CHAPTER XXIX. A RACE
The Prince, on his way back from his usual before-breakfast stroll,lingered for a short time amongst the beds of hyacinths and yellowcrocuses. Somehow or other, these spring flowers, stiffly set out andwith shrivelled edges--a little reminiscent of the last east wind--stillseemed to him, in their perfume at any rate, to being him memories ofhis own country. Pink and blue and yellow, in all manner of sizes andshapes, the beds spread away along the great front below the terraceof the castle. This morning the wind was coming from the west. The sun,indeed, seemed already to have gained some strength. The Prince sat fora moment or two upon the gray stone balustrade, looking to where thelevel country took a sudden ascent and ended in a thick belt of pinetrees. Beyond lay the sea. As he sat there with folded arms, he wassurely a fatalist. The question as to whether or not he should everreach it, should ever find himself really bound for home, was one whichseemed to trouble him slightly enough. He thought with a faint, wistfulinterest of the various ports of call, of the days which might pass,each one bringing him nearer the end. He suffered himself, even, tothink of that faint blur upon the horizon, the breath of the spicywinds, the strange home perfumes of the bay, as he drew nearer andnearer to the outstretched arms of his country. Well, if not he,another! It was something to have done one's best.
The rustle of a woman's garment disturbed him, and he turned his head.Penelope stood there in her trim riding habit,--a garb in which he hadnever seen her. She held her skirts in her hand and looked at him with acurious little smile.
"It is too early in the morning, Prince," she said, "for you to sitthere dreaming so long and so earnestly. Come in to breakfast. Every oneis down, for a wonder."
"Breakfast, by all means," he answered, coming blithely up the broadsteps. "You are going to ride this morning?"
"I suppose we all are, more or less," she answered. "It is our huntsteeplechases, you know. Poor Grace is in there nearly sobbing hereyes out. Captain Chalmers has thrown her over. Lady Barbarity--that'sGrace's favorite mare, and her entry for the cup--turned awkward withhim yesterday, and he won't have anything more to do with her."
"From your tone," he remarked, pushing open the French windows, "Igather that this is a tragedy. I, unfortunately, do not understand."
"You should ask Grace herself," Penelope said. "There she is."
Lady Grace looked round from her place at the head of the breakfasttable.
"Come and sympathize with me, Prince," she cried. "For weeks I have beenfancying myself the proud possessor of the hunt cup. Now that horridman, Captain Chalmers, has thrown me over at the last moment. He refusesto ride my mare because she was a little fractious yesterday."
"It is a great misfortune," the Prince said in a tone of polite regret,"but surely it is not irreparable? There must be others--why not yourown groom?"
A smile went round the table. The Duke hastened to explain.
"The race is for gentlemen riders only," he said. "The horses have tobe the property of members of the hunt. There would be no difficulty, ofcourse, in finding a substitute for Captain Chalmers, but the racetakes place this morning, and I am afraid, with all due respect to mydaughter, that her mare hasn't the best of reputations."
"I won't have a word said against Lady Barbarity," Lady Grace declared."Captain Chalmers is a good horseman, of course but for a lightweight hehas the worst hands I ever knew."
"But surely amongst your immediate friends there must be many others,"the Prince said. "Sir Charles, for instance?"
"Charlie is riding his own horse," Lady Grace answered. "He hasn't theghost of a chance, but, of course, he won't give it up."
"Not I!" Somerfield answered, gorgeous in pink coat and riding breeches."My old horse may not be fast, but he can go the course, and I'm nonetoo certain of the others. Some of those hurdles'll take a bit ofdoing."
"It is a shame," the Prince remarked, "that you should be disappointed,Lady Grace. Would they let me ride for you?"
Nothing the Prince could have said would have astonished the littlecompany more. Somerfield came to a standstill in the middle of the room,with a cup of tea in one hand and a plate of ham in the other.
"You!" Lady Grace exclaimed.
"Do you really mean it, Prince?" Penelope cried.
"Well, why not?" he asked, himself, in turn, somewhat surprised. "If Iam eligible, and Lady Grace chooses, it seems to me very simple."
"But," the Duke intervened, "I did not know--we did not know that youwere a sportsman, Prince."
"A sportsman?" the Prince repeated a little doubtfully. "Perhaps Iam not that according to your point of view, but when it comes to aquestion of riding, why, that is easy enough."
"Have you ever ridden in a steeplechase?" Somerfield asked him.
"Never in my life," the Prince declared. "Frankly, I do not know what itis."
"There are jumps, for one thing," Somerfield continued,--"pretty stiffaffairs, too."
"If Lady Grace's mare is a hunter," the Prince remarked, "she canprobably jump them."
"The question is whether--" Somerfield began, and stopped short.
The Prince looked up.
"Yes?" he asked.
Somerfield hesitated to complete his sentence, and the Duke once moreintervened.
"What Somerfield was thinking, my dear Prince," he said, "was that asteeplechase course, as they ride in this country, needs some knowing.You have never been on my daughter's mare before."
The Prince smiled.
"So far as I am concerned," he said, "that is of no account. There wasa day at Mukden--I do not like to talk of it, but it comes back tome--when I rode twelve different horses in twenty-four hours, butperhaps," he added, turning to Lady Grace, "you would not care to trustyour horse with one who is a stranger to your--what is it you callthem?--steeplechases."
"On the contrary, Prince," Lady Grace exclaimed, "you shall ride her,and I am going to back you for all I am worth."
Bransome, who was also in riding clothes, although he was not takingpart in the steeplechases himself, glanced at the clock.
"You are running it rather fine," he said. "You'll scarcely have time tohack round the course."
"Some one must explain it to me," the Prince said. "I need only to betold where to go. If there is no time for that, I must stay with theother horses until the finish. There is a flat finish perhaps?"
"About three hundred yards," the Duke answered.
"Have you any riding clothes?" Penelope whispered to him.
"Without a doubt," he answered. "I will go and change in a few minutes."
"We start in half an hour," Somerfield remarked. "Even that allows usnone too much time."
"Perhaps," the Duke suggested diffidently, "you would like to rideover, Prince? It is a good eleven miles, and you would have a chance ofgetting into your stride."
The Prince shook his head.
"No," he said, "I should like to motor with you others, if I may."
"Just as you like, of course," the Duke agreed. "Grace's mare is overthere now. We shall be able to have a look at her before the race, atany rate."
The opinions, after the Prince had left the table, were a little dividedas to what was likely to happen.
"For a man who has never even hunted and knows nothing whatever aboutthe country," Somerfield declared, "to attempt to ride in a steeplechaseof this sort is sheer folly. If you take my advice, Lady Grace, you willget out of it. Lady Barbarity is far too good a mare to have her kneesbroken."
"I am perfectly content to take my risks," Lady Grace answeredconfidently. "If the Prince had never ridden before in his life, I wouldtrust him."
Somerfield turned away, frowning.
"What do you think about it, Penelope?" he asked.
"I am afraid," she answered, "that I agree with Grace."
Two punctures and a leaking valve delayed them over an hour on the road.When they reached their destination, the first race was already over.
"It's shocking bad luck," the D
uke declared, "but there's no earthlychance of your seeing the course, Prince. Come on the top of the standwith me, and bring your glasses. I think I can point out the way foryou."
"That will do excellently," the Prince answered. "There is no need to goand look at every jump. Show me where we start and as near as possiblethe way we have to go, and tell me where we finish."
The course was a natural one, and the stand itself on a hill. Thegreater part of it was clearly visible from where they stood. The Dukepointed out the water jump with some trepidation, but the Prince'sglasses rested on it only for a moment. He pointed to a clump of trees.
"Which side there?" he asked.
"To the left," the Duke answered. "Remember to keep inside the redflags."
The Prince nodded.
"Where do we finish?" he asked.
The Duke showed him.
"That is all right," he said. "I need not look any more."
In the paddock some of the horses were being led around. The Princenoted them approvingly.
"Very nice horses," he said,--"light, but very nice. That one I likebest," he added, pointing to a dark bay mare, who was already giving herboy some trouble.
"That's lucky," the Duke answered, "for she's your mount. I must go andtalk to the clerk about your entry. It is a little late, but I thinkthat it will be all right."
The Prince glanced over Lady Grace's mare and turned aside to joinPenelope and Somerfield.
"I like the look of my horse, Sir Charles," he said. "I think that Ishall beat you today."
"We both start at five to one," Somerfield answered. "Shall we have abet?"
"With pleasure," the Prince agreed. "Will you name the amount? I do notknow what is usual."
"Anything you like," Somerfield answered, "from ten pounds to ahundred."
"One hundred,--we will say one hundred, then," the Prince declared. "Mymount against yours. So!"
He threw off his overcoat, and they saw for the first time that hewas dressed in English riding clothes of dark material, but absolutelycorrect cut.
"I must go now and be introduced to the Clerk of the Course," he said."Ah, here is Lady Grace!" he added. "Come with me, Lady Grace. Yourfather is seeing about my entry. I think that in five minutes the bellwill ring."
Everything was in order, and a few minutes later the Prince came out.The mare was stripped, and the whole party gathered round to watch himmount. He swung himself into the saddle without hesitation. The maresuddenly reared. Prince Maiyo only smiled, and with loose reins stoopedand patted her neck. He seemed to whisper something in her ear, andshe stood for a moment afterwards quite still. Lady Grace drew a quickbreath.
"What did you say to her, Prince?" she asked. "She is behavingbeautifully except for that first start."
"Your mare understands Japanese, Lady Grace," the Prince answered,smiling. "She and I are going to be great friends. Show me the way,please. Ah, I follow that other horse! I see. Lady Grace, au revoir. Youshall have your cup."
"Gad, I believe she will!" the Duke exclaimed. "Look at the fellow ride.His body is like whalebone."
The parade in front of the stand was a short one. The Prince rode byin the merest canter. The mare made one wild plunge which would haveunseated any ordinary person, but her rider never even moved in hissaddle.
"I never saw a fellow sit so close in my life," the Duke declared. "Doyou know, Grace, I believe, I really believe he'll ride her!"
Lady Grace laughed scornfully.
"I have a year's allowance on already," she said, "so you had betterpray that he does. I think it is very absurd of you all," she added,"because the Prince cares nothing for games, to conclude that he is anythe less likely to be able to do the things that a man should do. Heperhaps cannot ride about on a trained pony with a long stick and knocka small ball between two posts, but I think that if he had to ride forhis own life or the life of others he would show you all something."
"They're off!" the Duke exclaimed.
They watched the first jump breathlessly. The Prince, riding a littleapart, simply ignored the hurdle, and the mare took it in her stride.They turned the corner and faced an awkward post and rails. The leadinghorse took off too late and fell. The Prince, who was close behind,steered his mare on one side like lightning. She jumped like a cat,--thePrince never moved in his seat.
"He rides like an Italian," Bransome declared, shutting up his glasses."There's never a thing in this race to touch him. I am going to see if Ican get any money on."
Another set of hurdles and then the field were out of sight. Soon theywere visible again in the valley. The Prince was riding second now.Somerfield was leading, and there were only three other horses left.They cleared a hedge and two ditches. At the second one Somerfield'shorse stumbled, and there was a suppressed cry. He righted himselfalmost at once, however, and came on. Then they reached the water jump.There was a sudden silence on the stand and the hillside. Somerfieldtook off first, the Prince lying well away from him. Both cleared it,but whereas Lady Grace's mare jumped wide and clear, and her rider nevereven faltered in his saddle, Somerfield lost all his lead and only justkept his seat. They were on the homeward way now, with only one morejump, a double set of hurdles. Suddenly, in the flat, the Prince seemedto stagger in his saddle. Lady Grace cried out.
"He's over, by Jove!" the Duke exclaimed. "No, he's righted himself!"
The Prince had lost ground, but he came on toward the last jump, gainingwith every stride. Somerfield was already riding his mount for all hewas worth, but the Prince as yet had not touched his whip. They drewcloser and closer to the jump. Once more the silence came. Then therewas a little cry,--both were over. They were turning the corner cominginto the straight. Somerfield was leaning forward now, using his whipfreely, but it was clear that his big chestnut was beaten. The Prince,with merely a touch of the whip and riding absolutely upright, passedhim with ease, and rode in a winner by a dozen lengths. As he canteredby the stand, they all saw the cause of his momentary stagger. Onestirrup had gone, and he was riding with his leg quite stiff.
"You've won your money, Grace," the Duke declared, shutting up hisglass. "A finely ridden race, too. Did you see he'd lost his stirrup? Hemust have taken the last jump without it. I'll go and fetch him up."
The Duke hurried down. The Prince was already in the weighing roomsmoking a cigarette.
"It is all right," he said smiling. "They have passed me. I have won. Ihope that Lady Grace will be pleased."
"She is delighted!" the Duke exclaimed, shaking him by the hand. "We allare. What happened to your stirrup?"
"You must ask your groom," the Prince answered. "The leather snappedright in the flat, but it made no difference. We have to ride like thathalf the time. It is quite pleasant exercise," he continued, "but I amvery dirty and very thirsty. I am sorry for Sir Charles, but his horsewas not nearly so good as your daughter's mare."
They made their way toward the stand, but met the rest of the party inthe paddock. Lady Grace went up to the Prince with outstretched hands.
"Prince," she declared, "you rode superbly. It was a wonderful race. Ihave never felt so grateful to any one in my life."
The Prince smiled in a puzzled way.
"My dear young lady," he said, "it was a great pleasure and a verypleasant ride. You have nothing to thank me for because your horse is alittle better than those others."
"It was not my mare alone," she answered,--"it was your riding."
The Prince laughed as one who does not understand.
"You make me ashamed, Lady Grace," he declared. "Why, there is only oneway to ride. You did not think that because I was not English I shouldfall off a horse?"
"I am afraid," the Duke remarked smiling, "that several Englishmen havefallen off!"
"It is a matter of the horse," the Prince said. "Some are not trainedfor jumping. What would you have, then? In my battalion we have ninehundred horsemen. If I found one who did not ride so well as I do, hewould go back to the ranks. We would make an inf
antryman of him. MissMorse," he added, turning suddenly to where Penelope was standing alittle apart. "I am so sorry that Sir Charles' horse was not quite sogood as Lady Grace's. You will not blame me?"
She looked at him curiously. She did not answer immediately. Somerfieldwas coming towards them, his pink coat splashed with mud, his facescratched, and a very distinct frown upon his forehead. She looked awayfrom him to the Prince. Their eyes met for a moment.
"No!" she said. "I do not blame you!"