Horse Blues
Page 1
DON’T LOSE THIS BET!
“Stevie has come up with a brilliant idea,” Lisa announced.
“What?” asked Carole nervously, afraid that the idea was going to be something that would create more aggravation among the three of them.
Lisa and Stevie twittered for a moment. Then Stevie burst out, “Simon Atherton!”
“Whichever one of us breaks our resolution first has to call up Simon and ask him out on a date!” Lisa said.
Lisa and Stevie watched to see how Carole would react. Slowly Carole began to grin. First she grinned a little, then a lot. “I can tell you one thing: I sure as heck am not going to be the one to lose!”
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HORSE BLUES
A Bantam Skylark Book / January 1997
Skylark Books is a registered trademark of Bantam Books,
a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.
Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and elsewhere.
“The Saddle Club” is a registered trademark of Bonnie Bryant Hiller.
The Saddle Club design/logo, which consists of
a riding crop and a riding hat, is a
trademark of Bantam Books.
“USPC” and “Pony Club” are registered trademarks of The United States
Pony Clubs, Inc., at The Kentucky Horse Park, 4071 Iron Works Pike,
Lexington, KY 40511-8462.
All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1997 by Bonnie Bryant Hiller.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publisher.
For information address: Bantam Books
eISBN: 978-0-307-82562-9
Published simultaneously in the United States and Canada.
Bantam Books are published by Bantam Books, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. Its trademark, consisting of the words “Bantam Books” and the portrayal of a rooster, is Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Marca Registrada. Bantam Books, 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036.
v3.1
I would like to express my special thanks
to Caitlin Macy for her help
in the writing of this book.
Contents
Cover
Other Skylark Books You Will Enjoy
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
About the Author
“ISN’T IT MIDNIGHT YET?” Carole Hanson asked, stifling a yawn. It was New Year’s Eve, and Carole and her two best friends, Stevie Lake and Lisa Atwood, were sacked out in front of the Hansons’ TV. A sleepover was always fun, but this holiday evening seemed to be lacking something—excitement, maybe. Christmas was over, it was cold out, and Carole and Lisa, who went to the public school, had to go back the day after next. Stevie’s private school had one more week off.
“Nice try, Carole,” Stevie said, with a glance at her watch, “but it’s not even eleven-thirty.”
“You’re not falling asleep, are you, Carole?” Lisa asked, feigning surprise.
“Oh, no,” Carole insisted, “I’m wide awake.”
Lisa and Stevie looked at their friend and laughed. Despite what she said, Carole’s eyes were half closed and, up to this point, she hadn’t said a word in half an hour. Stevie loved any excuse to stay up all night. Lisa was used to studying late when she had to. But Carole went to bed early. She enjoyed getting a good night’s rest because she liked getting up early and spending as much time as possible with her horse, Starlight.
“Here, have some more soda,” Lisa suggested. “It’s got caffeine in it. That’ll help you stay awake.”
“I’m awake! I’m awake!” Carole protested. She sat up on the couch and took the can of cola Lisa handed her. “I really shouldn’t drink this, you know,” she said. “I eat way too much junk food.”
Stevie raised her eyebrows. “You’re not going to start worrying about your diet, are you?”
“I guess not,” Carole said. “But sometimes I think I’d feel healthier if I didn’t eat so much popcorn, chips, dip, cookies, candy—all the stuff my dad likes to snack on when we watch movies.”
“Did I hear someone say dad?” The girls turned as Carole’s father, Colonel Hanson, poked his head into the den. “I thought you girls might need a pick-me-up, so I brought you some buttered popcorn and a plate of nachos and salsa.”
Carole groaned good-naturedly while Lisa and Stevie cheered.
“Colonel Hanson, did I ever tell you I like your style?” Stevie joked, eyeing the snacks appreciatively.
Carole’s father beamed. “Oh, once or twice, Stevie, but it’s still nice to hear.” Colonel Hanson and Stevie had a special bond. They both loved old fifties movies, they both loved bad jokes, and they both loved junk food.
“Dad, why don’t you join us?” Carole asked. “We’re going to watch the ball drop in Times Square at midnight.”
“If Carole can stay awake till then,” Stevie said, needling her.
“Thanks, honey, but if you can believe it, I think I’m going to turn in now,” Colonel Hanson said.
“Turn in? Half an hour before midnight?” Stevie asked, aghast.
Colonel Hanson chuckled. “I know, I know—but when you’ve seen as many midnights as I have, you can afford to miss one now and then. And we’ve all got to get up early for Horse Wise tomorrow.”
Carole, Lisa, and Stevie rode and took lessons at Pine Hollow Stables. The owner of Pine Hollow, Max Regnery, had started Horse Wise, the local branch of the United States Pony Club. He held most of the mounted and unmounted meetings at his stable. The girls knew that Max really believed in Pony Club. He thought it was a great organization because it taught its members horsemanship and teamwork as well as riding skills. All three of the girls had participated widely in Horse Wise, earning higher ratings as they improved and competing in different events, including rallies, mounted games, and Know-Downs, which were quiz games about horses.
“So you’re going tomorrow, too?” Lisa asked Colonel Hanson. “I know my mother is planning to be there.”
“Yes, Max specifically asked the parents to come. I’m not sure why, but I guess we’ll find out tomorrow,” Colonel Hanson said. “I thought about asking Max when he called, but I didn’t want to jump the gun.”
Carole flashed her father a smile. At the beginning of Horse Wise, Carole’s father had gotten so involved in the clu
b—without knowing the first thing about horses—that he’d driven Carole crazy. But since then, he’d kept his participation to a level that was acceptable to them both. He volunteered his time when Max needed him, but he didn’t try to take over.
“I’m going to hit the hay now, so make sure you greet the New Year for me, okay, girls?”
“Will do, Dad—and thanks,” Carole said, hugging her father good night.
The girls dug into the nachos.
“It’s strange that Max invited the parents to a Horse Wise meeting,” Lisa said thoughtfully.
“I think it was more of a command than an invitation,” Carole remarked. “My dad said that when he talked to Max on the phone, Max’s voice had a downright military ring to it.”
“And your dad should know,” Lisa said with a grin. Carole’s father was a colonel in the United States Marine Corps.
“I’ll bet Max wants to tell us what a great club we are and what exciting stuff we’ll be doing in the new year,” Stevie predicted, with typical optimism.
Lisa and Carole gave Stevie skeptical looks. Max Regnery was hardly the kind of person to call meetings just to give compliments. Even in riding lessons, his praise was kept to a minimum—just enough to let his students know they were making progress and little enough to let them know there was a lot of progress yet to be made.
“I doubt it, Stevie,” said Lisa, “but since it’s New Year’s Eve, I’ll look on the bright side.”
“Speaking of the bright side,” Carole began hopefully, “it’s getting pretty late, right? Morning’s just around the corner. Maybe we should—”
“No way! Not on your life, Carole Hanson,” Stevie interrupted. “You’re staying up till midnight if we have to—to make you start reciting equine trivia!”
“Now, there’s an idea,” said Carole, brightening. “All this New Year’s stuff is boring.”
“You said it,” Lisa agreed. “I think New Year’s is overrated, too. We’re old enough to stay up, but we’re too young to go out. Still, I’m glad I’m here instead of at my house. Right about now my mother would be telling me to get my ‘beauty rest’ or practice my embroidery.”
“Practice your what?” Carole asked. Lisa’s mother was constantly suggesting ways that Lisa could “improve” herself, but this was the first she’d heard of Lisa’s learning embroidery.
“Yes, it’s my mom’s latest thing: She thinks it would be useful for me to learn the ‘home arts’—knitting, crocheting, needlepoint—the works. I’m supposed to start with embroidery. Mom gave me needles, thread, and a book of patterns for Christmas. It looks more complicated than algebra. I’m supposed to be learning in my spare time. What I want to know is what spare time!” she exclaimed, exasperated. A straight-A student, Lisa was a perfectionist about her schoolwork. She also did her chores without complaining, kept her room perfectly neat, and generally did whatever her mother asked. All of that could add up to a lot of pressure.
“We saved you from home ec for a night, so at least this New Year’s Eve has one thing to its credit,” Carole said.
“One thing? What’s wrong with you guys?” Stevie demanded. “TV? Junk food? Who could ask for anything more!”
Carole and Lisa laughed. Stevie had a great appreciation for the simple pleasures in life. She also had a great appreciation for creating elaborate plans and schemes. Sometimes she got so eager about them that she ended up dragging Lisa and Carole into crazy situations. But usually she could talk—or plan—her way right back out, no matter how complicated the mess she had created was. And being friends with Stevie was so much fun that Lisa and Carole didn’t mind the occasional mix-up.
The three girls had been friends for a long time. Originally they had shared only a common love for horses, but now they also shared many past experiences and adventures. They were the core members of The Saddle Club, a group that they had started when they had first become friends. Members had to be two things: horse-crazy and willing to help each other out whenever possible.
As they snacked, Lisa tried to figure out a way she could make this boring New Year’s Eve more fun.
As if she’d read Lisa’s thoughts, Stevie said, “I have to admit, there’s one person who I’ll bet is having more fun than we are.”
Judging by the annoyed tone in her voice, Lisa and Carole knew that Stevie could be referring to only one person: Veronica diAngelo. Veronica was a snobby girl who took lessons with The Saddle Club at Pine Hollow. She was also a member of Horse Wise, though she usually managed to avoid any work members had to do. None of The Saddle Club really liked Veronica, but she was Stevie’s archenemy. Stevie and Veronica had so many ongoing feuds that nobody could keep track of them.
“So what’s Miss diAngelo doing tonight?” Lisa inquired.
“Yeah, it must be something great if she was able to tear herself away from all of the Christmas presents she’s been bragging about,” Carole added.
For the past week, every time the girls had seen Veronica at Pine Hollow, she had mentioned yet another expensive gift her parents had given her.
“Tonight was one of her Christmas presents,” Stevie said enviously. “Her parents are taking her and a friend on a helicopter ride over the city.”
The girls lived outside Washington, D.C., in a suburb called Willow Creek, Virginia. They had all taken field trips to museums or cultural events in D.C., but it was just like the diAngelos to give their daughter an extravagant gift like a private helicopter ride there on New Year’s Eve.
“I wonder what ‘friend’ she bribed to go with her,” Stevie muttered.
“Now, now,” Lisa chided Stevie, putting on her best schoolmarm voice. “Thinking about Veronica isn’t going to make our New Year’s any more fun.”
“You’re right about that,” Stevie agreed. “I was in a great mood till I remembered she existed.”
“Hey, it’s almost midnight!” Carole interrupted. “Ten minutes to go.”
Lisa followed Carole’s glance to the VCR clock above the television. Ten more minutes, ten more minutes … Suddenly she had an idea. “I’ve got it!” she exclaimed. “Let’s make New Year’s resolutions! We can write them on scraps of paper and throw them into the—well, we don’t exactly have a fire to throw them into, but we can at least write them down.”
“That’s a great idea!” said Carole.
Now it was Stevie’s turn to look doubtful. “Resolutions? You mean, like, vowing we’re going to change? That doesn’t sound like much fun.”
“Sure it is! Making resolutions is the perfect thing to usher in the New Year. I can’t believe we didn’t think of them before,” said Lisa.
“I can,” said Stevie under her breath.
Carole sat up on the couch, fully awake at last. “What do you think we should resolve?” she asked, cracking open another soda.
Lisa smiled. “I can think up a resolution for you, Carole.”
Carole paused, the can halfway to her lips. “Yeah? What?”
“No more junk food,” said Lisa.
Carole winced. She put the can back down. “No more junk food,” she repeated.
“You said yourself you eat too much of it,” Lisa pointed out. “This is a great opportunity to stop.”
Carole thought hard for a minute. Why not? Why not stop talking about quitting junk food and do something about it? “You know, you’re right. I’ll do it. I’ll make it my New Year’s resolution: I resolve to quit eating junk food.” There, Carole thought, that was easy.
“You have to write it down,” Lisa reminded her.
“Oh, right,” Carole said. She chewed her lip. She didn’t really feel like writing it down. It made it seem so much more real. But she’d come this far. Lisa was watching her expectantly. “Okay,” she said. She reached over and grabbed some notepaper and a pen from the table beside the couch. It was only a resolution, after all. It wasn’t written in stone.
“Okay, I’m done,” Carole pronounced, after spelling out her vow. “Who’s nex
t? How about you, Stevie?”
“Yeah, Stevie, come on. What do you want to resolve?” Lisa prompted.
Stevie smiled wanly. “To tell you the truth, I’m happy with myself just the way I am,” she said. “I don’t think I need to change a thing.”
“Really?” Lisa challenged her. “Because I can think of a great resolution for you, too.”
“Oh? Can you?” Stevie replied. Somehow she had a feeling she wasn’t going to like Lisa’s suggestion. But Carole was watching Lisa, and Lisa was looking eagerly at Stevie. Stevie sighed. “All right. Let’s hear it.”
Lisa smiled approvingly. “Resolve to be nice to Veronica.”
“What?” Stevie nearly yelled. “Why would I want to do a thing like that?” Being nice meant not being mean, and not being mean to Veronica was like … like not breathing!
“Well, for one, it’s a waste of time. Think of all the things you could be doing that you don’t do because you’re scheming of ways to get back at Veronica,” said Lisa.
Stevie thought for a minute. She couldn’t think of anything. “I’m not as tightly scheduled as you, Lisa. I have plenty of time in my day for getting back at Veronica,” she joked.
“Okay, okay—but what about Max?” Lisa said. “He’d be really happy if you two stopped feuding.”
Stevie nodded. “I guess so …” She knew Lisa was right. In the past, her fights with Veronica had sometimes made life difficult for Max and everyone at Pine Hollow. But could she quit being mean to Veronica just like that? Cold turkey? “But what if Veronica tries to fight with me?”
“Stevie,” Carole spoke up. She thought she had a better way than Lisa’s to convince Stevie. “I know something that might make you want that for a resolution.”
“What’s that?” Stevie asked suspiciously. She didn’t like the feeling that Carole and Lisa were ganging up on her.
“You want to win your fights with Veronica, right? You want to come out on top? Well, my dad says that sometimes the only way to win is not to fight. You know, not to respond at all. If Veronica can’t provoke you, that might make her really mad.”
Lisa nodded in agreement. “She’s right, Stevie. Imagine how annoyed Veronica will be when she insults you and all you do is smile at her.”