Satisfied, she went to find Jared.
The man was nowhere to be seen. But he wouldn’t be far. Surely not. The auditorium? Perhaps he’d been in the arena watching. Watching her. She moved until she could see the Morgan’s Walk box, left center, one row up from the arena floor. The old vet and Fionola sat together, the mouse was close to the rail. Pale little Tyndal, so unsuitable for such a virile man. A pity, really.
****
With Pyralis saddled and ready, Jared looped his reins around a tree branch while he stood beside the cross that sheltered a grave. Etched on the headstone were the words he could recite from memory. “Beloved husband, cherished father, treasured friend. Ride well.”
It was a simple marker to honor a man who’d believed—in God, in his vision, in what Morgan’s Walk could become…with time. Chase even believed in him.
“Son,” Jared murmured. “You always called me son.” He sat on the stone bench beside Fionola’s roses. They were in full and fragrant bloom, brilliant in their last splendor before fall set in, and temperatures dropped.
“Every time I rode, you said the same thing to me. Ride well, son.” Jared took a deep breath, spoke to the memory as much as to the man. “I miss you. I miss having you to talk with.” He thought of the hours Chase spent teaching him to ride. Of Kong, his first Thoroughbred. Of the first time he rode in competition. The first time he won. Chase, as usual, had been at his side.
“I don’t have a good feeling about today. Can’t say why. I don’t have a crystal ball, but something feels off. Maybe I’m jumpy. I don’t know. You taught me to trust God. I’m doing my best with that. It’s hard. But I want you to know, however this turns out, I intend to ride well.”
He sat another minute or two, feeling the deep stillness, and breathed it in until Pyralis interrupted. The horse was on edge and worked off his nerves pawing at the ground.
Jared stood, walked to his side, and stroked his forehead. “Easy, now. Save that energy. It’ll be time soon enough.” Pyralis bumped him with his nose.
“You want a peppermint?” He offered the candy to Pyralis, and took a last look at the cross and the roses as the sun blazed overhead. Someone tied a ribbon to the tree that read ‘God be with us.’
Jared rubbed his great horse, whether in benediction or blessing he didn’t know. He thought of Tyndal, of Fee, and pulled on the formal black jacket he’d tossed across his saddle.
“Okay, boy. It’s time.” He rubbed the horse over once more, feeling for heat in his legs, tightness in his shoulders…for any soreness at all. Pyralis was fine. In fact, he was eager. “Yeah, I see. You know this is the day that counts.”
The horse reared and danced as Jared vaulted onto his back. “Let’s show some folks how to jump.”
He entered as the announcer called his name. Sometimes it was amazing how quiet an arena could be. Jared had no idea how many people were in the stands, but he felt each one hold their breath. He circled the arena at a slow canter until the chime signaled time.
Pyralis wanted speed.
“Not yet, boy. Take it easy. We need a clear round.”
Pyralis pushed harder against the bit, demanding.
Trusting his horse, Jared lightened his hands. “Okay then. I’ll just hang on.”
“Ride well, son.”
Jared smiled. For anyone watching, it appeared like they shared a silent thought. The man, his horse, and the jumps they owned. Like Sasha’s, their round was clean, no faults.
But Pyralis led by time.
At the end of the round, he dismounted and walked Pyralis toward Tyndal. She and Jake waited at the exit.
“I wanted to be here when you finished.” Tyndal covered the horse with a cooling sheet, rubbed his ears. She smiled up at Jared. “What do you need?”
“For him to calm down some. He pushed in there. He didn’t want to listen.” Jared dropped an arm around Tyndal’s shoulders. “Everyone okay?”
“Seth is taking care of Fionola. Keno checks in with us, then wanders off. He said one of his men overheard Sasha ask about you. She wanted to know where you were.”
“Where I am is with you. And his Orneriness here.” Jared stroked his horse. “Would the two of you want to keep us company for a while?” He rubbed Jake’s head. The big dog divided his time between Bahadur, watching Sasha, and keeping tabs on Tyndal. “I want to let Pyralis rest, but I don’t want to leave him alone.”
“Love to.”
The barns were relatively deserted; guests weren’t allowed to wander through the halls during competitions, only riders and their horses. Jared paused long enough to speak with a young man with the word Security tagged on his jacket. He stood at the barn entrance, a clipboard in his hands.
“Have you seen Sasha? Her horse was supposed to be in here.”
“The big gray? Yeah, he’s here. He’s on my list. A groom brought him in.” The guard checked his roster. “Some kids escaped their parents and carried in a few more trinkets and offerings, but it’s been mostly quiet.”
In the barn walkway, a red-colored plastic toy horse sat next to a bag of carrots at Pyralis’ stall. Someone left a photo of the horse as he soared over one of the jumps in the preliminary round. There were apples in front of almost every gate. Bags of them. A few other photos were tacked up here and there. When the barns were open, it wasn’t uncommon for spectators to leave little gifts outside the stalls of their favorite horses.
“How about earlier?”
“No. A girl was in here this morning when I came on, and then she came back later. She asked permission to peek inside each stall. If they were empty, I didn’t see any harm. Said she hoped to find a curry comb she’d dropped somewhere. She didn’t hang around long. But I checked her pass, she’s one of ours. Name’s Janie Smith.”
“What does she look like?”
“I don’t know. Didn’t pay that much attention. John Deere bill cap. Kinda plain. Can’t say much else.”
“Thanks. Are you one of Keno’s men?”
“No. I work part-time for the sheriff’s office, mostly on the desk. I’m a student at the university. I don’t have classes today and they said I could fill in for the regular guy. He’s out with a cold.”
Jared grinned. “Hope you enjoy the day then.” The kid probably had no idea what Sasha looked like. Janie Smith? How original. And how did Miss Smith get a Morgan’s Walk pass? He hadn’t thought to check employee records. So, if she had a pass, what else did she have? He tugged his phone out of his jacket pocket, called Keno. “We have to move Bhetami and her colt.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing. I think Sasha has a pass, and would have access to the barns anytime she wants.”
“I’ll put one of my men on it. And I’ll put someone out by the storage units, but the way Fee and Chase built all that, it just looks like part of the house. With the trees and her flowers, even if Sasha stood outside the barn and watched you lead Pyralis up there, she’d swear you were taking the horse to Fee’s garden. “Jared, one of my men is already set up in the main house. He said when Sasha couldn’t find you, she went to her room. She didn’t look happy.”
“Too bad.”
It would be early afternoon before the next round.
After his talk with Keno, Jared led Pyralis into his stall, rubbed his legs, and massaged his muscles. Tyndal sat cross-legged in the fresh straw, a pail in her lap, hand-feeding the big horse bites of grain.
“You’ll spoil my horse.”
“He likes it.” Pyralis nuzzled her hair, she stroked his nose.
“Can you blame him? He’s a guy. We’re all suckers when it comes to female attention. I could be jealous.”
“Could be, but you’re not. Anyway, if you’d ask nice, I’d feed you some too.”
“Grain isn’t what I have on my mind, love.” He sat beside her and pulled her onto his lap. “This right here is what I need. You, love. Just you.” The shape, the form, the taste of her.
He traced her mo
uth with his fingers, glided his lips along the fine bones of her cheek, down the length of her neck, and wallowed in the scent at the base of her throat. Wanting more, he claimed her lips with his and fed. “I want you, love. In my bed, in our home. We need to work on wedding plans.”
“No, we don’t. Fee is. I was railroaded.”
“How’d that happen?” Jared curled a length of her hair around his finger.
“When I asked if we could have the wedding and reception here, in her garden, I believe that’s when I lost control. At this point, my job is to find a dress. Fee’s talking to your mother too. They have planning sessions.”
“It sounds like unless we elope, it’s out of our hands.”
“You realize, if we took off and got married on our own, we’d have to move. Likely someplace very far away.”
Jared laughed. Tyndal was probably right. He tugged gently on her hair. “Are they planning the honeymoon too?”
“No, Fee said to tell you that’s your job.” She snuggled against Jared’s shoulder.
“How do you feel about you, me, a beach, and some privacy?”
“I think I’m fine with that.”
“Good. Done. Do we need another planning session?” Jared wrapped his arms around her.
“Nope. So long as it’s just you and me, I’ll be happy.”
When the warning chimes sounded, Tyndal and Pyralis were both napping. Tyndal dozed in Jared’s lap, her head on his shoulder. He’d leaned back against the wall and thought of Sasha. Maybe it was just shadows and worries, trouble on the wind, but he’d seen something in her eyes. The feeling that’d dogged him all day hadn’t slacked off. He couldn’t shake it. He couldn’t explain it either. But he would face it.
“Wake up, love. It’s time.”
“Can’t be. We just got here.”
“Sorry.” He kissed her eyes one by one. “The clock’s ticking. I need to warm up Pyralis.”
“Okay, okay. I can take a hint. I’ll leave you to your preparations and check on Fee.” She touched his face. “Be careful.”
“Will do.” The feeling grew stronger. “I’ll see you later, love.”
Leading Pyralis from his stall, Jared snagged one of the apples somebody left for the horse. Carrots he could ignore, but apples? Not so much. Especially a sweet Golden Delicious. It was the only one in the bunch too. He rubbed it on his shirt, cut the Golden in half, popped a slice in his mouth, and shoved Pyralis away as he did. “Mine, glutton.”
It was only after he swallowed that he had another thought.
Sasha.
He was an idiot.
When a sudden bitterness stung his mouth, he led Pyralis to the supply room, found a trash bag, and bagged what was left of the apple, knowing he had to get it to Seth and Keno. And knowing he couldn’t leave his horse alone while he went for help.
Thank God he hadn’t given any of it to Pyralis. “You’re okay, aren’t you, boy?”
The horse gave him a shove.
“Yeah, I see. You want to go. Just give me a minute.” Whatever toxin she’d used was quick. “I need to call Seth.”
The vet answered on the second ring.
“Are you busy?”
“Just finished lunch with Fee. We’re at the auditorium, but upstairs in the owner’s court.”
“Is she okay?”
“I’ll let her answer that.” Seth handed Fionola the phone.
“Hey, beautiful,” Jared said. “I’m checking in. How are you?”
“Just fine, I really am. Dr. Rob would be proud. Are you ready for the next round?”
“Getting there, as we speak. Put Seth back on, okay? I have a vet question.”
“Sure. Ride well, my dear.”
Jared grinned, so normal. So precious. His stomach was killing him.
“What’s your question?”
Jared heard the smile in Seth’s voice. “How fast can you get here? I need you.”
“On my way.”
Sasha was saddling her horse as Jared brought Pyralis into the breezeway. She smiled. “Jared, my love, what’d you do, bite your tongue? You look like you don’t feel too well.”
“Just goes to show how looks can be deceiving.”
She laughed and led her horse toward the arena.
“What’s deceiving? He looks fine.” Seth ran his hands over Pyralis.
“No, Seth,” Fee said quietly, her eyes weren’t on the horse. “We’re not here for Pyralis. Look at Jared. What did you do, child?”
Jared held up the plastic bag. “I think I was stupid.”
Fee closed him in her arms as Seth roared. “Surely you don’t intend to ride. Son, you could kill yourself out there.”
“All I have to do is stay on Pyralis. He’ll do the rest. There is no way, absolutely no way, that woman is getting away with this.”
****
Tyndal came on the scene from the opposite direction. Fee was the only one in her line of sight, and seeing the expression on her grandmother’s face, she broke into a run. She’d seen that look once before. The night Chase suffered his last heart attack.
“Tell me.” She rounded on Jared. “I know something is wrong.” Shock and confusion were in his eyes. Definitely pain. “You talked about feeling like there was trouble.” She waved her hand toward the sky. “Tell me what happened.” She touched his face, his pallor noticeable under her hand. “You’re hot. Fever?”
As Fionola explained the situation, Tyndal kept her eyes locked on Jared. She saw his resolve and that no one would talk him out of riding. Principles were at stake. Honor. Everything Chase taught him was in his face.
She leveled her gaze on the man she loved. “Didn’t I tell you to be careful? What a fat lot of good that did.”
He shot a quick grin at her. “Trust me a bit longer. I promise if I start feeling too rough, I’ll let Seth know.”
“The medics will be ready the instant you’re done,” Seth promised.
Tyndal put her hands on Jared, looked in his face. Couldn’t stop her tears.
“Oh, love,” he said, “don’t cry. Keno said they’ve worked on an antidote. It’ll be okay.”
On a sob, she moved into his arms.
“I won’t have Sasha and all her threats and insinuations hanging over our heads as we begin our lives. We’re not living with Keno and his crew on site for the rest of our days either. I want to go into that arena, give Pyralis his head, and get our lives back.” He claimed her lips in a fast, hard kiss. “You’re mine, Tyndal Morgan. I don’t let go of what’s mine, and I want all that’s ahead of us. I want our life together. Understand?”
“I do. I know it’s the only decision you could make. I just don’t like it.” She squared her shoulders and met his eyes. “While you’re out there, remember something else, okay? Don’t forget I love you.”
When the class was announced, he swung up on Pyralis. Tyndal wasn’t surprised Fionola reached for his reins.
“Jared, if you go into the arena now, no one will be able to do anything for you until this round is completed.”
“I love you too, Fionola Morgan.” He smiled and leaned down to trace a gentle hand along her cheek.
“Oh, never mind. I might as well argue with a fence post. You were a stubborn boy; how could I expect the man would be any less?” Fionola grinned. “Jared?”
He circled Pyralis. “Fee?”
“Since you’re going to do this crazy thing, the least you can do is win.”
“I intend to. Go find your seats and watch.”
“He’ll be okay.” Tyndal followed Fionola to their reserved box near the front of the auditorium. “Tell me he’ll be fine.”
“Just breathe and pray,” Fee advised. “We’re not the first who’ve been afraid for someone they love. We won’t be the last.”
Tyndal squeezed her eyes closed, forced back the tears.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the final rounds of Show Jumping. If you’ve enjoyed the show and all the hard effort Morgan’s
Walk has put in to make the Classic the success it is, stand on your feet and give Mrs. Morgan—she’s in the front box right over there—a big round of applause.”
Fionola stood, smiled, and waved at the crowd.
“How do you do that?” Tyndal whispered.
“By promising myself two things. First, the announcer will be replaced next year. And second, people are here to have a good time and I want to see that they do.”
“You can be scary.” But she smiled when Fionola laughed.
“All right, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for that. The Morgans started this event several years ago. We hope the tradition continues. Now, four riders have made it into the finals. What that means is that all the previous scores have been tossed out. From this point on, we essentially start a whole new ride. Just think of it as if the competition is beginning all over. The difference is that this afternoon, seconds and speed count. All the jumps have been reset to a new height. They can be raised much higher. The rules are simple. Whoever finishes with the fastest and cleanest round will win.”
The announcer went on to talk about the career highlights of all four riders, but spent most of his time talking about Sasha and Jared. They’d become the main event. He detailed for the audience a little about the world of international competition. The flame-colored horse had fired their imagination while the cool elegance of Sasha and her gun-metal gray stallion offered a different sort of appeal.
The excitement of the crowd was palpable. When the horse and rider who’d led off the afternoon’s competition knocked over a pole, a sigh rippled from one side to the other across the audience.
Sasha cantered into the arena and set up for the first series of fences. Like Pyralis, her horse acted as if the low-level jumps were entertainment. But there was a difference, Tyndal leaned forward. “Do you see that? Watch her horse.”
Tyndal could read horses like tea leaves. Each one she trained had a story, had likes and dislikes. Some problems could be corrected easily, some might require years. What Sasha didn’t have was that sense of unity, of a horse and rider working together as a team. The horse jumped because he liked to jump, not because the two shared any of the pleasure. He didn’t like her heavy-handed cues. He flattened his ears each time she dug in with a spur, or yanked on the reins.
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