Polo by Jilly Cooper

Francesca?' `Of course not,' snapped Chessie.
        `One could be fooled into thinking so. A married couple is two people, half a polo team, and you're intelligent enough to know that you only win at polo and in life if you play as a team and support each other. Your behaviour towards Ricky is flip, destructive and totally unsupportive.'
        Chessie yawned. `You've no idea how tricky he is. Women are always on Ricky's side because he's so good-looking.'
        `I am not Women,' said Grace icily. `How many times have you failed to pass on messages, turned up late at matches, and showed no interest in the game? Look at you today, egging on the twins, dressed like a tramp, and now not giving Ricky his fifty-two. If the Flyers lose this match it'll be entirely your fault. You're twenty-seven, not seventeen, Francesca.'
        `When Ricky signed his contract with you,' said Chessie furiously, `there was absolutely no clause about my turning up in a ball dress at every match. You've no idea what it's like living with a man who's totally obsessed with polo.'
        `If your husband's going to succeed,' Grace looked at Chessie's mutinous profile, `you have to put up with loneliness. When Bart was building up the business, he often didn't come home till two o'clock in the morning.'
        `Not surprised,' said Chessie, `if you bent his ear like this.'
        `Don't be impertinent.'
        `I don't want to hear any more. You can buy Ricky but not me.' Scrambling out of the limo, Chessie went slap into Sukey and Will who was still clutching his water-pistol.
        `All better,' said Sukey. `Such a jolly little chap, I waited outside and didn't miss a minute. Oh, well played, Drew darling, oh go on, go on.'
        `Stick 'em up,' said Will, his eyes squinting through his blond fringe.
        `Don't point guns at people, dear,' said Grace.
        Next minute Will had emptied a pistol full of Bloody Mary into her cream silk shirt. Grace gave a scream. Chessie made the mistake of laughing.
        `If you'd take your nose out of that book for one second,' said Seb to Dommie, `you'd see Ricky finally losing his patron.'
        As Chessie dragged Will off in search of Ricky, she could hear Sukey comforting Grace. `I'm sure Mrs Beeton will know how to get tomato juice out.'
        Suddenly Chessie stopped laughing and started to cry. `That was naughty,' she screamed at Will. `You may have been defending my honour but your methods were very extreme.'
        `Hi, honey,' said a voice. `You're getting soaked.' It was Bart, coming off the field.
        Delighted to have scored two goals and trounced Doggie Dins, he was in exultant form. Then he realized that the rain pouring down Chessie's face was tears.
        `Hey - what's the matter?'
        `Your ghastly wife's been giving me a dressing-down for not dressing up, telling me what an awful wife I am.'
        The icy wind was sweeping the drenched striped shirt against her breasts. `I tell you the only reason Frankenstein was a monster was because he was frank,' she added furiously.
        Just for a second they were hidden from the pitch by a home-going horse box. Bart put a warm sweating hand on Chessie's neck and she felt her stomach disappear.
        `I've tried to put you out of my mind,' he said roughly, `but I didn't manage it. Grace and I are going back to the States tomorrow - for a wedding - one of the Biddies' - even in the pursuit of love Bart had to name-drop - `I'll be back on Wednesday. How about lunch on Thursday?'
        `All right.'
        `Meet me at Rubens' Retreat at one o'clock,' said Bart and rode on.
        Grace came forward as he reached the pony lines: `Well played, baby.' Then, consulting her red book, `but you were loose in the fifth chukka.'
        `How dare you chew out Chessie France-Lynch?' snarled Bart. `I run this team, OK, and don't you forget it.'

6
        
        Grace's pep-talk only intensified