Jumping to Conclusions

Book 0: The Milton St John Trilogy

by Christina Jones

Genres: Small Town & Rural; Women's Fiction; Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

Jemima Carlisle?s father lost their home, their money, and even her mother through his gambling addiction, so it?s hardly surprising that his daughter hates everything to do with horseracing with a passion. Opening a bookshop in Milton St John, a village right in the middle of all the biggest race training yards in the country, isn?t the brightest thing she?s ever done. The bookshop suddenly becoming the focus for village intrigue doesn?t exactly help matters, but when Jemima falls for jump jockey and lady-killer Charlie Somerset, she quickly learns that jumping to conclusions is bound to end in disaster ?

Release date: December 16, 2014

Publisher: Accent Press

Print pages: 464

Sample

April

Chapter One

On what had to be the hottest April afternoon on record, Jemima flicked the Beetle’s indicator to leave the A34, and was almost immediately plunged into a maze of high-banked Berkshire roads. The faded three-legged signpost, lurching drunkenly amidst a tangle of burgeoning honeysuckle, suggested that Milton St John, Upton Poges, and – yes, Tiptoe, for heaven’s sake, were now within her reach. Not for the first time as Floss chugged sluggishly through the heat haze, Jemima questioned her sanity.

Still beggars couldn’t be choosers, and if she didn’t make this move, she’d definitely be the former. Nearly homeless, completely jobless, and practically penniless, the choice was definitely Hobson’s.

She’d had to leave Oxford after the hoo-ha over the party thing. No question. No one could hang around after something like that. Even if her landlord hadn’t slapped on an eviction notice, she’d have had to leave. And as she’d intended living in Milton St John from July anyway, the knock-on effect had just precipitated events.

It’d be OK, she told herself, edging Floss in the direction of the village. It would all be just fine. This would tide her over until the shop opened. Give her a breathing space. She’d found somewhere else to live – almost. And she had a new job – practically. And if the two things could just marry nicely together then there wouldn’t be a problem, would there?

Immediately after the party debacle, Jemima had donned dark glasses, convinced that everyone in Oxford knew, and bagged a table in the BHS cafeteria which was the last place Petra would go – so she knew she’d be safe. Buying a coffee with what remained of her small change, she’d scoured The Newbury Weekly News, confident of finding short-term work and accommodation before the summer opening of her bookshop in Milton St John. She’d felt, having hit rock bottom, there was only one way to go. Ten minutes later she wasn’t convinced. She had never wanted to read the words Norland Nanny again. Neither was she particularly keen on Cosy Companion, or Housekeeper Handyman. Hotels all seemed to want honours degrees, and was she really cut out for a Genteel Gentleman Seeking Similar Soulmate?

Jemima had pushed the newspaper away across the mock woodgrain Formica and tried to avoid the eye of the table-clearer by draining her empty coffee cup for the umpteenth time. Maybe she’d opt out completely and become a New Age Traveller for three months; Floss wouldn’t look out of place in a convoy of ancient and dilapidated vehicles. Or perhaps she’d get a job swabbing decks on a cruise liner. Or maybe she could be a chalet maid at Butlins for the summer season … She had sighed heavily. It was pretty galling to discover at almost thirty that you weren’t actually qualified to do anything except sell books.

The table-clearer had been hovering menacingly with a clutched J-cloth by this time, and Jemima had grabbed at the paper again in self-defence. Then she’d seen it. Tucked away at the foot of the column and rendered almost illegible by coffee dribbles.

Self-contained one bed furnished flat in vicarage. Suitable professional person. Non smoker. Downland views. Charming Berkshire village. Apply St Saviours, Milton St John …

Much to the table-clearer’s amazement, Jemima had punched the air. Milton St John! Hallelujah! Milton St John! It must have been meant! The euphoria lasted all of thirty seconds. Yes, but – a vicarage? Wouldn’t she be struck down by a thunderbolt? Regular church-going had never been at the top of her must-do list. Perhaps it wouldn’t matter … Perhaps God would turn a blind eye.

Deciding not to probe her religious conscience any further, she’d flashed a smile at the lady in the overall and natty hat, belted out into Queen Street, and scribbled a letter to the vicarage in a quiet corner of W H Smith.

Stunned at the speed with which Mrs Hutchinson – the vicar’s wife with the flat to let – had responded to her application, Jemima was pretty sure that there was something doubtful about the whole thing. Surely clergymen were supposed to be unworldly? Why on earth would they want to let out part of their vicarage? And why when she must have been besieged by replies from people bursting with the right qualifications like regular employment and hefty savings accounts – had the vicar’s wife invited Jemima, who had neither, to view the flat?

With her thoughts miles away and her brain filled with the gauzy beauty of the downlands, Jemima brought Floss to a jerky halt at another overgrown junction. Although she had visited Milton St John four times previously to view the shop, she’d always approached the village from the main Upton Poges road. This time, coming in from the Lambourn end, she’d almost missed the turning. Which, she thought as she peered through the windscreen, was hardly surprising.

“Milton St John,’ she said firmly to herself, ‘here we come. And even if the Hutchinsons are Satanists, or Moon Children of the Sun, or Born Agains with hairy legs and acoustic guitars, I’ll just join in with gusto. Anything for a roof over my head.’

Milton St John was at its most beautiful. The large houses swathed in Virginia creeper; the cottages with their overblown gardens; the fat brown stream curling closely beside the curve of the High Street; and all of it sheltered from the glare of the sun by a colonnade of horse chestnut trees.

Jemima stopped Floss on the lay-by outside the empty bookshop and felt a flutter of excitement mingled with pride. It was hers. Almost. The papers had been signed, the lease paid for, and the solicitors would soon hand over the keys. The shopfitters had finished, and the decorators were in. The publishers’ reps had been to see her in Oxford, the suppliers had all been contacted, and the initial orders were placed. It wouldn’t be long now before the signwriter inscribed ‘Jemima Carlisle – Books’ in gold lettering on the dark green fascia. She had considered having something witty like Bookends, or Between the Lines, or even Page Turners, but eventually decided against it. It was a bookshop and it was hers. That was all it needed to say.

Locking Floss, she walked past the Cat and Fiddle, the Village Stores, and Maureen’s Munchy Bar, and headed towards St Saviour’s Church. There was a duck pond too, which she hadn’t noticed on her earlier visits, and a small school, and a playing field. Everything in Milton St John appeared to be arranged along either side of the winding, dust-grey road. The vicarage, on the opposite side of the street to the church, was almost totally obscured by bushes and looked slightly sinister in the throbbing heat.

‘I knew it,’ Jemima muttered to herself. ‘They’re going to be weirdos. They’re probably only advertising because they want a fresh supply of sacrificial virgins for their orgies. Well, that counts me out.’

The sun burned Jemima’s back through her loose linen interview jacket. Her ankle-length paisley skirt wrapped itself limply against her legs, and perspiration was gathering beneath her spectacles, making the bridge of her nose itch. No wind stirred the pastel froth of the gardens or disturbed the embryo leaves on the trees. Milton St John slumbered. There was no traffic, no children, no sound. Despite the heat, Jemima shivered and wished she hadn’t reread The Midwich Cuckoos quite so recently.

St Saviour’s vicarage reverberated to a rather fruity Westminster chime as Jemima, tugged on the bell-rope. She just knew that the door was going to be hurled open by a seven-foot monster with a bolt through his neck. She tugged again. The chimes echoed on for ever. Trickles of sweat snaked down her backbone.

‘Can I help you?’ a voice eventually echoed from behind a wildly overgrown lilac bush. ‘If you’re the van driver collecting the clothes for the jumble sale, they’re all in the – oh …’

No monster, no neck bolt, and no – as far as Jemima could see – acoustic guitar. Gillian Hutchinson was slender, pale-skinned, and wearing a silver-grey dress in some diaphanous material. True, she didn’t look like a proper vicar’s wife – no brogues, no tweeds, no twin-set – but Jemima’s spirits edged up a little.

‘I’ve – um – come about the flat …’

‘Good heavens! Is it that time already? Have you been waiting long? Sorry, I was listening to the National build-up on the radio.’ She smiled at Jemima’s frown. ‘The National. The Grand National …?’

Of course. Jemima smiled back. No wonder Milton St John was deserted. Everyone breathing would be glued to the Grand National.

Gillian smiled even more. ‘You poor thing – you must be baked to a crisp. So unseasonable! More like July. Come in and have something long and cool. I’m Gillian Hutchinson and I’m really sorry –’ the laugh was gentle, ‘– but I can’t for the life of me remember your name.’

‘Jemima Carlisle.’

‘Jemima! Of course!’ Gillian Hutchinson linked her arm through Jemima’s and started to lead her through the very welcome shade of a shrubbery at the side of the vicarage. ‘I was in the summerhouse – that’s why I didn’t hear the bell. When can you move in?’

‘What?’

‘Oh, I’m useless at this sort of thing. I know you’re supposed to ask me questions, and I’m supposed to say there are dozens of other people interested in the flat, but there aren’t of course, and –’ she surveyed Jemima with pale green eyes, ‘– you’ll be doing me a huge favour if you say yes.’

The sacrificial virgins were beginning to surface again. Or was it drugs? Jemima’s imagination powered into overdrive as she squinted at Gillian. Surely her eyes shouldn’t be that bright? Her pupils that dilated? That was it! Drugs. She peered anxiously at the glorious borders in the back garden. All those tall glossy plants? Were they …? She wished she’d taken more notice of the drugs scene at the Oxford parties she’d attended. Having smoked a spliff once and been very sick, she didn’t feel qualified to make an informed judgement.

‘The summerhouse,’ Gillian announced, tossing back her very un-vicar’s-wife fair hair. ‘My bolt hole. Grab a pew. Sorry. Both very poor jokes under the circs. Glen would have a purple fit.’

‘Glen?’ Jemima searched around for somewhere to sit that wasn’t awash with notebooks and typing paper and eventually perched on the edge of a deck chair. It wobbled alarmingly. ‘Is that Mr Hutchinson?’

‘The Reverend Hutchinson,’ Gillian corrected, sweeping reams of scribbled-on paper to the floor. ‘My darling husband – for his sins. Now, where shall we start? Ooh yes, drinks.’

As Gillian opened a well-stocked fridge and clinked white wine, soda, and ice into long glasses, the radio suddenly spurted into life.

‘And it’s another complete disaster?’ The commentator’s voice ricocheted round the makeshift office. ‘It looks as though we have a major problem here, don’t you agree, John? Yes! Oh, this could be catastrophic! I think there’s going to be a delay to the start – if not a complete abandoning of the race –’

The running – or not – of the Grand National was the last thing on Jemima’s mind. She looked around the summerhouse in some confusion. It certainly appeared to be an office complete with desk-top, lap-top, and printer, while at the same time housing all the usual garden paraphernalia – and every inch of it was buried under scribbled-on papers, screwed-up scraps of notepad and a million empty cigarette packets.

‘Everyone in the village has backed Dragon Slayer.’ Gillian handed Jemima her glass and lounged elegantly against the fax machine. ‘What’s your money on?’

‘Nothing. I didn’t even realise it was the Grand National today.’

‘What?’ Gillian looked scandalised. ‘Oh, no – listen …’

‘… and unless they can clear the course,’ the commentator had run out of clichés and was into second-guessing, ‘I think it’ll be another debacle. What can you see from your end, John?’

From the silence it was apparent that John couldn’t see anything.

The commentary crackled again. ‘Sorry, John. Gremlins in the link line … Not our day … And back here at the start everyone is getting very nervous …’

‘Poor darlings,’ Gillian purred. She raised her glass. ‘Cheers. Here’s to a long and happy friendship.’

‘But, don’t you want to know a bit about me? And aren’t I supposed to look at the flat? I mean, I know I sent references but –’

Gillian drank half her spritzer in one go. ‘And they were wonderful! God had simply answered my prayers – I knew that as soon as I read your letter. I couldn’t believe it. I had no idea who was taking over the bookshop – the jungle drums had completely seized up on that one. And then – there you are! We’ve got so much in common! I’m a writer, you see.’ Gillian scrabbled for a cigarette and inhaled joyously.

‘Oh, right.’ Jemima, still sipping through enough ice cubes to sink the Titanic, was trying to keep up. At least it explained the office.

The racing commentator was speaking in hushed tones now the way they do after a disaster. Something nasty was happening at Aintree. Jemima really didn’t care. ‘I don’t know if I made it clear that I’m here a bit ahead of schedule. I’ve sunk every penny into the shop so I’ll need to earn some money before it opens. I won’t actually be gainfully employed until July.’

‘I gathered that. It won’t be a problem. There’s plenty of temp work in the village if you’re not picky about what you do. The Cat and Fiddle could do with another barmaid, and Maddy Beckett runs a cleaning firm – she’s constantly on the look-out for casuals and if the worst came to the worst, you could always help me with Leviticus and Ezekiel.’

Jemima racked her brains and wished that she’d concentrated more on her religious education classes at school. ‘Er – Deuteronomy – um – Numbers – and oh, Genesis.’

Gillian looked slightly doubtful. ‘Oh, yes, well done. Now what were we talking about – ah yes, Leviticus and Ezekiel.’

‘You write religious tracts?’

Gillian’s laugh sent another wodge of papers cascading to the floor. ‘Whatever gave you that idea? I write romance.’

‘But Leviticus and Ezekiel?’

‘Leviticus and Ezekiel are my sons.’

God Almighty. Jemima spluttered through the wine. ‘Oh, lovely. Er – how old are they?’

‘Twins. Eight. Strange age.’ Gillian stubbed the cigarette out in a plant pot and smiled indulgently. ‘They’re really looking forward to you moving in with us.’

‘And yes, we have confirmation of a delay.’ The radio trumpeted into life again. ‘Ten minutes at least to clear the course …’

Gillian groaned. ‘Animal rights protesters I’ll bet! Silly woolly green liberals! That could be the end of my fiver.’

Jemima, whose sympathies lay entirely with the protesters, tried very hard not to think about gambling. Gambling immediately led her to thoughts of her father. At least he wouldn’t be able to remortgage the family home to raise this year’s stake. The house had been repossessed in January. This year, Vincent’s stake would probably be a loan from someone with shifty eyes whom he’d met in a pub. Someone with bad teeth and bad breath and a betting-shop stoop. Someone else to come thundering on Vincent’s bedsit door demanding payment.

Her father had always convinced himself that his gambling was for his family’s benefit. Vincent Carlisle had never used his own money – even when he’d had any. For years he’d been borrowing from the small building company he ran, until the coffers ran dry and the auditors moved in.

‘The flat is in the vicarage attic,’ Gillian continued, still obviously tuned in to the Aintree developments. ‘And you’ve got your own front door, and I don’t mind if you want your lover to stay over or anything – Glen and I are very broad-minded.’

That at least wouldn’t be a problem. ‘I haven’t got a lover.’

‘Really?’ The green eyes widened. ‘We’ll have to remedy that! Does that mean you’re taking the flat?’

Before Jemima could answer, the radio got all excited. ‘There are some developments here at Liverpool! It seems as though they’ve cleared the last of the protesters away from Bechers, so we may have a start very soon, eh, John?’

‘Yes!’ John at last broke through and seemed determined to get his fair share of air-time. ‘It looks like they’ll be off at any moment – although the jockeys have been circling at the tape for some considerable time now – and unlike the heatwave in the south, we seem to have got a typical north-west gale blowing. Everyone is very cold. The delay could have unsettled a lot of preparations …’

‘As long as it doesn’t unsettle Dragon Slayer or darling Charlie.’ Gillian refilled the glasses, lit another cigarette, and hitched the floaty silver dress above her slender knees as she perched on the desk. ‘So, where were we? Oh, yes – you’ll be taking the flat?’

‘No – well, not no exactly. But we haven’t discussed rent or the deposit, and I haven’t seen it and you really don’t know anything about me.’

‘And they’re off. The Grand National is underway at last! Several slow starters but they’re heading for the Melling Road for the first time and …’

Gillian’s eyes were glazed as she sucked feverishly on her cigarette. Jemima, who didn’t want to listen, stared through the summerhouse window and wondered if planning to open her own bookshop was possibly not the brightest idea she’d ever had. She’d been employed as a bookseller for eleven years at Bookworms in Oxford, and no one had expected them to close so abruptly. Maybe she should have sunk her savings into something safer, something more high-tech and millennium-friendly, like mobile phones or computer software.

‘And there’s a faller! Two – no, three – down at that one! All horses up on their feet! Two jockeys still on the ground! They’re heading for Valentine’s now … and the leaders are up and over! All over! No, there’s another faller! Dragon Slayer and Charlie Somerset have gone at Valentine’s! The favourite is out of the National!’

‘Fuck it,’ said Gillian.

Half an hour later Jemima felt as if Jeremy Paxman had invaded her soul. Gillian Hutchinson had left no corner of her life undisturbed.

She’d completely understood that Jemima couldn’t stay on in Oxford under the circumstances – or – heaven forbid – doss-down in Vincent’s mangy bedsit. She’d dismissed Jemima’s fears about her venture and declared that opening the bookshop in Milton St John was the best thing that had happened to the village for years. In fact, she announced, Milton St John in general was exactly what Jemima needed to shake off the cobwebs of her previous existence.

Jemima, for her part, was delighted with the low rent, loved the description of the flat, was scared rigid at the thought of Leviticus and Ezekiel – not to mention the vicar – and found herself warming to Gillian more with every minute. She still couldn’t quite believe that she’d told Gillian all about the party-thing. She’d never mentioned a word of it to anyone else. Still, Gillian, being a vicar’s wife, was bound to be ultra-discreet, wasn’t she?

‘Come on then.’ Gillian once again linked her arm through Jemima’s. ‘Let me show you the flat. It’s really sweet. I’m sure you’ll love it.’

‘But won’t Mr Hutchinson want to interview me too?’ Jemima queried as they climbed the vicarage stairs. The house was centuries old; homely, untidy, and exquisite. ‘Surely he’ll need to be assured that I’m suitable?’

‘Goodness,’ Gillian puffed at the top of the third flight of stairs, ‘he already knows that you are. We’ve discussed you endlessly since we got your letter. It’ll be you he’s worried about – and now you’ve told me about what happened in Oxford I’m sure you’ll be well able to hold your own with the twins. Nobody’s actually bitten them before. It might do them good. Here we are …’

Gillian unlocked a battered oak door and ushered Jemima into the flat. Large leaded windows looked down on the village street from one side, and the tiny church and sprawling shrubbery from the other. All around, the chalky Downs dipped and rose like a petrified ocean and just faintly, in the distance, unseen cars swished in the searing heat. The rooms were pale and airy beneath vast sloping ceilings, and Jemima knew she had found her new home.

‘Oh, goody,’ Gillian said, looking at Jemima’s face. ‘You can’t imagine how grateful I am. When do you want to move in? You do like it, don’t you?’

‘I love it.’ Jemima was still doing lightning fiscal calculations. She had just enough money saved for the deposit. As long as Gillian was right about the amount of temporary work in the village, she should be able to afford the rent until the bookshop got going. She looked at the glorious view again and decided that she’d sell her soul if necessary.

‘Does a twelve-month lease sound right?’ Gillian asked vaguely. ‘I’m sorry that I’m not more business-like. We’ve never let the flat before. It used to belong to the boys’ nanny and went with the job – but she’s retired and –’

‘Twelve months sounds perfect,’ Jemima said, wondering if the nanny had been pensioned-off suffering from nervous exhaustion. Having had very little contact with children, and not being sure that she even liked them, she was still a little daunted by the sound of Leviticus and Ezekiel. ‘You can always get rid of me, if I’m not a suitable tenant.’

‘The boys’ll do that,’ Gillian said happily. ‘Now, are you sure we’ve covered everything?’

‘Yes – except I’m not a regular church-goer. And I do tend to lapse into “Oh, God!” and “Jesus!” occasionally.’

‘If that’s all you come out with after spending time with the twins you’ll deserve to be canonised. Shall we say you’ll move in at the end of the month? The first of May sounds like a good day for starting afresh, doesn’t it?’

It did. That would give her four weeks. Just enough time to work out her eviction notice in Oxford. Jemima had nodded again, trekked down the twisting staircases, was kissed fondly by Gillian, and found herself once more on Milton St John’s sun-baked main street. Gleeful shrieks echoed from the village green and people were chatting animatedly outside the Cat and Fiddle and the Village Stores. A ginger cat washed itself leisurely on the vicarage wall.

Jemima took another look at her empty shop, visualising the shelves crammed with colourful jackets, the window displays, the comfy chairs and low tables for the browsers, and was beaming as she unlocked Floss’s door. The air of brooding unreality had completely vanished and Milton St John had become far more Thrush Green than Midwich Cuckoos. She only hoped she’d feel the same way about it after May Day.

Chapter Two

This had been, without doubt, the worst day of his entire career, Charlie Somerset thought as he pushed the Aston Martin to its limits along the M6. Tearing away from Liverpool in the April dusk, wanting to put as many miles between him and the humiliation as possible, the speedometer was flickering at 120.

Running away? He’d never run away from anything in his life – except maybe one or two irate husbands. What the hell was the matter with him? So, he’d fallen – so what? All jump jockeys fell – it was par for the course. Half the jockeys in the Grand National had been unseated at sometime during that afternoon’s four and a half miles. The fact that his horse, Dragon Slayer, was reputed to have superglue on his hooves; had never so much as stumbled in his glittering seven-year career; and had been red-hot favourite to win Aintree’s Blue Riband, merely seemed to compound his felony in the eyes of the race-going public. The gamblers of the nation were baying for his blood.

He braked sharply behind a BMW dawdling at 90 in the outside lane and irritably flashed his lights. And it hadn’t been only the punters, Charlie thought miserably. Torquemada and Medusa had been waiting for him afterwards.

Kath Seaward, Dragon Slayer’s trainer, had been skin-strippingly scathing in her criticism. Almost worse was the reaction from Tina Maloret, the horse’s owner. She’d looked at him disdainfully, as though he’d sailed from Dragon Slayer’s saddle at Valentine’s simply to embarrass her. Tina Maloret, with her yard-long legs which had so recently wrapped themselves sinuously round him; and her collagen-enhanced lips which regularly attached themselves to various parts of his body with more suction than a Dyson vacuum cleaner, had glared at him with contempt in her eyes.

He groaned at the memory, finally intimidating the BMW into taking refuge in the centre lane.

Tina had been banking on basking in the limelight this afternoon; counting on it to accelerate her catwalk career. ‘Supermodel Wins National!’ She had probably already written her own press release. He groaned again, this time more loudly because the Aintree bruises were beginning to make their presence felt, and the year-old injury to his leg, sustained in a crashing fall at Newbury, had decided to come out in sympathy.

Sympathy had been in pretty short supply today, Charlie thought, switching on the radio. What he needed now was a refreshing blast of Aerosmith to cheer him up.

‘… so we can confirm that there were no fallers at the notorious Becher’s Brook on the first circuit, and only three at the Canal Turn – all up on their feet. Horses and jockeys all OK. And now they’re coming up to Valentine’s for the first time! Barbara’s Basket, the rank outsider, is still leading the field! Satchwa, King Rupert, and red-hot favourite Dragon Slayer are tucked nicely into the middle of the chasing pack as they approach Aintree’s third major challenge of the afternoon! Valentine’s will sort out the men from the boys …’ Oh, God! Not a bloody re-run! Charlie started station-surfing. He certainly didn’t need 5 Live’s commentator to remind him …

Satchwa had been bumping along beside them, having scrabbled amateurishly through the early fences, already tired. Charlie had eased Dragon Slayer away from the heaving flanks, feeling buoyant, and not a little smug. Dragon Slayer, over sixteen hands, almost jet black, proud and fearless, was as confident as himself, instinctively saving any real burst of energy for later when it mattered. This truly was the ride of his life. He’d never sat on a horse half so good. Mentally thanking Kath’s regular jockey, Matt Garside, who had missed the ride because of injury, Charlie felt a surge of excitement. This was going to be his race. Dragon Slayer was a winner. He could feel it. He knew that all he had to do on this first circuit was sit tight and steer away from any danger.

King Rupert, chestnut and rangy, was just visible from the corner of his eye, but he wasn’t a threat. Not yet, anyway. Both Charlie and Dragon Slayer knew Aintree’s Grand National course well, but, confident as they were, this was still no time for complacency. King Rupert was second favourite, a Gold Cup winner and a known stayer. They’d have to look to their laurels on the run-in.

Still, so far, so good. They’d soared over the heart-stopping height of Becher’s, Dragon Slayer planting his huge hooves exactly right for the take-off, the power in his bunched hindquarters leaving daylight above the brushwood, and landing with feet to spare. With only minimal encouragement from Charlie, Dragon Slayer was instantly right-legged into his stride, bowling immediately towards the Canal Turn; horse and rider in perfect harmony. No problems here. Charlie could hear horses crashing through the soft tops of the fence behind him, and the cursing of his fellow jockeys. He chuckled. He’d been lucky to get this ride on such a superb horse, he knew. And Kath Seaward was no push-over: she trained the best and expected even better.

Valentine’s coming up … Charlie concentrated even harder on keeping Dragon Slayer away from Satchwa’s weaving backside, on holding his middle ground, on timing the take-off. This was his big chance after being laid-off for so long after last year’s fall. This was his chance to prove to Kath Seaward that he was a natural replacement for Matt Garside in all his races until he was fit, and that he deserved his previous status of champion jockey. It was also his chance to reaffirm the belief of Drew Fitzgerald, the trainer who employed him as a stable jockey, that next year, with the right horse, they’d win at Cheltenham and Aintree. And, of course, there was Tina …

He could see the jaunty hindquarters of Barbara’s Basket – having his fifteen minutes of fame – blundering wildly across the course ahead with as much finesse as he’d smashed through the obstacles. Six – no, seven horses in front of him, all non-stayers. This was going so well … He could hear the distant halloo screams of the crowd all around him, and felt the rhythmic thud of hoof on turf. Dragon Slayer’s motion was easy and assured. As long as they could take King Rupert on the run-in they were home and dry. Charlie began to relax.

‘Stay out of trouble,’ Kath had ordered in the p