The Alchemist's Key (14 page)

‘I sincerely hope it is that simple,’ Hugh voiced his view. ‘And, should that be the case, then may I take the keys to Oxford for examination?’

Wade nodded to confirm this. ‘Then, you can do whatever you like with them, so long as this thing remains off.’

‘Here, here.’ Andy seconded that.

The next day Wade voluntarily refrained from the search for the elusive key. Louisa was finally making good her promise of a day at the races and for the first time ever, Wade was going to the track in style.

He felt like a million bucks in his new white shirt and long black coat. He’d even invested in a pair of trousers for the occasion.

As the young Baron eyed himself over in the full-length mirror in his dressing room, he fancied himself as rather dashing. His ponytail and plain silver earring just gave him a touch of the windswept and interesting look in his opinion.

‘Lady Sinclair is awaiting you at the front of the manor, Sir.’ Talbot’s announcement snatched Wade from admiring himself, whereby he turned and made immediately for his date with destiny. ‘Wish me luck, Talbot.’ Wade slapped his butler’s shoulder on the way past him.

‘Lady Sinclair has spent a good deal of time and money to ensure that nothing as flippant as luck will be required.’ Talbot tipped his head and smiled. ‘I wish you every success, my Lord.’

‘Thanks, my man,’ Wade hung in the doorway long enough to wave. ‘If I win big, I’ll give you an early Christmas bonus.’

‘Well now …’ Louisa lowered her sunglasses to admire the Baron as he sprang down the stairs. ‘Don’t you look dashing.’

‘You think so?’ He turned a full circle to show off his new look.

‘Not too flashy, not too shabby … perfect,’ she assured, with a clap of delight. ‘So, are you ready for the winners’ circle?’

‘Hell, yes.’ Wade rubbed his hands together, anticipating one win after another. ‘The question is more whether the winners’ circle is ready for me?’ He moved his eyebrows up and down a few times before ducking into the back of the Rolls, much to Louisa’s amusement.

Wade also had another mission today. Lately with Louisa, he’d avoided the subject of Hugh, but having two of his closest friends at odds with each other was really starting to bother him. Normally he’d never dream of interfering in the personal affairs of others, but then he’d never before been in a position to interfere. Now was not the right time to broach the issue, however. Wade thought it better to wait until his subject was high from a couple of wins and a few drinks.

Upon arrival at the venue, Louisa advised of a private lounge where they could view the races,
but she wanted to sidetrack to the stables first to make sure everything was running smoothly there.

‘Sounds good,’ Wade agreed. ‘That will give us the chance to check out the competition.’

‘Exactly,’ she confirmed. ‘This way.’

Wade strolled through the crowd taking in the atmosphere. There was nothing like the thrill of a race track, and today’s event was a little more grand and gala than the race meets he was used to.

Louisa kept chasing him up to introduce him to people, although her associates were of a particular social class in the main, none of whom Wade was particularly interested in and none of whom seemed particularly interested in him either. Wade felt a lot more comfortable once he got in amongst Ashby’s trainers and stable hands.

While Louisa went about reassuring herself that all was well, Wade grabbed himself a program and began assessing the competition. He wandered around viewing horses, putting crosses through the names of competitors whose chances of a win, he considered, were slim against his own stock — so far every candidate’s name had been struck out. Wade was just starting to feel really confident of cleaning up, when his eyes beheld a damning vision. The most magnificent racehorse Wade had
ever seen was led from its trailer in front of him. It was a glossy black colt with a fiery presence.

Louisa noticed the young Baron drooling and so approached to advise: ‘That’s Cyber Knight. We’re up against him in the fifth.’

‘We’re going to lose,’ Wade had no qualms about admitting. ‘What’s his odds?’

‘Five to two,’ Louisa advised. ‘Only because today will be his first race … if he wins, his odds will drop to five to four by the next race meet.’

‘I’ll bet his odds drop to five to four before the end of the day.’ Wade found the news rather savoury. ‘So why don’t we own him?’

‘Because I was outbid. I didn’t feel right spending one and half million pounds on a racehorse the same week as your grandfather’s death.’

Louisa was obviously a bit irked about the horse’s untimely auction. ‘Sorry, I wasn’t questioning your eye, Louisa.’

‘Yes, you were.’ She smiled all the same. ‘But I’ll let it pass.’ She took his arm to escort him to the VIP lounge. ‘A multi-media Baron brought her in the end, hence the horse’s name.’

‘Multi-media did you say?’ Wade’s ears pricked up.

For, although Wade had the money to develop and package his own 3D games, he was ignorant
of the marketing and distribution side of the business.

‘Yes. He owns a few software publishing companies, although he is not heavily computer-inclined himself. He’s just in it for the huge bankroll. I’ll introduce you if you like?’

‘If you would be so kind,’ Wade proffered, ‘then I shall buy you that horse.’

Although Louisa loved his proposal, she shook her head. ‘I shouldn’t think he’ll want to sell, after preparing him for this season.’

‘I’ll bet you a favour that he sells,’ Wade put forward.

‘What kind of favour?’ Louisa found his choice of wager rather curious.

‘Afraid you’re going to lose?’ Wade vexed her in fun.

‘Actually, no, I’m not.’ Louisa held out a hand to shake on it.

‘That’s the ticket.’ Wade wrapped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. He was really starting to get into the spirit of the occasion. ‘I just need to visit the little-boys’ room, I’ll met you in the lounge, okay?’ He waved as he headed off into the excited masses.

Louisa had never really seen Wade in his element before, and she considered that he was
truly adorable like this. The peculiar thing was, that, although her love for him rivaled that of her love for his business, her emotion was not wanton as it had been in the past. Wade’s patience and understanding had got her past all that. The love she felt for him now was so pure and perfect, that she wanted nothing more from their relationship than for it to go on like this forever. Wade was truly the best friend she’d ever had.

It was a good half an hour before Wade arrived in the club lounge. Louisa had taken the liberty of seating herself with Cyber Knight’s owner, and waved Wade over to meet him.

‘Baron Foxworth, I would like you to meet Baron Ashby.’ She did the honors and Baron Foxworth rose to shake the younger Baron’s hand.

‘Please call me Wade,’ he appealed. ‘I’m quite fond of my first name and it’s so rare I get to use it these days.’

‘Barry.’ Foxworth seconded the comment with a ‘here, here,’ and seated himself again. ‘Louisa was just telling me that you were admiring my colt.’

Wade nodded as if only vaguely interested. ‘I was even going to put some money on him to win, but it seems everyone has had the same idea.’

Louisa and Foxworth looked to the board to find Cyber Knight’s odds were now five to four. Louisa looked back at Wade, recalling that he’d predicted as much.

‘Damn shame about that.’ Wade shrugged. ‘I’ll bet our horse for a place instead. I’ll make a better profit.’

Foxworth laughed. ‘That doesn’t sound very confident … I thought you said this man was a gambler?’

Louisa knew Wade was up to something. ‘I’m sure Baron Ashby knows what he’s doing.’

‘That I do.’ Wade smiled confidently. ‘I’m willing to bet that your colt is not as fast as he is pretty.’

Now Louisa was really confused. That’s not what Wade had been saying an hour ago.

Foxworth smiled broadly. ‘Does ten thousand sound like a fair thing?’

Wade pretended to be a bit disappointed with the stakes. ‘I’ll tell you what … I’ll bet you twenty thousand pounds against a favour that our horse comes in ahead of yours?’

‘What kind of favour?’ Foxworth cocked an eye to inquire.

Louisa could hardly believe how easily Wade had arranged the perfect opportunity to sell his 3D game concept to Foxworth. The Baron
listened contentedly as Wade outlined the storyline, and described the visual layouts.

‘So, if my horse wins, all you have to do is have a look at my game and see if you think it has a market,’ Wade concluded, raising both brows to await Foxworth’s response.

‘Good deal.’ Foxworth shook on it. ‘You’re on, my lad.’ The round, middle-aged Baron sat back in his seat and raised his glass to toast their new acquaintance.

The name of the horse Wade had in the fifth against Cyber Knight was Line Catcher — this young colt had a tendency to excel himself in the home stretch.

As they waited around for the race to start, their party moved to the large club windows that overlooked the track to watch their horses being led to the starting gates. Louisa pulled a couple of pairs of binoculars from her bag and handed one set to Wade.

‘Excellent,’ he uttered, as the magnified lenses awarded him a much-improved view of Line Catcher being led into the number eight gate — Cyber Knight was in number three.

Wade turned his binoculars on the crowd and was surprised to note a gentleman down below
looking up through binoculars at him. When the gent lowered his glasses, Wade knew he’d seen him somewhere before.

The solicitors’ offices
, he recalled.

This man had been on his way out as Wade and the Contessa entered the legal establishment. He had known the young Baron well enough to address him by his then new title. ‘Do you know that guy?’ Wade pointed him out.

Louisa aimed her binoculars where directed. ‘The man looking up here at us?’ she clarified.

‘That’s him.’

‘No, I don’t think so. Why?’

Her question remained unanswered as the starting gates flung open and the horses took to the track.

The next few minutes were spent in a frenzied blur of excitement as they barracked their horses towards the finish line. True to his name Line Catcher made up several places in the home stretch to seize second place behind Cyber Knight in what was a photo finish to the race.

Wade breathed a huge sigh of relief at the result.

‘My word, that was exciting.’ Foxworth turned to pat Wade on the shoulder. ‘Bad luck, son.’

‘Oh, I don’t know?’ Wade held in his hand a ticket for Line Catcher for a place, which would
cover his twenty thousand dollar bet with Foxworth. But from his coat pocket Wade pulled another ticket for Cyber Knight to win at five to two odds.’

‘You son of a gun,’ Foxworth chuckled.

‘How much did you bet?’ Louisa inquired, figuring that Wade had been the reason that Cyber Knight’s payback dividend had lessened so dramatically during his supposed trip to the little boys’ room.

‘One and a half million,’ he announced with glee, stunning Louisa speechless as he turned to Foxworth to proposition him. ‘Thus, I now have a spare two million to spend on a racehorse. Do you know anyone who might be interested in selling one?’

The old Baron went quiet as he considered Wade’s offer. ‘Actually,’ Foxworth corrected, after a moment. ‘You’ve got a spare two and a quarter million.’

Louisa’s jaw dropped when she realised Foxworth was actually considering a sale, and even if Wade accepted the higher price Foxworth was asking for the thoroughbred, Cyber Knight would still have cost Ashby nothing!

‘You drive a hard bargain, Barry?’ Wade hesitated to accept. He was enjoying giving Louisa heart failure.

‘Two and a quarter,’ Foxworth posed, knowing the deal that the young Baron was holding out for. ‘And I’ll take a look at your game as well.’

‘Done.’ Wade held out a hand to shake on it, whereby Louisa got so excited she sprang into the air and gave a cheer.

Then, always the business manager, Louisa took Foxworth aside to discuss Ashby’s latest acquisition.

Now that the race was over and his gamble had paid off, Wade raised his binoculars, of a mind to seek and find the mysterious gentleman who kept crossing his path. The young Baron scanned the crowd below, but the seemingly anonymous stranger was nowhere to be seen.

The rest of Ashby’s horses ran well, so the remains of the day found them with much cause to celebrate.

On the way home in the car, Louisa was in finer spirits than Wade had ever seen her; now was the time to venture into Hugh territory. Wade pressed the button that raised the window between the cab of the Rolls and its driver.

Louisa observed Wade curiously as he reached into his pocket and pulled out some papers which he handed to her. She unfolded them to find they were Cyber Knight’s ownership papers — the
horse had been signed over to her personally and not Ashby Stables as she’d imagined.

‘He’s all yours,’ Wade clarified, in case there was any confusion.

Tears filled Louisa’s eyes. ‘When you said you’d buy him for me, I thought you meant —’

‘That’s not what I said, though, is it? And you can’t feel guilty about accepting, as it cost me nothing but a little worry. However,’ Wade raised a finger to remind her, ‘you now owe me a favour, as per our other bet.’

Louisa flung her arms around Wade’s neck and gave him a huge hug.

‘I’ll take that as a yes,’ Wade commented, then realised that Louisa had begun to cry. ‘Hey, come on, don’t make a big thing out of this. No tears allowed.’

‘I can’t believe you, Wade.’ She pulled back and smiled. ‘Of course I’ll do you a favour, and you don’t have to give me two and a half million pounds of horse for me to do it either.’

‘Then I’d be very grateful if you’d talk to Hugh.’ Louisa’s elation suddenly dispersed, so Wade expanded on his reasons for asking. ‘I know Hugh feels bad about what happened the other week, but he won’t come to you to apologise, and I hate that the two of you are so —’

‘So what?’ Louisa appeared most curious.