“Can’t say I’m sad.”
When Billy returned to his cabin at the backside, Thelma was sitting in a chair staring straight ahead. Billy bit his lip, thinking of what to say. “I talked with Mr. Glidewell. You can return to Iowa. He’ll pay for your ticket.”
“Good,” Thelma said. Despite a sunbeam that radiated into the space, heavy silence and gloom permeated the room. Thelma crossed her ankles and gripped the arms of her chair. Billy could see a glistening of moisture around her eyes. “I’m scared, Billy. I have this hate in me. I feel it churnin’. Things here have changed. I can’t live here no more. The hate takes control of me.”
“I know.”
“You gonna be fine without me? Can you work with Corky?”
“I’m gonna be fine with Corky. Got to. You need the money. I’ll send all I make. You’ll be happier with your sister.”
“I don’t know.”
“Thelma, it don’t work out, you can come back. I’ll see to it myself.”
“This place doesn’t want the likes of me.”
Billy knew she was right. Glidewell Ranch was not a place for her. He knew he’d likely never see her again.
Chapter 33
Maizie’s Diary
July 27, 1931
Here is something. Capp says he may go away after summer. He says he is going to learn all about racing and breeding thoroughbred horses. He says not to tell anyone yet, so it’s a secret. I don’t like thinking that Capp is leaving. I get sad when I think about it.
Mrs. Glidewell and I have been working hard. We have lots of horses and riders signed up for the match races. Guess people are seeing our posters around town. I sent letters to friends of the Glidewells inviting them to stay in the ranch house for the whole weekend. Why, we never had such a weekend. I can tell it is all important. Leon and Philippe have been working nonstop on the menus, and Ruby and Claire have scrubbed and cleaned every inch of the ranch house. The place is gleaming.
I walked through the guest wing for the first time delivering flower vases. I’d never seen such nice bedrooms before, except for the Glidewells’ bedroom. Why, my mama would have loved to have spent just one minute in one of the rooms. I think about things like that when I think of my mama. I miss her, but don’t have much time during the day to give her much thought. It is at night when the moon is beaming in my window and quiet fills the room that Mama is on my mind. We spent many a night looking at the moon together. My mama would say that the moon reminds us that in darkness there may be light. Looking at the moon makes you wonder if something good is on its way. I like thinking about that. The other night as I lay thinking, my eyes closed. I felt a hand brush hair from my forehead. I remembered my mama doing that. When I opened my eyes, there stood Mrs. Glidewell, smiling at me, wishing me a good night.
Bonne nuit, mon ami,
Maizie Sunday Freedman
Chapter 34
The Start Barrier
James woke with a start, his heart pounding. He had those thoughts again. He needed to talk with Capp. James had always been a gracious loser in life, but he needed to win the match race tournament. He wasn’t sure he could handle a loss, not now. This was the chance to make Glidewell the horse ranch he had envisioned, but it would take winning. He would feel more confident if Capp could reassure him.
He turned in bed and noticed Mary was still asleep. Getting up quietly, he dressed and headed for the backside. Grabbing a cup of coffee at the mess hall, he proceeded to the track and found six riders putting horses through the paces of an early-morning workout. The scene did nothing to negate his mounting insecurities. Looking toward the edge of the track, he saw Capp leaning on the rail, the young man’s body moving to the rhythm of the pounding hooves.
As James approached, Capp turned in surprise. “You’re up early.”
“Couldn’t sleep. We need to talk, Capp.” Capp lowered his head and looked up slowly toward the track.
“Sure.”
“How is training going for the match races?”
“Good.” Capp seemed to hesitate, as he put his foot up on the bottom rail. “Pretty good, I should say, except for one problem.”
“What’s that?” James asked gripping the rail.
“That new start barrier you got is going to take some time to get used to. Those catapults lifting the start ropes over Wild’s head makes him skittish. Seems he don’t like it.”
“All of Glidewell Ranch is depending on you to run Wild into the winner’s circle. I want to take the tournament. It’s important to me, Capp. And I think you are my best chance to win.”
“Yep, that’s what I’ll try to do.”
James threw his hands up in the air. “What do you mean, try? I want you to give me some confidence here.”
Capp picked up his Stetson, sitting on the paddock fence post, and placed it on his head, running his fingers around the brim.
“I’ll give it my all. It’s just that I’m wishing the start line was just that, a line in the dirt. Wild don’t like that start barrier. It’s a fearful, noisy contraption. He shies backwards or worse whenever the lever is pulled and the ropes fly.”
“This is the assurance you give me? You’ll give it your all but the horse may have trouble at the start? Dang it, Capp.”
“I want to win. And Wild is a good horse. But I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a problem at the start gate. The good thing about Wild is he wants to win too.”
James put both of his hands on the rails and stretched his back. “I guess my anxieties are well founded. Haven’t slept well for a while.”
“What do you mean your anxieties?”
“I’m having
