Read Online The Palomino Pony Comes Home by Olivia Tuffin - Free Book Online Page B

in the pet tent. Georgia would have liked to have had a rabbit of her own but her mum always said it was too risky with a dog around. She bought an ice cream and a can of cola from a stall and was just wandering back through the line of horseboxes when a voice from the other side of a dark-maroon lorry made her stop in her tracks.
    “I’d know that girl anywhere…”
    It was Jemma.
    Quickly tucking herself into the shadows of the horsebox, Georgia held her breath. Jemma was sitting in the doorway to the livestock entrance, flanked by two older boys. She couldn’t see their faces, but she was sure they were the boysGeorgia had seen her with on the field trip. Her blood ran cold at the sound of their voices and she shuddered at the thought of the three of them closing in on Lily on the mountainside, ready to beat her if she disobeyed.
    “Nobody makes me look a fool. I want that pony back.” Jemma’s voice was snarling and menacing.
    Georgia shrank further into the shadows of the horsebox, straining to hear the rest of the conversation.
    “That little upstart thinks she can get one over on me,” Jemma continued, her voice growing angrier. “But I’m not going to let her get away with it! That stupid pony was given to me, and I’ll do what I like with her!”
    “But your granddad sold her, didn’t he?” said one of the boys.
    “Oh, for goodness’ sake!” Jemma snapped, sounding as if she was going to explode.“Granddad’s done with the ponies! He’s totally lost the plot! Mum and I are taking over the business now!”
    One of the boys spoke again, sounding worried. “But they’ll be able to find out if you’ve taken the pony. You’ll get done for stealing.”
    Jemma’s voice was quieter now, like a white rage. “Then I’ll just say Granddad’s soft in the head so it doesn’t count … that he didn’t sell the pony at all. I’m sure there’s no contract or anything. Now, are you with me or not? Because you’re both sounding as pathetic as anything right now!”
    The boys mumbled a reply that Georgia could just about make out as a yes before she sprinted back across to the Haydens’ horsebox, her heart pounding and her mouth dry with fear.
    When Georgia told Melanie all about the conversation she had just overheard, Melanie looked a bit exasperated. “Look, Georgia, she’sdefinitely a nasty piece of work,” she said, “but she won’t come to the stables to steal Lily. She’ll have more sense than that.”
    Georgia hung her head. She knew Melanie thought she was silly to worry but she hadn’t heard the steely determination in the girl’s voice.
    Melanie softened. “Listen, don’t worry. We’ll watch out for her at shows from now on, just in case she tries to make trouble. OK?”
    Georgia nodded.
    “I can’t have her upsetting my number-one groom now, can I?” Melanie ruffled Georgia’s hair. “Now, come on. Let’s get this horse lorry on the road.”
    Georgia gave Melanie a small smile, but she couldn’t ignore the knot of anxiety still twisting in her stomach. What if Jemma really did carry out her threat? What if she came and tried to take Lily away? Georgia knew she couldn’t bear that.
    Suddenly Georgia’s head went up. She just wasn’t going to ignore what she’d heard. If Melanie didn’t believe her, then it was up to Georgia to keep Lily safe. She’d made a promise to the little palomino and she was going to keep it, whatever happened.

C HAPTER S IXTEEN
    “T here you are, my angel,” Georgia called as she got out of the horse lorry and ran across the yard at Redgrove. It had seemed a much longer journey back from the show and it was such a relief to see the little pony again, safe and sound, standing at the gate with Callie.
    Lily gave a shrill whinny as Melanie unboxed Wilson. She was clearly delighted to see thehandsome bay pony. Georgia placed both arms around the mare’s neck, breathing in her scent and the warmth of the early evening sunshine on her golden