The Harriet Bean 3-Book Omnibus by Alexander McCall Smith Page B

honest people.
They
accused me of cheatingwhen I was a little boy, and I shall never forgive them for it. I vowed to make them pay for it, and I certainly have!”
    “And did you cheat when you were a boy?” I asked.
    “Of course I did,” snapped Charlie Heat. “Who wouldn’t?”
    For a moment I said nothing. Then I could contain myself no longer.
    “I wouldn’t!” I shouted. “I think cheating’s a terrible thing to do. And I would never, never work for you and your League of Cheats!”
    There! I had said it. But what would happen now?
    His eyes opened wide, and I could tell that I had surprised him.
    “Who told you about the League of Cheats?” he asked icily.
    I took a deep breath. It was no use waiting for Ted and Mr. Fetlock now. I would have to be brave.
    “I know all about you,” I said. “You’re Charlie Heat, president of the League ofCheats. You’ve been cheating Mr. Fetlock and lots of other people too. And we’re going to show you up for what you are!”
    Charlie Heat’s eyes narrowed again, and he took a quick step forward. Then, in a sudden swoop, he grabbed the lapels of my jacket and lifted me up in the air.
    “Oh, yes?” he said menacingly. “And who’s going to believe you?”
    I opened my mouth to reply, but no sound came out. I was so frightened that my tongue seemed to have stuck to the top of my mouth. I tried to wriggle free, but Charlie Heat’s grip was too tight, and I only found myself more firmly trapped. Then, just when I thought that all was lost, I heard a voice from behind us.
    “I’ll believe her!” the voice cried.
    Charlie Heat spun around, still holding me in midair. There was nobody there—nobody, that is, apart from a strange-looking black-and-white horse.
    “What was that?” shouted Charlie Heat.
    “I said, I’ll believe her, Mr. Heat! Yourcheating days are over!” the voice said again.
    I could hardly believe it, but there was only one explanation. The horse was talking.
    Charlie was so astonished that he let me drop with a thump.
    “I … I…,” he stuttered.
    The horse took a few steps forward, and as it did so I realized that I knew its voice. It was Aunt Japonica in another of her brilliant disguises.
    Charlie Heat, though, did not know this, and he turned pale with fear. Then, turning on his heels, he shot off down the racetrack, squealing with fright.
    “Quick!” said Aunt Japonica from within her horse costume. “Jump on.”
    I looked at the horse’s back. It looked rather bumpy and uncomfortable, but I did as I was told.
    “Ow!” came Aunt Thessalonika’s voice from behind me. “Careful where you put your feet.”
    “Off we go,” called Aunt Japonica fromthe front, and off we went, with Aunt Japonica as the front legs and Aunt Thessalonika as the back. It was not a smooth ride, but it was certainly safer than Black Lightning.
    Charlie Heat could not run very fast, and we were gaining on him. Ahead of us, though, was a large jump, and I wondered how he would deal with this. Surely that would stop him long enough for us to catch up with him.
    “We’ve got him now,” panted Aunt Japonica. “He’ll never be able to get over that jump.”
    I thought so too, but just at that moment, the running figure of Charlie Heat swerved to one side and went
around
the jump!
    “Look at that!” shouted Aunt Japonica in indignation. “What a cheat!”
    We galloped, or rather my aunts galloped, all the quicker, so angry were they with Charlie Heat’s behavior. We were now approaching the jump ourselves, and at any moment I expected my aunts to swerve and follow Charlie Heat around the side of thejump. But no. My aunts would never cheat, and with a great leap, the aunt-filled horse, with me on its back, sailed into the air and over the jump. For a terrible moment I thought I would fall again, just as I had done when Black Lightning launched himself over the jump, but somehow I managed to hang on. Then, with a thump, we landed and galloped away