FRANK EAKIN SLICED A PIECE OFF THE APPLE he was holding and held it underneath the mare’s nose. She sniffed at the fruit and went to take a nibble but Frank stepped back quickly and put the slice between his own teeth.
“Kiss me,” he said and he poked his head forward. The horse tossed her head but didn’t move. Frank said again, “Come on, Duchess, kiss me.”
Peter Curran was leaning against the stable partition watching. “Doesn’t want to, does she? Can’t say I blame her.”
Suddenly, Frank kicked out and his heel caught Curran right on the shin. He yelped and grasped his leg.
“For God’s sake, Frank. What are you doing?”
Eakin didn’t deign to answer but he made more seductive noises at the mare and this time she stretched her neck and gently nibbled the piece of apple away from his mouth. He grinned.
“See, she’s learning.”
“That’s wonderful,” said Curran sullenly. “You can both join the frigging circus.”
However, he made sure he had stepped out of reach as he spoke.
“And you could join the freak show,” said Frank, “but I doubt they’d take you. Your face would scare the nippers off.”
Peter Curran was used to his brother-in-law’s jibes but he didn’t ever like them. Only fear of the younger man’s temper kept him from retaliating.
“So are we going to twitch her or not? Fellow said he’d come by tomorrow.”
Frank gave Duchess the remainder of the apple and stroked the horse’s soft nose.
“She’s a lovely little tart, isn’t she?”
Then he grasped her upper lip and twisted it, holding it tightly pinched between his fingers. Far from shying off, the mare stood motionless as if she had gone into a trance. Curran picked up an iron file from the shelf and started to rub at the exposed front teeth, which were splayed out with age.
“There you go, my pretty. You’re going to look like a filly all over again,” said Eakin.
“Only in the dark. They’ll notice for sure.”
“You’re a cheerful charley, aren’t you? Is something the matter? Is there something darkening your view of life?”
“Leave off, Frank.”
He worked on in a sullen silence, while Frank spoke soothingly to the horse.
“Almost done. You just keep your mind on one of those enormous stallion dongs.”
“Do you need to be so crude?”
“You only say that because you aren’t stopping your beak in my sister. The mares like knee tremblers. And speaking of that, is Aggie still giving you the go-by?”
Curran shrugged but didn’t respond.
“I’ll give you some advice, even though she’s my own flesh and blood. You’ve got to show her the whip. Give her a goffer about the head. She’ll start talking to you.”
Curran scooped out the filings from the mare’s mouth. “I didn’t notice I’d asked for any advice.”
“Suit yourself. But she’s a mule when she wants to be. Look, you did me a favour by marrying her. I’ve never seen a woman more anxious to snare a husband. Before you came along, she’d take things out on me. Wouldn’t speak to me once for almost two months. Not that I gave a piss about her stupid conversation but it got to be aggravating that she wouldn’t answer anything. One day, I just got fed up and I picked up the slop pail in the kitchen and dumped it all over her. That brought her voice back fast.”
Curran rubbed away in silence, the mare still transfixed by Eakin’s grip on her lip.
“I’m done,” he said and Eakin let go. Duchess ducked her head a few times and snuffled. “Do you think we should puff her glims?”
Frank regarded the mare’s sunken eyes. The upper skin had collapsed with age.
“No. She’ll have to do. Keep the lamp down low. This fellow is nothing but a country sot. He won’t notice.” He stroked the horse’s neck. “She’ll look beautiful.”
“Why’d the old gasser pick on me at the viewing?” Curran asked suddenly.
Frank shrugged. “Must have been your open and honest face.”
“He made a comment about my eye. I told him the cow kicked me.”
“You should have said the truth – it was some poor heifer you were trying to stick it to.”
Curran scowled. “Leave off, Frank. I mean it.”
“I was joking, for Jesus’ sake. Just trying to lighten the mood.”
“You needn’t bother. You’d be low too if you’d been there when they were examining him. It’ll haunt me for the rest of my days.”
“Like I said, you should have made yourself scarce when the frog came around recruiting.”
“You know I didn’t have a chance. The fella came right into the stable and nabbed me.”
“Well, put it this way, one good thing is you’ll be up on all what’s going on, won’t you? You and Jarius both.”
“He don’t show much, does he? Didn’t even blink an eye when one of the fellas nominated him as foreman. ‘I’ll be honoured’ was his very words.”
“Don’t surprise me. He don’t have blood in his veins like normal people. I should know.”
“Know what?”
Jarius had entered the stable unheard. Frank jumped as if there was a loud noise.
“Nothing,” he said.
“We need some help,” said Jarius.
“What with?”
“Dr. Ferrier’s come but she won’t open the door. She’s screaming like a street slut.” He nodded at Frank. “Where’s the axe?”
“In the back.”
“Bring it.”
“What does Pa say?”
“Nothing. He’s leaving everything up to me. Hurry up, I don’t have all day. I want to get to my office before the day’s wasted completely.” He was dressed in outdoor clothes – a smart plaid cape and a black crusher.
Frank tapped his forehead in a mock salute and went to do what he was told. As he went past the last stall, the big grey gelding poked his head over the gate and gave him a quick, hard bite on the shoulder. Frank yelled, spun around, and fetched the horse a savage punch on the side of the head.