CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Come away, O Human child! To the waters and the wild.
W. B. Yeats, ‘The Stolen Child’
The alarm went off at half past three the next morning, and they were all in the car twenty minutes later.
Hal, still in his pyjamas and wrapped up in a warm blanket, had instantly gone back to sleep but Sage was now wide awake as she sipped her coffee.
Rafe turned out of the drive and looked at the time.
‘Not bad, team. We’ll be back in Newmarket by six. Perfect.’
‘What’s on the agenda for you today? Do you have any runners this week?’ Sage asked, her thoughts inevitably turning to racing.
‘Before we get into that, my love – I need to talk to you.’
Sage looked across at him, worried.
‘About what?’
‘Your ex-husband,’ Rafe said grimly.
‘Oh, God … what has he done now?’
‘Louis managed to wheedle it out of Mary.’
‘Why on earth has Mary got so involved, for goodness’ sake!’
Rafe shrugged helplessly. ‘That I don’t know.
But Louis said Santiago told her he is planning to go to the press any day now.
He’s timed it to perfection. The Grand National weights were published yesterday and although she’s been allocated top weight – unsurprisingly – River Nymph is sure to go off favourite in a couple of months. ’
That was Casper’s ride. Sage sank into her seat and closed her eyes, trying to calm her nerves.
‘If a big story comes out about Casper taking drugs, it’ll obviously be all over the Racing Post and so on, but would get picked up by all the national media outlets too, no question.
From there, it’s only going to gain momentum over the coming weeks – you know what social media’s like.
The effect on his career could be catastrophic. ’
‘But Casper landed Aintree for that owner last season. Surely they’ll be loyal to him?’
‘I have no idea how loyal they will prove to be, even if he did win them the race. There’s a good chance that he’d be jocked off by most of his owners.
That’s a lot of rides potentially lost, including River Nymph, who’s also got a Gold Cup entry before Aintree.
Casper will obviously be hoping to retain his champion jockey title again this season – but if Santiago has his way, he can wave goodbye to that, too. It’s a bloody disaster.’
It was a few moments before Sage spoke. The despair rising in the pit of her stomach made her feel like screaming in frustration. All she wanted was to protect the people she loved and get that man out of their lives for ever.
‘I know how to stop Santiago.’ She would have done anything to protect her twin from knowing about these vile threats, but she now realized she had to tell him.
‘I just need to organize a few things when I get back to North Place, but I’m going to have to fly back to Panama to talk to Lucilla.
’ Sage chewed on her nail in agitation. She really did not want to return to Finca Azucar, but doing so would give her the best chance of resolving the perilous state of affairs.
‘What?’ Rafe said in alarm. ‘You can’t go back there. Why would you want to put yourself through such an ordeal? I really don’t think you should go alone. I’m sure we can think of a better plan. Have you spoken to Casper about any of this yet?’
Rafe was glaring at the road, his foot pressing down on the accelerator in anger. She put a comforting hand on his left arm.
‘I’ll be fine, Rafe. I’ve managed to survive this long on my own. No, I haven’t broached it with Cas yet … he’s got a lot on his plate. But I will.’
She smiled across at him, her love for her brother making her even stronger. It was just a glance, but it was enough to remind him that she was tough; she could fend for herself. He just could not stand the idea of her being alone and so far away.
‘Talk to him before you go,’ he pleaded. ‘Will you take Hal?’
‘No, I’ll leave him with my grandparents – so long as they agree. I will talk to Casper. I was hoping I could sort it out without him having to worry about any of it. Now, I don’t think I can. I’ll ride Skylark and then call him this morning, I promise.’
‘I could have Hal. I’d be happy to.’ Rafe meant it: he would miss the little boy just as much as Sage.
‘I know you would, Rafe, but you’ve got a lot going on. Hal will be happy at North Place with Gammy and Maggie clucking over him, and he has nursery a few mornings a week. I’d love it if you’d check in with him though, while I’m away, although I’m hoping to only be gone for a couple of days.’
Rafe eased off the pedal, conceding defeat.
The roads were clear this early in the morning and they got back to Newmarket in record time.
Rafe dropped Sage and Hal off at North Place; he was needed at Touchstone Lodge.
Sage opened the back door and Hal let out a squeal of excitement.
Beetle the whippet was in the boot room with her puppies.
They were everywhere. Having pulled over the wastepaper basket, they were now systematically rifling through the contents and chewing them all up.
Beetle’s tail beat a happy staccato when she recognized Sage.
She raised her sleek head and looked up guiltily, her large brown eyes shining with apology.
It wasn’t me, it was those naughty children, she seemed to say.
‘Which one is ours, Mumma? Which one is Monkey?’ Hal asked, picking up a small, wriggling golden bundle with a white paw, who had a strip of torn-up paper sticking out of her mouth.
‘I think that’s her – aren’t you clever.
Come on, let’s go and find Maggie and Gammy, shall we?
’ Sage said, swiftly deflecting him as she dropped their bag onto a bench and bent down to pick up some of the debris from the stone floor.
She could hear voices coming from the kitchen, the smell of fresh coffee wafting enticingly towards them.
Hal charged along the corridors ahead of her and there soon came the sound of a collective coo of welcome pouring from the two women.
She smiled to herself: she knew he would be in the best hands while she was away; they would be overjoyed to fuss over him.
Betsy appeared at the kitchen door.
‘Darling! Oh, thank goodness you’re home.
Have a quick cup of coffee and then get out to the yard, will you?
Your grandfather is frantic. He will be so relieved you’re back.
He wants Skylark to have a light gallop up the Al Bahathri today but she’s as fresh as a daisy and he’s terrified one of the other lads will come unstuck. ’
‘I’ll need some caffeine then! Hi, Gammy.’ She gave her grandmother a kiss, then hugged Maggie. ‘Morning, Maggie.’ She took a slug of steaming coffee from the mug handed to her. After quickly kissing Hal, who was still clutching the squirming fawn puppy, she dashed upstairs to get changed.
Maggie turned to Betsy.
‘Oh, did Miss Sage get her and young Hal’s passports? One of Mr Dunbarton’s lasses came up to get them yesterday. They were sitting on the side up in her room so I gave them to the girl.’ She began to knead the dough for that day’s bread, pummelling it on the marble top of the kitchen island.
‘I’m not sure, Maggie.’ Betsy was distracted, looking at one of Hal’s new jerseys, in whose sleeve he had managed to put a hole. ‘Do you know where my sewing box is?’
The sun was gently rising and casting a welcome, warm golden light over the stables by the time Sage had tacked up and led Skylark out into the yard. Dennis emerged from his office and when his gaze swept over them, his craggy face broke into an uncharacteristic grin.
‘Good! You’re back.’
‘I said I would be, Bumpa. O ye of little faith!’ Sage teased.
‘Get on her then – and do try to stay on her,’ Dennis said gruffly, turning to talk to a girl leading out a big bay colt.
Sage accepted a leg up and sat as lightly as possible while Skylark skittered sideways.
Dennis watched his granddaughter sitting easily in the small saddle and giving the fresh filly her head with soft hands. He nodded approvingly.
‘For Christ’s sake, don’t lose your temper with her this morning,’ he muttered as he went to retrieve his car.
The string of four horses made their way along the Bury Road and to the Al Bahathri track without mishap. They then turned and galloped back, one behind the other, with Skylark in second.
Sage could feel a change in Skylark. The horse had matured so much since the first time she had sat on her, seemingly turning overnight from a gangly teenager into a noticeably more focused and powerful animal.
The duckling was now a swan. The filly leapt in the air, mid-gallop, shying at a can that had been carelessly dropped on the grass next to the polytrack, but she was so athletic that it hardly affected her pace, and she stayed glued to Dear Morris’s heels in front.
As they steadied up at the six-furlong marker, Sage was grinning.
‘She feels incredible!’ she called across to her grandfather, who was contentedly pulling on his pipe.
‘Shut up. There are touts over there,’ he said in a severe hiss, but he could not hide a smile.
Sage glanced across to a bunch of men wearing nondescript clothes who were lounging against the rails further up the gallop.
They worked for the racing media and betting firms and were on the lookout for any exciting pieces of work.
Sage tucked the filly on the inside of Dear Morris, hiding her from view, and they walked placidly back to the yard, the horses steaming in the morning light.
She was glad that her grandfather was smiling when they met him back at the yard, and mentally braced herself to tell him she was going away for a couple of days to sort out her divorce.
Having imparted the news, she was surprised when he said, with a huff of resignation, ‘Fine. I suppose it would be better to get this damned situation resolved. Will you be back in time to ride the horse?’
‘I’ll make sure I’m back by Sunday.’
‘All right, I can manage without you until then. I’ll get the apprentice girl to come and ride her while you’re away.’
‘Thank you, Bumpa,’ Sage said with relief, but Dennis was already heading back into his lair to deal with entries. She hurried off to untack Skylark; she needed to pack.
On the way back to the house she called Casper. If he had finished riding out for the morning then she could beg him for a lift to Gatwick and talk to him in private on the way.
As she was about to ring off, Casper said, ‘Do you need any cash for the flight? I can get my agent to book it for you?’
‘No, but thank you, Cas.’ Sage felt oddly pleased about it. She did not need to accept her brother’s charity this time; she could afford the ticket herself.
Casper arrived just before lunch, whistling merrily as he walked through the back door.
‘Hello, you,’ he said as he picked up a blue dog pup from the floor of the boot room, adding, ‘I’ve left Scamp in the car, don’t worry, sweetheart,’ to an ecstatic Beetle, who was writhing against his legs in welcome.
He carried the puppy into the kitchen. ‘Gammy, this one is mine, please.’ He placed the grey bundle on top of the island where Maggie was chopping tomatoes.
‘Mr Casper, take that dog off there!’ scolded Maggie, her voice nevertheless full of love. Casper dutifully removed the puppy and placed him inside his coat.
‘You’re having that one, are you?’ Betsy said fondly, chalking up Casper’s name beside ‘Blue Dog with Bib’ on the blackboard next to the Aga.
‘Yes, please,’ Casper said, kissing the wriggling puppy distractedly. ‘Where’s Sage? I’ve been summoned to take her to the airport. What the hell is she thinking?’
‘I’m not sure, darling, but you know what she’s like when she’s determined.
Her mind is set on it. She will just fight harder if we tell her not to go.
’ Betsy sighed, raising her hands in despair.
‘She’s just whizzed down to collect Hal from nursery.
She’s picking him up a bit early today so that she can tell him what’s going on and say goodbye.
We thought he might fret if he got home and Mummy had disappeared,’ Betsy said, handing Casper a cup of coffee.
She put a comforting hand on her grandson’s arm.
Trying to distract him, she said, ‘Are you hungry?’
‘I am always hungry, Gammy. But no – I don’t want any lunch, thank you,’ he said, looking longingly at the Aga, which was releasing mouth-watering smells of roast chicken and rosemary.
‘It’s about time you gave up racing and started to train, so that you can eat again,’ Betsy chided. ‘You know that your grandfather would love you to train here. He could do with a bit of a rest.’
‘I know, Gammy. He keeps telling me. I am sorely tempted.’
‘I’m happy you’re even considering it, darling. That’s all I ask.’ Then, as she turned away, she added sternly, ‘Oh, and put that pup back with its mother, please, or Beetle will start to get fretful.’
Sage arrived at the thick iron railings outside Hal’s nursery and rang the buzzer on the intercom. She was twenty-five minutes early but the secretary, Hilary, would be there; she always let parents in to collect their children at any time.
When Sage gave her name, instead of just buzzing her in as usual, Hilary’s voice came out of the speaker, crackling with static but her words unmistakable.
‘Good afternoon, Ms Beaumont. I wasn’t expecting to see you. Your husband has already collected Hal. He came an hour or so ago.’
Fear clutched at Sage’s throat, rendering her unable to speak, the shock rooting her to the spot. She uttered a faint croak into the intercom.
‘My husband?’
There was a short pause and the gate buzzed open. Hilary was already opening the door to the office that overlooked the entrance to the playground. She hurried up to Sage, who had barely moved. She had lost all the colour in her face and was staring straight in front of her, her eyes wide.
‘Is everything all right?’ Hilary asked, worried. ‘I’m so sorry, but he was on Hal’s next of kin list …’
Sage leant against the wall by the entrance. Of course he was, but Sage had never imagined he would track down Hal’s nursery. A hot wave of regret washed over her.
Hilary steered her to a children’s wooden bench and gently eased her onto its narrow seat.
Unable to comprehend the nightmare that was unfolding, Sage clutched her head with trembling hands.
She could barely breathe and her brain swirled with so many thoughts that it felt as though it were filled with a swarm of angry bees.
She could feel sweat breaking out on her forehead and the skin prickling on her neck.
Coming up for air, she swallowed the bile that had been rising in her throat.
‘How long ago did Santiago take Hal?’
Hilary looked at her watch, concern etched on her face.
‘Just over an hour ago,’ she whispered in dismay. ‘He said that you all had a flight to catch.’
Discover what happens next in the second chapter of Sage, Hal and Rafe’s story in
Silver Linings
Coming July 2027