The Tell-Tale Horse

CHAPTER 15

That same evening, Tuesday, February 26, light shone through another glass, this one filled with single cask brandy and firmly gripped in Clayton Harper’s fist.

A small group of dedicated people had met at Tricorne Farm, a modest but pretty place owned by the Franklins, for the purpose of considering fund-raisers for the Thoroughbred Retirement Fund.

Betty and Bobby Franklin, Peggy Augustus, Ilona and Ramsey Merriman, Cabel and Clayton Harper, Sister Jane, Tedi and Edward Bancroft, and Sam Lorillard comprised the group.

All were in agreement concerning the fund-raiser party, but Cabel shocked everyone by saying the theme should be Lady Godiva—lots of naked women on horses. Ilona nearly slapped her. Cabel apologized for her insensitive humor and flounced off. Bobby winced when he heard gravel and snow churn in the drive as she peeled out.

The meeting over, the gathering congenial, they broke into small knots to talk horses, hounds, people.

Sister picked up a cleaned-off vegetable tray and walked back to the kitchen to refresh it. She and Betty had the run of one another’s houses, so it wasn’t rude of her.

Clayton followed her into the kitchen, reaching for some small scrubbed carrots. “Betty fixed this herself. Some folks just buy stuff from the supermarket, ready made. But that frozen tomato cannonball she makes can’t be duplicated. I’ve begged Cabel to make it and she does, but it’s not the same and Betty won’t reveal her secret.”

“Does Cabel use crushed pineapple?”

“Yep.”

“What about Worcestershire sauce?”

“Yep.” He took a big gulp of his brandy. The glass had been almost full, so great was his tolerance for alcohol. “You wouldn’t happen to know the recipe, would you?”

“She won’t even tell me and I’m her best friend.” Sister laughed. “Maybe the great question is Hellmann’s or Duke’s?”

Southern women were divided between these two mayonnaises, fiercely defending the virtues of each, although one is to make one’s own mayonnaise. Who has the time, hence the debate.

“Matters even more than Coke or Pepsi.” Clayton’s laugh was deep and comforting, and for a moment the tiny broken veins in his puffy face seemed to recede. “You’re a Duke’s.”

“What a memory.”

“I remember a lot of things.” He sipped once more. “I may drink like a fish but my mind’s still good.”

She turned to face him, setting the tray back on the counter. “Clayton, stop.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop drinking.”

He put the glass on the counter next to the vegetables and folded his arms across his chest. “Give me one good reason to take away one of the sustaining joys of my life.”

“Your life itself. You’ll kill yourself with that stuff.”

“We all have to die sometime, and I’m having a good time while I’m doing it.”

“I don’t think you are.”

He looked into her eyes, saying without apology, “I’m a coward.”

“I don’t remember you being a coward. I remember you working your tail off, building a good business, riding hard to hounds in the bargain. I remember you raising three great kids, all married and doing well.”

“Cabel can take most of the credit for that. I think the mother usually can. I did my part, although I worked too late and too long, but it always comes back to the mother.”

“I don’t know. I’ve seen some sorry mothers. But that begs the question. Clayton, look at yourself.”

He unfolded his arms and hugged her spontaneously. “You’re one of the only people in my life who will tell me the truth.”

She hugged him back. “I will and I am. I care about you, Clayton. Many of the people in the club care about you. You can stop.”

“Then my nerve endings will wake up.”

“That’s the point.”

“Jane, Cabel has many good qualities, but for the last ten years or so, they’ve been lost on me. Goddamn but she’s a whistling bitch! I suppose part of it is, the more she nags the more I drink. Her revenge is to spend money. And for a smart woman she can be dumb. She’s having some health problems, little things. Her hair is falling out. She wears a wig. Her legs hurt. No one knows but Ilona. Will she go to a doctor, no! She won’t get a mammogram, blood work, just won’t.” He shrugged. “I just sleep with as many women as will have me. Drives her crazy. I told her she could sleep with whomever she wanted; I didn’t care. She slapped me.” He laughed.

“Leave.”

“Yeah, I think about that when I wake up in the morning, before I pour a little Knockando in my coffee. But you know, it was her money that started my business. I owe her that.”

“You’ve repaid her many times over. Divorce her. Split your assets and gird your loins for all her stories about what a shit you are.”

“Well, if I sober up I’d better call all the women I’ve slept with, because she’ll ferret them out and tell everyone.”

“She already has.”

Betty walked in, perceived the intense conversation, picked up the filled tray, and sailed out. Sister looked after her with affection.

“There are some she doesn’t know about.”

“Good on you.” Sister laughed.

He laughed back. “You’d be surprised how a fat drunk can still get the girls.”

“You’re a lot more than that. Women like you. Always have.” She put her hand on his forearm. “Clayton, Sam Lorillard fell far lower than you could imagine falling. He changed.”

He gulped the rest of his drink as though he’d crawled across the Sahara. “Cabel declares she loves me, but it never felt like love. It felt like a vise, even before I married her.”

“So you married her for the money and for the feeling of being central to someone’s life?”

“Male ego. A woman tells you she can’t live without you. I love you doesn’t cut as much ice as I can’t live without you.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

That made Clayton laugh. “Clear-eyed as always. I wish I could be more like you.”

“Look, Sam is out there. He’ll help you. We’ll all help you.” A gust of anger swept over her. “Clayton, you have balls. Use them!”

He put the empty glass in the sink, washed it out slowly, and turned to her. “You know, Jane, I wouldn’t take that from anyone but you.”

“I know.” She tactfully left the kitchen so he could compose himself. A few minutes later she saw Clayton and Sam talking in the living room.

Betty smiled at Sister, who smiled back.