The Saddle Creek Series 5-Book Bundle. Shelley Peterson

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      15

      THE GRAND INVITATIONAL

      SUNDAY FINALLY DAWNED. As she’d expected, Abby hadn’t slept a wink. She’d spent the night practising every possible combination of jumps. She’d imagined every scary unexpected angle, and sorted out how to ride it. She’d used her leg aids, asked for leads, kept her pace. Again and again, she’d chastised herself for not sleeping, repositioning herself in her effort to slumber, removing blankets only to shiver and pull them on again. It had been a very long night.

      Through the paned window over her bed, Abby watched the sun come up over the front field. It was pink and gorgeous. Shadows receded, taking with them the gloom of night and revealing a world filled with rosy light.

      Abby remembered what Hilary had told her. She’d ride today and get a good sleep tonight. Lack of sleep never killed anybody. That’s what Pete Pierson said.

      Abby felt horrible. Her head was full of cotton, her stomach in knots. The last thing she wanted to do was get out of bed. Her whole body seemed leaden. Gravity took hold of each of her bones, pulling her into the mattress. Could she call in sick? Fake an injury?

      No. She groaned and jammed the pillow over her head. No, she couldn’t. Everyone had made such a fuss over her the night before. She’d be embarrassed for her whole life if she wimped out.

      Slowly she crawled out from under the covers. Without bothering to get dressed, Abby stumbled downstairs for orange juice.

      Through the window on the landing, she saw Dancer grazing with Moonie and Leggy. “No!” she groaned. “Not again! And not today!” Visions of Owens shooting him as he ran home popped into her mind. Or Dancer caught in a trap.

      She ran outside barefoot in her white cotton pyjamas, hurdling the fence to save the time it would take to undo the latch. She called him. “Dancer, come here!” He looked at the fence, thinking of bolting. He looked at Abby, running through the field. He made his decision. Casually, he sat back and lifted his front legs over the four-rail fence, following through with a kick of his hind legs. For good measure, he gaily bucked before sailing away.

      “No, no, no, no, no!” muttered Abby. She opened the gate and ran for Moonie. Winding her fingers through Moonie’s mane, she jumped up and pulled herself onto the surprised mare’s back. “Let’s go!” she urged.

      Moonie snorted, then put herself into gear. She trotted out the gate, then picked up a canter as they turned right onto the gravel road. Abby looked back to see a panicking Leggy. She’d been grazing when her mother went through the gate, and now she raced back and forth looking for a way out. Finally, in desperation, the young mare leapt the fence. It took Abby’s breath away. She’s just like Dancer, she thought. She jumps like her old man.

      Cody followed Leggy, completing the unusual procession. Dancer galloped ahead along the road. Moonie and Abby were close behind. Abby was determined to keep him from cutting into Owens’ woods, the path he’d normally take. As the entrance to the path neared, Abby squeezed Moonie’s sides with her bare heels and steered him away. Luckily, Leggy flanked them on the inside, preventing Dancer from changing course and doubling back.

      Bareback riding requires constant use of the leg muscles, and Abby’s legs were getting tired. They turned up the road. Hogscroft was coming up on the right. Dancer picked up a burst of speed and cut up the lane. He was home.

      “Whew, Moonie,” Abby said with relief. She stretched her legs and wiggled her ankles and feet. Not trusting that Dancer would stay, she rode Moonie, with Leggy at her side, up the lane to the house. Christine was at the window, phone in hand. She waved with a large motion when she saw Abby. She put down the phone and opened the door.

      “Abby! That was your father. He’s on his way with Moonie’s tack.”

      “He saw us leave?”

      “Yes, he did.”

      Hilary James rushed out with a pair of rubber riding boots. “I got dressed the minute I heard. Here, wear these on the ride home. Do you want some pants, too?”

      “Thanks, but there’s no time. I guess I look pretty funny in my pyjamas.”

      Hilary nodded, giggling. “You sure as heck do.”

      “How’d he get out, Hilary? Was the electricity off?”

      “The electric fence wire kept him in for a while, but I guess he figured he could clear it without getting zapped!” As she ran to the barn she called over her shoulder, “Abby, I’ll look after bathing Dancer, you go get ready, and we’ll load at eleven. Okay?”

      “Okay. Thanks, Hilary! I’ll be back in time to braid him.” Abby patted her mare’s sweating neck. “Good girl, Moonie. Just like herding Mr. Pierson’s cows!”

      Liam arrived within minutes. Without a word, he put the saddle over Moonie’s back and tightened the girth. Abby yelled goodbye to Hilary and Christine as Liam gave her a leg up. Leggy followed Moonie down the drive along the road toward the Malones’ farm. A silvery flash in the bushes assured her that Cody was with them.

      “That was quite the stunt, Abby my girl,” said Liam sternly through the rolled-down truck window. “You might have gotten hurt. Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve helped.” He drove slowly beside them as they walked.

      Abby was stunned. “I didn’t think of it, Dad. It was an emergency. If Dancer had gone home his usual way along through the path, Owens would’ve killed him if he saw him, no questions asked.”

      “I could’ve achieved the same results with my truck, and you wouldn’t have risked breaking your leg or cracking your skull. That was foolish, Abby. Plus, you galloped an unfit pregnant mare. You put Moonie’s unborn foal at risk. And Leggy might have pulled something or gotten a shin splint, running hard up the road with her undeveloped joints.”

      Abby’s head was hanging. “I didn’t think of all that, Dad.” She felt bad. “But СКАЧАТЬ