Рита Браун: The Tell-Tale Horse

The Tell-tale Horse is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2007 by American Artist, Inc.

Illustrations copyright © 2007 by Lee Gildea, Jr.

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

BALLANTINE and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Brown, Rita Mae.

The tell-tale horse: a novel / Rita Mae Brown.

p. cm.

1. Arnold, Jane (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 2. Women hunters—Fiction. 3. Foxhunting—Fiction. 4. Virginia—Fiction. I. Title.

PS3552.R698T46 2008 813'.54—dc22 2007021619

www.ballantinebooks.com

eISBN: 978-0-345-50217-9

v3.0_r2

CONTENTS

Title Page

Copyright

Cast of Characters

Some Useful Terms

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Dedication

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Also by Rita Mae Brown

CAST OF CHARACTERS

THE HUMANS

Jane Arnold,Sister, is Master of Foxhounds of the Jefferson Hunt Club in central Virginia. She loves her hounds, her horses, and her house pets. Occasionally, she finds humans lovable too. Strong, healthy, vibrant at seventy-three, she’s proof of the benefits of the outdoor life.

Shaker Crownis the huntsman. He’s acquired the discipline of holding his tongue and his temper most times, and he’s wonderful with hounds. In his early forties, he’s finding his way back to love.

Crawford Howard,a self-made man, moved to Virginia from Indiana. He’s egotistical and ambitious and thinks he knows more than he does about foxhunting. But he’s also generous, intelligent, and fond of young people. His great disappointment is not being a father but he never speaks of this, especially to his wife.

Marty Howardloves her husband. They’ve had their ups and downs but they understand each other. She is accustomed to sweeping up after him, but she does this less than in the past. He’s got to learn sometime. She’s a better rider than her husband, which spurs him on.

Charlotte Nortonis the young headmistress of Custis Hall, a prestigious prep school for young ladies. Dedicated to education, she’s cool in a crisis.

Anne Harris,Tootie, is one of the brightest students Charlotte Norton has ever known. Taciturn, observant, yet capable of delivering a stinging barb, this senior shines with promise. She’s beautiful, petite, African-American, and a strong rider.

Valentina Smithis the class president. Blonde, tall, lean, and drop-dead gorgeous, the kid is a natural politician. She and Tootie clash at times but they are good friends. Val loves foxhunting.

Felicity Porterseems overshadowed by Tootie and Val but she is highly intelligent and has a sturdy self-regard. She’s the kind of person who is quietly competent. She too is a good rider.

Pamela Reneseems burdened by being African-American, whereas for Tootie it’s a given. Pamela can’t stand Val and feels tremendously competitive with Tootie, whom she accuses of being an Oreo cookie. Her family substituted money for love, which makes Pamela poor. Underneath it all she’s basically a good person, but that can be hard to appreciate.

Betty Franklinis the long-serving honorary whipper-in at JHC. Her judgment, way with hounds, knowledge of territory, and ability to ride make her a standout. Many is the huntsman who would kill to have Betty Franklin whip in to him or her. She’s in her midforties, a mother, happily married to Bobby Franklin,and a dear, dear friend to Sister.

Walter Lungrun, M.D.,joint master of foxhounds, has held this position for a year. He’s learning all he can. He adores Sister, and the feeling is mutual. Their only complaint is there’s so much work to do they rarely have time for a good talk. Walter is in his late thirties. He is the result of an affair that Raymond Arnold, Sr., Jane’s husband, Ray, had with Walter’s mother. Mr. Lungrun never knew—or pretended he didn’t—and Sister didn’t know until a year ago.

Edward Bancroft,in his seventies, head of the Bancroft family, formerly ran a large corporation founded by his family in the mid-nineteenth century. His wife, Tedi,is one of Sister’s oldest friends. Tedi rides splendid Thoroughbreds and is always impeccably turned out, as is her surviving daughter, Sybil Fawkes,who is in her second year as an honorary whipper-in. The Bancrofts are true givers in terms of money, time, and genuine caring.

Ben Sidellhas been sheriff of the county for three years. Since he was hired from Ohio, he sometimes needs help in the labyrinthine ways of the South. He relies on Sister’s knowledge and discretion.

Ilona Aldridge Merriman,in her fifties, rides well, lives well, but isn’t truly happy. Sometimes she can get fussy and act like the fashion police. She has a secret from her college days that is not revealed in this book.

Ramsey Merriman,Ilona’s husband, coasts along. He’s pleasant, with enough money to be spoiled. He’s also a skirt chaser, which he tries to hide from his wife.

Venita Cabel Harper,or Cabel, together with her husband, Clayton, developed and built in the early eighties an aftermarket electronic business installing cell phones and high-end radio systems in cars. Today they can install GPS systems and even tracking devices. As Ilona’s best friend, she knows her secret.

Clayton Harper,brilliant in business, has turned out to be a dud at the rest of life. He drinks like a fish, sleeps with any woman he can lay his hands on, and basically just tries to keep peace with Cabel.

Lakshmi Vajay,called High, dynamic and handsome, originally hails from a province in India at the base of the Himalayas. He made his fortune in Mumbai and then left for Virginia. He enjoys the occasional discreet affair.

Madhur Vajay,Mandy, is gorgeous in her middle years, a devoted mother at the stage where she is beginning to feel an inner power separate from her remarkable beauty. Unlike Ilona and Cabel, she’s unaware of High’s occasional forays.

Kasmir Barbhaiyais in his midforties, widowed, and a college classmate of High’s. He falls in love with Virginia while visiting the Vajays. Eventually he will fall in love again, guided by his deceased wife’s spirit, but not in this book. He has made over a billion dollars in pharmaceuticals but would give it all up if he could bring his wife back. He keeps this to himself and is fantastically generous.

Gray Lorillardis retired from a prestigious Washington, D.C., accounting firm. He is Sam’s older brother, and he currently dates Sister Jane.