One Brave Summer (Quartz Creek Ranch)

by Amber J. Keyser

  Prince gazed at her with his huge, dark eyes. It was like he was asking, How hard did you try? How many times? She kicked the fence post and protested. “I tried!” He stared her down. It was no good. Prince didn’t believe her for an instant.

  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

  Ma Etty found her next to the warm-up pen, feeding Prince handfuls of grass. The old woman stood next to Paley, scratched Prince between his ears, and hummed like there was no place else she needed to be. Paley didn’t know how to ask Ma Etty what she needed to ask her.

  “Um,” Paley began. Ma Etty turned toward her, and Paley got tongue-tied.

  “What is it, honey?” the old woman asked.

  “I think you made a mistake,” Paley blurted.

  “I’m quite sure I’ve made plenty. Which particular mess-up are you referring to?”

  “Well, it’s about Prince,” Paley stammered. “Shouldn’t I start with a pony or something?”

  “Don’t you like Prince?”

  The horse tilted his head almost as if he understood and was prepared to be insulted.

  “Of course I like him! He’s incredible.”

  Prince stretched his neck and shook his mane. Of course, I am, he seemed to say

  Ma Etty grinned. “Sounds like a match made in heaven.”

  “But I think I need an easier horse. Prince is too . . .” Paley’s words trailed off. The Blue Elf could ride that spectacular horse, but not her.

  Ma Etty squeezed her shoulders. “Mr. Bridle and I don’t make these decisions lightly. Prince is the right horse for you. Give him a chance. Now, hang tight here. I’m going to tell Madison that you’re ready.”

  And just like that she was gone, leaving Paley protesting to empty air.

  “Give him a chance?” She paced back and forth in front of the pen. “Shouldn’t he be giving me a chance?” She glared at Prince. “Shouldn’t you?”

  Chapter Eight

  Noises on the ranch house porch got Paley’s attention. Mr. Bridle and Paul were leaving, deep in conversation. The porch door slammed shut behind them, and suddenly all Paley could think about was the office. The computer. The Internet. It drew her like a magnet. It would be so easy . . .

  The sound of boots on gravel brought her right back to the warm-up pen.

  “Hey there!” said Madison, ridiculously cheerful. “I hope you’re ready. I’ve got something special planned.”

  Paley frowned. Madison’s special something sounded like trouble. “What is it?”

  Madison let herself into the warm-up pen with Prince. “Not punishment, if that’s what you’re expecting.”

  “That’s what happened yesterday.”

  “Eh—” said Madison, waving away Paley’s gloom and doom. “As Ma Etty always says, New day, new start.”

  Paley thought that she’d heard enough of Ma Etty’s famous mottos for one summer. “He doesn’t like me.” She’d said it before, but this time it seemed true, and Paley felt the prickle of tears behind her eyelids.

  “Hey,” said Madison, in a softer voice. “Are you okay?”

  Paley nodded way too fast, like a bobblehead.

  “It was hard when I first came here, too,” Madison said.

  “You came here?” Paley asked. Madison looked like she belonged on this ranch. Watching her on horseback was like watching a mermaid in the ocean. What kind of troubles could she have had?

  “Sure did. When I was twelve, like you. And when I was thirteen. Hard case, you know. It took two years to straighten me out.” She laughed like Paley was in on a private joke. “But don’t worry. We’ll tell this bratty boy who’s boss.” Madison made a frowny face at Prince, who snuffled in surprise, and Paley couldn’t help laughing too.

  “Come on.” Madison waved her inside the warm-up pen. “You can give him some treats.” Madison handed three horse biscuits to Paley and explained how to hold them with her palm flat.

  Paley approached Prince feeling like she was about to offer a squashed peanut butter and jelly sandwich to a king, but he picked them off of her hand with his lips like they were delicacies.

  “Come on, handsome,” Madison said, opening the stall and clipping the red lead rope under Prince’s chin. “Since Prince likes to show off,” she said to Paley, “we’ll go down by the stream instead of into the arena. No audience for Mr. Big Pants.”

  Prince snorted and swished his tail exactly like he understood what Madison was saying.

  Paley walked beside Madison as she led him out of the warm-up pen. Prince was crazy-gorgeous with the sun shining on his coat. She wanted to thunder into battle on his back. Instead, they walked away from the warm-up pen and toward a lopsided butte in the distance. The green fields seemed to go on forever. Sunshine twinkled on the surface of the creek. Even Paley had to admit the ranch was beautiful.

  In a big open pasture, Madison asked Prince to stop, which he did without protest. Paley stroked Prince’s neck and the regal slope of his nose. She closed her eyes. The breeze touched her cheek, the sun warmed her shoulders, and the horse’s nose was the softest thing she’d ever felt.

  “You ready?” Madison asked.

  Paley’s eyes flicked open. “Ready for what?”

  “Ready to be in charge of this bad boy.”

  “No. Yes. I don’t know.”

  Madison grinned at her. “Sounds about right. Now listen up. You talk to him with your body more than anything, okay? You’re the one who decides when to go, where to go, and when to stop. Stand firm next to him. Square shoulders. Strong back. Look where you want to go.”

  Madison demonstrated, and immediately Prince perked up his ears. “See how he’s listening?” She made a clicking sound with her tongue and strode forward. Prince walked right along next to her. After ten paces, she said, “Whoa,” and he stopped with his nose at her shoulder, ready for her next command.

  Madison handed Paley the lead rope. “You try.”

  Paley took a deep breath and grasped the lead. Prince’s eye rolled toward Madison, who glared at him until he looked straight ahead.

  “Tell him hello and ask him to get ready.”

  Paley stroked his neck. “Hello, Your Majesty. Ready to walk?”

  He huffed at her. Paley squared her shoulders, looked straight ahead, and clicked her tongue. He didn’t move. Not an inch. Not a muscle. Nothing. She turned toward him and pulled harder. He still didn’t budge. “Please come on,” she whispered. He pressed one ear back and gave her the stink-eye. A limp, sick feeling slithered down her spine, and she glanced at Madison.

  “It’s okay,” she said. “Try again. Be confident.”

  Paley tensed her muscles and leaned into the rope. Then she clicked her tongue as hard as she could, praying he would walk for her. Instead, Prince gave his head a shake and jerked the lead rope out of her hand. Paley felt like a fly he’d just swished away with his tail.

  “Keep a hold of him,” said Madison.

  Paley snatched at the rope, feeling her face turn red. “I’m sorry,” she stammered.

  “You have to be the boss.”

  “I can’t!”

  Prince pulled on the rope until he had enough slack to bite off a huge mouthful of grass. He munched, staring at Paley in an I’m-in-charge-here kind of way. Paley’s face burned as much as the palm of her hand.

  Before Prince could take another bite of grass, Madison took a hold of his halter and pulled his head up. She pointed down the stream. “Look at that cottonwood down there, Paley. That’s where I want you to take him.”

  That was all well and good, but Paley couldn’t imagine how to make it happen.

  “Here’s what you’re going to do,” Madison continued. “Take the lead rope right under his chin. Hold it tight. Now close your eyes. I want you to imagine you’ve got a crown on your head. He might be the prince, but you’re the queen. Everyone has to obey you.”

  Paley was dubious. “I don’t know how to do that.”

  “Sure you do,” said Madison. “I
saw that Dragonfyre book. There are some seriously tough warrior-queens in there.” Madison put a hand on her shoulder. “Trust me, okay? Close your eyes. Think warrior. Think queen.”

  Paley squeezed her eyes shut. What if a heavy, golden crown with a big ruby in the middle rested on the top of her head? She stretched her neck. That’s how queens stand: tall and proud. She could picture the Blue Elf triumphant after she defeated the goblin army. She could feel the strength in her sword arm.

  “That’s right,” Madison whispered. “You’re Prince’s queen. He’ll fight for you. He’ll carry you like the wind. He’ll do anything you ask.”

  Paley sensed Prince beside her, alert and listening.

  “Tell him to go, Your Highness,” said Madison.

  The hot rays of the sun were like a velvet robe upon Paley’s shoulders. She opened her eyes, lifted her chin a little higher, clicked with her tongue, and stepped forward.

  Prince matched her.

  A thrill raced through Paley. She took another step.

  So did Prince.

  All the way to the cottonwood, they paced side by side. When Paley stopped under the tree, Prince halted and bowed his head. Tiny fluffs of white—the seeds of the tree—fell down on them like fairy blessings.

  Chapter Nine

  Paley floated through lunch, lost in instant replays of the moment when she and Prince had moved through falling cloud fluff like they were connected.

  It was magic.

  Tomorrow they’d work at the stream again. That’s what Madison had promised. Paley was nervous but excited. She craved that feeling of connection when Prince had responded to her.

  I made that happen, she thought. I really did.

  It was better than pretending. It felt real. And it made her feel like she was something bigger than she’d known before.

  Mealtime was winding down. Leila and Cameron were getting dish duty directions. Bryce was arguing with Ma Etty about having to weed the garden when Paul interrupted them, clapping his hands to get their attention. “Begging your pardon, Ma Etty,” he said, tipping his hat to her. “I need everyone for a high-priority rescue mission.”

  Paley handed her plate to Leila and turned to listen to Paul.

  “As you know—or maybe you don’t—Quartz Creek Ranch is a working cattle ranch in spite of the fact that Mr. Bridle is obsessed with baby goats.” Mr. Bridle chuckled into his coffee. “And we’ve got ourselves a situation. One of my cows is missing.”

  Paley looked around the kitchen. Fletch was trying not to crack up, and Madison nearly spit coffee over the table.

  “I’m serious, Madison!” Paul protested.

  Now she was laughing in earnest. “Which cow? Which one of your babies is on the lam? Daisy? Pookie-Pie? Sally Lou?”

  Fletch couldn’t hold it in any longer. He leaned over, slapping his thighs and roaring.

  Paul pulled his hat even farther down on his head. “If you must know, it’s Lorraine, and I’m worried she might have busted through the fence into the Goodsteins’ place.”

  Madison and Fletch stopped laughing immediately and started pulling on their boots. “What are we waiting for?” asked Fletch. “Lorraine doesn’t stand a chance.”

  “Come on, girls,” Madison said, gathering up Paley, Sundee, and Leila. “Let’s change out of our riding gear so we can help Paul.”

  “Afternoon chores are cancelled,” said Ma Etty. “I’ll finish cleaning up. Get going before Delia Goodstein gets her mitts on Lorraine.”

  As soon as they were in the girls’ bunkhouse, Madison barked orders. “Jeans and decent shoes—hiking boots or sneakers. And sunscreen,” she added before going into her room to change.

  Sundee went into the shared bathroom. Paley didn’t have proper riding clothes, so she just stayed in her jeans and cowboy boots. When Sundee was done, Leila went in.

  Madison emerged in dirty jeans, with her hair tied back in a bandana. “Where’s Leila?”

  “Here,” said the girl, coming out of the bathroom looking like an L.L. Bean model. Her shirt still had a tag on it.

  Madison eyed Leila’s outfit. “Paul’s expeditions are notoriously messy.”

  “I don’t have anything scrappier than this. My mom packed for me.” Leila scowled at her stiff new jeans. “I’ll be fine.”

  Madison shrugged. “Okay, then. Let’s go rescue Lorraine. Poor thing.”

  Paul was waiting for them out front. He had two off-road vehicles that he called Rangers ready to go. To Paley they looked like golf carts on steroids. Each one had two rows of seats, tires with big, knobby treads, and a roof but no doors. One was blue and the other was green.

  The boys came out of their bunkhouse arguing.

  “I wouldn’t be caught dead reading a book about a girl,” Bryce announced.

  Cameron flipped his curly hair out of his eyes. “That’s just dumb.”

  “Are you calling me dumb?”

  Cameron stepped aside as Bryce pushed into his space. “No, I’m not calling you dumb, but it’s a good book. You should read it.”

  Bryce snorted and was about to go on harassing Cameron when Paul called him over to learn how to check the oil in the blue Ranger.

  “Man,” said Cameron, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand and letting out a big breath, “that guy.”

  “What are you reading?” asked Paley.

  “A Ring of Archers.”

  “I loved that book!”

  A wide smile exploded across his face. “I know. I’ve read it, like, ten times. It’s my favorite. After the first time, I asked my mom to let me take archery.” His face fell. “Of course, she said no, but one of these days I’m going to learn to shoot a bow.”

  “That would be cool,” said Paley. “You can play an archer in Dragonfyre if you earn—”

  “Hey, folks,” said Paul, interrupting all conversations, “we’ve got to find Lorraine.”

  “Madison,” said Paul, tossing her a set of keys, “take the green Ranger and the girls and ride north along the fence between us and the Goodsteins’. We’ll start at the butte and drive south toward you.”

  Madison caught the keys and nodded. “Meet you in the middle!”

  “Got your phone?” Paul asked.

  She pulled it out of her pocket like she was a fast-draw target shooter. “Always ready!”

  “Hey!” Bryce protested. “What about the no-cell-phone rule?”

  Paul grinned at him. “Ranch business. Come on, boys. You’re with me.”

  “Shotgun!” yelled Bryce, elbowing Cameron out of the way and plopping down next to Paul in the front seat of the other Ranger. Cameron frowned but didn’t say a word as he climbed in back.

  “That was mean,” muttered Paley.

  Leila snorted. “Bryce is a bully.”

  “All right, girls,” said Madison, shooing them into the vehicle. “Ma Etty says no trash talk.”

  “But he totally pushed Cameron out of the way,” said Paley, hanging back so Leila could take the front seat, and then climbing in back with Sundee.

  “Yup.” Madison revved the engine. “Cameron will have to learn to stand up for himself.”

  “That’s it?” Paley couldn’t believe it.

  “Bryce should be nicer,” said Sundee.

  “Yup,” Madison repeated.

  “Aren’t you guys supposed to fix us or something?” Leila said, disgusted.

  Madison laughed as she turned the Ranger toward the fence line that separated the ranch from the Goodsteins’ place to the east. “My job is to teach you to ride. As Ma Etty says, Being a good human is up to you.”

  “What’s with all the Ma Etty quotes?” asked Sundee as they bounced along.

  Madison swerved around a big pothole in the dirt track.

  “When you’ve been around here long enough, you’ll know ’em too.”

  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

  Fifteen minutes later, the track they were on turned north and ran parallel to the fence. On the ot
her side was a rolling field of wheat in neat rows and another dirt track, paralleling their own. Paley could see a farmhouse in the distance. Nobody talked anymore. It was too hot and dry for that. Paley squinted against the sun and held on. Twenty minutes later, they caught sight of a vehicle in the distance far ahead of them. It kicked up billowing clouds of dust.

  “I hope that’s not the Goodsteins,” said Madison, cutting the engine of the Ranger.

  “Maybe it’s the guys,” Sundee suggested.

  Madison shaded her eyes with her hands and squinted. “I don’t think so.”

  Seeing Madison so serious when she almost always had a grin on her face sent a shiver down Paley’s spine.

  “Why is everyone so freaked out about the Goodsteins?” Leila asked.

  “I shouldn’t have said anything,” Madison sighed. “Neighborly love and all that.”

  “But—” Leila prompted.

  “They are the worst neighbors ever,” Madison continued. “Not big fans of what we do here. Always harping on Ma Etty and Mr. Bridle to keep their animals—and by that they mean all of us—off their land. Anything goes wrong at the Goodsteins’ place, and they find a way to blame us.” She put the Ranger back in drive with a grim expression.

  The dirt track was so bumpy that Paley’s teeth kept knocking together, and her braid was flopping everywhere.

  “Watch the fence line,” said Madison. “Remember, we’re looking for breaks. If Lorraine is in their wheat fields, I don’t know what we’ll do.”

  On the Bridles’ side of the fence, acres and acres of pasture spread out across rolling hills. Here and there Paley saw a cluster of cows grazing placidly. The wild jolts of the careening Ranger seemed of little interest to them. On the Goodsteins’ side, the land sloped gradually down and away.

  “Crap,” said Madison, gritting her teeth. “Don’t mention Lorraine, okay?”

  Paley looked up to see the vehicle, a battered Jeep with jacked-up wheels, parked ahead of them on the opposite side of the fence. “Should we turn back?” she asked.

  “We’re not doing anything wrong,” said Sundee.

  Madison slowed the Ranger down. “Let me do the talking.”