Bonne nuit, mon ami,
Maizie Sunday Freedman
Chapter 27
Over Coffee
Matilda Coombs had not been sleeping well. The weather, hot and muggy, had something to do with it. She was restless and dreaming of a new life. There had to be more. Since she was a little girl she had dreamed of having a ranch, a successful ranch with a long list of proven Derby winners. She had seen families in Louisville gain that kind of success and she thought she could do it, improve upon what her father had achieved. There was hope for a future in horse breeding and racing for Matilda Coombs. A path to a rich and respectable life was possible, but the Depression was making it rough. She climbed out of bed and put on her riding clothes. She went to the mirror and took a brush to her hair, sparing herself makeup. It was a Saturday and she’d be on her horse soon. She enjoyed riding. It helped her think. She opened her bedroom door and headed to the kitchen, where her father sat having a cup of coffee. When she entered the room, he looked up slowly, his face sad and drawn. He looked old to her, old and spent, like an old beaten nag in the field.
“Good morning, Matilda. Please join me,” he said as he set down his coffee cup.
“Just need a cup of coffee before my ride.” Matilda walked to the stove, lifted the coffeepot and poured herself a cup of brew.
“Please. Only a minute. I’ve been meaning to talk with you for a while now, but there was never a good time,” said George Coombs.
“Yes, Daddy?”
“Your mother and I have been thinking about our future, your future.”
“What do you mean?”
“We’ve been talking with a lawyer. We’ve written a will whereby you and your brothers will share in the value of all our assets. We hope, should anything happen to us, you’ll be secure.”
“Share? You mean the ranch?” Her voice pitched with panic. “Daddy, I want the ranch, just me. You know that, Daddy. It’s what I‘ve wanted my whole life. My brothers have moved on. They don’t want the ranch.”
“Farm, sweetheart. We call it a farm. And I fear we may lose it. We have leveraged some of its value already. My job at Churchill Downs has been a life saver, but we can’t stay afloat much longer than a few years. We lost a lot in the crash. This depression offers no chance for recovery. Why, no day goes by when I don’t talk with someone who has lost everything. These are dismal times.”
Matilda was stunned. She thought the farm should be hers. Her father couldn’t lose it, not now. Surely there had to be a way.
“We are going to try to sell. We will set ourselves up in a little place in town and divide the remainder between you and your brothers. We should be able to get enough for you to have a dowry for marriage.”
“Sell? For a dowry? Daddy, no. Please. I have to have the farm. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. The farm can be my dowry. I’ve dreamt about it every night since I could saddle a horse. I love this place, the horses. I’ve worked hard to learn it all. You know that. You’ve always said that I’m a natural. Better than any man you’ve known. You’ve said that.”
“I’m sorry, Matilda. We have to sell.”
“What if I married a rich man? It could happen. You and mother can stay here. I’ll take care of you. You won’t worry about anything. I can have my dream.”
“I hardly think we can sit around waiting for a rich suitor to support us all. I just don’t’ think…”
“Daddy, Martin and I have been talking. He’s rich. Why, his daddy leases a barn at Churchill Downs and owns a huge horse ranch. He could help us keep our ranch.”
“Farm, Matilda. Please call it what it is, a farm. Are you talking about Martin Garner? His dad is rich, not him. You seeing him?”
“Oh yes, I’ve seen him. He likes me.”
“Do you like him?”
“Well, I could. Just need to spend some more time with him. I could make him get money from his daddy.”
“I like the Garners, but you’ll do no such thing. Have some pride.”
“Martin has good sense. Why, we have such nice times together. Daddy, he and I could work this farm, raise good thoroughbreds.”
“I’m sorry, Matilda. I think you better quit counting on inheriting our farm.”
“I know another horse rancher. It’s a long shot, but he’s my friend. He’s from Missouri. Handsome too. He has rich contacts. Why, I know he’d jump at the chance to help out here in Kentucky.” Matilda waited for her father’s response.
George Coombs cleared his throat, removed a flask from his rear pocket and poured some bourbon into his coffee cup. Matilda could see his hand trembling. Sympathy briefly washed over her. He put the flask back in his pocket and didn’t say another word, only gazed blankly at the wall. She knew her father didn’t understand how determined she was to have her horse farm one day. She’d do just about anything to get it, even marry awful Martin Garner or get in touch with the cowboy from Glidewell Ranch. What was his name? Capp, Cowboy Capp.
Chapter 28
Making Ready
The next week at the backside, Wil and crew were busy hammering out the details for the match races. The quarter horses chosen to run races were in training. The handlers were working on the horses’ endurance and quick starts. Wil was careful not to overwork these hardworking sprinters, because a lame, brilliant contender would do him no good.
Wil had some good riders already picked to run the horses on the
