“Sam Udall, a financier. He is overtaking the Tidewater financiers. An uncommonly prescient man.”
“Why so?” She leaned on her father, the solidness of him comforting.
“He foresaw the diminution of the power of the Tidewater families. After the war power has shifted. He has made all the right connections, nurturing what I perceive as a new man, a man motivated by profit alone, not overthrowing a king and starting a new nation.”
“Do you not think there are still patriots even among the new men?”
“I hope so just as I hope John Adams can be usefully directed.” He shrugged. “Politics and lending are dirty businesses. Yes, I have had to avail myself in the past of both financing others, seeking partners, especially for my western timber purchase, but lately I am losing my appetite. I wish only to deal with friends.”
“Ah” was all she could say, then added, “I should like to meet this Sam Udall.”
“Why?” came the swift query.
“We can never have enough friends, even if they differ from us in many ways.” She noticed the two heavily muscled plow horses finish rolling the course. “What time is it?”
Ewing pulled out the gold, inscribed, birthday pocket watch.
“One-thirty. I see the horses being brought up.”
“Mmm. The light chestnut is the Skipwith horse. Small but well made. I’d like to take one of our mares to this stallion. Of course, let’s see how he does. The other horse, Maryland people. I only know them by reputation. Finsters. Well, we’ll see.”
Ewing blinked as she stood up. “You aren’t leaving now?”
“I need to get back to Reynaldo and Jeddie. He’s so nervous he can’t speak.”
Ewing patted the seat. “Watch the race. It won’t last long. Gives you the opportunity to observe the Skipwith horse.”
She sat back down. “You’re right.”
The two horses lined up, fractious, but the Skipwith horse, Orb, settled first. Two grooms finally lined up Shadows, the Finster horse, then quickly stepped back, and the two men holding the rope dropped it, knowing if they didn’t the Maryland horse would act up again.
“They’re off,” Ewing enthused.
Shadows definitely was off. He stood up on his hind legs, then rocked down on his forelegs, letting out one hell of a buck, then lurched forward with such a leap the crowd marveled that the slender jockey, a ginger-haired white boy, could stick. Stick he did and it was a terrific race. Shadows slowly catching up to Orb, who had a long stride. The two rode next to each other, the jockeys intent on the finish line. Sweat covered Shadows’s flanks, a hot horse in all respects. Orb, more businesslike, kept up his steady pace, focused on the finish line. He began to pull away slightly, which forced the ginger-haired young man to use the whip. Shadows paid little attention until he crossed the finish line a nose behind Orb. Then he turned around, tried to bite the boy. After that display of pique, he bucked, snorted, shook his head. A fellow couldn’t get him to walk back. Another fellow, this one from the Finster barn, rode out on a calm older gelding, reached over, grabbed the reins. Next to his buddy, the hot horse calmed a bit.
“If he hadn’t bucked, we would have won,” the jockey bitterly complained.
“Right.”
Catherine hurried back to the paddock.
Piglet, truly enormous bone in his mouth, glanced up.
“Now, there’s a treasure,” she joked, hoping to lighten the tension.
Charles, there to help if needed, praised his corgi. “Could have brought the beast down himself.”
“True.” The intrepid dog dropped the bone.
Catherine studied this relic for a moment. “Where did he get it?”
Charles pointed to a large pile of rocks and other debris down near the river, where it had been dumped as the course was handpicked then rolled consistently over the last month until the races.
Reynaldo, saddled up, watched everybody and everything.
John gave Jeddie a leg up.
Catherine took Reynaldo by the bridle as John walked on the other side. Ralston walked Reynaldo’s pasture mate, Sweetpea. Both Sweetpea and Catherine calmed Reynaldo. She was one of the few people who could ride him, but once her pregnancy showed she stopped. However, Catherine, at the barn every day, talked to him, watched Jeddie exercise him, and never forgot carrots, little treats.
No one spoke. Once at the starting line they waited a moment or two for Black Knight to come up.
“Jeddie,” Catherine softly said as she stroked Reynaldo’s neck. “You’ll do well.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” he simply said as Catherine and Ralston stepped back. John reached for the bridle until Black Knight was alongside. Then he stepped back, too.
The rope pulled up and William snarled at Jeddie, “I’m gonna leave you in the dirt, boy.”
Jeddie didn’t reply.
The rope dropped and the two handsome horses took off, riders actually relaxed, in charge.
The crowd watched as this was the big race, the race on which two outstanding reputations hinged. They roared.
Stride for stride the two blew through the first quarter mile. Still stride for stride at the half mile, William switched his whip to his right hand. Jeddie was on his right and he lashed out, hitting Jeddie across the face full force. Blood from the leather edge cut into his cheeks. William struck again and again, then rode into Jeddie, not as dangerous as it might be since the horses were stride for stride. Still, legs could become entangled. Thank God they did not, but with the force of a twelve-hundred-pound animal on his legs, blood in his eyes, Jeddie tried to fend off the whip with his left hand. One more blow, one more push, and he rolled off on Reynaldo’s right side. That stunned people. So did the fact that Reynaldo stopped, put his head down to touch Jeddie, who curled up in pain. The crowd screamed in fury. Maureen, standing in her carriage, Jeffrey alongside of her, could barely breathe.
“What is going on?”
“I don’t know, my love, but it isn’t good. I’ll attend to it.” Jeffrey climbed down from the carriage as did DoRe.
Barker O. also climbed down from the Garth carriage. Catherine and John were already running out onto the course. Yancy and Sam Udall hurried out from the other side.
Black Knight crossed the finish line. William kept going. John, also out on the course to bring in Yancy’s horse and knock the devil out of William stopped, looked at the receding figure in wonderment. Then he turned to go back to his wife.