One Night Only (63 page)

“I’
m
u
p
fo
r
that!
”
sai
d
T
ess.
Gin
a
wa
s
alread
y
a
t
th
e
ba
r
.

“Hea
r
,
hear!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
an
d
the
y
al
l
raise
d
a
glas
s
to whippin
g
som
e
as
s
a
t
th
e
horse-racing
.

Afte
r
thei
r
fourt
h
win
,
th
e
girl
s
ha
d
wel
l
an
d
truly capture
d
th
e
attentio
n
o
f
ever
y
singl
e
punte
r
i
n
th
e
T
op O’Th
e
Road
,
wit
h
Rut
h
holdin
g
cour
t
a
s
sh
e
predicted wi
n
afte
r
wi
n
wit
h
onl
y
th
e
od
d
los
s
o
f
a
fe
w
qui
d
in between
.

Sh
e
scanne
d
th
e
newspape
r
lik
e
a
n
expert
,
circlin
g
her to
p
thre
e
choice
s
an
d
the
n
carefull
y
placin
g
he
r
bets
.
They
mad
e
a
‘kitty
’
fo
r
thei
r
gamblin
g
mone
y
an
d
Poll
y
,
chosen a
s
th
e
mos
t
sensibl
e
afte
r
a
ver
y
fai
r
vote
,
wa
s
i
n
charge o
f
makin
g
sur
e
everythin
g
wa
s
accounte
d
fo
r
.

A
tenne
r
eac
h
wa
y
starte
d
the
m
of
f
and
,
afte
r
each win
,
thei
r
confidenc
e
gre
w
unti
l
Rut
h
decide
d
i
t
wa
s
time t
o
u
p
th
e
ante
.

“S
o
wha
t
d’y
e
predic
t
thi
s
time
,
love?
”
aske
d
Duncan th
e
barman
.
H
e
wa
s
Scottis
h
an
d
roun
d
an
d
wa
s
i
n
awe o
f
Ruth
’
s
talent
,
no
t
knowin
g
o
f
cours
e
th
e
fin
e
stoc
k
she
cam
e
fro
m
an
d
th
e
backgroun
d
knowledg
e
o
n
horse- racin
g
tha
t
jus
t
couldn
’
t
b
e
bought
.

Rut
h
bi
t
th
e
insid
e
o
f
he
r
chee
k
an
d
he
r
hear
t
thumped
a
s
sh
e
scanne
d
th
e
listing
s
fo
r
th
e
4
p.m
.
a
t
Cheltenham an
d
thei
r
las
t
be
t
o
f
th
e
da
y
.
Sh
e
ha
d
know
n
thi
s
day woul
d
come
.
Sh
e
kne
w
tha
t
i
f
sh
e
go
t
ove
r
thi
s
hurdle
,
she
woul
d
ge
t
ove
r
anythin
g
an
d
no
w
,
i
n
a
bac
k
en
d
pu
b
of Donega
l
surrounde
d
b
y
peopl
e
sh
e
didn
’
t
kno
w
an
d
girls
wh
o
use
d
t
o
hat
e
he
r
gut
s
bu
t
wh
o
ha
d
no
w
give
n
he
r
a
chance
,
he
r
deepes
t
fear
s
wer
e
righ
t
i
n
fron
t
o
f
he
r
in blac
k
an
d
white
.

“
Melanie
’
s
W
ay
,
”
sh
e
said
,
matte
r
o
f
factl
y
an
d
she
circle
d
th
e
nam
e
o
f
th
e
hors
e
s
o
deepl
y
wit
h
he
r
pe
n
that th
e
newspape
r
tore
.

“What
?
A
s
i
n
th
e
Melanie
’
s
W
ay?
”
aske
d
T
ess
.
For
som
e
reaso
n
sh
e
no
w
fel
t
lik
e
sh
e
wa
s
i
n
th
e
presenc
e
o
f
a
celebrit
y
.

“D
o
yo
u
thin
k
i
t
wil
l
win?
”
aske
d
Poll
y
.
Sh
e
fel
t
a
little bi
t
scared
.
Ruth
’
s
eye
s
wer
e
wil
d
an
d
ou
t
o
f
control
.

“
I
kno
w
i
t
wil
l
win,
”
sh
e
said
.
“
I
kno
w
i
t
wil
l
a
s
well
a
s
I
kno
w
tha
t
Jeffre
y
Landsbur
y
i
s
a
quee
r
.
”

“So
,
wha
t
ar
e
yo
u
thinking
?
It
’
s
6/1
.
Fift
y
qui
d
each
way?
”
aske
d
Gina
,
feelin
g
al
l
knowledgeable
.
Sh
e
hadn
’
t
bet o
n
a
hors
e
sinc
e
he
r
fathe
r
use
d
t
o
pu
t
a
poun
d
o
n
fo
r
her an
d
he
r
sister
s
i
n
th
e
Iris
h
Gran
d
Nationa
l
an
d
feare
d
she
migh
t
ge
t
use
d
t
o
it
.