Stable Hearts

by Bonnie Bryant

  Stevie sat down next to Carole and buried her head in her arms. “I thought it was going to be such a nice evening,” she said. “I was really hoping for a nice time.” Carole shook her head sadly. All along she’d thought Stevie was overreacting, but now the misery in Stevie’s voice hurt her heart. Why couldn’t Stevie and Phil have worked it out? They were both going to be unhappy now.

  “Well,” Lisa said after a long, depressing pause, “I suppose we should go ride.”

  “I suppose so,” Carole said. “Starlight needs the exercise. Stevie?”

  Stevie rose to her feet. “Yeah. I mean, that’s what we planned to do. We might as well do it.” She couldn’t remember when she’d been less enthusiastic about a trail ride. For a moment she thought of all the special rides she’d taken with Phil, but that only made her feel worse. They had had a lot of fun together, but it was over now.

  The girls gathered their grooming equipment and tack and began to prepare their horses. Standing in Starlight’s stall brushing the dust from his glossy flanks, Carole began to feel just a little bit better. Anyone who owned a horse like Starlight couldn’t feel depressed for long. She leaned against him.

  “Hey! My favorite young ladies! Would you by any chance be going on another trail ride?” Mr. Stowe came around the corner of the aisle, a saddle in his arms, smiling broadly.

  Stevie smiled listlessly in return. “Good guess,” she said.

  “Hello, Mr. Stowe,” Carole said. “Did you finish your surprise?”

  Mr. Stowe made hushing movements with his hands. “Not yet,” he said. “No, I thought I’d go for a ride with you girls first. That is, if you don’t mind.”

  Stevie rolled her eyes at Lisa in dismay. Lisa understood, but what could they say? Mr. Stowe had been so nice to them.

  “Sure,” Carole said faintly. It was the only polite answer.

  Mr. Stowe secured Delilah on a set of cross-ties just outside Starlight’s stall and began grooming her. “I’ve got my secret hidden in my car,” he whispered to Carole over the door of Starlight’s stall. “Elizabeth’s car is still in for repair, and she was just asking me for another ride. I can’t have her see the secret! So I told her I was going to ride with you right now.” He moved to Delilah’s other side, and as a consequence he spoke more loudly. “I’d like to stay away from Elizabeth for a little while.”

  Carole looked up from combing Starlight’s tail. She saw Mrs. Reg come around the corner and then stop, facing Mr. Stowe’s back. Mrs. Reg’s smile faded away, and a hurt expression took its place. She looked at Mr. Stowe’s back for another moment, then turned on her heel and left.

  Carole stood still for a moment, puzzled and too surprised to say anything. Why did Mrs. Reg look so upset? All Mr. Stowe had said was that he’d like to stay away from her. Carole turned this phrase over in her mind, trying to decide whether it would upset her. It probably wouldn’t be the nicest thing to hear, she decided, but it wouldn’t be that bad. But Mrs. Reg had looked really hurt—stunned and disappointed.

  Carole didn’t say anything to the other girls, because she didn’t want Mr. Stowe to know that he’d upset Mrs. Reg. He hadn’t done it on purpose, after all. But she continued to wonder about it even after they were mounted and riding through the bare trails.

  Mr. Stowe seemed conscious of how morose they all were. How could he not be, Carole thought, when none of us is laughing or even talking?

  “I do hope you all would have told me if you didn’t want an old man’s company,” he said. “I wouldn’t have been offended, honest now.”

  “We would have told you,” Lisa assured him. What difference did it make if Mr. Stowe went with them? “We’re just a little worried—about one of the ponies, and about the dance.”

  “The dance’ll be fine. You three’ll be surrounded by beaus.”

  “Bows?” asked Stevie. “The only one of us who wears ribbons is Lisa.”

  Mr. Stowe laughed heartily, as though Stevie had made a joke. Stevie sighed. She couldn’t make a joke right now if she tried.

  “Oh, my gosh,” Carole said softly.

  “What’s wrong?” Lisa drew Prancer to a walk.

  “Nothing,” Carole said with a quick shake of her head. But it was something. She suddenly understood why Mrs. Reg looked so upset. Mrs. Reg liked Mr. Stowe. Liked him liked him! Like as a boyfriend!

  Poor Mrs. Reg. Carole looked at gangly Mr. Stowe, who was slap-trotting alongside her, and felt more depressed than ever.

  “Hey, Stevie,” Mr. Stowe said, “here’s one for you. How many dummies does it take to screw in a lightbulb?”

  “How many?” Stevie asked dully.

  “Six,” he said. “One to hold the lightbulb, and five to turn the ladder around.”

  Stevie and Lisa laughed, but Carole didn’t even try. She felt so sorry for Mrs. Reg. Then she felt sorry for them all. It was Valentine’s Day, and Pine Hollow was full of broken hearts.

  WHEN THEY GOT back to Pine Hollow, they saw Mrs. Reg in the outdoor arena, schooling Eve, a beautiful gray mare Max had adopted not long ago. Eve had been rescued from an abusive owner and was just starting to recover her trust in people. Mrs. Reg had taken her on as a special project. The mare was beginning to flourish.

  “Look at that!” Stevie said, bringing Belle to a halt outside the ring. “Mrs. Reg is riding Eve!” Mrs. Reg trotted a circle, and Eve delicately mouthed the bit.

  Carole beamed. “They’re starting to really work together. Look—you can see how much Eve is cooperating.”

  Lisa felt too proud and happy to speak. After such a depressing afternoon, seeing Eve go so well under saddle was like a special gift. When Eve had first been rescued, Lisa had worked harder than any of the rest of them to help her find the courage to live.

  Mr. Stowe, too, was silent for a moment, watching Mrs. Reg ride the gray mare. Mrs. Reg, thought Carole, looked truly beautiful on a horse. She rode as gracefully as a young girl, and there was something about her growing relationship with Eve that was wonderful to see. Carole fought a sudden urge to tell Mr. Stowe what she suspected of Mrs. Reg’s feelings.

  “Yep, that’s a pretty little filly, all right,” Mr. Stowe said. “I always did like them Thoroughbreds.”

  “Eve’s not a Thoroughbred,” Carole said, turning away from him with a slight feeling of annoyance. Poor Mrs. Reg!

  Mr. Stowe dismounted and loosened Delilah’s girth. “After I get this horse put away, I’m going to go set up my surprise,” he said. “I want you all to promise me, no peeking until the dance starts. And no telling Elizabeth, either.”

  “We promise.” Stevie buried her face in Belle’s neck as she had in Dime’s. She didn’t care about Mr. Stowe’s surprise anymore, and she doubted Lisa and Carole were very excited, either. The knot she’d had in her stomach ever since Phil drove away would not unravel. The only reason she was going to the dance at all was because it would beat staying home with her bratty brothers.

  Carole waited until Mr. Stowe had put Delilah away and left the main stable before telling her friends what she thought.

  “No way!” Stevie said. “Mrs. Reg likes Mr. Stowe? That’s unbelievable.”

  “It is,” Lisa agreed. She pulled Prancer’s bridle off and scratched the mare behind the ears. “I’m sorry, Carole, but it doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t sound possible.”

  “Why not?” Carole asked bluntly.

  “I mean—we’re talking about Mrs. Reg!” Stevie sputtered. “She can’t feel like that for anyone! She was married, for one thing. To Max the Second.”

  “Max the Second has been dead for an awfully long time,” Lisa argued. “I bet Mrs. Reg probably would like to have someone to go to movies with, and out to dinner and stuff like that. She probably would like a boyfriend. I just can’t imagine her going out with Mr. Stowe.”

  “I would agree with you guys except that I saw her face,” Carole persisted. “She wouldn’t look that upset for any other reason. I’m sure I’m right. She likes Mr. Sto
we.” She put Starlight back in his stall. Lisa and Stevie put Prancer and Belle away, too, and they met in the center of the aisle.

  “It’s too bad Mr. Stowe doesn’t like her back,” Lisa said at last.

  “I know,” Carole replied. “I couldn’t believe he didn’t say anything about how nice she looked out there on Eve. I think he only saw the horse. I don’t think he noticed Mrs. Reg at all.”

  “Men,” Stevie said heavily. “They’re all creeps. Still, maybe we could do something about Mrs. Reg and Mr. Stowe. Maybe we could—”

  “No.” Carole cut in firmly. “We can’t do anything about this at all.”

  “I agree,” Lisa said. “All we’d probably end up doing is embarrassing Mrs. Reg, and I’d never risk that.” She checked her watch. “Come on. Let’s go back to my house. It’s time to get ready for the dance.”

  They put their gear away, put on their winter jackets, and started walking to Lisa’s house. “Imagine someone liking Mr. Stowe!” Stevie said, shaking her head.

  “I know,” said Carole, sighing. “He’s so old.”

  “WHAT ARE YOU wearing, Stevie?” Lisa asked. She modeled her new sweater in front of her mirror. Carole’s suggestions had been good. The sweater looked great over black leggings and a black turtleneck.

  “I don’t know,” Stevie said. “What difference does it make now?”

  “You must have brought something to wear,” Carole said. “What were you planning on wearing when you thought Phil was coming?” She pulled Lisa’s red sweater over her head.

  “That’s just it,” Stevie said with a sigh. “I couldn’t think of anything I liked well enough. I’ve outgrown some of my favorite stuff. And now I just don’t care. I’m so angry at Phil. The creep.”

  “So you came to spend two nights at my house, and you didn’t bring anything to wear to the dance?” Lisa asked.

  “Well …” Stevie looked vaguely embarrassed. “I meant to ask you guys for help last night, but I got so excited after I talked to Phil that I forgot. It doesn’t really matter. I’ll just wear what I have on.”

  Lisa looked at Stevie’s torn, dirty jeans, old gray sweatshirt, and cream-colored turtleneck. She went into her closet and started rummaging around. “Here are some clean jeans,” she said, tossing Stevie a pair. “And here. How about this?” She held up a dainty white sweater with pearl buttons and a lace collar.

  “Uh, Lisa, no offense—”

  Carole cut in. “It’s not exactly Stevie’s style.”

  Lisa looked at the sweater again. “Guess not. No. It’s not even really my style, but it looks sort of valentiney.”

  “I don’t feel valentiney,” Stevie declared.

  “That’s the problem,” Carole said. “None of us does. Stevie, I have an idea. You wear the sweater I was going to wear—the one Aunt Jessie gave me. It’s navy, so it’ll go with your turtleneck.”

  “It’ll go with my mood, too,” said Stevie. “I feel blue. It’s just not right to be separated from your boyfriend on Valentine’s Day.” She buttoned the clean jeans. “Thanks for the clothes, though.”

  Lisa felt a twinge of exasperation. “You know, Stevie, you don’t have to be separated from Phil,” she said.

  Carole twisted her ponytail and pinned it against her head. “Poor Dime,” she said whimsically. “Maybe that’s his problem. Do you suppose he has a girlfriend that he doesn’t want to be apart from?”

  Lisa turned around and stared at Carole. “That’s it!” she said.

  “WHAT’S IT?” Carole asked.

  “The problem with Dime! You’ve solved it!” Lisa was so excited that she grabbed Carole’s hands and started swinging her around the room.

  “How did I solve it?” Carole looked confused. “All I said was do you think he has a girlfriend. I was joking.”

  “But what if he does have one? What if it’s Penny? It is Penny—that makes perfect sense!” Lisa sat down and started pulling on her paddock boots. “Come on, hurry! We’ve got to get to Pine Hollow.”

  Stevie sat down beside Lisa and slowly pulled on her cowboy boots. Carole remained standing,her hands on her hips and a perplexed look on her face. “You really think that’s it?” she asked. “I mean, I know horses form friendships—”

  “And you know that sometimes those friendships can be very important to them. Dime just got moved into his new stall last week. Before that he lived next to Penny for—how long, Stevie?” asked Lisa. Stevie had ridden at Pine Hollow the longest.

  Stevie shook her head, but she was starting to look excited. “I don’t know,” she said. “Years and years. Ever since I can remember.”

  “His being lonesome for her would explain everything,” Lisa said. “He’s not eating because he’s sad. He’s pinning his ears back and trying to bite us whenever we put him in his stall, because he wants to go back to his old stall. He’s acting so atrocious in lessons—and at that games practice—because he gets so excited whenever he sees Penny again.”

  “Penny’s been acting a little weird, too, come to think of it,” Carole said. “Remember how bad she was at Cross County? She’s not as upset as Dime, though. I don’t know, Lisa. I think what you’re saying makes sense, I just never would have guessed that Dime had any special feelings for Penny.”

  “He’s just a shaggy little lesson pony,” Stevie said. “He doesn’t seem like the romantic type.”

  “Oh, come on,” Lisa protested. “Why should Dime’s appearance have anything to do with his feelings?”

  Carole grinned and grabbed her coat. “It shouldn’t. After all, I wouldn’t have guessed Mrs. Reg was the romantic type either, until I saw her react to what Mr. Stowe said. Poor Dime! I hope you’re right, Lisa. We can cure him so easily.”

  “I know I’m right,” Lisa replied.

  Stevie grabbed her coat, too. “Let’s go!”

  LISA’S MOTHER DROVE past the hay barn and dropped them off at the main stable. A single light shone through a window of the hay barn, but the rest of Pine Hollow was dark and quiet; everyone had left to get ready for the party. Lisa flipped the stable’s aisle lights on. Most of the horses were eating their dinners, and they looked up, still chewing contentedly, as The Saddle Club rushed past their stalls.

  “I’ll get Romeo,” Stevie said. The gelding had been put in Dime’s old stall, next to Penny. Stevie quickly put his halter on. “I’ll get Romeo’s dinner,” Lisa offered. She grabbed his grain bucket and took it out into the aisle.

  “Don’t forget his water bucket,” Stevie said. “Maybe I could hold him out here while you fix up the stall?” Romeo was already plunging his nose into his grain bucket, which Lisa had set on the aisle floor. “Romeo’s not going anywhere until he’s finished his oats.”

  “Good idea.” Lisa grabbed a pitchfork and hastily tidied the stall. Red had already cleaned it thoroughly that afternoon, so she didn’t have much to do.

  Meanwhile, Carole had gone straight to Dime. She slid the stall door open, and the little pony pinned his ears back at her. His grain sat untouched in his bucket. “You poor darling,” Carole crooned. At her sympathetic tone Dime relaxed slightly, and Carole gently slid his halter on. “Don’t worry. We’re taking you home.”

  She led him down the aisle. Dime lagged behind her, then suddenly seemed to notice where they were heading. His ears came forward. His eyes brightened. He began to walk with a jaunty swing to his step. By the time Carole got to Romeo, little Dime was almost trotting.

  “Look at him!” Lisa exalted. Dime looked happy.

  Penny thrust her head over her door and whinnied at Dime. Dime whinnied back, a long, high-pitched squeal. Romeo, bored now that his grain was gone, thrust his nose at Stevie to see if she had more.

  “I’ll get Dime’s buckets!” Lisa rushed back to his stall. Stevie followed her more slowly, leading Romeo. Carole brought Dime to the door of his old stall. She unclipped the lead rope, and Dime rushed in. He sniffed all four corners. Carole gently shut the stall door. Dime came up to it and
leaned over until his nose just touched Penny’s. The ponies nickered to each other.

  Lisa and Stevie came back carrying Dime’s feed and water buckets. They stopped next to Carole. All three girls watched appreciatively as the two ponies nuzzled each other contentedly. Finally Dime turned away. He sniffed the grain in his bucket, then began to eat.

  Carole found that tears had come to her eyes. “You poor pony,” she whispered. “We’re so sorry we took you away from your sweetheart.”

  “We won’t do it again,” Lisa promised.

  “Do what again?” asked Max. The girls turned. Max had just come into the stable, and he was obviously dressed for the dance. He wore clean blue jeans, a red Shaker sweater over a red flannel shirt, and a pair of jazzy cowboy boots. His hair was still damp from a shower. “I saw the lights in the stable, and I wondered if something was wrong,” he said.

  “Something was wrong, but we fixed it,” Lisa said. The Saddle Club explained how Carole’s joke had made them realize what Dime’s problem was.

  “He and Penny are really attached to one another,” Stevie said. “He just couldn’t stand to be away from her.” As Stevie said this, Dime left his grain bucket, stuck his head over his door, and touched noses briefly with Penny. Then he resumed eating.

  “A pony kiss!” said Lisa.

  Max shook his head, but he was smiling. “You girls are right; you must be,” he said. “I can’t believe I never thought of it myself. You know, lots of times when horses get really attached to one another, they act obnoxious about it—they want to be ridden side by side, or they have fits when one is ridden and the other stays in the stable. Dime and Penny are so sweet all the time that I never recognized they were friends.” He ruffled Dime’s shaggy mane. “I’m sorry, buddy. We were only trying to give you a nicer stall. We won’t do it again.”

  “Do you think he’ll be entirely better now?” asked Carole. “We were so worried about him.”

  “We’ll let Judy finish those blood tests to be sure,” Max replied. “But I think we can safely assume that he’ll be fine.” He checked his watch. “Hey, it’s time to start this dance, and lots of cars were pulling up when I ducked in here. You all don’t want to miss the first dance, do you?”