Fear in the Sunlight Read Online Free PDF Page A

all.’
    Archie didn’t dignify the remark with a response, but handed her the envelope he’d brought down from his room. ‘You’d better open this before everyone else arrives.’
    Josephine looked at him curiously. ‘You’ve already given me a card.’
    ‘It’s not a card.’
    She slit the paper open and shook the contents out onto her lap. ‘Tickets for the races,’ she said, delighted. ‘How fabulous! I haven’t been to Newmarket for years. But these are owners’ passes, Archie. Whose guest am I?’
    ‘No one’s.’ He grinned, and handed her a second envelope which had been concealed under the drinks tray. ‘There’s someone I’d like you to meet.’
    Bewildered, Josephine took out a photograph, scarcely daring to believe what he was telling her. The picture had been cut from a sale catalogue but she didn’t need to read the description to be convinced of the animal’s beauty. ‘You can’t have bought me a racehorse, Archie,’ she said, trying to keep the excitement out of her voice in case she had misunderstood the gift.
    It was a very poor effort at restraint, and Archie laughed. ‘Actually, it’s half a racehorse,’ he admitted. ‘He’s called Timber, and you’re sharing him with a trainer friend of mine.’
    ‘I don’t know what to say.’ She got up to hug him. ‘Except thank you. How on earth did you manage it?’
    ‘By chance, really. You remember that case I was involved with a few years back in Newmarket?’
    ‘Yes, although you never told me much about it.’
    ‘They weren’t the sort of details I’d want to share with you. Someone had a grudge against one of the stables there and did some truly vile things, but we got to the bottom of it and the owner was so grateful that he kept in touch.’ Archie smiled. ‘In fact, he sent me some remarkably good tips over the years – not that I did anything about them. That wouldn’t have been right.’
    ‘No, of course not,’ Josephine said cynically.
    ‘He died recently – he must have been well into his seventies when I first met him. His trainer’s taking over the stables but on a much smaller scale, so some of the horses had to be sold off. I went up to see him and he offered to sell me a half-share in this chap because he was particularly keen to hang on to him.’ Archie looked embarrassed. ‘Don’t ask me if he’s any good or not. I don’t know the first thing about racehorses, but it might be fun for you to find out. The picture doesn’t do him justice,’ he added as she stared at him in disbelief, ‘but he’s a wonderful colour – dark chestnut, with three white socks and white markings on his face. I fell in love with him when I saw him.’
    ‘For God’s sake, Archie,’ she said, waving the photograph under his nose. ‘A yearling colt by Cold Steel out of Crafty Alice, and you don’t know whether he can run or not?’
    ‘Is that good, then?’
    ‘Good? It’s equine royalty. When can we go and see him?’
    ‘Whenever you like. I’ll take you over there to meet Bart – that’s your fellow owner – and you two can talk pedigrees while I find a decent pub.’
    ‘You won’t be so blasé about it when Timber starts to make you your money back. It’s a decent bookmaker you should be looking for.’
    ‘Don’t worry – I know one or two of those.’ He smiled at her. ‘I’m glad you’re pleased.’
    ‘Pleased isn’t the word. Really, Archie – you have no idea. I’m so touched that you even thought of it. It’s a wonderful present.’
    Archie looked back towards the village, his attention caught by the silky purr of an expensive engine. ‘An Alvis,’ he said. ‘Very nice.’ They watched as the car – sleek, low built and kingfisher-blue – drove rather more quickly than was sensible down the hill to the hotel and stopped outside reception.
    ‘Oh,’ Josephine said, acknowledging a sense of anticlimax as the driver got out. ‘I was expecting something rather more glamorous.’ The