Scout and the Mystery of the Marsh Ponies Read Free Page B

with his front and back hooves in line, then she stood by his head smiling happily at the camera and making sure that his rosette was on full display.
    Mrs Valentine’s finger hovered above the button. She paused and looked over the camera.
    “Hmm, the picture doesn’t look quite right somehow. I know, why don’t you take one step away from the pony, Alice,” she said, smiling encouragingly. “That might be better…”
    Alice apologised, suddenly feeling awkward, and quickly moved backwards. Scout took a step towards her. Alice laughed. A tinkly laugh came from Mrs Valentine as she waved Alice to the side once more. Alice set Scout up again then took a tentative step back. Scout stretched out his nose towards her, then heard a horse neigh in the distance and raised his head, his ears pricked, looking handsome.
    Mrs Valentine clicked away frantically then held her hand up to the camera to check the last frame. Her face creased into a smile.
    “Excellent!” she announced, looking very pleased as she packed her camera away. “The advert in Pony Mad will look perfect.”
    “Advert? What advert?” Alice said, wondering what Mrs Valentine was going on about. “What for?”
    “Oh, I’m sorry, didn’t I say?” Mrs Valentine said breezily. “I’m putting Sunny here up for sale.”

Chapter Three
    A LICE’S insides turned to ice and she felt lightheaded as she stood in the midday heat.
    “But… but I don’t get it,” she stuttered, looking desperately round at the others. “You’ve had Scout since he was a foal – you said that you and Scarlett would never sell him, that I could have him on permanent loan…”
    “Did I? Oh dear. Well, well, things change, don’t they?” Mrs Valentine said smoothly. “You see, Scarlett’s lost all interest in ponies now so I’ve decided that it’s time to get rid of him. Obviously, you’ll have first refusal before the advert comes out because I’m sure you’re so attached you couldn’t bear to part with him. That’s only fair now, isn’t it?”
    She smiled at Alice encouragingly. Alice nodded, breaking into a smile too as she felt relief flood through her. As she started to breathe again, her heart crashed against her ribs. She knew that her parents didn’t have much money at all, but if the price wasn’t too high she might be able to help raise some of the cash herself.
    “How much are you asking?” She could hardly believe that she was actually saying the words. The dream of owning Scout suddenly felt as if it might finally come true – he might become her very own pony at last! Her mind raced. She remembered how sorry and neglected Scout had looked when she’d taken him on loan and hoped it would be a price she could afford. She barely breathed as Mrs Valentine lowered her glasses a fraction and gave Scout one final appraising look.
    “I’ll tell you what, as you’ve looked after him for a year, I’ll do you a deal,” Mrs Valentine said, wrinkling her nose in a smile at Alice, “at £6,000.After all, a pony with as many wins as this one is very valuable.”
    Alice gasped. It felt as if all the wind had been knocked out of her at once. For a second the field in front of her spun and she leaned heavily against Scout, tangling her fingers in his mane. There was no way her parents could even begin to afford that much – she didn’t even have to ask. They never said anything to her, but she knew that sometimes they struggled even to find the money to keep Scout at Blackberry Farm each month, let alone buy his hard feed and his hay as well as pay to have him wormed, his hoofs shod and his teeth checked. To save up the figure Mrs Valentine wanted would take for ever, even if she helped like mad. It was impossible.
    “Hang on a second, though,” Mia suddenly piped up after the initial shock of Mrs Valentine naming such a huge price. “Scout wasn’t worth anywhere near that much when Alice first took him on!” 
    “Mia’s right!” Charlie agreed