Bennett, I can't take this check and your note. My husband has specified cash, you see."

"We had in mind that check and fifteen hundred dollars cash."

Wide-eyed with disbelief, the quintessential lady crossed the boundaries of propriety a second time. "Where on earth would you get fifteen hundred dollars?"

Anne might have replied that they had just robbed the local bank, but Cord's self-restraint was much better. He said, "Anne bet on the race. The odds were twenty to one."

Mrs. Stone dropped to the chair behind the desk, a genuine laugh ringing out. "Oh, my, John's going to love it. Just love it. The bill of sale for the horse is in my name alone.

I'll just write another and attach it. His pedigree is with it. You can have the lot."

"We wouldn't want to cause you any trouble, ma'am." Anne could have wrung his neck for that.

"Oh, no, I gave John my word to accept the first offer of as much as I paid. One's word is one's bond, you know." The opportunity to spite her husband was making her almost giddy.

Anne counted fifteen hundred dollars from her pockets onto the desk, and then spoke for the first time. "Please make the bill of sale out to Cord and Anne Bennett, Mrs.

Stone."

Busy writing, Virginia Stone missed the hard look Cord gave Anne. He said nothing, just folded the papers and b.u.t.toned them in his s.h.i.+rt pocket.

Still happy over her domestic revenge, Virginia Stone shook both their hands. "It's been a pleasure." She laughed again. "A real pleasure."

Cord and Anne walked in silence to the barn. There was no sign of Lennie. "What are you going to use for Grenerton money, Annie?"

She put her hands on his shoulders and examined his face bit by bit. His eyes were as devoid of expression as his face itself. "If I ever decide to go to Grenerton, I'll just ask you to take me. That way you'll be right there, ready to take me home when I've seen enough." His hands tightened on her waist. He said nothing. "You know I'm never going there or anywhere else as well as I do. You're just not ready to admit it."