by Miranda Lee
'Would you two excuse me for a few minutes?' Lois interrupted. 'I've just spotted the owners of my horse in the second race. Jack, darling, look after Courtney for me, will you? Take her inside, up into the bar overlooking the track. Get her a drink. I'll find you when I'm finished down here.'
Courtney was not displeased at being left alone with the dishy Jack. But, as Lois walked off, he looked momentarily disconcerted.
'You don't mind, do you?' she said straight away.
His eyes cleared of the cloud that had momentarily muddied them to a bleak grey. 'Why should I mind?'
'Maybe you want to go place a bet on the first race,'
she said. 'Or maybe you have other friends here that you feel you should be getting back to.'
'No. Not at all.'
'What about the other part-owner of Big Brutus?'
'He's in Bolivia. I now own all of Big Brutus.'
'Oh! I didn't realise Lois meant that partner. I wasn't listening properly.' She'd been too busy ogling Jack. 'Owning a racehorse all by yourself is very expensive, you know. Can you afford it?'
'I will be able to, after today. Lois is confident Big Brutus is going to win.'
'Lois is always confident her horses are going to win, especially when there's a cup or a prize at stake.'
Jack smiled a lazy smile. 'She is, isn't she?'
'Still, often enough she's right. She does love those trophies. My mother thought her quite wonderful.'
'Thought?'
Courtney swallowed. 'My mum passed away recently.' It still hurt, but the urge to cry whenever she thought about, or talked of her mother was gradually lessening. In a dozen years or so, she might actually get over losing her mentor, and champion.
'I'm sorry,' Jack said gently. 'Had she been ill? She couldn't have been very old. Unless you're the youngest in the family.'
'Actually, she was quite old. Seventy. I was her only child, born when she was forty-five.'
'Goodness. And your father?'
'My father is not a part of my life,' she said with an indifferent shrug. 'I never knew him, you see, and Mum rarely spoke of him, except in general and not very flattering terms. But gossip put him a good deal younger than her. A gypsy seducer, I gleaned from my classmates at school. And others over the years.'
'Ah. Good old gossip. It never lets the truth get in the way of a good story. He was possibly a very nice man.'
Somehow, Courtney doubted that. A very nice man would not have made her mother so bitter. But his absence had never hurt her. She'd rather relished the freedom of not having some male hand controlling her upbringing. People said her mother had let her run wild. That wasn't entirely true. The wildness, Courtney believed, she'd been born with.
'But let's not dwell on sadness,' Jack said, hooking his right arm through her left. 'Let's go and have that drink Lois suggested.'
'Yes, let's,' Courtney agreed, delighted to have the company of this very stimulating man.
The table he steered her to in the upstairs bar had a perfect view of the track. She could see the horses trotting out for the first race. But she didn't watch them for long. Her eyes were all on Jack as he went over to get the drinks himself rather than wait to be served at the table.
'Will you be going back into the investment business again?' was her first question when he returned with two glasses of champagne.
'Possibly.'
'I might be in need of an investment broker soon,' she said.
'Why would that be?' Jack asked, frowning.
'To find me a silent partner. For my stud farm. Not that I like the idea. Unfortunately, it's a necessity.'
'You have a money problem?'
Courtney rolled her eyes. 'Do I have a money problem?'
Tell me about it.'
Courtney could see no reason why she shouldn't tell him. If Lois didn't come through with someone, she just might give him a call. Besides, she fancied him rotten and there was interest in his eyes.
So she told him. Everything. All her mothers mistakes and misfortunes over the last few years. Even the amount of money she now owed and needed to find.
'Lois thinks she'll find some suitably mega-rich businessman from amongst her wealthy racing contacts,' she finished up. 'And she probably will, knowing Lois. But I'm not so sure it's a good idea to take on a partner who's mad about racing and who might develop some private fantasies about becoming a hands-on breeder himself. I'd prefer someone who just looks on this as a financial deal.'
'Fair enough. Have you told Lois that?'
'I've only just starting thinking that way. It's difficult to think straight when you're desperate.'
'Never be desperate, Courtney. Being desperate is the way to disaster. People know when you're desperate and take advantage of you. Always be cool. Never show fear. I'm sure you'd be very good at that.'
Courtney was impressed. It was the sort of advice her mother would have given her.
'You're right,' she said. 'There's no need to panic. The bank hasn't actually foreclosed as yet. So what do you suggest I do?' she asked.
'Take your time in finding just the right person. If the bank hasn't sent out any warning or threatening letters, then desperation hour has not yet arrived. Don't rush into anything. Scout around. I could give you the names of some very good investment brokerages here in Sydney. Ring them up and go see them.'
'How long will that take?'
'How long have you got?'
'I really have to get back to Crosswinds as quickly as I can. It's foaling time and I'm short-staffed. My accountant says this is more important, but he just doesn't understand.'
'It would take at least a week to line up appointments and do the rounds,' Jack said.
'Would you help me? I mean...a personal introduction would be much better than my just ringing up these people out of the blue.'
He seemed a little taken aback by her request.
'You did say you were a gentleman of leisure,' Courtney pointed out with a decidedly flirtatious smile.
He smiled back, if a little ruefully. 'You have a hide, Ms Cross. Has anyone ever told you that?'
'Several people, actually.'
'I'm not surprised. But, okay, I guess I could do worse things with my time than squire a beautiful young woman around town. Have you been down to Sydney before? Or is this your first visit?'
'Lord, no, I've been lots of times over the years. And frankly I'm always happy to get home to Crosswinds.'
'You don't like the city?'
'Can't say that I do. What you see is not always what you get'
'So young to be a cynic.'
'Is there a right age to see through hypocrisy?'
'I guess not...' He looked thoughtfully down into his champagne for a few moments before glancing back up. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again with no words coming out. His blue eyes grew arctic-cold, then colder still, his gaze fixed on something beyond Courtney's shoulder.
Female intuition warned her that only one person could cause this reaction. The treacherous Katrina. The woman who'd ditched him and married another man; the woman Lois said he was still besotted with.
But that didn't look like love glittering in Jack's chilling blue eyes. It was more like hate. Hate, and the need for vengeance.
WHAT kind of woman, Courtney puzzled as she sat there, could inspire such strong emotions in a man like Jack Falconer?
If Courtney had been alone, she'd have simply spun round in her chair and taken a good, long, hard look. But this situation called for a bit more subtlety, despite the fact that subtlety was not her strong suit.
She improvised. 'I need to go to the loo. I won't be long.' Standing up, she turned and pretended to search the room for the ladies' whilst zeroing in on the direction of Jack's piercing gaze.
And there she was, standing by the bar, clinging to the arm of a white-haired gentleman whose suit jacket was struggling to remain done up over his portly stomach.
Courtney had no doubts
it was Katrina,
Lois had said she would understand Jack's infatuation once Courtney saw her. And she did.
Katrina would have given any supermodel in the world a run for her money. She had everything they had, and possibly more. The height. The figure. The face. The hair. Definitely the clothes.
She was wearing a superbly cut calf-length cream woollen dress which hugged her stream-lined body, revealing every flowing but delectable curve. Her hair, which was a similar cream colour, was worn up in a rather severe French pleat which served to emphasise the perfection of her classically beautiful face. Gold and diamond earrings winked in her lobes. Her neck was bare, perhaps because she didn't want to distract any man's eyes from its elegant length, and the impressive cleavage the dress's deep V-neckline put on display.
Courtney couldn't see the colour of her eyes from that distance but she could certainly see the colour of her mouth. A rich blood-red.
Jack's blood, she thought angrily.
Seeing the man Katrina had chosen over Jack, however, confirmed Courtney's guess that this was all a matter of money. Katrina had obviously wanted to marry money, and Jack no longer had enough. What a cold-hearted money-grubbing bitch!
"The ladies' room is over there,' Jack said, misinterpreting her lengthy hesitation.
Courtney whirled back to face him. He'd sounded totally composed, but his eyes betrayed emotions best not explored. 'Where?'
He pointed to a far comer.
Courtney quickly assessed that there were two routes she could use to make her way there. One went straight between the tables, the other skirted the bar. Courtney went between the tables on her way there, and skirted the bar on her way back. Superbitch was still there, sipping a cocktail and hanging on hubby's every word.
'Hi, Katrina,' Courtney said breezily as she passed, but without stopping. Long enough, however, to see the cow's green eyes—they would be green, wouldn't they?—lift in surprise, then trail after her.
Courtney threw Jack a blinder of a smile as she walked towards him, and he automatically smiled back, as she had known he would. 'You were quick,' he said once she'd sat down again.
'Didn't have to touch up my make-up,' she said truthfully. 'Or my hair.'
He gave her face and hair a long, thoughtful look. 'You don't need to. You look great.'
'Thanks. You look great too.'
His laughter was real, and his eyes warm with genuine amusement. 'You are a very unique girl, do you know that?'
'Yep.'
He laughed again. 'Didn't your mother ever teach you modesty?'
'Lord, no. She taught me to say what I thought and do what I pleased.'
Jack's straight dark brows shot upwards. 'A very unusual mother, from the sounds of things.'
'She was.'
'You must tell me more about her. And about yourself. But first, I think another drink is—'
When he broke off, his eyes freezing once more, Courtney knew the reason why. She'd bargained on Katrina watching where she went, then not being able to resist coming over. It was one thing to dump a man. Quite another to find him seemingly happy in the company, of another woman. And a much younger woman, at that.
If, there was one thing guaranteed to get up the nose of a thirty-something female, it was seeing her ex with a younger woman.
And Courtney wanted to get up Katrina's oh, so perfect nose to the nth degree.
'Jack,' came a softly purring voice which could belong to none other but the scheming cow herself. 'I didn't expect to see you here today.'
She drifted into Courtney's view. Hubby, however, was nowhere in sight.
Jack smiled a smile that sent shivers running down Courtney's spine. Here was a man who would not forgive easily. Or forget It occurred to her that Jack's embezzling partner would be wise to stay exiled for ever in his South American hide-away.
'Why ever not, Katrina?' Jack drawled, leaning his broad shoulders back against his chair. 'Big Brutus is going to win today and I'm going to be there to accept the trophy. Along with Courtney, here.'
Glittering green eyes swung her way. 'I'm sorry,' Katrina said with lemony sweetness. 'You said hello to me, but I can't seem to place you.'
'Oh, you don't actually know me,' Courtney trilled back. 'But I feel like I know you., Jack has told me so much about you.'
'Really,' Katrina said coldly.
'We didn't want to have any secrets between us, did we, Jack?' Courtney smiled over at Jack, who thankfully wasn't looking too poleaxed by her bold charade.
'How nice,' his ex managed to grate out between her dazzlingly white but grindingly clenched teeth. 'So how long have you two been going out together?'
'Gosh, I'm not sure,' Courtney jumped in again. 'I haven't been counting. How long has it been, darling?' By now, she hoped and prayed Jack would back up her story.
'Lord knows, sweetheart,' he returned, his eyes amused on her. 'I haven't been counting, either. All I know is it's been one remarkable experience.'
Courtney could practically feel the woman's hostility. If she gripped her purse any tighter, her scarlet fingernails would sink holes in the leather.
'She's a little young for you, don't you think, Jack?' Katrina sniped.
Jack's expression was superbly indifferent to the woman's barb. What a man, Courtney thought. City-smooth and city-smart. But with such adorably macho looks. A most unusual combination.
'I would have thought she's just the right age,' he replied coolly. 'Can't say the same for old George, however. He's only got a few good years left in him, I would imagine. Look, I'd love to chat, Katrina, but the horses are in the barrier. We're sure to run into each other later, after Big Brutus wins his race, since George is going to present the trophy.'
With that, Jack picked up his binoculars from the table and focused them on the race that had just jumped. Katrina glared pure hate at Courtney, then stalked off.
'She's gone,' Courtney whispered, smiling satisfaction to herself.
'I'm not sure if I should be angry with you, or grateful,' Jack muttered drily, but without shifting his eyes away from the binoculars.
'Grateful would be the more sensible option.'
'I presume Lois told you about Katrina.'
'Only the bare facts. I asked her if you were rich and she told me of your own recent money troubles, which led on to her mentioning Katrina's defection to George.'
'Ah... I see... Yes... That explains everything.'
He fell silent then, seemingly intent on the race. It was only a sprint and the runners were already approaching the turn into the straight, with three of them vying for the lead and another pair hot on their heels. It looked like being an exciting finish.
Yet, for the first time during the running of a horse race, Courtney found her mind wandering away from the action.
A couple of things had begun puzzling her. She could understand why Jack hadn't quite got over Katrina yet.
After all, he was the one who'd been dumped. And the woman was simply stunning to look at. Courtney i suspected she was hot stuff in bed as well. I i
But Katrina's jealousy on seeing Jack with another female seemed over the top. 'What on earth had she expected? That a man like him would never turn his eye elsewhere? Had she imagined for a moment that she was irreplaceable in Jack's life, that her betrayal would turn him into an embittered celibate?
The idea was laughable. The woman had to have a screw loose.
Unfortunately, it did seem as if Jack hadn't turned his eye elsewhere as yet. He'd come here today alone, hadn't he? She was just a pretend girlfriend,
'You're far better off without her, you know,' she announced with pragmatic logic just as the horses flashed past the post 'If she didn't love you poor, then she didn't love you at all, did she?'
Jack lowered his binoculars and gave her a long, hard look. 'I know you meant well in doing what you just did, Courtney. And in a way I'm grateful to you. But you really don't know what you're talking about where Katrina and I are c
oncerned. Neither does Lois. She...oh, oh, talk of the devil. Lois is about to descend upon us. Now, for pity's sake, don't relay to her anything that just happened. And you can drop the besotted girlfriend bit Katrina and co have left the bar.'
Courtney pulled a face. 'Pity. I was rather enjoying myself. What about when Big Brutus wins? Shouldn't I revive the role, at least for the presentation?'
'Let's wait till the horse actually wins, shall we?' Jack stated drily. 'Hi, there, Lois. Time for a glass of champers?'
'So WHAT do you think, Courtney?' Jack asked ten minutes before the main race. 'Will Big Brutus win, or not?'
They were standing by the parade ring, watching the grooms leading their charges around in circles. Lois was standing in the grassed centre, giving her hoop last-minute instructions and suddenly looking very much the professional horsetrainer she was.
'Come on,' Jack persisted. 'You're the horse expert here. Give me your expert advice.'
Courtney had to admit she was impressed by Big Brutus's appearance this time in. He was beginning to look like the classy thoroughbred his breeding indicated, most of his earlier ugly angles filled in with hard muscle.
And there was that superior look in his eye which often denoted a good racehorse. Her mother had always had faith in Big Brutus and her mother had been no mean judge of horseflesh.
'He certainly looks the goods today,' she said. 'Worth a bet at the odds.' He was twelve to one.
'Mmm.' Jack reached for his wallet. 'Each way?'
'Betting each way is for little old ladies,' she scorned. 'Better to put your money straight out on two horses than wimp out on one.'
'Heaven help any man who looked a wimp in front of you!' he returned, smiling wryly. 'Straight out it will be, then. Stay where you are. I'll be back shortly.'
Courtney watched him counting out a lot of notes as he hurried off. She hoped he wasn't going to put too much money on Big Brutus's nose. He probably couldn't afford it. Besides, her record of tipping winners wasn't all that great Too biased, most of the time.
