“I'm all right,” said John,
“I think she put in a short step.”
“Short step my grandmother.
You just opened your bloody legs and took an arser.
Keep hold on to the reins next time.
You can lose a hunt that way.”
At the third attempt John got over and found himself, breathless and insecure, one stirrup swinging loose and one hand grabbing its old support in the mane, but still in the saddle.
“There, how did that feel?
You just skimmed over like a swallow.
Try it again?”
Twice more John and Thunderclap went over the little rail, then nanny called that it was time to go indoors for his milk.
They walked the pony back to the stable.
Nanny said,
“Oh dear, look at all the mud on your coat.”
Ben said,
“We'll have you riding the winner at Aintree soon.”
“Good morning, Mr. Hacket.”
“Good morning, miss.”
“Goodbye, Ben, may I come and see you doing the farm horses this evening?”
“That's not for me to say.
You must ask nanny.
Tell you what though, the grey carthorse has got worms.
Would you like to see me give him a pill?”
“Oh yes, please, nanny, may I?”
“You must ask mother.
Come along now, you've had quite enough of horses for one day.”
“Can't have enough of horses,” said John, “ever.”
On the way back to the house, he said,
“Can I have my milk in mummy's room?”
“That depends.”
Nanny's replies were always evasive, like that — `We'll see' or `That's asking' or `Those that ask no questions, hear no lies' — so unlike Ben's decisive and pungent judgments.
“What does it depend on?”
“Lots of things.”
“Tell me one of them.”
“On your not asking a lot of silly questions.”
“Silly old tart.”
“John.
How dare you?
What do you mean?”
Delighted by the effect of this sally John broke away from her hand and danced in front of her saying,
“Silly old tart, silly old tart” all the way to the side entrance.
When they entered the porch his nurse silently took off his leggings; he was sobered a little by her grimness.
“Go straight up to the nursery,” she said.
“I am going to speak to your mother about you.”
“Please, nanny.
I don't know what it means, but I didn't mean it.”
“Go straight to the nursery.”
Brenda was doing her face.
“It's been the same ever since Ben Hacket started teaching him to ride, my lady, there's been no doing anything with him.”
Brenda spat in the eye black.