Read Online Gift Horse by Bonnie Bryant - Free Book Online

waiting outside the stall to help her, holding No-Name’s grooming bucket. Carole was still working on Starlight’s grooming in the stall next door.
    “Here you go.” Lisa handed the bucket to Stevie. “I’ll gohelp Carole finish up so you can have a few minutes alone. Then we’ll come over and help.”
    “Thanks,” Stevie said, grateful as always to have such understanding best friends. She entered the stall and greeted No-Name with a big hug. The mare seemed happy to see her, moving forward as if she expected to leave the stall.
    “No, sorry, girl,” Stevie told her, closing the half door behind her. “We can’t go riding today.” She set the grooming bucket in a corner of the stall and started to pick out the horse’s hooves. No-Name turned her head and snuffled at Stevie’s hair, then lowered her head to examine the grooming bucket. Stevie smiled at the mare’s endless curiosity.
    “I know you’re bored and restless in here,” she said. She put down the hoof pick and grabbed a dandy brush, running it down the mare’s back and sides with brisk strokes. “I would be, too. It must be just like being grounded.” She frowned at the thought.
    Stevie could hear her friends chatting in the next stall, discussing ways to improve their performance on Saturday. But Stevie paid no attention. She knew that if she couldn’t ride No-Name on Saturday, all the strategy in the world wouldn’t help. Strategy and practice couldn’t replace the innate ability that some horses had for mounted games. No-Name had that ability. Topside didn’t. Even if they had a lot more time to practice, which they didn’t, theywouldn’t be able to make up for that—any more than spending more time grooming No-Name was going to be able to make up for not being able to ride her.
    Stevie sighed. No-Name looked at her and snorted. A second later, the mare suddenly moved to the front of the stall and stuck her head out over the half door.
    “We’ll be right back, Stevie,” Carole called. “We’re just going to the tack room to drop off Starlight’s stuff.” Stevie heard two sets of footsteps moving off down the aisle. No-Name continued to look out the stall door for a moment, apparently watching them go. Then she stamped her feet and shifted her weight, swinging her head from side to side. She backed away from the door for a minute, then quickly moved back and looked out again.
    “Just hold still for another second, okay?” Stevie said to No-Name, who seemed to be getting more and more restless. She ran a soft cloth over No-Name’s body, then dropped it back in the bucket. No-Name looked perfect. Since she hadn’t been out that day, grooming her hadn’t taken very long. Stevie was trying to think of something else she could do to prolong their time together when she heard the mare snort loudly.
    Stevie looked up. No-Name still had her head out the door, and now she seemed to be staring down the aisle at something. Stevie moved to the door next to the mare and looked out, expecting to see Carole and Lisa returning.
    She gasped in shock when she saw who was walkingdown the stable aisle toward her. It was Chelsea Webber! Two men were with her, and Mrs. Reg was walking behind them. The older of the two men was wearing a business suit and had his arm slung protectively around the girl’s shoulder. Stevie figured he must be Mr. Webber. The younger man was dressed more casually and carrying an equipment bag. Immediately Stevie guessed why they were here. This was the vet who was going to try to determine No-Name’s true identity.
    Stevie gulped. The anger that had been simmering inside her for the last several days seemed to gather steam. How dare Chelsea do this to her! How dare she come to Pine Hollow—the place Stevie loved most in the world—to see No-Name, and bring a vet to examine her.
    As the group drew closer, Mrs. Reg caught Stevie’s eye and gave her a warning glance, as if the older woman knew how close Stevie was