‘I think that’s a mistake,’ said Ester.
Dolly snapped her book shut. ‘Do you? Well, Ester, driving around in a stolen car is not just a mistake but bloody stupid. You could have been picked up in it. You think that Tommy wouldn’t have told me, that I wouldn’t check up on the two of you? And that’s something you all got to start thinking about, I will check up on everything I ask you to do and I’ll keep on checking until I’m satisfied.’
‘Fine, who’s checking up on you?’ said Ester.
Dolly’s voice was icy quiet. ‘You want to question me, Ester, then you can pack your gear and leave right now. Either we do this my way or we don’t do it at all.’
Angela tapped on the door and peeped round. ‘Dinner’s on the table,’ she said meekly, and scuttled out.
They all started to head for the door, but Dolly caught Ester by the arm. ‘Just a second, love, I want a word.’ The others left the room.
Ester stood, hands on her hips. ‘Don’t get me wrong, Dolly, I’m not questioning who’s the boss. I just have a few more brains than some of the others.’
‘Do you?’ Dolly sighed. ‘I already said I don’t call wheelin’ around in a hot car very clever, and I don’t call having blokes arrive and knock the hell out of Gloria very clever either.’
‘What you want me to do?’ Ester said angrily.
‘I want you to sort out this blackmail business. We can’t afford to have loose ends. What have you got on them?’
‘I told you, it’s a video tape.’
‘Take it back. Clear it all up, Ester, or the whole thing is off. I mean it. Something like this could bring us all down.’
‘Oh, yeah? And what about you and this copper? I know you’ve done something with him. That’s why you got his home bugged.’
Dolly rubbed her eyes. ‘Sort out the tape, Ester. Tomorrow. By then I’ll have some information from this copper, and I’ll know more. But you’re right, I am using him but I just don’t know how far we can trust him.’
‘What are you doing, then?’
Dolly gave a strange half-smile. ‘Taking a leaf out of your book. Just playing it, see how it pans out!’
She left Ester disgruntled and uneasy: she didn’t trust Dolly or like her handing out the orders. She wasn’t used to being the underdog.
They ate in silence. They were all tired out and Angela crept round like a wounded dog. She’d noticed all the riding boots and, trying to make conversation, asked if she could maybe have a ride on Helen of Troy.
‘Not right now, Angela. You’re not that welcome back yet,’ Dolly said sweetly.
We’re all trying to get into the local hunt.’ Ester said it as a joke but she was taken aback when Dolly agreed.
‘Yes, we’re getting into the country way of life. It’s doing us a lot of good.
Hooded looks flitted across the table and conversation flagged again.
Dolly walked with Julia in the darkness up through the woods and down to the railway line. ‘Bring her up to the line, Julia. See if she really is as bomb-proof as that Norma said.’
Julia agreed, uncertain why Dolly had asked her to walk with her. She was tired out but right now felt it was better simply to agree with whatever Dolly said.
They looked down the railway line to the small bridge, the wide lake, and back to the level crossing. They said nothing but their minds were racing. Dolly was trying to assimilate in quick flashing pictures exactly how she intended holding up the train. Julia could see only disaster. She reckoned that with or without the horse it was going to be impossible.
‘I think we’ll need a boat — that’s another expense,’ Dolly said, almost to herself.
Julia looked back at the lake, trying to read Dolly’s mind, but she was already heading back to the manor. Surely... Julia mused, surely she wasn’t going to hold up the train on the bridge. If so, why did she need them to ride?
The following morning Julia couldn’t stop sniggering. They were worse than she had anticipated — even with more than eight hours of lessons they were incapable of cantering and all still seemed very ill at ease. They were still on the leading-rein, none good enough to ride alone.
Julia rode towards Dolly and said quietly, ‘I hope you’ve got a plan that now excludes the horses, Dolly, because none of you could make it across the fields. There’s five sets of hedges to jump and—’
Dolly pushed her horse past Julia. ‘I’ll tell you when I’ve changed my mind and instead of smiling at us like we were stupid kids, start helping. Better still, ask if you can take over teaching without that spotty stable girl, she’s as bad as you with her smirking.’
Dolly might have sounded positive but she wobbled dangerously. Julia didn’t laugh — she didn’t dare. Dolly had that look of angry determination on her face, the one she wore when you knew it wasn’t worth arguing with her.
That afternoon Julia took over the lesson and she was a much better teacher than the stable girl. For one, she was a lot tougher and shouted when they made a mistake, but she soon had them cantering. Gloria came off but she got back on after Julia screamed at her and Julia had to hand it to her — she kept on with a look of grim fury on her face, which was good. It was the first time she hadn’t looked scared to death.
Angela had hot soup ready and waiting. The children had been given their tea and were playing outside, brushing and clearing the yard for yet more fifty pences. When they were halfway through eating the soup, the telephone rang and Ester, as always, dived out to see who it was, wanting to be ahead of anyone else. She called that it was for Julia, and went upstairs for a bath. She leaned over the banister as Julia went to the phone. ‘I presume it was your mother, she asked if you were in surgery! Haw, haw, haw.’
Julia picked up the receiver. It wasn’t her mother but the housekeeper, who was upset. Julia’s mother had had a stroke, and was very ill.
‘My mother’s ill,’ Julia said unemotionally. The women all looked at her. ‘A stroke. I’ll have to go and sort it out. Can I use your car, Gloria?’
‘No, you can’t,’ Dolly said, clearing the plates.
‘Well, I’ll take the truck.’
Dolly turned and smiled. ‘Why not ask that friend of yours, Norma? Maybe she’ll drive you over — be a good chance to talk to her.’
Julia shrugged. ‘Okay, but I don’t know if she’s around, she may be on duty.’
Dolly ran the water in the sink. ‘Don’t forget we need the riding cape and her hat.’
‘I hadn’t forgotten, Dolly. I’ll give her a call, see if she’s at home.’
Norma opened the front door, smilingly. ‘Hi there.’ Julia explained what had happened to her mother. ‘You’re in luck, I’m off for two days so it’s no problem.’
‘I appreciate this,’ Julia said, stepping into the neat cottage hallway.
Norma picked up her coat and car keys. Julia noticed that her police cape and hat were stashed in the back of the vehicle. She had no idea how she would go about removing it but that was the least of her problems: first came her elderly mother. ‘Just one thing, Norma, about my old lady. She doesn’t know I was in prison, she still thinks I run a practice.’
‘You mean she didn’t ever know you were in prison?’
‘Why upset her? It was better this way.’
Norma turned into the road and they drove off. ‘I hear you had another visit from the locals?’
Julia gave her a sidelong look. ‘Yeah, that’s right. First they thought we were hiding some diamonds, then guns. It was a waste of time and money all round.’
Norma nodded. ‘Mrs Rawlins has quite a reputation.’
‘Oh, have you been checking up on us?’