Hayride Read Free

girl at Pine Hollow whom The Saddle Club had given up on liking. Although she rode—and rode fairly well—sheusually did it more for appearances than for love of the sport. In fact, she often bribed, hired, or “allowed” other girls to exercise the mare when she couldn’t find the time. She liked being able to tell people she met, especially boys, how much her parents had spent buying Garnet for her. And the diAngelos liked having pictures in their living room of their daughter riding, as all the “best families” in town did.
    “Speaking of Veronica, do you think Carole’s going to invite
her
to the hayride?” Lisa asked as they led Topside and Barq out to the horseshoe.
    “I forgot about her,” Stevie said with distaste.
    “I guess she should probably come—it’s too mean to leave one person out.”
    “I guess even I have to agree with that,” Stevie said.
    “Agree with what?” Carole called. She was already mounted and walking Starlight in a businesslike manner. She wanted to teach him that even trail rides required good behavior.
    “We were just talking about whether you were really going to invite
everyone
our age from Pine Hollow,” Lisa said.
    “Oh, you mean, is Veronica invited?” Carole guessed.
    Stevie and Lisa nodded, laughing.
    “Yeah, I thought about that, and I decided I just can’t invite everyone
but
Veronica.”
    “That’s what we think, too,” Lisa said.
    “Yeah,” Stevie echoed. “Anyway, look on the bright side. If you invite her, you don’t have to worry about entertainment. She’ll put on a horror show all her own.”
    Carole grinned. “I’ll tell Dad to stop worrying. Who needs a clown or a magician when you’ve got Veronica?”
    Lisa and Stevie checked their girths and mounted, and the three girls turned their horses toward the woods. In front Carole set the pace, starting off at a brisk walk.
    When they got to the trail entrance, they saw another horse and rider coming in the opposite direction.
    “Looks like someone’s been out trail riding alone. Max wouldn’t like that,” Stevie said. Everyone at Pine Hollow knew that it was dangerous to go off by yourself: If you fell, there was no one to get help. “Can you see who it is?” she asked.
    “It’s Patch, but I don’t know who’s riding him,” replied Carole. Patch was a quiet school horse whom many of the beginners, including Lisa, had started on. Carole politely halted Starlight as the rider approached, and Lisa and Stevie followed suit.
    “Oh,” Lisa said with a groan. “That’s Simon Atherton. No wonder he’s out riding alone. He just started at Pine Hollow. I’m sure he doesn’t know any better.”
    “How do you know him?” Carole asked.
    “He’s in my class at school.” Both Lisa and Carole went to the regional public school, but Lisa was a gradeahead. Stevie attended a local private school, Fenton Hall.
    Simon grinned as he trotted up to them. “Gosh, Lisa, it’s great to see you out here,” he said.
    “Hello, Simon,” Lisa replied flatly. “These are my friends, Carole Hanson and Stephanie—Stevie for short—Lake.” She gestured at her friends.
    “Gosh, it’s great to meet you both,” said Simon, still grinning from ear to ear.
    Lisa said abruptly, “I guess we’d better keep going. The horses don’t seem to like standing here.”
    Carole and Stevie exchanged grins. It was true Barq, Starlight, and Topside were moving around impatiently, but Lisa knew as well as anyone that it was up to-the rider to control her horse at all times and never be controlled. Obviously, Lisa wasn’t interested in lingering to chat with Simon.
    “Okay, Lisa,” Simon said. He nodded in Carole and Stevie’s direction. “Nice to meet you. Have a great ride.”
    “We will. Thanks,” Lisa said.
    As they started off, Simon called over his shoulder, “See you bright and early, first-period math tomorrow, right?”
    “Right!” Lisa yelled. Then she muttered under her breath, “Thanks for