The Dark Horse by Rumer Godden Read Free Book Online

shouted word or the mark of chalk on a blackboard. Yes, Mr Leventine was still a buyer (quack), if the price wasn’t right, Mr Leventine would spring another five hundred, but that was his last word. (Quack?) It was a deal? (Quack?) Subject to vet’s examination (quack). Some of his new horses were being shipped out soon and there was a box to spare. Michael could expect his veterinary surgeon next day. Mr Leventine’s cheque would follow as soon as the certificate was in his hands. Short credits long friendships – laugh – (quack, quack), silence.
    Â 
    â€˜You’ll have to tell Ted.’
    Breakfast with Annette in the house’s warm dining-room was for Michael the best part of the day; cold and hungry after the dawn start and three strenuous hours’ work, a plateful of porridge and cream, then bacon and eggs, hot toast and marmalade and his own outsize cup of coffee usually seemed like heaven, but this morning he had left the yard without a glance at the end stall where Dark Invader was craning his neck for attention and for an apple, or a few of the lumps of sugar Michael kept in his pockets. ‘A sale is a sale, all in the day’s work,’ he told himself, but he seemed to see Darkie’s future with a horrible certainty; the horse hated racing; he would be a total failure and would finish flogged to death in the shafts of some ramshackle carriage for hire or even a cart. Michael pushed his plate away.
    â€˜Have some more coffee,’ said wise Annette and, when he had the steaming cup, holding it in hands that still seemed to be cold, she said gently, ‘Tell Ted before he hears it from anyone else.’
    â€˜As a matter of fact,’ said Michael, ‘Ted’s part of the deal. He’s to take Darkie out.’
    â€˜Ted! To Calcutta!’
    â€˜If he will. It’s one of Leventine’s conditions. He seems to have been thorough in his enquiries,’ and Michael quoted: ‘As the horse is temperamental, I should be glad if you would allow his own lad to make the voyage with him.’
    â€˜What did Peter say to that?’
    â€˜What do you think? “Who pays?”’ Peter, who never had to worry; who always knew where the money to pay the stable bills would come from, yet could not spare the expense of keeping Dark Invader a little longer. ‘No, you’re being too dramatic,’ Michael told himself but, wintering abroad, a new two thousand quid car – same price as for the horse – Peter, who had said before he had driven off, ‘Spending all that on Ted, Leventine might be good for another few hundred. See if you can sting him, Mike, but don’t lose the deal,’ and, ‘
Owners!
’ Michael was going to say it savagely, but Annette cut across. ‘This Mr Leventine – he will do that for the sake of the horse. I think I like Mr Leventine.’
    â€˜But will Ted go?’ asked Michael.
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    â€˜In’ja,’ said Ted. ‘
In’ja!
You mean you’re sending the Invader all that way? ’Mong all them heathens,’ said Ted in anguish.
    â€˜They’re not heathen, Ted, but yes, India and not only him – you.’
    â€˜Me!’ For perhaps the first time in his life Ted’s voice was shrill.
    â€˜Mr Leventine,’ said Michael, ‘has asked that, to give Darkie the best possible chance, his own lad should take him out. His own – which means you.’
    â€˜Strewth!’ said Ted. The voice had become almost a whisper. ‘To Calcutta?’ asked Ted.
    â€˜To Calcutta.’
    There was a silence. Then, ‘You mean this gentleman,’ it was seldom Ted used that word, ‘this gentleman will pay my ticket there and back?’
    â€˜There and back, and pay you.’
    â€˜Just so as the Invader’s not upset?’
    â€˜That’s it.’
    â€˜I’ll go,’ said Ted.

III
    Papers in hand, John Quillan waited on the