Mrs. Maynard gave Tori an approving look. “He likes you, young lady. Would you care to groom him for me? I’m afraid I’ve neglected him of late—at least, I haven’t spent the time I usually do since I’ve been sick.”
Kate held her breath. Tori had always been afraid of strange horses, but she’d offered to exercise Starlight.
Tori nodded eagerly. “Yes, ma’am, I’d like that.” She turned to her mother, who stood nearby. “Is it okay, Mom?”
Kate knew Tori was remembering what a difficult time they’d had convincing Mrs. Velasquez to allow Tori to work at Mountain View Equestrian Center a few months ago. Tori had come a long way with the riding lessons she’d taken at that barn, then at the Ferrises’, and Kate couldn’t have been more proud of her friend.
Mrs. Velasquez paused, looking uncomfortable. “I suppose, if Mrs. Maynard says her horse is safe, and he’s tied up or someone is holding him. I don’t want you in the pen with him loose, though.”
Mrs. Maynard took a halter and rope off a nail on a post, then swung open the gate. Starlight gave a gentle nicker and moved toward her, his body relaxed and his head extended. She slipped the halter on and secured it, then led him to the fence and tied the rope to the top rail.
The next several minutes were spent gathering the grooming tools, then Tori went to work, crooning over the black gelding as she brushed out his mane. “You’re a beautiful boy. Did you know that? I’ll bet you’re the smartest horse in the county, if not the entire state.”
Melissa rolled her eyes. “Now that might be taking it a little too far.” She glanced at Mrs. Maynard. “No offense meant, ma’am.”
The older lady smiled. “None taken, but I have to agree with Tori. Starlight is the smartest horse I’ve ever met, and I’ve been around plenty in my almost seventy years.” She looked at Colt. “Young man, would you mind staying here with Tori? I have something to do inside, and I’d like Kate and Melissa to accompany me.”
She peered at Kate and then Melissa, and her voice dropped to a husky whisper. “That is, if you aren’t worried I’ll kidnap you or bury you in my basement.”
Chapter Thirteen
Melissa shivered and rubbed her hands on her arms, then glanced at Kate, who gave her a huge grin and a wink.
Kate couldn’t believe Melissa had fallen for Mrs. Maynard’s joke, but Melissa was the one who’d believed all the gossip to the point she’d refused to return, until they received the letter.
Melissa glared at Kate, then swung toward Mrs. Maynard. “Are you making fun of me?”
“Why no, dear. But I’ve heard the rumors and know what many of the children and teens in this town think. I thought you’d appreciate my attempt at humor. I’m sorry if it frightened you. If Kate’s willing to come, you’re more than welcome to stay with your friends. Or one of the ladies can accompany me instead, if anyone is concerned about it being suitable for you girls.”
Kate’s mother chuckled. “I’m not a bit worried. Kate can go if she’d like to, and Melissa, please do stay with us if you’d rather.”
Kate grinned. “I’d love to.” Her smile faded as she saw uncertainty flash across Melissa’s face. She held out her hand. “Come on. I want you along, Melissa.”
The girl’s lips formed a little O. “Really? Cool! I mean … sure, I suppose it isn’t a big deal.”
Mrs. Maynard gave an approving nod. “Since that’s settled”—she glanced at Tori—“will you and Colt be all right? You don’t feel left out, I hope.”
Colt draped an arm over the paddock rail. “I’m good. I’m guessing it’s gonna be girl stuff anyway, so I’ll hang out with the horse. And Tori,” he said, almost as an afterthought.
Tori huffed, then giggled. “I guess I can’t be mad at that, since I’d rather hang out with Starlight than you, Colt.”
“Ouch! You wounded my pride.”
“Whatever.” Tori waved him away, then turned her attention to Starlight.
Kate’s mom beckoned to Mrs. Velasquez. “Let’s go sit in the shade where we can keep an eye on Pete—he’s quite taken with Mrs. Maynard’s cat. It would be nice to get out of this hot sun, and we can see the kids from the chairs. Besides, I think there’s a little iced tea left in the pitcher.” She led the way to the tree where the wicker chairs were placed.
Kate looped her hand through Melissa’s arm. “Let’s go. Mrs. Maynard is already halfway to the house.”
“Right.” Melissa moved in time with Kate’s step, then lowered her voice. “What do you think she’s up to?”
Kate slanted a look at the girl. “You don’t trust her?”
“I’m not sure. She seems nice enough, and I guess she was telling the truth about burying her dog, but why does she only want the two of us to come in her house?” She shivered. “It’s strange, that’s all.”
Kate quickened her pace as Mrs. Maynard held open the porch door and waited. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough!”
Mrs. Maynard allowed them to enter the house, and she followed. Kate blinked, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dim light. She glanced around, taking in her surroundings. It wasn’t at all what she’d expected. But she wasn’t sure exactly what she’d expected. A dump? A dingy mess that stank like garbage, or worse? “This is awesome!” She breathed the words and moved toward a glassed-in display of photos and trophies. “What are these from?”
Mrs. Maynard stepped close. “Those were taken of me during high school when I was showing horses and competing at barrel racing. That was my first love. I always thought I’d reach nationals one day, until I was in the accident.”
Melissa gulped. “Why would you give that up? Did your broken leg keep you from competing?”
“Yes, for a while. But mostly I simply gave up.” She tapped her chest. “In here.” Then she pointed at her head. “And mostly in here. I was convinced I would never amount to anything, due to this horrible scar. So I kept to myself and quit trying.”
Melissa stared at the photos. “You were beautiful.” She breathed the words as though saying a prayer. “I had no idea.” An instant later, she put her hand over her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”
Mrs. Maynard shook her head. “It’s all right, dear. I’m too old now to care whether I kept my beauty or not, but back then, I thought I’d lost my entire world.”
Melissa glanced at her. “So going to church fixed everything?”
“Oh no. Not at all. Church can’t fix anything that’s wrong in the world. It can give a helping hand and show compassion, but true change and help only come from the Lord. He’s the one who heals the brokenhearted and restores hope.” She peered at Melissa. “I see you don’t know that for yourself, do you?”
Melissa ducked her head. “I dunno. Kate’s told me a little about it, but it’s all so new—and strange.”
“Yes, I imagine it would be. Give it time, Melissa. And keep your heart open. If you ask God to show Himself to you, He will. Of that I am certain.” She smiled and pointed toward the far side of the tidy living room that oozed comfort and warmth. “I need to go upstairs. Will you girls accompany me?”
“Sure.” Kate fell in behind Mrs. Maynard, then looked back at Melissa. “You coming?”
“Uh. Yeah. I guess.” Melissa darted a wary look at the dark staircase, then made a face. “Sorry. I’m being stupid.” In two long strides, she caught up with Kate and the older woman. “I can’t wait to see what you want to show us.”
Apprehension slithered through Kate as Mrs. Maynard stopped at the base of a dark, narrow staircase when they reached the second floor. Silly. She shouldn’t have been listening to Melissa’s nonsense. But why would Mrs. Maynard take them up to the attic? “Are we going up there? Do we need a flashlight?”
“Certainly not.” Mrs. Maynard flipped a switch on the wall. “I had electricity wired in the attic two decades ago.”
Melissa exhaled loudly. “Good. I’ll admit I’m not crazy about dark places where there might be spiders.”
“I don’t blame you, and that’s why I keep this handy as well.” She plucked a flyswatter off a nail next to the switch. “Now that we’re armed with light and a weapon, let’s go.”
Kate giggled, envisioning the older woman marching into battle armed only with a flyswatter as a giant spider dangled overhead. Then she sobered, wondering how far that might be from the truth. “What’s up there?” She hated that her voice shook the tiniest bit, but she couldn’t help it.
Melissa grasped Kate’s hand. “Yeah. That’s what I was wondering.”
“You’ll see if you’re patient. I think you’ll be happy you trusted me once we’re upstairs.” She trudged up the stairs and swung the door open at the top. A musty odor drifted out. “Are you girls coming?”
The two girls looked at each other, and Kate gave a brief nod. “All right. Let’s go.”
They trooped up the stairs after Mrs. Maynard, but they didn’t let go of each other’s hands. Kate hoped they’d made the right decision trusting this woman. Of course, their mothers were right outside, and Mrs. Maynard was small, so what did they have to be afraid of?
Chapter Fourteen
A dim light sent some of the darkness scurrying into the corners, but deep shadows still lingered in the low-ceilinged room. Melissa stepped through the doorway behind her, and Kate could feel her breathing on the back of her neck. Not that she blamed her. This place was spooky.
Mrs. Maynard gave her a smile, but in the wavering light, it didn’t look warm or inviting. “What’s wrong, girls? Have you already seen a spider?”
Melissa pressed closer to Kate’s side. “It kind of gives me the creeps up here.”
“I’m so sorry, dear. We needn’t stay long.” Mrs. Maynard shuffled to a corner, where the dim glow from the single overhead bulb barely reached. “Would one of you be so kind as to pull this box out for me? I’m afraid it’s a bit more than I should attempt.”
Kate stared at the box she could hardly see, then glanced at Melissa. Wide-eyed Melissa shook her head. Kate moved forward. “Is it heavy?”
“Not terribly, but it’s hard for me to bend over very far. I’m sorry to have to bother you with this.” Her tone was gentle and helped ease some of Kate’s fears.
“Sure.” Kate took three strides and reached the box. She bent over and tugged, and it moved easily under her hands. “It’s not heavy at all.” She nudged it again and pushed it into the middle of the room. “But it’s covered with dust. Should we take it downstairs?”
“Hmm.” Mrs. Maynard pursed her lips. “I suppose that might be best. I’d planned to open it here, but I didn’t realize how dusty everything would be. Will it be a problem for you to carry it down?”
Relief flooded through Kate at the thought of leaving the dark attic. She could fly down those steps with a box twice this heavy and not be bothered. “Nope. Want to go now?” She plucked the box off the floor and held it against her chest.
“Certainly, dear. Why don’t you lead the way?” Mrs. Maynard waited for Kate and Melissa to precede her, then turned off the attic light and closed the door.
Kate shivered as the door thumped, thankful she was no longer in that creepy place. She bolted down the stairs and walked into the living area. “Where would you like me to put this?”
Mrs. Maynard led the way to a pine coffee table and patted the top. “Right here is fine. Then you and Melissa take a seat on the couch while I open it.” She frowned as Kate set it down. “I’ll get something to dust the top with first.”
She returned in a moment and swiped the top of the box with a damp cloth. “Much better. Now, let’s see if things are still in good shape. If so, we’ll have to go back up and get another box. But I didn’t see any sense in that if these are moth- or mouse-eaten.”
“Ugh.” Melissa wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think I want to go back up with moths, mice, and spiders. I thought seeing a spider was bad enough.”
Kate wasn’t afraid of bugs, but she agreed. All she wanted to do was get back outside with Tori and Colt. They probably thought they were missing out, but they were the lucky ones in the sunshine with a gorgeous horse—instead of being trapped in a spooky house.
Mrs. Maynard didn’t respond, but she peeled off the wide band of yellowed tape that covered the line where the flaps met.
Kate peered closely at the box. It didn’t appear to be nibbled, so maybe the contents were safe. She almost wished they wouldn’t be, so she and Melissa wouldn’t have to venture upstairs again. “What’s inside?” She leaned forward and kept her gaze fixed on the box as Mrs. Maynard carefully pulled back the top.
Melissa hitched forward onto the edge of her seat. “Oh my! What a beautiful cherry-red color! Is that satin?”
“Yes, it certainly is. You have a good eye, Melissa.” Mrs. Maynard slipped her hand under the folds of fabric and withdrew a good-sized swath. “What do you think?”
“It smells musty, but it’s a pretty color,” Kate agreed. “What’s it good for?”
Mrs. Maynard laughed. “I suppose I should open it.” She stepped away from the coffee table and unfolded the satin to its full width, longer than her opened arm span. “Now can you see it?”
Kate gasped. “Where did you get that? I can’t believe it!” She stared at a gorgeous banner that was the perfect size and fit to go over the back of a horse. The words Fort Dalles Rodeo Princess Court were emblazoned in black letters on each side. “Wow!”
Mrs. Maynard smiled. “I have three more. And the letters can easily be unstitched and new ones added to say whatever you’d like. If you children would care to use them for the parade, that is.”
Melissa gaped at her. “You mean after all the things we did to upset you, you’d let us use these? Why would you do that?”
“They aren’t doing me any good in my attic, are they? And who better to use my old things than four children who want to take their first ride in a parade? It would make me feel like I had a small part in your barn and your lives, and maybe even like I was riding in a parade again myself.” She swiped her fingers beneath one eye and sniffed. “Forgive a foolish old woman for getting sentimental. This banner brings back memories.”
Kate shook her head. “That’s very kind of you, but it would destroy those memories if we took the letters off and put new ones on. That wouldn’t be right.”
“I don’t agree,” Mrs. Maynard said. “It would be wrong to let them stay in that attic, where creatures can eat holes in them. It’s a wonder this is still intact. We’ll have to hope the rest are in as good a shape, since there are only four. Are you girls willing to go up again and get the rest of the boxes? There are three more, one for each horse, as I didn’t want to carry a large box up the stairs.”
Kate and Melissa jumped to their feet, all fear gone about going upstairs.
“Sure. Come on, Melissa. Those boxes are small enough that one of us can carry two. Why don’t you stay here and rest, Mrs. Maynard? Are the other boxes in the same area, and may we use your flashlight?”
“Yes, they’re right behind where we found this one.” She handed over the light and settled herself in an easy chair. “I am a little tired after all the excitement and exercise, but it’s good for me. I’ve been so lonely. You girls let me know when you’re finished. Feel free to open the boxes and check the banners when you return. I’ll just rest my eyes for a few moments.” She shut her eyes and tipped her head against the overstuffed chair.
Kate grabbed Melissa’s hand and raced to the stairs, her heart thudding in her chest. She waited until they were halfway up before she whispered to Melissa, “Here all this time we’ve been worried about having the money to buy nice fabric and get it sewn to fit a horse, and God hands it to us! Wow!”
“What do you mean by that? God didn�
��t do anything. Mrs. Maynard did.” Melissa stayed close behind Kate and crossed the threshold into the attic a half second after Kate flipped the light switch.
Kate walked toward the corner where they’d found the box and turned on the flashlight. “Don’t you think it’s pretty weird that we’d see an old lady riding a horse by my house close to dark, then find out where she lives, and after we do, we discover she used to be a rodeo queen and has what we need for the parade? I mean, what are the odds of that happening? As far as I’m concerned, God brought it all together, and it’s awesome!”
Melissa peered into the dark corner and pulled out a box the same size as the first one. “But why would He do that?”
“Because He loves us, silly.”
Melissa shook her head. “Maybe you, but not me. I’ve never done anything to make Him love me. You’re a nice person—you and Tori and Colt all are—but I haven’t been. I guess He did it for you guys.” Her shoulders drooped.
“Nope.” Kate grabbed the corner of another box and tugged it into the light. “Not true. I think He did it to show you that you’re important to Him.”
“It’s just too weird. Although I’ll admit it would be amazing to have somebody love you so much that He cares about stuff that’s important to you.” She gave a wistful sigh as she retrieved the final box. “We’d probably better get downstairs before Mrs. Maynard starts worrying about us.”
Melissa picked up one box, and Kate grabbed another. “Hmm,” Melissa said, “I’m not sure we can balance two of these and go down the stairs safely. Why don’t you wait here with the flashlight, and I’ll take this one, then come back and get the other one, and we’ll take the last two down together. Okay?”
Kate nodded. “Sure. You’d better be quiet, though, in case Mrs. Maynard is asleep. I guess you can put the box on the table with the other one.”
“Right.” Melissa headed to the door and disappeared.
Kate waited as the seconds turned into minutes, and Melissa didn’t return. She stepped to the door and shone her light down, even though the stairwell was already lit from the single bulb hanging overhead. “Melissa? Where are you?” she whispered as loudly as she could, hoping her voice would carry, but no footsteps echoed below.
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