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driving was also fifteen and broke his neck。 Paralysed。 Joy…riding； they called it。 Some joy！ Stealing； that's what it was。 And Jonathan isn't repentant。 Really； he can be a pig。 But not the colt。。。 not that？'
'No；' I assured her； 'positively not。' I drank hot tea and asked； 'Is it well known hereabouts that you have this great colt in that field？'
She nodded。 'Eva； who looks after him； she talks of nothing else。 All the village knows。 That's why there are so many people here。 Half the men from the village； as well as the ramblers。 Even so early in the morning。'
'And your friends？' I prompted。
She nodded gloomily。 'Everyone。 I bought him at the Premium Yearling Sales last October。 His breeding is a dream。 He was a late foal…end of April…he's 。。。 he was going into training next week。 Oh dear。'
'I'm so sorry；' I said。 I screwed myself unhappily to ask the unavoidable question； 'Who； among your friends； came here in person to admire the colt？'
She was far from stupid； and also vehement。 'No one who came here could possibly have done this！ People like Lord and Lady Dexter？ Of course not！ Gordon and Ginnie Quint； and darling Ellis？ Don't be silly。 Though I suppose；' she went on doubtfully； 'they could have mentioned him to other people。 He wasn't a secret。 Anyone since the Sales would know he was here； like I told you。'
'Of course；' I said。
Ellis。
We finished the tea and went back to the drawing…room。 Jonathan； the nephew； stared at me again unwaveringly； and after a moment； to test my own impression； I jerked my head in the direction of the door； walking that way； and； with hardly a hesitation； he stood up and followed。
I went out of the drawing…room； across the hall and through the still wide…open front door onto the drive。
'Sid Halley；' he said behind me。
I turned。 He stopped four paces away； still not wholly mitted。 His accent and general appearance spoke of expensive schools； money and privilege。 His mouth and his manner said slob。
'What is it that you know？' I asked。
'Hey！ Look here！ What do you mean？'
I said without pressure； 'You want to tell me something； don't you？'
'I don't know。 Why do you think so？'
I'd seen that intense bursting…at…the…seams expression too often by then to mistake it。 He knew something that he ought to tell： it was only his own contrary rebelliousness that had kept him silent so far。
I made no appeal to a better nature that I wasn't sure he had。
I said； guessing； 'Were you awake before four o'clock？'
He glared； but didn't answer。
I tried again； 'You hate to be helpful； is that it？ No one is going to catch you behaving well…that sort of thing？ Tell me what you know。 I'll give you as bad a press as you want。 Your obstructive reputation will remain intact。'
'Sod you；' he said。
I waited。
'She'd kill me；' he said。 'Worse； she'd pack me off home。'
'Mrs Bracken？'
He nodded。 'My Aunt Betty。'
'What have you done？'
He used a few old Anglo…Saxon words： bluster to impress me with his virility； I supposed。 Pathetic； really。 Sad。
'She has these effing stupid rules；' he said。 'Be back in the house at night by eleven…thirty。'
'And last night；' I suggested； 'you weren't？'
'I got probation；' he said。 'Did she tell you？'
'Yeah。'
He took two more steps towards me； into normal talking distance。
'If she knew I went out again；' he said； 'I could get youth custody。'
'If she shopped you； you mean？'
He nodded。 'But 。。。 sod it 。。。 to cut a foot off a horse 。。。'
Perhaps the better nature was somewhere there after all。 Stealing cars was OK； maiming racehorses wasn't。 He wouldn't have blinded those ponies： he wasn't that sort of lout。
'If I fix it with your aunt； will you tell me？' I asked。
'Make her promise not to tell Archie。 He's worse。'
'Er；' I said； 'who is Archie？'
'My uncle。 Aunt Betty's brother。 He's Establishment； man。 He's the flogging classes。'
I made no promises。 I said； 'Just spill the beans。'
'In three weeks I'll be sixteen。' He looked at me intently for reaction； but all he'd caused in me was puzzlement。 I thought the cut…off age for crime to be considered 'juvenile' was two years older。 He wouldn't be sent to an adult jail。
Jonathan saw my lack of understanding。 He said impatiently； 'You can't be under age for sex if you're a man； only if you're a girl。'
'Are you sure？'
'She says so。'
'Your Aunt Betty？' I felt lost。
'No； stupid。 The woman in the village。'
'Oh 。。。 ah。'
'Her old man's a long…distance lorry driver。 He's away for nights on end。 He'd kill me。 Youth custody would be apple…pie。'
'Difficult；' I said。
'She wants it； see？ I'd never done it before。 I bought her a gin in the pub。' Which； at fifteen； was definitely illegal to start with。
'So 。。。 um 。。。' I said； 'last night you were ing back from the village 。。。 When； exactly？'
'It was dark。 Just before dawn。 There had been more moonlight earlier； but I'd left it late。 I was running。 She…Aunt Betty …she wakes with the cocks。 She lets the dogs out before six。' His agitation； I thought； was producing what sounded like truth。
I thought； and asked； 'Did you see any ramblers？'
'No。 It was earlier than them。'
I held my breath。 I had to ask the next question； and dreaded the answer。
'So； who was it that you saw？'
'It wasn't a 〃who〃； it was a 〃what〃。' He paused and reassessed his position。 'I didn't go to the village。' He said。 'I'll deny it。'
I nodded。 'You were restless。 Unable to sleep。 You went for a walk。'
He said； 'Yeah； that's it；' with relief。
'And you saw？'
'A Land…Rover。'
Not a who。 A what。 I said； partly relieved； partly disappointed； 'That's not so extraordinary； in the country。'
'No； but it wasn't Aunt Betty's Land…Rover。 It was much newer； and blue； not green。 It was standing in the lane not far from the gate into the field。 There was no one in it。 I didn't think much of it。 There's a path up to the house from the lane。 I always go out and in that way。 It's miles from Aunt Betty's bedroom。'
'Through the yard with all the dustbins？' I asked。
He was ically astounded。 I didn't explain that his aunt had taken me out that way。 I said； 'Couldn't it have been a rambler's Land…Rover？'
He said sullenly； 'I don't know why I bothered to tell you。'
I asked； 'What else did you notice about the Land…Rover； except for its colour？'
'Nothing。 I told you； I was more interested in getting back into the house without anyone spotting me。'
I thought a bit and said； 'How close did you get to it？'
'I touched it。 I didn't see it until I was almost on top of it。 Like I told you； I was running along the lane。 I was mostly looking at the ground； and it was still almost dark。'
'Was it facing you； or did you run into the back of it？'
'Facing。 There was still enough moonlight to reflect off the windscreen。 That's what I saw first； the reflection。'
'What part of it did you touch？'
'The bonnet。' Then he added as if surprised by the extent of his memory； 'It was quite hot。'
'Did you see a number plate？'
'Not a chance。 I wasn't hanging about for things like that。'
'What else did you s