English Horse (14 page)

“Does that mean you were more impressed by holding that tarantula at the Insect Zoo than by our tour of the White House?” Carole teased. She was happy that Tessa’s mood had improved so much since Thursday night. She was sure that their fun-filled day in Washington had had something to do with that. But she was equally certain that Stevie’s new plan had done its part as well. The four girls had spent most of their sleepover the night before making plans.

There was one aspect of the plot that still worried Carole, though. “Do you really think we can convince Max to go along with this?” she asked as she and her friends headed for the locker room. “I mean, we’re not exactly on his good side these days.”

Tessa tossed her head. “He’s not mad at me, is he?” she reminded them.

Soon the girls had saddled their horses and were gathered in the outdoor ring with the rest of the class. Max perched on the fence and addressed the group.

“As you can probably guess,” he began, “we’ll be spending most of today’s meeting practicing for next
week’s point-to-point at the country club. I know most of you are entered in the junior hurdle race, and I also know that this race is going to be a little different than anything you’ve attempted before. So I want to make sure you’re as ready as possible.”

“Did you hear that?” Stevie whispered to Carole excitedly. “He’s practically playing right into our hands!”

Carole nodded. She was just as excited about that as Stevie. But she was also excited at the thought of competing in the point-to-point. She gave Starlight a pat and then returned her attention to Max.

“Almost all of you have experience jumping in the show ring,” he said. “But a race like this is different. It won’t just be you and your horse performing out there all alone. You’ll be competing directly against lots of other riders. It’s probably a lot closer to the fox hunt we held here a while ago than to anything else we’ve done in Horse Wise.”

Tessa raised her hand. “That’s very true, Max,” she said. “After all, steeplechasing began as a way for hunters to show off their horses.”

“She’s buttering him up,” Stevie whispered gleefully.

Carole nodded. Max was smiling at Tessa and agreeing with what she had said. Then he went on to give a brief history of the sport of steeplechasing, including a lot of the information Tessa had already shared with her friends.

“Steeplechasing isn’t nearly as popular here in the U.S. as it is in Great Britain,” Max continued. “But its popularity
is growing. Several major racetracks hold occasional steeplechases as part of their schedule. American steeplechases are two to two and a half miles long and usually have eleven or twelve jumps.”

“Wow,” Carole whispered to her friends. “Two and a half miles? That’s a lot longer than a regular horse race.”

Max went on. “But steeplechases held at racetracks are only one kind of jumping race,” he said. “There are a couple of other types. Can anyone guess what one of those is?”

“Point-to-point!” called out several students at once.

Normally Max didn’t like his students yelling out answers without raising their hands, but this time he smiled. “Right,” he said. “A point-to-point takes place cross-country over natural obstacles. In an old-fashioned style point-to-point, competitors choose their own path from start to finish—point to point—jumping whatever’s in their way.”

Tessa raised her hand. “That sounds just like that very first race between those two hunters back in Ireland,” she said.

“Right,” Max agreed. “In fact, even today a point-to-point is thought of as a race for hunters, especially in England. But these days it’s more usual for a course to be laid out beforehand with special fences set up. That’s what the country club has planned for next Saturday.” He smiled. “Although technically, I suppose their program
could also come under the third category of jump racing—a hunt race meeting. That’s an informal day of half a dozen races or so. It might include flat races as well as jumping ones, over timber or brush obstacles. And sometimes these meetings include restricted races, such as those for young riders only.” He smiled. “For example, the junior hurdle race that most of you will be riding in next weekend. The Maryland Hunt Cup is probably the most famous example of a hunt meeting in America.”

Tessa raised her hand again. Carole noticed several other members of Horse Wise giving the British girl disgruntled looks. She guessed that Tessa had Veronica to thank for that. Still, she was pretty sure she knew what Tessa was going to say next—and that the other students were going to like it.

“Yes, Tessa?” Max nodded for her to speak.

“I just have one tidbit to add to your history of steeplechasing, if you don’t mind,” she said. When Max nodded again, she went on. “I told some people about it last week. It was a notorious race known as the Midnight Steeplechase.”

Several students nodded as they remembered what Tessa had told them the previous Saturday afternoon. One or two also giggled as they recalled that the racers on that long-ago evening had worn nightshirts over their normal clothing.

But Tessa didn’t mention that aspect of the event.
“The race took place among British cavalry officers stationed at Ipswich,” she explained instead. “It was held cross-country after dinner one evening.”

“That sounds like it was fun,” Max said with a smile. “All right, then—”

Stevie couldn’t hold back any longer. She had to jump in to make sure their plan worked. “Hey, Max!” she called, leaning forward in her saddle and waving her hand in the air.

Max frowned slightly. “Yes, Stevie?” he said.

“Wouldn’t it be fun to have something like that here?” she said brightly. “Maybe we could do it tonight!”

Max laughed. “Sure, Stevie,” he replied sarcastically. “Now, as I was saying—”

“Oh, but Max!” Tessa interrupted. “I think it’s a marvelous idea to hold our own midnight steeplechase. And it would be terrific practice for next week!”

Max looked surprised. “Well, yes,” he said. “I suppose it would be. But I just don’t have time to pull something like that together today. I’m sorry.”

“We could all help,” Carole spoke up. “You wouldn’t have to do a thing.”

“Definitely!” called out Adam Levine. “It sounds like a blast! I’ll help!”

Stevie grinned. All around her, people were chattering excitedly about the idea. Even the horses were shifting their feet as they picked up on the humans’ excitement.

Max frowned and scanned his students. Stevie crossed her fingers. He had to say yes. He had to!

Suddenly a new voice rang out. “I think it’s a stupid idea,” Veronica said loudly. She gave Tessa and the rest of The Saddle Club a dismissive glance. “Who cares what some dumb British soldiers did a million years ago? Riding around the countryside at night isn’t my idea of a good time.” She shrugged. “Besides, it sounds dangerous.” She turned and smiled sweetly at Max. “Aren’t you always telling us not to ride fast after dark?”

Lisa jumped in before Max could answer. “It wouldn’t actually take place at midnight,” she pointed out sensibly. “We’re talking about right after dinner. And it doesn’t get dark this time of year until late.”

“That’s true,” put in Polly Giacomin, patting her horse. “And Romeo and I could really use some practice. I didn’t own him when we held that fox hunt.” She glanced at her friend Britt, who was beside her. “And Britt wasn’t even riding at Pine Hollow then.”

“Neither was I,” called out Andrea Barry. “I think a midnight steeplechase could be fun.”

“Well,” Max said at last, sounding a little grumpy. “It sounds like you’ve all made up your minds. What else can I do but go along?” He waited a moment for the cheers to die down. “But you’re going to have to do all the work,” he warned. “It won’t be easy to pull this together in one day. Maybe we should hold it next week.”

“No, we can do it!” Stevie called out. “I personally volunteer to check with all the property owners around Pine Hollow to get permission to ride over their land tonight. I’ll also—um—take care of gathering the—uh—stuff well need for the ride.”

Max looked confused. But Carole didn’t give him a chance to ask any questions. “I’ll organize a group to come up with a course,” she offered. “Lisa can print out maps on her family’s computer.”

Several other students quickly volunteered for other tasks. Max shrugged. “Okay, okay,” he said, throwing up his hands with a wry smile. “Tonight it is, then. You can get started on your planning right after Horse Wise. Now let’s get this meeting started before it’s time to end it!”

“H
I
, T
ESSA
,” A
NNA
McWhirter said, coming over to The Saddle Club as they cleaned their tack after the meeting. “I just wanted to say, that was a great idea you had about the midnight steeplechase. I think it will be fun.”

“Thanks,” Tessa said, returning the other girl’s smile.

As Anna wandered off to hang up her horse’s bridle, Lisa leaned over to Tessa. “I guess at least one person decided you weren’t too snooty after all,” she whispered. She didn’t want the other students in the tack room to overhear. There were at least half a dozen riders there busily taking care of their tack. So far several of them had smiled tentatively at Tessa and one or two had actually
said hello. Luckily, Veronica’s prank seemed to be wearing off.

Tessa beamed. “I know,” she whispered back. “I hope it’s catching!”

Stevie hadn’t heard them. She was thinking about something else. “I told Max after class about the costume part of the story,” she said. She shook her head. “I can’t believe I almost blurted it out in front of—”

“Shhh!” Carole hissed, gesturing toward the door with her head.

The girls all turned to look. Veronica had just come in, carrying Danny’s sweaty saddle and bridle. She dropped the tack on a nearby rack, then surveyed the room with her hands on her hips.

“I can’t believe you were all so excited about that silly dinnertime steeplechase idea,” she said loudly. She let out a derisive snort. “Let me tell you, I for one have better things to do on a Saturday night.”

Stevie frowned. She hadn’t anticipated this. Their midnight steeplechase wouldn’t exactly be an official Horse Wise function, so they couldn’t count on Max making participation mandatory. What if Veronica just refused to ride?

“What’s the matter, Veronica?” she said quickly. “Are you scared of losing?”

Veronica rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. I’m in no hurry to beat you, Stevie.” She smiled coolly. “I can wait until the point-to-point for that. It will be more fun to do it
with half the town watching.” She smirked and stared at Tessa. “It’s just too bad I won’t have the chance to beat your little friend, too, since she’s stuck being a judge. Really too bad.”

“Oh, really?” Tessa said calmly, standing up. “Well, here’s your chance, Veronica. If you ride tonight, we can see who’s the better rider once and for all—you or me.”

By then, all other conversation in the tack room had ceased. Every student in the place was watching Veronica and Tessa.

Veronica laughed. “I don’t need to ride tonight to know that,” she replied haughtily.

Tessa glanced at her friends. Then she turned back to face Veronica. “All right, then why don’t we make things a bit more interesting … with a friendly wager?” she suggested.

Veronica looked around and realized for the first time that she had a sizable audience. “What do you have in mind?” She sounded cautious.

“Well, let’s see.” Tessa paused to think. “If you finish ahead of me, I’ll, um …” She turned desperately to her friends for help.

Stevie jumped right in. “If you beat Tessa”—she pointed to Veronica—“Tessa will dress up as a rodeo clown and perform in the Willow Creek Fourth of July parade next Sunday afternoon.” She smiled. “And if Tessa beats you, you have to do the same thing.”

Veronica hesitated. Carole could almost see her turning
the challenge over in her mind, wavering between her malicious desire to make Tessa look like a fool and her equal desire not to take any chances on looking like a fool herself.

“Come on, Veronica,” Joe Novick spoke up suddenly, breaking the silence. “What are you, chicken?”

“Chicken!” Adam Levine sang out. He tucked his hands under his armpits and flapped his elbows up and down.
“Buck, buck! Chicken!”
Joe joined in, and soon both boys were dancing around the tack room acting like poultry.

Veronica shot them a look of pure hatred. “Shut up,” she snapped. “I’m no chicken.” She walked over to Tessa and put out her hand. “It’s a bet!”

“I
S EVERYTHING READY
to go?” Carole asked Stevie that evening.

“Everything except the most important thing,” Stevie replied grimly. “Veronica hasn’t shown up yet.”

Carole finished tightening Starlight’s girth. “Uh-oh.” She glanced at her watch. “Do you think she decided not to come after all?”

“I sure hope not.” Stevie shook her head in dismay. “Everything else is just perfect. Lisa has the special map all ready. And of course, the pajamas I collected are fantastic.” She grinned. “Even if Veronica got first pick, she’d still be totally humiliated. There’s not a designer original in the box.”