editor of the Darton Dialogue , strolling to his car. When he did a double take at the sight of Sam and Rachel riding together, Sam waved. Rachel might have wanted to fling herself to the car floor, but she only flattened her spine against the seat back as they left Darton High traffic behind.
Sam was just thinking how cool it would be to have a saddle made with the supple leather used for the Mercedes’ seat covers, when the car phone rang.
Sam and Jen looked at each other. Since they couldn’t cover their ears, they shifted away and pretended not to listen.
“Ryan!” Rachel’s voice brimmed with happiness, and though Sam knew she’d heard the name before, she couldn’t place it until Rachel said, “What’s up in Nottingham?”
Her brother , Jen mouthed, and Sam gave a tiny nod.
“Of course, Ry.” Rachel’s voice returned to its usual mocking tone. “My equitation instructor is in the Mercedes with me now.”
Rachel’s fingers flipped through her silky hair as she shifted with discomfort. “Anyone can improve. My skills will be top-notch for summer competition--Oh, it is not. It’s no more a beauty contest than your steeplechasing.”
She laughed at her twin’s answer, then turned farther away from Sam and Jen and lowered her voice.
“Just the recognition. I’ll donate the scholarship to the needy or something. That’s what I was about to say. You always--” She paused, listening. “The advantage of being twelve minutes older, yes?”
Rachel’s chat turned brittle again. “My horse? I’ll let that be your summer surprise.”
During the silence that followed, Sam decided Rachel didn’t have a mount of her own. Of course, Linc wouldn’t allow that to be a problem for long.
“Not really!” Rachel’s gasp was so sudden, even Jen, who’d been politely pretending to study, glanced up at Rachel’s suddenly red face.
“Christmas?” Rachel pronounced the word as if she’d just learned it. “She is?” Rachel sighed, andthough her coloring faded toward normal, her expression was sad. “Switzerland. How nice. Well, then, of course you--and I guess you’ll get to see my horse a little sooner than expected. Still, I want to surprise you, Ry. Okay, yes. Ta to you, too. I miss you.”
Face to the window, Rachel curled against her side of the car, looking small.
No . Sam would not let herself feel sorry for Rachel. She couldn’t forget the girl had dropped one of Mr. Blair’s cameras and let Sam take the blame. And what about Rachel’s mocking laugh as she said Sam looked like a boy? As if that weren’t enough, Rachel had also been rude to Jake and Jen, Sam’s two, best friends in the world.
“Well, cowgirl,” Rachel said suddenly. “My schedule’s changed and so has yours. You’ll give me the intensive course. Starting tomorrow, I’d say, since I must be riding well by Christmas. And you’ll need to help me find an appropriate horse.”
Rachel’s lips formed a witchy smile, as if Sam had no choice.
As she replaced the car phone, Sam considered Rachel’s unprotected back. Sam didn’t think of herself as a violent person, but if Jen’s knee hadn’t nudged hers meaningfully, she might have explored her desire to give Rachel a punch.
The car’s rolling tires were the only sound for a minute.
“Mother calls Ryan the conscience of the family,” Rachel said.
Sam imagined Rachel with a cartoon devil perched on one shoulder, an angel on the other. If that was Ryan’s duty, he was slacking. Linc and Rachel needed him, big time.
“I want your assistance, too,” Rachel said to Jen.
Jen closed her book. “I’m fascinated,” she said. “But it depends on what you need.”
Rachel wrestled with whether she could admit she needed anything from them, then decided to let it go.
“Samantha knows,” Rachel said.
“Sort of. You want to improve your riding skills.”
Jen’s hand couldn’t cover her mouth before a laugh escaped.
“I have some skills,” Rachel
Sam was just thinking how cool it would be to have a saddle made with the supple leather used for the Mercedes’ seat covers, when the car phone rang.
Sam and Jen looked at each other. Since they couldn’t cover their ears, they shifted away and pretended not to listen.
“Ryan!” Rachel’s voice brimmed with happiness, and though Sam knew she’d heard the name before, she couldn’t place it until Rachel said, “What’s up in Nottingham?”
Her brother , Jen mouthed, and Sam gave a tiny nod.
“Of course, Ry.” Rachel’s voice returned to its usual mocking tone. “My equitation instructor is in the Mercedes with me now.”
Rachel’s fingers flipped through her silky hair as she shifted with discomfort. “Anyone can improve. My skills will be top-notch for summer competition--Oh, it is not. It’s no more a beauty contest than your steeplechasing.”
She laughed at her twin’s answer, then turned farther away from Sam and Jen and lowered her voice.
“Just the recognition. I’ll donate the scholarship to the needy or something. That’s what I was about to say. You always--” She paused, listening. “The advantage of being twelve minutes older, yes?”
Rachel’s chat turned brittle again. “My horse? I’ll let that be your summer surprise.”
During the silence that followed, Sam decided Rachel didn’t have a mount of her own. Of course, Linc wouldn’t allow that to be a problem for long.
“Not really!” Rachel’s gasp was so sudden, even Jen, who’d been politely pretending to study, glanced up at Rachel’s suddenly red face.
“Christmas?” Rachel pronounced the word as if she’d just learned it. “She is?” Rachel sighed, andthough her coloring faded toward normal, her expression was sad. “Switzerland. How nice. Well, then, of course you--and I guess you’ll get to see my horse a little sooner than expected. Still, I want to surprise you, Ry. Okay, yes. Ta to you, too. I miss you.”
Face to the window, Rachel curled against her side of the car, looking small.
No . Sam would not let herself feel sorry for Rachel. She couldn’t forget the girl had dropped one of Mr. Blair’s cameras and let Sam take the blame. And what about Rachel’s mocking laugh as she said Sam looked like a boy? As if that weren’t enough, Rachel had also been rude to Jake and Jen, Sam’s two, best friends in the world.
“Well, cowgirl,” Rachel said suddenly. “My schedule’s changed and so has yours. You’ll give me the intensive course. Starting tomorrow, I’d say, since I must be riding well by Christmas. And you’ll need to help me find an appropriate horse.”
Rachel’s lips formed a witchy smile, as if Sam had no choice.
As she replaced the car phone, Sam considered Rachel’s unprotected back. Sam didn’t think of herself as a violent person, but if Jen’s knee hadn’t nudged hers meaningfully, she might have explored her desire to give Rachel a punch.
The car’s rolling tires were the only sound for a minute.
“Mother calls Ryan the conscience of the family,” Rachel said.
Sam imagined Rachel with a cartoon devil perched on one shoulder, an angel on the other. If that was Ryan’s duty, he was slacking. Linc and Rachel needed him, big time.
“I want your assistance, too,” Rachel said to Jen.
Jen closed her book. “I’m fascinated,” she said. “But it depends on what you need.”
Rachel wrestled with whether she could admit she needed anything from them, then decided to let it go.
“Samantha knows,” Rachel said.
“Sort of. You want to improve your riding skills.”
Jen’s hand couldn’t cover her mouth before a laugh escaped.
“I have some skills,” Rachel
Similar Books
