Show Jumper Read Free Page B

an unmistakable “Keep cool!” look. When Veronica glanced away, Carole pretended to zip her lips shut.
    Stevie understood the gesture immediately. If she got into an argument with Veronica now, she was in danger of giving away their secret—Samson’s jumping ability. And anyway, Veronica never seemed to grasp that Lisa was not far behind the most experienced riders in Horse Wise and could keep up with the rest of The Saddle Club very well.
    As difficult as it was to stay quiet, Stevie gritted her teeth and finished tacking up Belle. “Just you wait, Veronica diAngelo,” she said under her breath. “You’re in for a big surprise.”
    Carole finished tacking up Starlight and answeredVeronica’s last comment, “Yeah,” she said, “it would be great if Pine Hollow had its own jumping star.” Catching Stevie’s eye, Carole winked.
    Veronica tossed Danny’s reins in Carole’s direction and said, “Can you hold him for a second? I must find Red and ask him to cool Danny down. Then I’ve got to get going. I’m already late for my manicure.” She vanished out the door.
    Stevie rolled her eyes. “A manicure? How much do you want to bet that Veronica gets a full beauty treatment the day before the Macrae?”
    Carole laughed. “I bet she gets the full treatment the day
of
the Macrae,” she said. “I bet she’s hired a stylist to follow her around and make sure her makeup doesn’t smear and her hair is perfect.”
    Max appeared in the stable door. He looked cross and glanced at his watch. “What’s with all the chitchat in here?” he asked impatiently. “Isn’t it about time for our riding lesson?”
    “Sorry,” Carole and Stevie said simultaneously. After securing Danny and giving him a few sympathetic pats, Carole led Starlight out of his stall and swung onto his back. Stevie followed on Belle. Both of them paused to touch the good-luck horseshoe before heading out to the ring. All the riders at Pine Hollow did this because legend had it that no one who had touched the horseshoe before a ride had ever been seriouslyhurt. And today’s lesson, the last before the Macrae Valley Open, promised to be an especially tough one.
    “Where’s Lisa?” demanded Max. Max could be easygoing about a lot of things. Promptness, however, was not one of them—especially when it involved a lesson he was giving. The Saddle Club had noticed that lately Max had become even stricter about his rules. They knew why: He had put in a lot of extra hours with them over the past few weeks, helping Carole and Starlight and Lisa and Samson get ready for the Macrae. Stevie had been allowed to join as reward for all her hard work at the stable and her generous offer to be tack manager. The experience had been well worth it. With Max’s undivided attention—or at least with his attention divided only three ways instead of many—the girls had learned a tremendous amount about riding and jumping.
    Even better, Veronica hadn’t participated in any of the extra lessons, since she was so busy with her “professional” tutors. This had enabled The Saddle Club to keep Samson a secret from almost everyone except Max, Mrs. Reg, and Red O’Malley. During the regular Horse Wise meetings, Lisa had ridden Prancer.
    Stevie shot a worried glance at Carole. It wasn’t like Lisa to be so late for a lesson—it was much more Stevie’s style, in fact.
    “Lisa stopped at the tack shop, I think,” Carole saidsmoothly. “She should be here any second now. We’ll tack up Samson and have him ready to go by the time she arrives.”
    Max’s frown grew deeper. “Well, I don’t want to start without her,” he said. “Come get me when she’s ready. I’ll be in my office.” He turned and walked out.
    Carole glanced at her watch. She and Stevie dismounted, tethered Starlight and Belle to the fence, and got to work on Samson.

L ISA YANKED OFF the breeches, leaving the legs inside out, and reached for her old pair. She was hot, sweaty, and