AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s apparent that our instincts conflict here,” Dustin concluded. “And, at the risk of sounding pompous, mine are quite good.”
“Obviously not as good as mine.”
Dustin was torn between laughing and throttling her. “Aldridge?” He turned to her father for corroboration. “What’s your opinion of Raggert?”
“I’ve already told you,” Nick replied, with a puzzled glance at Nicole. “He’s good. Oh, I’ve heard he’s a little particular about the mounts he works with, but he makes no secret of that fact. If he likes what he’s got to train, he’s said to be one of the best. Not to mention the fact that he’s been on the turf for years. If I remember right, I once heard something about him wishing he could have been a jockey. Unfortunately, nature had other ideas. He grew way too tall and lanky. So he took another path.” A shrug. “He’s obviously committed to his training.”
“But not to what he trains,” Nicole countered.
Her father eyed her with tolerant affection—and a dash of pride. “Not everyone reveres horses as you do, Elf. To a lot of men this is a job. They do it well and with great integrity, but they don’t necessarily have a personal attachment to each of their mounts.”
“More fools they.”
Dustin frowned, troubled by the intensity of Nicole’s reaction. “Put intuition aside for the moment. Give me specifics.”
“I have none. Other than the fact that he spoke of Dagger as if he were a wild and unwanted beast.”
“Well, he was—with everyone but you.”
“Raggert had no faith in Dagger’s skill or potential.”
“He told me that from the start. It was one of the things we disagreed about. I was fully prepared to leave Dagger’s transformation to you and my other thoroughbreds to Raggert, but be fair. Raggert’s reasons for doubting Dagger were sound. The poor man had endured months of unrewarded efforts at Lanston. He was quick to apologize today when he saw the amazing progress you’d made with our soon-to-be champion.”
“Quick to apologize? I’m not a child, Dustin. I don’t need pacifying. What I need is a trainer who believes as I do—that every horse can be reached if the right approach is used. He condemned Dagger as hopeless. That’s inexcusable.”
“To most everyone Dagger did appear hopeless.”
“Raggert isn’t everyone. He’s a trainer, and a good trainer would have sensed Dagger’s promise. You did. I did. Why didn’t Raggert?”
“His instincts failed once.”
“He has no instincts. Not for horses. He has competence but no instincts.”
“Nicole, you’re letting emotion interfere with logic.”
“I’m seeing things as they are.”
“You’re unreasonable.”
“I’m right.”
“I’m hungry,” Nick announced. “So if the two of you are going to stand here and bellow at each other, I’ll roll that tray into the dining room and eat all the lamb myself.”
Dustin’s gaze met Nicole’s, and, simultaneously, their glares transformed to grins.
“Truce?” Dustin suggested.
“Granted—but only because I don’t want Papa to eat my portion.”
The three of them pushed the cart through the hall and into the kitchen. Nick proceeded to make up plates of food, which Nicole and Dustin carried into the dining room.
“This must seem odd to you,” Nicole commented, laying out the silver. “Setting a table. Serving yourself—in any capacity, much less at mealtimes.”
A corner of Dustin’s mouth lifted. “This is one argument you’re going to lose, Derby. I’m actually more adept in the kitchen than you are.”
“Really? When do you have the opportunity to frequent a kitchen?”
“Every time I visit Spraystone. That’s Trent’s Isle of Wight retreat,” he explained, chuckling at Nicole’s dubious expression. “I’ll have to take you there sometime. It’s on the isle’s east coast, near the town of Bembridge and not too far south of Osborne Bay. The estate consists of a cottage, an enormous barn, every possible animal you can imagine, acres of land to explore, and a breathtaking charm that defies words. You’d love it. Trent and Ariana certainly do.”
