Read Online Stormchaser and the Silver Mist by Belinda Rapley - Free Book Online Page B

Anyway, back to my original question. Did we come up with a solution about what I do if I need the loo?”

    The girls rode the long way round to Greenfield’s Riding School, unable to cut through the Abbey grounds. As they finally turned onto Turpin Lane, Mia frowned at the chaos that greeted them. Trailers and horseboxes were pulling slowly out of the drive. Dodging in and out of them were lots of riders in smart show clothes, and even more in fancy dress. But instead of riding towards the School, they were riding away from it.
    “What’s going on?” Mia asked.
    The others shrugged, frowning and standing up in their stirrups to see if they could catch a glimpse of the yard. They overheard snippets of conversation.
    “It’s such a shame,” one parent, who was leading a small child on a beautifully groomed white pony, tutted, “Lauren’s been looking forward to this for weeks.”
    “I cant believe we came all this way,” said another, “and now we’ve got to turn straight back round again!”
    “Excuse me,” Mia said to a boy riding past on a smart chestnut, “do you know what’s happened?”
    “The show’s been cancelled,” he said, holding his reins lightly. “Apparently some ponies got loose from here last night and they haven’t found all of them yet. They’ve had to call the whole thing off so they can coordinate the search for them.”
    The girls looked at each other, dismayed. For half a second they all felt bitter disappointment at not being able to compete in the show,but that swiftly turned to determination.
    The boy rode on, but the Pony Detectives had no intention of heading home.
    “Well, Alice, you said yesterday that we needed to take another look at our cases and work out what to do next,” Charlie said grimly, “and now’s our chance. This crime scene must only be a few hours old. I think we need to get in there straightaway.”
    The others nodded, vigorously. They carried on riding against the tide, heading past the fairy lights on the gate, and the huge, highly decorated Christmas tree sparkling next to it. There was a Father Christmas walking about, talking on his mobile and looking anxious. He’d pulled down his big white beard and the girls recognised him as Mr Greenfield. All the stables were trimmed with red and green tinsel, and Christmas carols were still piping in the background. Two stalls were set up near the outdoor arena, but the jacket potatoes weren’t being cooked and the horsey gifts were still inside a small truck.
    The girls searched for Sophie, and foundher coming back with some other helpers from one of the bridleways that led from the back of the yard. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were flushed red. Sophie looked up when they called her name, but she couldn’t manage a smile. When Mia asked her what the latest was, Sophie just looked bewildered.
    “Molly’s still missing,” she said all in one breath, a gulp in her throat. “I’ve been out looking once already, but there’s no sign of her, or Biddy, or Samson. I hate to think what’s happened to them…”
    Sophie clearly wasn’t thinking straight. She had headcollars slung over her shoulder but she didn’t look like she knew where she was going next, in the confusion around her.
    “Which field did they get loose from?” Charlie asked her. “Was it locked?”
    “What? Oh, that field over there, the far corner field,” Sophie said, pointing over to it. “And no, it wasn’t locked, but it was tied with baler twine. The horses have never even tried to get out before, though – I don’t understand it.”
    Alice realised that Sophie must not havelinked what had happened with the other ponies being let loose in the last couple of weeks. It didn’t feel like the time to raise it, so Alice just asked for details. “Did Mrs Greenfield see anything? Or hear anything?”
    Sophie shook her head and sniffed. The Pony Detectives frowned at each other. Then Mrs Greenfield suddenly called Sophie and