crowd.
'Who's responsible for the decorations?' Sean asked, surveying the
flags and bunting that fluttered from the poles that marked the
finishing line and from the wide roped-off lane that led up to them.
'The Board-we voted it last week.'
'Very nice.' Sean was looking now at the stock pen where the horses
were. A solid barricade of humanity lined the railings, but he saw
Dirk climb over and jump down beside Sun Dancer amid a splatter of
applause from the onlookers.
'Good-looking lad. ' Dennis was watching Dirk also, but there was
something in his tone that added, but I'm glad he's not mine.
'Thanks. ' The defiance in Sean's voice was not lost on Denrus and he
smiled ironically.
'We'd better go across and talk to the other judges, Garrick is
waiting. ' Dennis jerked his head towards the carriage at the end of
the line, and although he had been painfully aware of it, Sean looked
at it for the first time.
Together with Pye, Erasmus and his father, Michael was standing beside
it watching them. Tall and lean in tight black riding-boots, and an
open shirt of white silk accentuating the breadth of his shoulders, he
leaned against the wheel. Above him Ada and Anna sat together on the
rear seat and suddenly Sean felt a twist of anger in his stomach that
Ada should be there with them.
'Mother. ' He greeted her without smiling.
'Hello, Sean. ' And he could not fathom the tone of her voice nor her
expression. Was it regret, or perhaps a reluctant rejection? For a
long minute they held each other's eyes-until at last Sean had to
break, because now, instead of anger, he felt guilty.
But he did not understand the source of his guilt-it was only the
sorrowful accusation in Ada's eyes that had given it to him.
'Anna. ' He greeted her and received in exchange a stiff nod.
'Garry.' Sean tried to smile. He made a movement to lift his right
hand, but as he did so he knew it would be rejected, for the same
accusation that he had seen in Ada's eyes was also in Garry's. He
turned with relief to Michael.
'Hello, Mike. You know you're going to get the pants thrashed off
you?
'I'm going to make you eat those words without salt! ' and they
laughed together easily, laughed with such obvious joy in each other
that Anna moved restlessly in her seat and spoke sharply.
'Can't we get this over with, Ronny?'
'Yes,' Ronny Pye agreed hastily. 'Well, then. Where Is young Dirk?
We'd better go and find him.'
In a group they left the women and moved through the crowd towards the
stock pen where Dirk stood laughing with two girls that Sean recognized
as daughters of one of the factory foremen.
They were both looking up at Dirk and reacting with such unashamed
adoration that Sean felt a lift of indulgent pride. Casually Dirk
dismissed the girls and came across to meet them.
All set, Pa.'
