Off to the Races

Wilhelmina “Billie” Black is surrounded by photographers who call her names as they frantically snap pictures. When they ask about her father, she responds aggressively, shocking the reporters. (The narrative will later reveal that Billie’s father, the Canadian prime minister, was embroiled in a sex scandal.)

Vaughn Harding frantically searches through public records for proof that his grandfather Dermot Harding is innocent of fixing races. The late Dermot, who owned the family ranch and raised Vaughn, was accused of fixing horse races immediately following his death. Now, Vaughn struggles with the triple burden of fresh grief, his responsibility to the family legacy, and his desire to restore Dermot’s good name. Vaughn’s brother, Cole Harding, calls to criticize Vaughn for focusing on the ranch and on repairing Dermot’s reputation rather than on his normal job at Gold Rush Resources, the family’s mining business. (Unlike the ranch, Gold Rush Resources is highly successful.)

Vaughn is furious that the rest of his family wants to make his grandfather’s death into a public-relations issue. He contrasts the cold, business-minded focus of Gold Rush Resources with his own happy childhood memories at