Fires in the Forest

by Oliver, Marina

  Sarah flung back her head and stared up at him.

  'You were keeping me there deliberately,' she accused. 'You thought it would keep me away from Tony!'

  'Oh, give me patience,' her brother exclaimed.

  'Sarah, you know the doctors would not permit that,' Tony said, and Nicola thought she detected a trace of desperation in his voice. If he had been arguing with her for several hours, as seemed likely, he would indeed be feeling exhausted, Nicola thought with sympathy.

  'It's true!' Sarah cried, and began to sob wildly. When Tony moved to hold her hand she clung to it tightly and turned to face Robert. 'You don't want anyone to be happy! Just because you hate women. It wasn't my fault Rose died. If you hadn't been so beastly to Emma she might not have run away with that horrid man. But Tony's not the same, he wants to marry me, and I don't care about my money, and neither does he!'

  'You are overwrought,' Robert said, and Nicola could tell by the pulse throbbing in his throat that he was restraining his anger with great difficulty. 'I am taking you home now, and the moment the doctor says you are well enough to travel you will go down to Cornwall with Nicola and a nurse. I have already arranged a flat. You will remain there with Mother until you go to Switzerland.'

  'And leave you with time to chase that horrid Jane. Well, I hope you do marry her, for she'll soon get tired of you and leave you for someone else!'

  'Leave my marriage to me,' Robert said, and the quiet menace of his tone was more effective on Sarah than his earlier fury. Even Nicola felt afraid of him as he stepped closer to his sister.

  She drew back in her chair with a gasp and Tony, apprehensive, took a step nearer. But Robert merely put his hand on Sarah's forehead, and she was so cowed she stayed still and let him feel whether she was flushed or not.

  He turned to Tony. 'Thank you for contacting me. I am grateful. May I call to see you when I have taken Sarah and Nicola down to Penzance?'

  'Of course,' Tony said quietly. 'Sarah, dear, do as Robert says. You have no alternative and will only be ill again if you are silly.'

  'I can't trust anyone,' Sarah whispered, but did not resist Nicola when she helped her into a jacket which Tony produced. Limply she allowed Robert to pick her up and carry her down the stairs.

  'How did she get here?' Nicola asked quickly as Tony picked up Sarah's case and prepared to follow.

  'By taxi. She apparently walked out of the hospital after she had dinner and phoned for a taxi. I had to pay him,' he added with an engaging grin that suddenly made Nicola see why Sarah was attracted to him. 'She wasn't cold and I don't think she'll come to any harm despite her tantrums.'

  Nicola looked at him curiously. 'You'd really take her on despite them?' she asked.

  He laughed and shrugged. 'They're part of Sarah. I don't know why I love her, and sometimes, like tonight, she exasperates me beyond bearing. Emma was very much the same – I can't say I blame Wilmington sometimes having to cope with both of them! Worse than any horses. But I can't imagine never seeing her again.'

  They had reached the stable yard where Robert was helping Sarah, sobbing in a subdued manner, into the car. Nicola gave Tony a swift smile.

  'Good luck,' she whispered as she went to follow Sarah, and thought how well she understood him. She could not imagine life without Robert and yet he was going to banish her to Cornwall without even asking her whether she wished to go.

  *

  They soon reached The Lodge and Nicola helped Sarah to bed. Robert was preoccupied and after thanking her, apologised for having dragged her away from the dance.

  'I'll terrify Sarah so much in the morning she will not dare leave her bed until we're home again.'

  'I'll stay with her,' Nicola volunteered, but he shook his head and frowned.

  'No. Why should you have your plans ruined by a spoilt child? Mrs Trotter will look after her while we return to the show. If Night Demon loses I shall be tempted to blame my wretched sister. Goodnight.'

  He was up early making several telephone calls, and as they drove back seemed preoccupied. They drove straight to the stables and Roddy reported Night Demon was fit and 'rarin' to go'.

  'The police have got someone, sir,' he added. 'They picked up a fellow trying to get into your horsebox last night. He must have thought Night Demon was stabled there. He must be daft if he thought we wouldn't be keeping watch. Anyway, they'd like you to go to the station to see if you can identify him. They're checking his prints.'

  'A lucky break,' Robert commented. 'We'll go before lunch. Do you mind, Nicola?' he asked, and she shook her head.

  At the police station an Inspector confirmed that their prisoner's fingerprints matched those found in Night Demon's stables at The Lodge, and the shifty-eyed little man was brought in for Robert to say if he had ever seen him around the stables.

  'He claims he once worked for you,' the Inspector said, 'and has practically admitted giving the horse the drug. He's trying to imply it is a personal grudge.'

  'I've never seen him before, and certainly never employed him,' Robert told the policeman after the man had been taken away again.

  'But I have,' Nicola said, puzzled. 'I'm sure he was in the same café in Bournemouth one afternoon.'

  'He admits staying there,' the Inspector commented. 'Where was this, Miss?'

  She told him. 'I noticed him particularly because he went out just behind someone I knew and I wondered for a while if they had been together, and thought it most unlikely. It must have been just coincidence.'

  'Who was it?' Robert asked sharply.

  'Jane. But they couldn't have been together.'

  Robert was regarding her oddly. 'Jane and that man?'

  'If you can tell us, Miss, this other lady might also recall seeing him,' the Inspector suggested, and Nicola told him all she could, then she and Robert returned to the Crown.

  After lunch they went to the showground and Robert, with a brief apology, disappeared. Some time later Nicola saw him deep in conversation with Jane, who was smiling up at him, reaching up intimately to straighten his tie, smiling and nodding at what he was saying.

  'They make a handsome pair, don't they?' a voice beside Nicola said, and she turned to find Paul Moncrieff beside her. 'Here's your bag, you left it in the car,' he added, and she took the evening bag he handed her with a startled glance at him, then hid her flushed cheeks by bending to slip it into the large shoulder bag she was carrying.

  Without asking her permission Paul sat down beside her and she had to endure his company, for by then it was impossible to leave her seat without disturbing people, and the first competition for ponies had started.

  *

  Responding as little as she could without being rude, Nicola watched the jumping. When the Novice Cup was announced she sat tensely, willing Night Demon to behave perfectly. Robert was tenth to jump and of the previous riders only one had a clear round. Night Demon came into the ring and curvetted while they waited to start. He looked lively and eager to go. When the signal came Nicola gripped her hands together tightly, but the horse had clearly recovered from the doping attack on him and sailed over the first few fences with inches to spare. As they came to the triple fence he seemed to hesitate but then cleared it easily. The next fence was the wall and Nicola held her breath. She was right behind it and as Robert cantered towards it she gasped when it appeared Night Demon was swerving away. If he refused it would cost Robert the Cup.

  He needed a clear round and then to win the jump-off in order to win.

  Night Demon was tossing his head slightly, but just as it seemed an impossible task for Robert to point him at the wall the horse straightened, went for the wall and was over with an inch to spare. The rest of the jumps he took unhesitatingly and left the ring to loud applause, for most of the crowd knew of the attack and were applauding his courage.

  None of the remaining competitors had a clear round and so Robert and a fair-haired girl riding an eager chestnut had to jump again. The girl went first after the jumps had
been raised slightly. She was clear until the final jump, when the chestnut's hooves touched the pole as he went over slightly too hurriedly, and after what seemed an eternity it toppled to the ground. A groan went up from the spectators and then a burst of applause, for despite the faults it had been an impressive performance.

  Then Robert was again in the ring. As he rode in he smiled at Jane, and then looked towards Nicola. He frowned, and she wondered whether it was the sight of Paul sitting beside her that annoyed him. Please don't let it affect his concentration, she whispered to herself, wondering confusedly whether he was after all jealous, or merely angry she appeared to have ignored her previous quarrel with Paul and be on good terms with him again.

  Robert had started, however, and she had no time for such reflections. Night Demon seemed less energetic this time, and the effects of his doping were beginning to show in this second strenuous test. Robert was having to nurse him over some of the easier jumps which he cleared with very little to spare. But there seemed to be a closer relationship between the horse and rider than Nicola had ever seen before, and she had the strong feeling Night Demon was trying to show his gratitude for the time and care Robert had lavished on him when he had been ill, and was determined to do his best for Robert's sake. Such would explain his acceptance of the wall, for he had not once refused it since he had recovered.

  At the in-and-out the final pole wavered, but the crowd let out a collective gasp as it remained in place. Agonisingly slowly, it seemed, but in reality well within the time limit, as Nicola found when she glanced at the clock by the Judges' stand, Night Demon tackled each jump. Then it was the wall. An extra row of painted bricks had been added to it, and Robert let Night Demon approach slowly at first, gradually increasing the pace as they drew nearer to the fence the horse hated, which was now higher than he had ever previously tackled this particular obstacle.

  As they came within a few yards of the wall Night Demon's ears flickered, and then he appeared to stretch himself into longer strides and to Nicola's joy he jumped it perfectly. Robert leaned over and patted his neck but there were still several jumps to go. The finger of the clock now appeared to race round the dial, and people were watching that almost as much as they were watching Robert and his gallant horse. But, encouraging and yet not hurrying Night Demon, Robert took him over the rest of the jumps, and although he barely cleared them he did succeed in avoiding touching them, and to tremendous cheers Robert rode out of the ring with five seconds to spare.

  After a few moments he returned to receive the trophy, a magnificent large double-handed cup inscribed with the names of all the previous winners, some very famous horses and riders amongst them.

  *

  'Let's go down to him,' Paul suggested, and Nicola willingly agreed.

  They made their way through the crowds to where Robert's horsebox was and found him surrounded by a mass of admirers who wanted to see Night Demon and give Robert their congratulations. Paul made a way through for Nicola and she had almost reached him when she saw Jane fling herself into Robert's arms as he dismounted.

  'Darling!' Nicola heard her say and a cheer from the crowd drowned her other words, but could not hide the clinging way she held him and the kiss she pressed on his lips.

  As Nicola tried to retain her composure she became aware of a young man at her side attempting to speak to her. She turned to him, puzzled.

  'I beg your pardon? Did you say something?' she asked, glad of the momentary distraction from the sight of Jane in Robert's arms.

  He nodded eagerly. 'I believe you work for Mr Wilmington? I'm from the press. Is it true he's going to marry Mrs Prendergast?' he asked with a bright smile.

  Nicola stared at him, completely taken aback, and as if in a dream she heard Paul speaking from behind her.

  'Look, old chap, it's not public yet. You'd really better ask them. I'm her brother. Miss Browne here doesn't know anything about it.'

  The journalist smiled and winked at Paul, and moved towards Robert who was standing beside Night Demon, Jane close at his side, facing a battery of cameras and journalists. Nicola turned away, shattered. It was as she had feared.

  'I say, are you all right?' Paul asked.

  'Yes, of course,' she managed to reply. 'I've just remembered I left something under my chair. I'd better go and fetch it. I won't be long.'

  She escaped from him and almost ran to the show-ground exit. There she was lucky to find a taxi which took her to the Crown. Too numb to think, to ask herself whether what she had heard was in fact true, too miserable to know anything apart from the fact she must escape as soon as possible, for she could not face Robert and conceal her feelings for him any more. She threw her things into her case. In the hotel lobby the commissionaire found her another taxi.

  'Where to, Miss?' he asked as he put in her case.

  'There is a railway station, isn't there?' she asked, feeling stupid, but they did not appear to think the question strange and the taxi driver nodded.

  'Be there in five minutes,' he said as he drew away. 'Do you want the London train?'

  Nicola nodded. 'I've been called back suddenly,' she explained, feeling compelled to provide some reason for her odd behaviour.

  'It's in half an hour. A slow train, but you won't have long to wait.'

  *

  The journey was a nightmare to Nicola. The train was full and she had to share a compartment with three schoolgirls who were on their way to France with a school party, and an elderly couple who muttered disapprovingly through the entire journey about the manners of the younger generation, and from their glares at her appeared to hold Nicola responsible for the children.

  At last they came to Paddington. Nicola did not have enough cash left for a taxi and had to struggle with her case on the tube, grateful she could go straight to Hammersmith without the bother of changing to another line.

  She carried her case home to the flat, realising as she turned into her road that it would be empty at the moment. This was something she had not thought of before, that the other girls were away on holiday until the following week. But she could get the spare key from Mrs Watson easily enough and let herself in.

  Thankfully she reached the short flight of steps leading down to the basement door, let herself in and then, after a reviving cup of tea, and an inspection of the fridge, decided she must make the effort of going to the nearby corner shop to get some milk and food.

  She bought eggs and mushrooms, bread and a carton of milk, and slowly went home, forcing herself not to give way to the despair that had overwhelmed her when she heard her fears confirmed and knew Robert was to marry Jane. He must have been using her to make Jane jealous, she told herself and cracked one of the eggs so hard against the edge of the basin that it broke all over the worktop of their tiny kitchen.

  Stonily Nicola mopped it up and made her omelette. She had just carried it and a glass of milk into the living room when the doorbell rang. She pursed her lips and hoped any casual caller would go away. It was probably some market researcher, or possibly even an insurance salesman. But the bell rang again, and again. Nicola sighed and put down her plate and went to open the door.

  'May I come in?' Robert asked, and she stared from him to the Mercedes parked outside the house in bewilderment, while he stepped past her and closed the door.

  'Why? What are you doing here?' she finally managed to say.

  'What are you?' he responded. 'Why did you disappear like that?'

  'How did you know I was here?' she said slowly.

  'The Crown commissionaire heard you ask for the station and the taxi driver said you wanted the London train,' he said quickly. 'Nicola, why did you run away from me?'

  'I – oh, I'm sorry, I should have told you. I feel dreadful about letting Sarah down but you'll have a nurse to go with her, and there was nothing else I could do!'

  'You're not making sense!' he told her brusquely. 'Come and sit down.'

  Taking her arm he led her through into the sitti
ng room and swung her round to face him, holding her shoulders firmly.

  'Why did you rush away?' he demanded again. 'Did that damned Moncrieff behave badly again?'

  She shook her head, unable to take her eyes away from him.

  'I had some crazy journalist asking if I was going to marry Jane. I'd seen him talking to you and Moncrieff earlier. Was that it?'

  Nicola closed her eyes to prevent him from reading the truth in them, and then opened them again in astonishment as she felt his lips descend on hers.

  'You adorable little idiot!' he exclaimed. 'How could you possibly imagine I would marry such a self-centred, sly, trouble-making woman? Do you think I am blind not to see how she deliberately provokes Sarah, and has been trying to put you in a bad light ever since she met you?'

  'But – but you sent her flowers,' was all Nicola could think of, she was so astounded by this revelation of how he regarded Jane.

  'Those damned flowers! Only a birthday present. But I didn't send her red roses,' he added with a laugh. 'You did that.'

  'No, it was Sharon,' she had to say.

  *

  'I was starting to explain last night,' he went on, and pulled her down to the settee, his arm about her waist. 'This time we are not going to be interrupted! Long ago I was engaged to a girl called Rose. We were both very young, it was years ago. She died in a car crash and ever since I have allowed myself to be stupidly affected by roses. Had you noticed there are no roses at The Lodge?'

  Nicola nodded, remembering the photograph beside his bed and the message on the back from the girl called Rose, and suddenly her heart felt light and free.

  'I – I'm sorry,' she whispered. 'I didn't understand.'

  'How could you? But we used to joke about roses and I always gave her red ones. Mother had planted lots of them when I had The Lodge built, but when Rose died I begged her to destroy them. It didn't help, but it was some little thing I could do to avenge fate for taking my Rose away from me. She was the only girl I'd ever loved, and I was devastated.

  'I think I really got over her death years ago, but I kept her memory alive deliberately in order to prevent my being attracted to any other woman. You see, I've found women only too ready and anxious to spend my money. I'm not vain, I hope, but I am rich. They are normally only too aware of that.'