Coming towards her was her old Pony Club enemy, Trace Coley, clanking duty free and looking a million dollars.

'Last time we met,' Perdita muttered to Luke, 'I tried to drown her mother.'

Trace, however, was prepared to suspend hostilities in order to sw.a.n.k.

'h.e.l.lo, Perdita, long time no see. What are you doing here, buying ponies?'

'I'm bringing back two,' said Perdita defiantly. 'Daddy bought me seven,' said Trace. 'I'm playing medium goal with him and Drew Benedict and the mostheavenly Mexican out of Cowdray next season. I must check in. Let's gossip on the flight.' Then, glancing down at the label on Perdita's handluggage: 'Oh, poor you. Economy gets so hot and smelly on this flight. What a pity you're not travelling First.'

'She is, she is,' said a voice.

Perdita gave a start. For there, lean as a spear in black jeans and a shirt the pale scarlet of a runner bean flower, stood Red. He was as high as a kite, his tiger eyes glittering, and absolutely reeking of Auriel's new scent.

'Perdita, baby, I had to come and say goodbye. Hi, Luke.'

'Do introduce me, Perdita,' shrieked Trace Coley whose eyes were popping like a squeezed peke. 'You're Red Alderton, and you're having a walk-out with Auriel King-ham, and you're an absolutely brilliant polo player.'

'I wouldn't argue with any of that,' said Red.

He turned reproachfully to Luke. 'How can you let this poor baby travel Economy?'

Then he smiled wickedly at Perdita. 'I never gave you a Christmas present, so I've upgraded you instead. Paul and Joanne are in the VIP lounge and are dying to meet you. Let's go and say h.e.l.lo.'

Luke looked at his brother, his face expressionless. 'You are an absolute s.h.i.t, Red.'

Whatever his feelings about Chessie, Ricky returned brown and incredibly chipper from Palm Springs. He was delighted that Perdita had improved so dramatically and that she had brought home two such good ponies.

Tero, having driven Victor's grooms crackers on the journey calling piteously for Fantasma, had now chummed up with Spotty and the two were inseparable. Spotty, wearing three extra rugs and an expression of outrage on his red-and-white face at the arctic conditions that greeted him, was soon bickering with Wayne over who should be boss of the yard.

The first time he and Tero were turned out, Kinta, who was a thug and a bully, went for the timid little mare, shoving her into the water trough and laying into her with teeth and feet. Immediately, Spotty bustled round the corner to Tero's rescue, and Kinta, who'd never come across a skewbald in polo or in her previous racing career, spooked and ran away in horror. After that, Ricky moved Spotty and Tero to another paddock, where, slavish with grat.i.tude, Tero followed Spotty everywhere, but still had to be given a nose bag every day to stop Spotty and all the other ponies pinching her food.

The Argentine ponies Ricky had smuggled in, through France in the end, arrived looking very poor and miserable, but soon picked up as the winter turned mild.

The best tonic of all was that Ricky's elbow had recovered. Having played every day in the warmth of Palm Springs, he was back to his old dazzling form. This summer he would play high goal with Bas, Mike Waterlane and Dancer, and medium goal with Bas, Dancer and Perdita. At the beginning of March they started getting the ponies ready for the new season, walking them out, then trotting them, then riding them up and down the steep Rutshire hills to harden up their muscles. Ricky also applied for membership for Dancer and himself at the Rutshire Polo Club, and was stunned to receive a letter from Brigadier Hughie saying they would be unwelcome. Going straight to the top, Ricky rang David Waterlane, the Club President, who, after some huffing and puffing, admitted that Bart Alderton was behind the blackballing.

'Chap's poured a lot of money into the club's diminishing funds over the past three years. Got Hughie eating out of the palm of his hand. Bart says Rutshire's reputation shouldn't be tarnished by allowing in two players with police records, one an ex-junkie, and,' David Waterlane added heavily, 'a queer.'

'Polo's accommodated plenty of those in the past,' said Ricky, 'and bad hats too. Can't be the real reason.'

'Bart's bought Rutminster Abbey,' admitted David. 'Due to move in with Chessie in April. Doesn't want you b.u.mping into Chessie week in week out at the club. See his point. Wouldn't like to spend every weekend avoiding Clemency. Put me off my game.'

What did Fatty Harris think about all this? demanded Ricky.

'Oh, his palm's been so liberally greased by Bart, he'll be able to bath in Margaux for the rest of his life. He's quite happy to send you and Dancer to perdition. And Miss Lodsworth's on his side. She's never really forgiven you for your disgusting language, or Dancer for his burst water-main. 'Fraid there's not much I can do about it.'

Ricky was absolutely furious. Cirencester was a much better club than Rutshire, but it was twenty-five miles away instead of four, which was too far to hack to, and anyway his family had always played at Rutshire.

Bas Baddingham, who'd been skiing when the blackballing took place, came roaring to Ricky's rescue. 'Don't worry. We'll marshal support at the next AGM and get you reinstated.'

The AGM was held on the third Sunday in March at the Dog and Trumpet in Rutminster High Street. Excitement that spring had arrived and a new polo season was on the way was slightly doused by an overnight blizzard. Perdita, who'd just pa.s.sed her driving test, pinched Daisy's car to drive into Rutminster. The roads were very icy, and she enjoyed skidding all over them. She couldn't understand why her mother was so protective about a clapped-out Volkswagen and had even burst into tears when Perdita backed it into a wall the other day.

And if she can afford a car, thought Perdita, pulling up with a jerk beside Brigadier Hughie's Rover, she can jolly well buy me a new pair of boots.

The meeting was already packed. Brigadier Hughie waved Perdita to a lone empty seat in the second row on the left by the window. In front of her sat Sharon Kaputnik smothered in mink and Victor smothered in smugness over his recent knighthood. On the right sat a solid phalanx of players in tweed coats and check shirts, their heavily muscled arms and shoulders overflowing on either side of the back of their narrow gold chairs and making the rows look even fuller. The more highly handicapped players had suntans from playing abroad. The left side seemed to be largely inhabited by non-playing members, including Miss Lodsworth and her cronies, their capaciously drooping cashmere bosoms resting on their tweed-skirted bellies, their feet sensibly clad in brogues and coloured wool stockings. Miss Lodsworth, who was wearing burgundy-red tights to match her face, was making lists.

'Bad language, five ponies abreast in Eldercombe High Street, loose grooms' dogs in Rutminster Park, cruelty, excessive use of whip,' wrote Miss Lodsworth in her masculine hand and glared at Perdita, who, having been guilty of at least three of these sins, glared back.

At a table facing the room sat Brigadier Hughie, Fatty Harris and Basil Baddingham. On the end sat Posy Jones, the pretty club secretary, who was already getting too hot in her Prussian-blue jersey.

He looks like a nineteenth-century French cavalry officer, thought Posy, gazing surrept.i.tiously at Bas. There was something exotic and un-English about the highly polished gold b.u.t.tons on his blazer, the beautifully manicured hands, and the uniformly dark gold suntan. His glossy, patent-leather hair was exactly the same Vand.y.k.e brown as his moustache and his wickedly roving eyes. He's really attractive, decided Posy, then flushed as Bas shot her a look of unashamed l.u.s.t. The reason the minutes were not recorded as accurately that year was because Bas's long fingers kept idly caressing the back of Posy's navy-blue stockinged legs, as he gazed equally idly at Perdita. Perdita was seriously worried. The purpose of the meeting for her was to get Ricky reinstated and Bas seemed to be the only one of Ricky's supporters to have turned up. The twins and Jesus were playing in the Cartier Open and Handicap in Palm Beach. Mike Waterlane was too terrified of his father to be any use, and Drew hadn't arrived yet.

'I can't think what's happened to Drew,' said Sukey, who was planning the menu for a dinner party on Tuesday. 'He went to look at a pony outside Cotchester and was meeting me here.'

As Rutminster Cathedral struck the half-hour Brigadier Hughie rose to his feet.

'Better get started. Our President, Sir David Waterlane, has been delayed by a puncture and is about to come through the door. I expect that's him now, so I'll shut up.'

Instead, in wandered Seb Carlisle, blond hair ruffled, tie over one collar, yawning widely and holding a treble whisky in one hand. A ripple of laughter went round the room.

'We thought you were in Palm Beach,' said Brigadier Hughie disapprovingly.

'Cartilage playing up,' murmured Seb. 'Sorry I'm late.' Then, noticing Perdita on the end of the row, he made a furiously chuntering Miss Lodsworth and her cronies budge up so he could slide along and sit next to her.

'How the h.e.l.l did you get that whisky?' whispered Perdita.

'Booked a room on Victor and ordered room service,' whispered Sebbie, giving her a smacking kiss. 'We can try out the bed if this meeting gets too boring.'

Perdita shook her head. 'We've got to get Ricky reinstated.' 'That's why I came back,' said Seb. 'I've brought you this.'

It was a feature from the American magazine Polo Polo saying that Luke had recovered from his shoulder injury and was playing gloriously again. The accompanying photograph showed Luke in the barn with Leroy bristling at his feet and an adoring Fantasma resting her pink nose on his shoulder with her top lip curled upwards. saying that Luke had recovered from his shoulder injury and was playing gloriously again. The accompanying photograph showed Luke in the barn with Leroy bristling at his feet and an adoring Fantasma resting her pink nose on his shoulder with her top lip curled upwards.

'Oh, how sweet,' murmured Perdita.

'That's a dream horse when she's not savaging patrons and biting other ponies in the line out,' said Seb. 'Luke ought to rename her Fang-tasma.'

'How's Luke's spoilt brat of a brother?' asked Perdita ultracasually.

'Spoilt,' said Seb. 'Fancy Red, do you?'

'Don't be so f.u.c.king stupid,' snarled Perdita, going absolutely crimson.

'Be the only one who doesn't,' said Seb grinning. 'Victor's frightfully excited,' he added, lowering his voice, 'because his company's just discovered a cure for piles.'

'I know a cure for piles of money - it's called polo,' said Perdita.

'Can we get started?' said Brigadier Hughie sternly.

Apologies for absence were received and minutes of the previous meeting pa.s.sed before they moved on to last year's accounts, which had been disastrous owing to the weather. Attendance and bar takings were right down.

'Not surprising,' interrupted Seb, taking a slug of whisky, 'when it takes the barmaid five minutes to chop the cuc.u.mber for each Pimm's.'

'Matters are not helped,' Brigadier Hughie glared at Seb, 'by far too many players not settling their bar bills.'

They were lucky, he went on, that Basil Baddingham, who ran a most successful wine bar in Cotchester High Street, had joined the committee and agreed to act in an advisory capacity.

'To keep an eye on Fatty,' muttered Seb.

Fatty Harris, feeling curiously naked without a panama or a flat cap from under which to crinkle his bloodshot eyes, was livid that Bas had been brought in, and even more so because the bounder was fingering Posy Jones, which Fatty felt was strictly his prerogative.

'Another more serious problem,' went on the Brigadier sternly, 'is that far too many players have been using Commander Harris's mobile telephone without paying. There were calls recorded to Paris, Florida, Chile, Tokyo, Palm Beach and Sydney. The bill for the two summer quarters came to well over 2,000. In future a lock will be put on the telephone.'

'There have also been complaints,' the Brigadier peered over his bifocals, 'from several local restaurants that certain players, after winning matches, haven't behaved as well as they might. There was the case of the Star of India in Rutminster High Street.'

'That was my brother, Dommie,' said Seb tipping his ash on Sharon's mink which was now hanging over the back of her chair, 'and he had extreme provocation. He mistook the kitchen door for the Gents and found the Chef piling Pedigree Chum into the Chicken Vindaloo pan, so he landed him one.'

The room rocked with laughter.

'That's quite enough, Seb,' snapped David Waterlane, who'd just arrived with snowflakes melting in his hair. 'We don't want post mortems, we want better behaviour.'

'Curried unanimously,' murmured Perdita.

'Where is Drew?' said Sukey, glancing at her watch. 'The roads are awfully icy. I hope he hasn't had a shunt.'

The meeting droned on. The news wasn't all bad, announced Brigadier Hughie. They had Bart Alderton to thank for the magnificent new pavilion, new stands and excellent new changing rooms. Then, seeing Victor turn puce at such preferential treatment of his hated rival: 'And of course we must thank Victor Kaputnik '

'Sir Victor, if you please,' reproved Sharon.

'I beg your pardon, Sir Sir Victor, for providing us with a splendid first-aid hut and a year's supply of his excellent medical products and for a new marquee for sponsors' lunches. We must also thank him for boarding our third and fourth pitches, and for giving us a new commentary box to replace the one that blew away and is probably someone's garden shed now.' Victor, for providing us with a splendid first-aid hut and a year's supply of his excellent medical products and for a new marquee for sponsors' lunches. We must also thank him for boarding our third and fourth pitches, and for giving us a new commentary box to replace the one that blew away and is probably someone's garden shed now.'

Moving on to the Social Calendar, Brigadier Hughie praised Miss Lodsworth for her excellent floral arrangements in the tea room and announced dates for several barbecues and c.o.c.ktail parties. The highlight of the season, however, would be in June, when Lady Kaputnik had very kindly offered her home for a ball, but felt 350 was the limit she could accommodate at one time.

'Three fifty would be stretching it even for Sharon,' said Seb, grinning broadly as he returned with his second gla.s.s of whisky.

The meeting switched to the perils of ringworm. Brigadier Hughie remembered ringworm in Singapore. Perdita fought sleep and looked out of the window. The blizzard had come from the west, so the trees in the hotel garden resembled a Head and Shoulders ad with their east sides black and bare and the west sides powdered with snow. Pigeons drifted disconsolately round a blanked-out bird table. Yellow-and-purple crocus tips rose like flood victims out of an ocean of white snow. It was hard to believe she'd be playing chukkas again in a month.

If Seb and I and Perdita can get here, thought Bas, as his fingers moved upwards to caress the softness of Posy Jones' thighs, why can't the others.

He had a lunch date, but he wondered if it was worth booking Posy into a room upstairs for a quickie. He liked the way her bosom rose and fell as she wrote the shorthand outline for wrongworm rather than ringworm.

'Which brings us to the matter of dogs,' said Brigadier Hughie. 'I cannot reiterate too strongly that they should be kept on leads during matches.'

'Here, here,' Miss Lodsworth rose to her feet, 'I for one'

David Waterlane pointedly unfolded the Sunday Express. Sunday Express. 'What's all this about Rupert Campbell-Black and Declan O'Hara getting drunk together, and your brother firing 'What's all this about Rupert Campbell-Black and Declan O'Hara getting drunk together, and your brother firing Declan from Corinium Television?' he asked Bas in a very audible whisper.

Sharon Kaputnik discreetly unfolded the News of the News of the World World to read the same story. to read the same story.

It was nearly midday. Brigadier Hughie was rabbiting on about the necessity for a decent walkie-talkie system.

'Drew Benedict must have plenty of experience of walkie-talkies, having recently left the Army. Where are you, Drew?'

'Not here,' said Fatty Harris thankfully. He feared Drew's exacting standards far more than Bas's.

'Yes, I am. Sorry I'm late, Hughie,' said Drew, walking in. 'There was a pile-up on the Cotchester bypa.s.s. My experience of walkie-talkies was they never worked.'

Coming back to earth, warm from Daisy's arms, he sat down beside Sukey and took off his jacket.

'It wasn't ponies he was trying out,' whispered Seb, nudging Perdita. 'He's got his jersey on inside out.'

Catching Drew's eye behind Sukey's back, Seb pointed frantically to his own sweater and then at Drew's. Drew looked down and hastily put his jacket on again.

'I warmly recommend Drew Benedict for the committee,' said Brigadier Hughie smiling at Drew. 'I can't think of anyone who shoulders responsibility more willingly and I know his wife, Sukey, will be a tower of strength.'

'Has Drew got someone else?' whispered Perdita, utterly riveted.

'So Rupert says,' whispered back Seb, 'but Drew won't say who she is.'

'Hush,' thundered Miss Lodsworth down the row. 'Any other business?' said Brigadier Hughie, looking at his watch and gathering up his papers.

'I have,' said Miss Lodsworth, rising to her feet again. 'First, I would like to deplore the repeated use of bad language on the field.'

'Hear, hear,' chorused the old trout quintet who flanked her.

Fatty Harris heaved a sigh of relief. Miss Lodsworth would bang on until twelve, when they had to vacate the room anyway, so no one would have time to bring up the matter of Ricky and Dancer. Bart had already lined Fatty's pockets liberally, but there was much moreto come if the blackballing survived the AGM. Perdita looked despairingly at Bas, who grinned and squared his shoulders to interrupt Miss Lodsworth's invective. But as the Cathedral clock struck twelve, distraction from bad language and ponies thundering five abreast was provided by a government helicopter landing on the lawn outside, blowing snow off the trees and sending it up in swirling, white fountains, as if the blizzard had started again. Then, out of the door, spilled Dommie Carlisle and Jesus, followed by a brunette and a blonde, who ran shrieking across the lawn in their high heels, and finally the Minister for Sport, Rupert Campbell-Black. Bas heaved a sigh of relief. Posy blushed and pulled down her jersey. The last time she'd seen Rupert she'd been wearing no clothes at all. Miss Lodsworth inflated like a bullfrog. The press woke up and started scribbling.

Leaving the girls by the fire in the bar, the three men came straight into the meeting.

'This is an honour, Minister,' lied Brigadier Hughie. Rupert always spelt trouble. 'I thought you were in Florida.'

'We were eight hours ago,' said Rupert.

'He hasn't been near an AGM in twenty years,' hissed Fatty Harris.

'I didn't know Rupert played polo,' whispered Perdita.

'Only as a hobby between show-jumping,' said Seb, 'but he's b.l.o.o.d.y good. Christ knows how far he'd have got if he'd taken it up seriously.'

'Come and have a drink, Rupert,' said the Brigadier, getting to his feet. 'We've just finished.'

'No, we haven't,' said Bas amiably. 'Item eleven - any other business.'

'They want to lay the room for a luncheon party,' said Brigadier Hughie fussily. 'No time for that now.' 'Oh yes there is,' said Rupert.

As he reached the top of the aisle the dull winter light fell on his blond hair and the crows' feet round his hard, dissipated, blue eyes. He's divine, thought Perdita wistfully. No one could resist him.

'As a member of this club for many years,' drawled Rupert, 'I want to oppose the blackballing of Ricky France-Lynch and Dancer Maitland.'

'Not a matter for an AGM,' snapped David Waterlane, putting down the Sunday Express. Sunday Express. 'These things should be discussed in camera.' 'These things should be discussed in camera.'