'He's coming straight down the slope.'
'He can't make it unless he flies!'
Sean swung his glasses from Dirk to Michael and back, estiInating their
spin and positions, allowing for Michael's delay in the swamp, but
setting against that the additional distance that Dirk had to cover.
'It's going to be close-' he decided aloud. 'Dirk's got the edge, but
it's going to be very close.'
Ada did not see it that way. Dirk was leading and Dirk was going to
win. She looked across at Garrick. He stood beside the finishing-post
a hundred yards away, but even at that distance there was no mistaking
the droop of his shoulders and the air of misery that surrounded him
like an aura of defeat. Sun Dancer's hooves were slashing his LIFE to
threads.
Unable to bear it a moment longer, Ada jumped down from the carriage
and ran through the crowd to where Sean stood like a triumphant
colossus on the bonnet of the Rolls.
'Sean.' She reached up and touched his leg, but he was so engrossed he
did not feel or hear her.
'Sean,' she shouted and tugged at his trouser-leg.
'Mother?' He turned vaguely to look down at her.
'I must talk to you,' Ada shouted above the sound of the crowd that was
rising with excitement.
'Not now. They're coming in to the finish-climb up here where you can
see it. ' 'Now. I must speak to you now. Come down this instant!'
Her tone shocked him, for a second he wavered and peered furtively back
at the race. Then he shrugged with resignation and jumped down beside
her.
'What is it? Please be quick-I don't want to miss-' 'I'll be quick. '
Sean had never seen such a cold fury on her before. 'I wanted to say
that I never thought I'd see that day when I had nothing left for you
but contempt. Thoughtless you've been often-but never downright
merciless.'
'Mother, . He was bewildered.
'Listen to me. You set out to destroy your brother and you've done it.
Well, I hope you have the pleasure of it. You've got Theuniskraal now.
Enjoy it, Sean. Sleep well at night.'
'Theuniskraal! What do you mean?' He shouted at her now in his
confusion. 'I didn't wager for the farm!'
'Ah, no,' Ada scoffed at him. 'Of course you didn't-you let Ronny Pye
do that for you. ' 'Pye? What's he got to do with it?'
'Everything! He helped you plan it. He helped you provoke Garry into
this stupidity. He holds the mortgage on Thetmiskraal.
'But . Slowly the enormity of it all began to shape up in Sean's
mind.
'You took his leg-now take Theuniskraal, but pay for it with my love.'
She looked steadily into his eyes, but the pain was there clouding her
own. 'Good-bye, Sean. We won't speak to each other again.' And she
walked slowly away. She walked like an old woman at last, a tired and
worn old woman.
