Phoenix took off at pace over the fence and landed perfectly with ease and balance. Flora patted his neck. ‘Good boy,’ she gushed, swallowing the cold, frosty air. Her gut feeling had been proved well and truly right. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind: Phoenix was a jump racehorse, not a flat racer, as he’d been previously trained. After he’d seen how the horse could hurdle the fences Flora had set up in the paddock, there was no hesitation in Dylan’s mind either. In fact, all the yard staff couldn’t help but be impressed by Phoenix and how naturally he had adapted to flying through the air with effortless strength and poise. They were all thrilled with him, and Flora was ecstatic.
Dylan, however, was dreading the impending visit from the horse’s owner, Graham Roper. The fact that Flora had been so right about Phoenix had left him with a terrible dilemma. Phoenix had real talent, but not the kind Roper was after. As far as Roper was concerned, his horse couldn’t win a flat race to save itself. However, if he discovered Phoenix’s enormous potential as a jump racer, would he decide to take him elsewhere? And how would Flora cope without Phoenix? Christ, he couldn’t bear the thought of Flora’s reaction. He’d never seen her connect so well with a horse; the two worked together flawlessly. The problem was really playing on his mind. What he really needed was time – time to put Roper off and give himself a chance to think of a solution – but Dylan didn’t have that luxury. As he saw Roper’s car in the distance through his office window, driving down the track, he quickly ran to the paddock and warned Flora to put Phoenix in his stable, well out of the way.
Slamming his car door shut, Graham Roper marched towards the office. Dylan caught up with him, after returning from the paddock.
‘Hello, Graham.’
Roper turned abruptly, ‘Well, any news?’
Once again Dylan resisted the urge to punch the arrogant swine’s bloated face. ‘This way.’ He guided him into his office. Dylan certainly didn’t want any of the staff to overhear this conversation. Dylan took a deep breath as Roper stared into him, obviously expecting results. ‘It’s not good news, Graham. Phoenix is never going to win a flat race,’ he told him directly.
‘What?’ Roper spat. ‘You mean I’ve wasted a shed-load of money on that fucking animal for nothing?’
Dylan winced; the compulsion to hit this bastard suddenly increased. ‘He’s not going to perform the way you want.’
‘Well, I’ve gathered that!’ Roper’s face was flushed in anger. He sat down on the chair next to Dylan’s desk and stared into space. Dylan moved to sit opposite him. He opened the desk drawer to get the necessary paperwork. Then hesitated. He looked at Roper who was sitting still, speechless.
‘I suppose…’
Roper’s face shot up sharply, ‘What?’
‘If you don’t want to spend any more money on the horse—’
‘Too fucking right,’ he snorted, then searched Dylan’s face for an answer to his mounting problem.
‘Well,’ sighed Dylan, desperate to sound convincing, ‘I could try and find a buyer, someone to take him off your hands.’
Roper gave a harsh laugh. ‘Like who? Who in their right mind would want that?’
Dylan paused, then shrugged for effect. ‘I’ll put the feelers out, see if there’s any interest.’
Roper looked beaten. His tone suddenly lacked anger, or any emotion at all. He shook his head in defeat. ‘You do that, Dylan.’ He got up from the chair and looked out of the office window. ‘Which stable is he in?’
Dylan had to think on his feet. The last thing he needed right now was for Roper to see what good shape his horse was in. ‘Er… Flora’s just taken him out for some exercise. She’ll be a while yet.’ Then he quickly added, ‘You can leave him here until I find a buyer.’ Roper turned and looked quizzically at him. ‘It’ll save time if someone’s interested in him, to come straight here,’ Dylan added.
‘Whatever,’ Roper replied, totally lacking any interest by this point. ‘Just get rid of it quick, Delany,’ he threw over his shoulder, as a parting shot before slamming the door behind him.
Dylan watched him rev up his car and speed off, churning up a trail of dirt behind him. Dylan sat back in his chair and expelled a sigh of relief. With his hands behind his dark curls, he narrowed his eyes and thought long and hard. To be fair, he hadn’t actually lied to Roper, had he? He’d just been economical with the truth. He’d told him that Phoenix would never win a flat race, and he wouldn’t. The fact that he could jump like a dream and was more suited to soft ground he had kept to himself – and with good reason. Roper was no horse lover. He merely saw them as a means to make money. His whole attitude repulsed Dylan. He had no guilty conscience whatsoever, knowing he had acted in Phoenix’s best interest, not to mention Flora’s, whom he would protect at all costs.
His feelings for her grew stronger by the day and he simply couldn’t imagine life without her. This was alien to Dylan, who had, up until now, woven his way in and out of relationships, refusing any form of commitment. Now the tables had turned. He did want Flora, more than anything, but was she ready to commit? After all, she was only twenty. Her twenty-first birthday was in two weeks’ time, just before Christmas. He so wanted to make it special for her, especially as her parents were still away on their travels round Europe in a campervan, and her brother had decided to stay with his friends over the holidays. A party, that’s what he’d do, throw a fabulous twenty-first birthday party for her. She deserved to be made a fuss of, after all she’d done. Flora had single-handedly kept the show on the road when he’d been recovering from his fall. His idea gathered momentum. He pictured a marquee dressed with a winter wonderland theme, guests laughing over mulled wine, glowing candles, tables decorated with holly and ivy, a small band playing festive music, maybe a hog roast… His thought were interrupted by the phone. ‘Delany’s Racing Yard.’
‘It’s me. Is the coast clear?’ hissed Flora, making Dylan smile to himself.
‘Yes. He’s gone.’
‘Good.’ There was a pause. Knowing her stomach would be in knots, Dylan spoke.
‘Phoenix is staying, for the moment.’
‘Oh, thank God for that!’ His heart melted. Now all he needed to do was stump up the money and try to buy a top-class horse from under the owner’s nose.