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- Колин Маккалоу
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Sandwiched
between
the
two
men
she
worshipped
,
and
hanging
on
to
their
hands
for
dear
life
,
Meggie
was
in
seventh
heaven
.
The
Gillanbone
showground
lay
on
the
banks
of
the
Barwon
River
,
next
door
to
the
racecourse
.
Though
the
floods
were
six
months
gone
,
the
mud
had
not
completely
dried
,
and
the
eager
feet
of
early
comers
had
already
pulped
it
to
a
mire
.
Beyond
the
stalls
of
sheep
and
cattle
,
pigs
and
goats
,
the
prime
and
perfect
livestock
competing
for
prizes
,
lay
tents
full
of
handicrafts
and
cooking
.
They
gazed
at
stock
,
cakes
,
crocheted
shawls
,
knitted
baby
clothes
,
embroidered
tablecloths
,
cats
and
dogs
and
canaries
.
On
the
far
side
of
all
this
was
the
riding
ring
,
where
young
equestrians
and
equestriennes
cantered
their
bob-tailed
hacks
before
judges
who
looked
,
it
seemed
to
a
giggling
Meggie
,
rather
like
horses
themselves
.
Lady
riders
in
magnificent
serge
habits
perched
sidesaddle
on
tall
horses
,
their
top
hats
swathed
with
tantalizing
wisps
of
veiling
.
How
anyone
so
precariously
mounted
and
hatted
could
stay
unruffled
upon
a
horse
at
anything
faster
than
an
amble
was
beyond
Meggie
's
imagination
,
until
she
saw
one
splendid
creature
take
her
prancing
animal
over
a
series
of
difficult
jumps
and
finish
as
impeccable
as
before
she
started
.
Then
the
lady
pricked
her
mount
with
an
impatient
spur
and
cantered
across
the
soggy
ground
,
reining
to
a
halt
in
front
of
Meggie
,
Frank
and
Father
Ralph
to
bar
their
progress
.
The
leg
in
its
polished
black
boot
hooked
round
the
saddle
was
unhooked
,
and
the
lady
sat
truly
on
the
side
of
her
saddle
,
her
gloved
hands
extended
imperiously
.
"
Father
!
Be
so
kind
as
to
help
me
dismount
!
"
He
reached
up
to
put
his
hands
around
her
waist
,
her
hands
on
his
shoulders
,
and
swung
her
lightly
down
;
the
moment
her
heels
touched
the
ground
he
released
her
,
took
her
mount
's
reins
in
his
hand
and
walked
on
,
the
lady
beside
him
,
matching
his
stride
effortlessly
.
"
Will
you
win
the
Hunting
,
Miss
Carmichael
?
"
he
asked
in
tones
of
utter
indifference
.
She
pouted
;
she
was
young
and
very
beautiful
,
and
that
curious
impersonal
quality
of
his
piqued
her
.
"
I
hope
to
win
,
but
I
ca
n't
be
sure
.
Miss
Hopeton
and
Mrs.
Anthony
King
both
compete
.
However
,
I
shall
win
the
Dressage
,
so
if
I
do
n't
win
the
Hunting
I
sha
n't
repine
.
"
She
spoke
with
beautifully
rounded
vowels
,
and
with
the
oddly
stilted
phraseology
of
a
young
lady
so
carefully
reared
and
educated
there
was
not
a
trace
of
warmth
or
idiom
left
to
color
her
voice
.
As
he
spoke
to
her
Father
Ralph
's
own
speech
became
more
pear-shaped
,
and
quite
lost
its
beguiling
hint
of
Irishness
;
as
if
she
brought
back
to
him
a
time
when
he
,
too
,
had
been
like
this
.
Meggie
frowned
,
puzzled
and
affected
by
their
light
but
guarded
words
,
not
knowing
what
the
change
in
Father
Ralph
was
,
only
knowing
there
was
a
change
,
and
not
one
to
her
liking
.
She
let
go
Frank
's
hand
,
and
indeed
it
had
become
difficult
for
them
to
continue
walking
abreast
.
By
the
time
they
came
to
a
wide
puddle
Frank
had
fallen
behind
them
.
