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they were to you. Maybe she doesn’t like to sit in the kitchen like you used to do. Don’t expect too much is what I’m saying. You know, Nealy, we could find a place in town to rent if you don’t want to stay here at the farm.”
    â€œOr maybe Emmie could go back to her own house and we’ll stay here,” Nealy snapped irritably. “When I walked away from this farm, everything was in order. There have been rules in place from the days when Maud and Jess ran Blue Diamond Farms. Rules and a system that worked perfectly. The house never needed paint, and the flowers were always watered. Gabby is in school and has a nanny, so she can’t be taking up too much of Emmie’s time.”
    â€œWhoa, honey. Slow down here. You can say whatever you want to me, but you better be careful what you say to Emmie. I sensed a bit of pride in her. She’s running things very well. Perhaps differently than you did, but still running things. I didn’t see one thing amiss down by the barns, and those horses all looked great to me. Face it, honey, you don’t like change.”
    Nealy rubbed at her temples. She knew her husband was right. For some reason he was always right. When that happened, it meant she was wrong.
    â€œShe’s training the wrong horse. That little pygmy she bought is not racing material,” Nealy said quietly.
    â€œYou don’t know that, Nealy. You’re questioning her judgment here. Is that wise? You came on pretty damn strong down there in the paddock. She wilted right in front of our eyes. That wasn’t fair, Nealy.”
    â€œYes, I do know that, Hatch. I also know Emmie. She’s going to do double time to prove me wrong. She’ll devote every waking hour to working with that horse. She’ll coddle him, sleep in the barn with him, and be there for him twenty-four hours a day. If he has any chance at all, she’ll run him in the Derby when he’s ready.”
    The screen door squeaked and then opened. The housekeeper set a tray with two cups of coffee on the table. Nealy thanked her and reached for one of the cups. The coffee was good. She set the cup back down and dropped to her knees. She started to peel off the yellowing leaves on the geraniums.
    â€œAnd you know this how?” Hatch asked.
    â€œBecause it’s what I would do if I were Emmie.” Nealy laughed. “She’s right about him looking like John Henry, too. Now, that was a horse, Hatch. There are so many interesting stories about John Henry. No one wanted him either and he was a gelding. You’ve heard of Bill Shoemaker, the legendary jockey, right?” Hatch nodded. “Bill rode him in the Arlington Million. He was named horse of the year and moved up to the top of the all-time leading money earners’ list with over six and a half million dollars in winnings. He retired the year after tearing the suspensory ligament in his left foreleg. He’s staying at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington until the end of his days.”
    Nealy stared across at the paddocks. “The grand old man, as he was called, retired with thirty-nine victories and twenty-four places and shows in eighty-three starts and was the all-time leading money earner. He was elected into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1990. I don’t know if Emmie’s horse is that good or not. If he’s half the horse John Henry was, she can’t go wrong. She must think he’s pretty good.”
    â€œSo there you go,” Hatch said, eyeing her over the rim of his coffee cup. “Anything is possible.”
    Nealy grimaced. “Emmie doesn’t have the guts to work at something twenty-four hours a day. She gives up too easily. She knows how to work but she doesn’t know what hard work really is,” Nealy said, sitting back on her haunches. “I’m going to soak these good, and give them a super dose of plant food. I was hoping everything would look nice when the