Heirs of the Body(54)

Alec was there. While Belinda commiserated with the boys on not winning—it turned out that she had come in second in the egg-and-spoon race, so they were even—Daisy said to Alec, “You took the babies back to the house?”

“They were getting a bit fractious. But as it happened, Mrs. Gilpin ran us down and insisted on removing them for their nap. You’re looking a bit frazzled, love?”

“I was worrying about the potential for accidents with bows and arrows. But they seem to have come through unscathed. Bel says they’re racing donkeys in half an hour or so.”

Alec laughed. “The poor beasts are far too small to cause any serious accidents. I would have said they’re too small to carry kids the size of Bel and the boys. The owner claims they’re quite capable of bearing an adult, only people don’t like to see them with such a load. A Gypsyish chap, unless he dresses up à la Gypsy for the occasion.”

“He’s probably the same man who brought donkeys to the fête when I was a child. His son, perhaps. Not, I trust, the same donkeys! He takes them round the country fairs to give rides, but his chief business is, or used to be, hiring them out to farmers. That business is probably not doing very well. Most farmers seem to have tractors these days.”

“Let’s go and look them over. You grew up with horses. You’ll be able to tell whether they’re likely to collapse under the weight of our three.”

“Darling, I always avoided riding as much as I possibly could. Father and Gervaise were neck-or-nothing hunters, of course, and Vi enjoyed going to a meet on horseback, in a ladylike way, though she never followed the hounds. Mother never went near horses if she could help it. They’re so big! Come to think of it, not riding is probably the only thing she did support me in. Although I did used to enjoy my pony, which, I suppose, was about the size of a donkey.”

“Small but sturdy. Yon donkeys have a lean and hungry look.”

“Well, the Ides of March are long past.”

“My concern is for the donkeys, not the children! Come and see them. They’re over that way.”

Daisy slipped her arm through his. They walked back past the starting post of the racetrack, where a group of hefty young men were about to run a hundred yards with their sweethearts—some almost equally hefty—on their shoulders.

The half-dozen donkeys were trudging round a well-worn circle with children on their backs, the first led by an olive-skinned, sharp-featured man in a colourful shirt and a leather jerkin. They were scrawny beasts, but one was ridden by an extremely fat child who couldn’t possibly weigh less than skinny Belinda. It didn’t appear any more overburdened than the rest.

“They look all right,” Daisy said dubiously. “They must be sturdier than they look, though I can’t picture any of them actually racing.”

“Derek might get his moving. He’s done some riding, hasn’t he? Bel’s only been on a similar creature at the seaside.”

“She’s been on a pony a couple of times, staying with Violet and John. I don’t know about Ben, but it doesn’t seem likely he’s had riding lessons.”

“Oh well, it’s not far to fall if they slide off. We’ll come back to watch. Let’s go and get a cup of tea. I haven’t had a chance yet, with the twins on my hands.”

“I’ve had mine, but I’ll come with you.”

At the entrance to the tea marquee, they met Bill Truscott. “Her ladyship sent me to see if Mrs. Samuel would like a lift back to the house,” he said. “Someone told me she’s in here.”

“She was last time I saw her, and she didn’t look as if she was thinking of going anywhere. Yes, there she is, with Lady John. Alec, I’ll go and have a word while you get your cuppa.”

Violet decided to go with Martha back to the house, to call on Geraldine without the dowager’s oppressive presence. Truscott escorted them out.

Alec had barely time to gulp his tea before they had to hurry back to the donkey track. Of course, the race was nowhere near beginning. The donkeys were no longer patiently plodding round the circle, but their owner was fiddling with saddles and bridles and lengthening stirrup leathers.

Belinda and the boys were there, gazing at the donkeys and apparently discussing them, with Derek posing as the expert to judge from his gestures. Nearby were another three youngsters of about the same size and age. Two looked like lads from the farms. The third was a sulky-faced girl in newish jodhpurs and a hard hat, carrying a whip. A man in good tweeds was talking earnestly to her. Daisy, with a pang of sympathy, suspected the girl was getting a lecture just like the ones she herself used to get from her father when she balked at mounting a horse. Perhaps he thought riding a donkey would accustom her to the idea.