River of Destiny. Barbara Erskine

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СКАЧАТЬ billowing sail. They must be having some sort of regatta in Woodbridge.’

      ‘If they are I haven’t heard about it.’ He was drying his hands now. He was going to let her persuade him but he was going to make her work at it. ‘You can’t have seen a boat go up-river though. There isn’t enough water for anything with any draught to it. The tide has only just turned.’

      She didn’t argue. Having thrown the picnic together, she ran upstairs to grab a jacket and pull on her sailing shoes.

      It was lovely on the river, she had to admit it. The gentle breeze was against them and Ken didn’t bother to raise the sails as the engine purred smoothly into action and they made their way slowly down the main fairway, past the saltings, past deserted anchored yachts, past the crowds on the terrace outside the pub at Waldringfield, the tables shaded by blue and white umbrellas, then on down round the bend.

      ‘What was he like?’ Ken said at last. He was sitting back, his arm over the tiller, squinting at the glare on the water.

      ‘Who?’

      ‘Our neighbour.’ He glanced at her.

      ‘Nice enough. A bit prickly to start with.’ She described him.

      ‘I remember Steve telling me about him. He was messing about with some sort of metal working and he wasn’t wearing a face guard. Something exploded.’ Ken leaned forward and helped himself to another crusty sandwich. Zoë had made a pile of them in the cabin as they’d headed down-river.

      ‘Rosemary didn’t say.’

      ‘Stupid woman.’ It seemed a general comment rather than a criticism of her capacity to gossip. ‘You know what she’s doing?’ He threw a piece of crust overboard. ‘She’s involved with some group of walkers, taking on the local farmer about rights of way. Steve says it’s a nightmare. He loves walking but it’s anything for a quiet life with him; she’s the one. She wants the path to take some short cut across a field and all the locals are up in arms. Stupid woman!’ He repeated the phrase with some gusto. ‘If you’re going for a walk from nowhere to nowhere, for the sake of just going for a walk, why would you want to take a short cut, for heaven’s sake?’ He narrowed his eyes, adjusting the course slightly to pass another boat coming upstream under sail.

      ‘She strikes me as being a bit of an obsessive,’ Zoë said. She climbed out of the cabin and sat down opposite him.

      ‘Typical childless woman!’ Ken snorted. ‘Needs something to keep her occupied.’

      ‘Does that go for me too, then?’ Zoë didn’t look at him. ‘My need for a job to keep me occupied.’

      Ken looked startled. For a moment he didn’t reply. ‘We agreed we didn’t want kids, Zoë,’ he said at last, his tone heavy with reproach. ‘It was a joint decision.’

      ‘Was it?’

      He didn’t reply.

      The water slid by gently, smoothly, an opaque green-brown beneath the blue of the sky. The saltmarsh at this stage of the tide was indented with narrow creeks and channels in the mud. On the bank opposite she could see the trees coming down to the water’s edge, the leaves beginning to turn to red and gold. Seagulls were diving into the tide edge, their screaming the only interruption to the peace save for the gentle ringing of the wind in the halyards and stays. She squinted up at the burgee flying at the top of the mast. In a moment of devotion when they were first married she had made it for Ken, stitching the little flag with her own hands. He threw another piece of crust overboard and Zoë saw with some alarm that something invisible seized it almost at once and dragged it down beneath the water. A stronger gust of wind sent ripples all around them and she shivered.

      ‘My lady, your husband said one of us should go with you.’ Pip, the boy who had saddled Bella for her, did his best. ‘What if you should fall?’

      ‘I won’t fall.’ She gathered the reins and gestured at him to help her mount.

      The boy shrugged. It wasn’t his job to argue with her ladyship. He watched as she settled into the saddle, let go of the rein and leaned back against the wall, whistling, as she trotted through the arch and out onto the long drive which led down to the main gates of the estate. Halfway down she took the broad fork in the track which led towards the home farm.

      The barnyard was empty as she rode in and reined the mare to a standstill. She stood for a moment staring round. Wisps of hay blew round the horse’s hooves. From somewhere she could hear the contented grunting of pigs and the sharp grate of a hoof on cobbles but there was no sign of anyone there. The working horses were out in the fields with the men, bringing in cartloads of turnips to store for the winter. The dairy was neat and scrubbed, the huge pans of cream covered by muslin cloths, the churns waiting for the evening milking. Her gaze turned thoughtfully to the forge. There was no smoke coming from the chimney but the door was open and she heard sounds coming from inside. Clicking her tongue she urged the mare into a walk.

      ‘Is anyone there?’ she called.

      Dan appeared after a few moments. He had taken off his heavy apron, but his sleeves were rolled to the elbow. ‘My lady?’

      ‘There is something wrong with the shoe you put on,’ she called down. ‘I’d like you to look at it.’

      She saw his eyebrow move and smiled to herself. So, she had insulted his workmanship. Good. That would put him on his metal. ‘Help me down, Daniel.’

      He stepped forward and after a moment’s hesitation he held up his arms. She lifted her leg clear of the pummel and slid towards him, trusting him to catch her. Just for a moment she felt his strong hands on her waist and smelled his sweat as she fell towards him, then he released her and took a step backwards. ‘I’ll look at the horse, my lady.’

      He seemed angry as he led the mare to the wall and tied the rein. Then he bent, running his strong hand down the animal’s foreleg. Emily smiled to herself. ‘Could it be loose, do you think?’

      ‘No. It’s fine and solid.’

      ‘How strange. Perhaps it is one of the others.’

      ‘I don’t think so, my lady. I checked them all this morning. They were all right and she was sound.’

      ‘How odd.’ She stepped closer to him. ‘Could she be going lame, do you think?’

      ‘Dan!’ The voice came from close behind them. Lady Emily straightened and took a step back. Susan’s face was white as she stared at them. ‘I am sorry, my lady, I didn’t know you were here.’

      Dan winked at her, his hand gently stroking the horse’s nose. ‘Lady Emily is having trouble with Bella’s feet, Susan. I was just taking a look for her.’

      ‘Indeed.’ Susan gave Lady Emily a cold smile. ‘Please don’t let me interrupt, my lady. I can wait.’

      Emily stared at her, her eyes hard as flint, then she nodded. ‘I was wrong. I must have imagined it. If Daniel says the horse is all right, then of course it must be. Perhaps, if he could just help me up,’ she turned and smiled at him, ‘then I can be on my way. I am already late for luncheon.’

      ‘Dan!’ СКАЧАТЬ