From time to time he let out a bellow of laughter, pleased with himself for acquiring the horse he had wanted for so long and with the added bonus of getting the better of his nephew. He had enjoyed seeing the dejected slump of the young man’s shoulders when he realized he was defeated; it made all his plotting worthwhile. His foreman in Melbourne had already texted him to say that Hunter’s Moon had arrived safely and was settling into his new quarters as if he had been there all his life. As a precaution, he had called the vet, who examined him thoroughly, pronouncing him fit, in spite of the fact that he had been living and exercising in what Robert described as relatively primitive conditions. Delighted that he had accomplished his goal more easily than he had expected, he decided to make a detour to Sydney to give himself a small reward. There was a woman he sometimes visited when he was there on his own. It would be wrong to call her a prostitute but in return for good food and expensive presents, she was generous to a select group of men friends.
