Polo. Part 5

Bart wanted her now, but, even on automatic pilot, making love in a helicopter is not in the flight manual.

'We're over Victor's land,' he said in amus.e.m.e.nt. 'There's a clearing in the wood where we can land. No one will find us. I'll just tell them I'm going down.'

'On me I hope,' whispered Chessie.

Having cleared with flight control, Bart eased the power and headed for the trees. Chessie saw the clearing, a little sage-green disc, cut in half by a winding stream, flanked by willows. There were no houses near by. Switching off, Bart allowed the blades to stop before opening the door and jumping on to the lush green gra.s.s. Next moment he'd walked round to the other door, and his arms were deliciously full of Chessie.

'Jesus, you're lovely,' he murmured, carrying her to the shade of a large oak tree. This time he was going to take it very slowly.

'Why did you pretend you came before?' he asked, as he laid her gently down in the groin of two huge roots.

Chessie opened her eyes in terror. 'I didn't,' she stammered, 'I came beautifully.'

'Liar!' Peeling down her pants, he slid his fingers into the oily cavern. 'That's better. I should put you across my knee for distracting me at nine hundred feet.'

Instantly, her breath quickened, her eyes went dull, her legs widened ecstatically. So that's it, Bart thought in triumph, she wants to be treated like a naughty little girl. His hand slid to her bottom, exploring gently but persuasively.

'Is that what you like?' he whispered. 'Your b.u.t.t paddled?' Repelled but wildly excited, Chessie squirmed against him.

'Ricky's too straight, huh?'

Chessie nodded helplessly. 'I can't talk to him.'

Slipping his hand under her b.u.t.tocks, between her legs, he fingered the bud of her c.l.i.toris, and felt the flood of wetness as she gasped and came.

The sun had dropped behind the trees as he pulled out of her for the last time.

'The skill,' said Chessie, mocking to hide how moved she felt, 'is knowing when to get in and when to get out.'

They didn't talk on the way home. Mist was rising from the river. Bart dropped her off where her car was, at Rubens' Retreat.

'You're going to be very late. What movie have you been to see?'

'Gone with the Wind,' said Chessie, 'twice round.' said Chessie, 'twice round.'

'I guess this take-over's going to take up so much of my time I won't go to Deauville,' said Bart. Then, getting a jewel box out of his briefcase, 'I've got you a present.'

Chessie wasn't really into costume jewellery, but for paste the diamonds were certainly beautifully set, and looked pretty round her neck in the driving mirror. She supposed the rich didn't dare wear real jewels any more.

'Thank you,' she said, trying to simulate enthusiasm.

'Are you going to be able to hide them from Ricky?' asked Bart, cupping her groin with his hand.

Chessie glanced down.

'I'd better shove them up there,' she said bitterly. 'That's one place Ricky won't look.'

7.

As Ricky rode off the field at the end of the match at the Guards Club there was a message to ring Louisa.

'Mattie's worse,' she said, trying to hold back the tears. 'Her leg smells awful and her eyes are dead. Phil Bagley's out on his rounds, but I got him on his bleeper. He's coming as soon as possible.'

Mercifully, Major Ferguson, the Deputy Chairman and Polo Manager, understood.

'Course you must go at once. I'll explain to the sponsors.' 'I'm s-s-sorry,' mumbled Ricky. 'S-s-suppose I shouldn't have tried to save her.'

'Done just the same myself,' said Major Ferguson. 'Mattie's a legend - give anything for one of her foals. I'll ring you in the morning - love to Chessie.'

If only Ricky'd had Bart's helicopter. Limited in the horse box to forty miles an hour, going slap into rush-hour traffic, and trapped between returning tractors and hay lorries, he didn't get home until nearly eight. Please G.o.d, save her, he prayed over and over again.

Phil Bagley was already in Mattie's box. The stink of putrefaction was unmistakable, Mattie hung leaden in her sling. For the first time since she was a tiny foal, she didn't whicker with delight to see Ricky. Phil Bagley looked up, shaking his head.

'The leg's completely cold below the plaster,' he said brusquely, to hide his feelings. He loved Manie, having treated her since she was a foal, and had rejoiced in her dazzling career. 'I've been sticking needles in and she doesn't feel anything, and her temperature's right up, which indicates secondary infection as well as gangrene.'

Ricky crouched down beside Phil Bagley, feeling Mattie's skin which had gone hard and crisp like parchment.

'Is she in pain?'

'Yup - considerable I'm afraid.'

'There's no way we can take off the plaster and clean it up?'

'We can have a look.'

Ricky held Mattie's head. Although her breath quickened, she made no attempt to fight, as Phil got to work. He only had to saw a few inches - the stink was appalling.

'I'm sorry, Ricky. It's completely putrid. If she were a dog or a human we could amputate.'

The fiercely impa.s.sive Frances, who was looking over the stable-door, gave a sob.

'Of course.' Ricky deliberately kept his voice steady. 'You must do it at once.' Then, without turning, ' Frances, can you ask Louisa to see that Will's well out of the way?'

As Phil went off for the humane killer, Ricky put his arms round Mattie's neck, running his hand up the stubble of her mane.

'Sorry I put you through it, sweetheart,' he muttered. 'I only wanted to save you.' His voice broke, as she gently nudged him as if in forgiveness. Shutting his eyes, he scratched her gently behind the ears, putting his lips to the white star between her eyes, where the humane killer would go, until he felt Phil's hand on his shoulder.

The sun had set but there was still a fiery glow in the West as Chessie stormed up the drive. Dog daisies lit up the verges and the air was heavy with the sweet scent of the lime tree flowers. She had hidden Bart's necklace in the lining of her bag and, buying a Ruts.h.i.+re Echo, Ruts.h.i.+re Echo, had memorized the synopsis of the Robert de Niro film she was supposed to had memorized the synopsis of the Robert de Niro film she was supposed to have seen. Sober now, her earlier bravado evaporated, she was twitching with nerves. As she drew closer, she heard a m.u.f.fled explosion and slammed her foot on the accelerator. The house was in darkness. Perhaps Will had got hold of one of Ricky's guns. Then she saw the lorry parked crooked across the yard and panicked. Ricky was home already. Outside Mattie's box, he was holding Frances in his arms.

'Oh, charming,' said Chessie acidly, 'I thought you were wowing sponsors at Guards.'

Ricky looked round, his face ashen, his eyes huge, black holes. Then Chessie saw that Frances 's normally accusing, disapproving face was a blubbered, disintegrating ma.s.s of tears.

'What on earth's the matter?'

'I've just put Mattie down,' said Phil Bagley in a tight voice, as he emerged from Mattie's box. 'I'm terribly sorry.'

'Oh, G.o.d,' said Chessie, not knowing what to say, but feeling pa.s.sionate relief that no-one would bother where she'd been. 'For a terrible moment I thought it was Will.'

Shooting her a look of pure hatred, Ricky walked past her into the night. In the kitchen she found Will patting the plump shoulder of a frantically sobbing Louisa.

'Mummy,' he turned in delight, 'Louisa crying. Did you bring me a present?'

'Delicious sweeties,' said Chessie, producing a handful of Rubens' Retreat's pet.i.ts fours pet.i.ts fours out of her bag. out of her bag.

'Ugh,' said Will spitting a marzipan banana out all over the floor.

Ricky didn't come back all night. Chessie thought he must have gone to his father's, until the telephone woke her at eight o'clock next morning.

'Herbert here,' barked a voice. Trust the old b.u.g.g.e.r not to apologize for ringing so early, or after so long. 'Can I speak to Ricky?'

'He's not here.'

'Well, tell him I've just heard about Mattie. b.l.o.o.d.y shame. I'm very sorry.'

It must have cost Herbert a lot to ring, but Chessie decided not to pa.s.s on the message. She didn't want him back in their lives, hanging around, restricting her freedom. Looking out of the window, she saw Ricky was back and with a couple of men from the village, was digging a grave in the orchard, where generations of dogs and stable cats had been buried. The two Labradors, tails wagging, were trying to join in, frantically scrabbling the earth with their paws. Wayne, Ricky's second favourite pony, a custard-yellow gelding with lop ears who'd been devoted to Mattie, stood by the paddock gate, neighing hysterically.

Keen to escape such a house of mourning, longing to be alone to think about Bart, Chessie drove into Rutminster on the pretext of doing the weekend shopping. Out of curiosity, on the way home, she stopped off at a jeweller to get Bart's necklace valued. The b.u.mpy, veined, arthritic hands trembled slightly as they examined the stones.

'Very, very nice,' said the jeweller in reverent tones. 'I'd be surprised if you'd get much change out of 100,000, might be even higher. Pretty stones, for a pretty lady,' he added with a smile at Chessie's gasp of amazement.

Chessie was so stunned she went straight out and committed the cardinal indiscretion of ringing Bart at home from a call box.

'Pretend I'm a wrong number. Look, I'm sorry I was so horribly ungrateful. I'd no idea those diamonds were real.'

'Like my love for you,' said Bart softly. 'I can't talk now,' and hung up.

'Did you bring me a present?' said Will when she got home.

Joyfully Chessie gathered him up, and swung him round till he screamed with laughter.

'I've got a hunch,' she murmured. 'I may have got you a new Daddy.'

Bart rang her later. 'Can you talk?'

'I could talk when I was eighteen months,' said Chessie, 'but I'm precocious.'

Out of the window, she could see Louisa wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, as she planted primroses round Mattie's grave.'Mattie had to be put down,' she told Bart.

'I'm sorry - she was a h.e.l.luva horse. How's Ricky taking it?'

'Bottling it up as usual.'

'Any repercussions last night?'

'Ricky was too sh.e.l.l-shocked even to realize I'd been away. I forgot to ask yesterday. Are you still going to drop him?'

'I guess guess I'm I'm going to drop Ricky going to drop Ricky and and Grace,' said Bart. Grace,' said Bart.

The polo community were flabbergasted when Bart didn't come to Deauville and allowed the team that he was forking out so much for to play without him. His place was taken by an underhandicapped Australian who interchanged so dazzlingly with Ricky that the Alderton Flyers clinched the French Champions.h.i.+ps after a very close fight against David Waterlane and the O'Brien brothers. Kinta, suddenly clicking with Ricky, won the Best Playing Pony award, to Juan's fury. So much were the Flyers on form they were hotly tipped to win the French Gold Cup next Sunday.

Although Ricky desperately missed Mattie, he felt his luck was changing. During the endless barbecues and parties, the racing and gambling which characterize Deauville, players and patrons who aren't rus.h.i.+ng home every evening get a chance to talk. Ricky spent a lot of time with David Waterlane, and his son, Mike, a raw, silent, spotty youth, back from Harrow for the holidays. Hopelessly inhibited by his father, Mike showed considerable promise. Feeling the boy's relations.h.i.+p with David was very like his own with Herbert, Ricky immediately struck up a rapport with Mike. They exercised their horses at dawn every day in the surf and stick and balled together. Mike's game improved dramatically, and as a result David signed Ricky up as his senior pro for the next year. He and Ricky had been to the same school and understood each other. David was sick of the double-dealing and histrionics of the O'Briens.

Ricky had to confess that to the abscess-draining bliss of Bart's absence was added the relief of not having Chessie with him. He could concentrate on his game, and not worry the whole time whether she was bored, or spending too much money, or sulking because she wasn't spending money. He was well aware that his marriage was going badly, but being used to cold war over the years with Herbert, he didn't feel it was the end of the world.

After drinking at least a bottle and a half of champagne after the French Champions.h.i.+ps, Ricky tried to ring home, but the telephone was dead - probably been cut off. Suddenly, missing Chessie like h.e.l.l, he decided to accept Victor Kaputnik's offer of a lift back to the Tiger's yard at Newbury. Sukey and Drew, who were coming too, had parked their car there, and could give him a lift back to Ruts.h.i.+re. Buoyed up by champagne, ecstatic with victory, he bought a dark green cashmere jersey for Chessie, a cowboy suit for Will, and stopped off at the supermarket and loaded up with garlic sausage, salami, Toblerone, huge tomatoes, and the cheese which smelt like joggers' socks which Chessie adored so much.

Victor's helicopter seated eight, so drinking continued on the flight, and Sukey, who didn't drink, drove Drew and Ricky back to Ruts.h.i.+re, so they were able to carry on boozing, reliving every chukka. Next Sunday's Gold Cup seemed well within their grasp now. Ricky sat in the back addressing occasional fond and drunken remarks to the huge silver cup which he would have to hand over to Bart tomorrow.

'We're going to spend the second half of our honeymoon in Argentina and find Drew some really good ponies,' said Sukey as she turned off the M4.

It must be nice having a wife who acted as chauffeur and remembered every shot you'd ever scored, thought Ricky. But he didn't think he could bring himself to sleep with Sukey. He was overwhelmed again with longing for Chessie. He should have forked out for a temporary nanny. They needed to spend more time together.

My luck has turned, he told himself again, as Sukey drove up the lime avenue. I'm going to be a better husband from now on. Robinsgrove was in darkness. Perhaps Chessie'd gone to stay with her mother. As he stood reeling uncertainly in the yard, he suddenly felt a sword-thrust of misery that Mattie wasn't there to welcome him. Then a white ghost shot out of the grooms' flat. Millicent the whippet, frisking round his legs, was overjoyed he was home. She was shortly followed by the two Labradors, and Louisa, who was spilling out of a yellow sundress. Sounds of revelry were going on behind her.

'Whatever are you doing back?' she asked in horror. 'Just for the night,' said Ricky, clanking bottles as he searched in the carrier bag. 'We won.'

'OhmiG.o.d, how wonderful,' said Louisa, flinging her arms round his swaying body. He was absolutely plastered, bless him.

'And Kinta won Best Playing Pony. Any problems?'

'No, everything's fine. They're all turned out except Wallaby, and his hock's much better. Come and have a drink to celebrate.'

The whoops and howls were increasing.

'Who the f.u.c.k's that?' shouted a voice.

'No thanks,' said Ricky, handing Louisa a garlic sausage, and a bottle of Cointreau. 'For you, where's Chessie?'

Louisa looked guilty. Ricky thought it was because he'd caught her having a party.

'Gosh thanks, she's left a note on the kitchen table. Millicent hasn't been eating,' she called after Ricky, as he tottered towards the house. 'But she will now you're home.'

Ricky realized how drunk he was when he tripped up the back doorstep, and nearly dropped the cup. G.o.d, that cheese stank. There was no moon, so he spent ages finding his keys.

The kitchen was incredibly tidy. Usually by Sunday night it was a tip. He dumped the carrier bags on the table, poured himself a large whisky, and was just about to open a tin of Chappie for Millicent, when he saw Chessie's letter. How odd, she'd put it in an envelope.

'Dear Ricky,' he read, 'I'm leaving you. I can't put up with a miserable, totally meaningless marriage any more. I'm taking Will. My lawyers will be in touch. Don't try and find me. Yours, Chessie.'

Very carefully he spooned the contents of the Chappie tin into Millicent's bowl and, putting it down, sprinkled biscuits over it. Then, as he walked towards the telephone and realized he'd scattered biscuits all over the floor, he started to shake, his thighs suddenly seemed to have a life of their own, leaping and trembling. His heart was cras.h.i.+ng against his rib-cage.