‘I can remember thinking it was all a waste of time, but he was adamant, and he said afterwards that he’d just had this curious premonition during that tempestuous mating. The rest is history. Eleven months later Amanda Belle gave birth to Nimmitabel, although she died, and … Grandad died the night before.’
‘Tell me,’ Nicky said softly.
Roz stared unseeingly towards the sprinklers. ‘Our stables burnt down. Someone on a neighbouring property had started a grass fire, but the wind changed and before we even knew it was lit it was roaring towards our place and the stables were directly in its path. You’ve no idea how quickly a fire can move. We just didn’t have time to get all the horses out, but Grandad rescued Amanda Belle, then went back. He … he loved horses and he couldn’t stand hearing them. It was the smoke that got him. But his last words to me were—whatever you do, look after her and her foal, because it’s going to be a champion,’ she said huskily. ‘He was quite convinced of that from the moment he knew the miracle had happened and she was in foal to Kosciusko.’
‘Oh, Roz, how awful!’ Nicky said softly. ‘I’m sorry I made you remember. You must have nightmares about it.’
‘Sometimes,’ Roz admitted. ‘But … well, it helps to think he might have been right. Not that you can really tell until they race, but …’ She shrugged.
‘Well, at least you met Adam then,’ Nicky reflected, and dabbed away a tear.
‘I had met him once before,’ Roz told her. ‘When I was fourteen or fifteen, but the second time—well …’
‘You fell in love‘? How marvellous!’
‘Yes. Yes, it was.’
‘And you were still very young,’ Nicky said enthusiastically.
Roz glanced at her, but Nicky went on, ‘It’s really funny, you know, Roz—I’ve known you for two years now but hardly know anything about you, which makes me feel rather guilty, but Mum was mostly responsible for that.’
‘Oh?’ Roz raised her eyebrows.
‘Yes. In case you hadn’t realised, Mum adores Adam, but although you came as such a surprise, I think she must have approved of you almost straight away, because she warned us all off. I mean, she told us she didn’t want you to feel as if you were facing the Spanish Inquisition—which wasn’t precisely how she treated Louise, believe me, although I liked her, but probably the least said soonest mended about that. But it’s led to the curious situation of none of us knowing you very well—I feel I didn’t anyway until today. I’m so glad that’s changed now,’ Nicky finished warmly.
Roz sniffed and blinked. ‘So am I. Sorry …’
‘Oh, Roz,’ Nicky said softly, ‘you didn’t think we didn’t like you? It wasn’t that!’
‘No, I know—well, I hoped so. Oh, there’s Milly calling us for lunch. I hope you’re hungry, because she thinks you’re looking thin and plans to compensate, I suspect.’
It was over lunch that Jeanette mentioned she’d had a phone call from her mother to let her know that her elder sister had been safely delivered of a baby girl, her third child in four years but her first daughter. Roz immediately thought she detected a faintly wistful gleam in Jeanette’s eyes, and after consulting Milly, she suggested that Jeanette take a week off so she could visit her sister and help out with the rest of the family. Jeanette resisted for a time, but in the end was no match for both Milly and Roz.
‘You’re sure you’ll be all right without me?’ were her last words.
‘Quite sure,’ Roz said gravely but with an inward smile and a feeling of affection, and found herself reflecting that while she might not be pleasing Adam currently, his family and his staff appeared to be another matter. And she thought of the tears that had come with Nicky’s revelations earlier and the corresponding discovery of how much it meant to her to have the family’s approval.
Several things happened that evening.
Adam rang from Tokyo, and Richard and Amy and Angelo arrived to spend the evening.
‘Hang on—can you hang on a moment?’ Roz said breathlessly into the phone. ‘I’ll take this in your study. There’s too much noise here.’
‘Hello?’ she said moments later. ‘Adam?’
‘I’m here, Roz. You were right about the noise. Having a party?’
‘No! At least, I’m not, but Angelo and Amy and Richard have come to see Nicky and spend the evening, so it’s become rather like a party.’