Lisa sighed. “There’s just one problem with that, Carole,” she said. “I don’t think we have any choice.” She glanced down the hill. “Hey, who’s that?”
The others looked, too. An elderly man holding a trowel was walking toward the garden shed. Carole recognized him as a member of the adult riding class. He pulled open the door, glanced down at the ground, and then quickly backed away with a shout.
The girls traded glances. “Oh no,” they said in one voice. “Mr. Munch!”
* * *
VERONICA WAS LOUNGING in the locker room when The Saddle Club finally dragged themselves there after finishing the last of their chores. Luckily Red had taken pity on them and offered to do the evening feeding himself, so they were free to go. The ponies were exercised, Memphis and Romeo had had their day’s training, Honeybee was medicated and polished to a shine. The stalls were clean, the tack was gleaming, and everything was in order.
“What are you still doing here?” Stevie snapped. She was in no mood for Veronica right then. Every limb in her body ached, and all she could think about was gobbling down some dinner, taking a hot bath, and climbing into her nice, soft bed. “Are you trying to think of more stupid little things for Red to do?”
Veronica ignored the dig. “What are you girls doing leaving so early?” she asked innocently. “Don’t you have to stay and feed all those polo ponies? Or are you letting Max down already?”
“Give us a break, Veronica,” Carole said wearily. “Red is going to feed them on his regular rounds tonight. Not that it’s any of your business.”
“Oh, I see,” Veronica sneered. “Couldn’t handle it, hmm? I thought as much. I may have to let Mr. Haverford-Smythe know how you’ve been slacking off.” With that, she flounced out of the room.
Lisa sat down heavily on one of the benches and started to pull off her boots. “Boy, she’s really something, isn’t she?”
“She sure is,” Carole agreed. “She and that grumpy groom, Luke, are two of a kind. I feel sorry for those poor horses. If their groom is that bad, just imagine how horrible Mr. Haverford-Smythe himself must be.”
“Mick is awfully nice though,” Lisa pointed out.
“True. But Carole’s right,” Stevie said. “If Veronica likes this Hufferford-Smith guy so much, you know he’s got to be a jerk.”
“Don’t forget, the jerk’s groom will be here tomorrow to check on his precious ponies,” Lisa reminded them.
Carole groaned. “Now that’s something to look forward to.”
“WELL, ALL RIGHT,” Luke said grudgingly. “I guess everything’s in order here.” He nodded toward The Saddle Club. “Good thing, too. I wouldn’t want to be late for my barbecue. I’ll tell you, this is the life. All play and no work. It’s definitely the way to go.”
Lisa smiled weakly. Carole rolled her eyes. Stevie just scowled. It was late Sunday morning and Luke had just completed his inspection. The Saddle Club had been working on the polo ponies since arriving that morning, making sure each of them had a little exercise and a good grooming so they would be in top condition when Luke looked them over. The groom had arrived at Pine Hollow half an hour later than he had said he would, but the girls didn’t mind. It gave them a little more time to finish mucking out the horses’ stalls.
As soon as Luke left, the girls got back to work. They still had plenty to do that day, and they wanted to get it all done as early as possible so they could finalize their plans for Wednesday’s tea party. They knew that once Monday came and school started they wouldn’t have a second to spare.
Miraculously almost nothing went wrong all day. The only incident occurred when Red accidentally let Mr. Munch out of the shed. The iguana had chewed through the piece of string Stevie had used to tie his cage shut, and when Red was rummaging for a tool, the wily lizard scuttled for the door. Luckily Lisa had just come outside to check on Honeybee, who was in the paddock. She captured the escaping iguana on the doorstep and tucked him back into his cage, closing the door with a paper clip Red found in his pocket.
At dinner that night, Stevie ate ravenously. Working so hard for the past few days had given her quite an appetite. Naturally, her brothers had noticed and started teasing her about it.
“Hey, Chad, did you hear about the world pea shortage?” Alex asked his brother, staring at Stevie.
“No,” Chad said, looking up from his plate.
“Well, you will—if Stevie keeps eating this way,” Alex said.
Stevie glared at him. “Hey, Alex, guess what your pea brain looks like,” she mumbled around a mouthful of half-chewed peas. She started to open her mouth wide to give him a good view of the contents.
“Stevie! Please,” scolded Mrs. Lake.
“Sorry, Mom,” Stevie said after swallowing. “I guess I’m a little tired.”
“Well, I can certainly understand why,” Mr. Lake said. “You girls have been working hard these past few days.” Stevie had already told her family about The Saddle Club’s latest project. Her parents had been impressed by all the work Stevie and her friends were doing, and her brothers had been even more impressed by how much money the girls were making.
Stevie nodded vigorously. “We’re exhausted,” she said, giving her parents a piteous look. “See? I can barely lift my fork.” She let her hand go limp, dropping a forkful of peas and potatoes back onto her plate.
“Poor baby,” Mrs. Lake said sympathetically. “It really does sound like you girls have taken on a lot of responsibility.”
“We have,” Stevie said. “And it’s awfully tiring. All I want to do after dinner is fall into bed.” She yawned. “Right after dinner.”
“Hey, no way,” protested Michael, Stevie’s youngest brother. “It’s her turn to clear the table. I did it last night.”
“Stevie,” Mr. Lake said. “If you’re that tired, you can hit the sack early—right after you finish clearing the table.”
Stevie frowned. “Couldn’t you make one of them do it tonight? I’ll make it up later in the week, I promise. I’ve just been working so hard today …”
“We understand, Stevie,” Mrs. Lake said. “But just because you’ve taken on more duties at the stable doesn’t mean you can forget about the ones you have at home. And that goes double for your schoolwork, by the way. Have you done your homework yet?”
“Um, well …” Stevie suddenly remembered something about a one-page English essay she was supposed to write this weekend. And hadn’t her math teacher said something about some word problems? “Not exactly all of it, yet.”
“Not exactly?” Mrs. Lake repeated.
“Well, not exactly any of it,” Stevie replied, stifling a yawn. “I’ll do it … as soon as I clear the table.”
“That’s my girl,” said Mr. Lake.
“Why should she bother with homework?” Chad said, grinning. “Soon she’ll be so rich she won’t ever have to go to school again.”
“Yeah,” Alex put in. “She can buy the whole school if she wants to. Although if I were her, I’d rather buy a boat. Or maybe a motorcycle.”
“Or a mansion!” Michael suggested excitedly. “With a pool table and a bowling alley!”
“That’s enough, boys,” Mrs. Lake said sternly. “I think it’s time to change the subject.”
The rest of the family started talking about other things, but her brothers’ words had set Stevie thinking. She rested her head on one arm and stared down at the remains of her peas. Yes, this weekend had been exhausting, but it would all be worth it, wouldn’t it? Soon Belle would have her new bridle. And after this week was over, maybe The Saddle Club would get more horse-sitting clients. Maybe it wouldn’t be a good idea to take on so many at once next time, but school would be out soon and the girls would have plenty of free time. If they had even one client per week, they would be rolling in money before the summer was out. Stevie was too tired to figure out exactly how much money, but she knew it would be plenty. Enough to buy practically anything she wanted. She could get a new saddle
for Belle to match her new bridle, and maybe a new bicycle for herself … or better yet, a moped.
“A moped,” Stevie murmured, not realizing until too late that she was speaking aloud.
“What?” Alex asked. “Did you say a moped? What does that have to do with Michael’s baseball team?”
“Sorry,” Stevie muttered, her face turning red. “I was thinking about something else.”
“Apparently,” Mr. Lake commented.
Chad grinned. “I know what she was thinking about,” he teased. “She was daydreaming about all the things she’s going to buy when she’s a rich and famous horse-sitter.”
“Hey, when you’re rich, would you buy me a yacht, Stevie?” Alex asked.
“I could use a new pair of basketball shoes,” Chad put in.
“Me too,” Michael cried. “And if you’re getting a moped, I want one, too.”
Stevie opened her mouth to respond, but then she closed it again without saying a word.
“Stevie? Are you okay?” Mrs. Lake asked, looking concerned.
“Sure,” Stevie said wearily. “I’m just too tired to fight with these bozos right now.”
Mr. and Mrs. Lake traded glances. “Stevie, why don’t you go get started on that homework,” Mr. Lake suggested. “I’ll clear the table tonight.”
* * *
AT THE SAME TIME, Lisa was sitting at the dinner table with her parents, telling them all about The Saddle Club Horse-Sitting Service. Mr. Atwood had been out of town on a business trip, and Mrs. Atwood had gone out to dinner with friends the evening before, so this was the first time they were hearing exactly how much work Lisa and her friends were doing.
“You mean you three girls are caring for nine horses all by yourselves?” Mrs. Atwood exclaimed, sounding horrified.
“It’s not that big a deal, Mom,” Lisa said quickly. The last thing she wanted to do was get her mother all worked up. Mrs. Atwood had never really understood why her daughter liked to spend so much time at the stable, and she was always trying to convince her to take up a more ladylike hobby, like needlepoint or violin.
“It certainly sounds like a big deal to me,” Mrs. Atwood protested. “I mean, it seems rather odd that we’re paying for you to take riding lessons, and yet you end up doing most of the work yourself.”
“That’s how it works,” Lisa explained patiently. “It would cost a lot more than it does if we didn’t all pitch in and help out with the chores. Anyway, we’re not paying to take care of these horses. Other people are paying us.”
“Can’t complain about that,” Mr. Atwood put in.
Mrs. Atwood frowned at him. “I certainly can,” she snapped. “Poor little Lisa is working her fingers to the bone. Darling, why didn’t you tell us you needed money? Perhaps we could talk about raising your allowance a little if you’re that short of cash.”
“It’s not just about the money, Mom,” Lisa said. “I like doing stable work. So do Carole and Stevie. That’s really why we’re doing it.” She sighed. Explaining things to her parents was always rather tiring, and Lisa was already exhausted. “Like I said, it’s not that big a deal.”
“Well, if you say so …,” Mrs. Atwood said doubtfully.
“She just did, didn’t she?” Mr. Atwood said. “Now, why don’t you tell us about your dinner last night? How are Gladys and Evelyn?”
Lisa sighed again as her mother began describing her evening. It wasn’t that her parents could really do anything about Lisa’s difficult week. She just wished they understood.
COLONEL HANSON WAS a little more understanding than the Atwoods, but not terribly sympathetic.
“You took on this responsibility knowingly, Carole,” he said, pointing a forkful of chicken at his daughter. “You have to carry through.”
“I know that, Dad,” Carole said. “I’m not really complaining. Well, maybe I am, but I know we have a job to do and that we have to do it. It’s just so much work.”
Colonel Hanson nodded. “Does this make you think any differently about working with horses full-time someday?”
“No!” Carole said immediately. “I know that’s still for me. But this makes me realize more than ever what a demanding job a stable manager has. I mean, Stevie and Lisa and I have to juggle our time among nine horses, making sure each one is fed, watered, groomed, exercised—all at the right time.” She smiled. “Not to mention taking care of one overgrown lizard.”
Colonel Hanson shuddered. “Don’t remind me,” he said. “I’m just glad you didn’t try to bring that beast into this house.”
“Anyway, it takes a lot of planning, and a lot of hard work, and a lot of, um—what’s that word you’re always using?” Carole asked.
“Discipline! That’s exactly what it is,” Colonel Hanson said, nodding. He smiled at her proudly. “You’ve always had that, honey. Runs in the family, you know. But all this work can only improve what nature gave you. That’s one of the rules we live by in the military. Hard work builds character.”
“Hard work is right,” Carole said tentatively. “I didn’t realize how hard it would be.”
“But you’re doing it anyway,” Colonel Hanson said. “That’s my girl. I’m proud of you, sweetheart. Just like I always am.” He began humming a marching tune under his breath.
After that, Carole just ate her dinner in silence.
THE NEXT AFTERNOON after school, Carole and Lisa hurried straight to Pine Hollow and got to work, beginning with the polo ponies. After half an hour, when Stevie still hadn’t shown up, they started to get worried.
“It isn’t like Stevie to be late on a day like today,” Lisa said. “Where do you think she could be?”
“I have no idea,” Carole said, hoisting two fresh buckets of water she had just filled. “But we don’t have time to stand around wondering about it. She’ll get here when she gets here.”
“And then we’ll kill her?” Lisa guessed.
“No,” Carole replied with a grin. “Then we’ll make her take care of Mr. Munch.”
Another half hour passed before Stevie rushed into the stable, red-faced and breathless. “Sorry,” she panted when she found Carole and Lisa in the tack room. “Ran … all the way … here. Detention. Fell asleep … science class. Ms. Cartwright … no sense of humor.” She collapsed on a trunk and gasped for air. After a moment she regained control of her voice. “Anyway, I really am sorry,” she told her friends. “I tried to talk her into giving me a suspended sentence, but no go.”
“I was exhausted today, too,” Lisa admitted. “I yawned so much during the first two periods that I thought my head was going to crack open.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t get to sleep until pretty late,” Stevie admitted. “I was up half the night finishing my homework. It’s ridiculous. I mean, summer is right around the corner, but my teachers just aren’t taking the hint.”
“Well, we already decided we might forgive you,” Carole said, “if you take care of Mr. Munch today.”
“Hey, no problem,” Stevie said. “He’s the easiest client we have. So where are we on all the others?”
“We’re almost done with the polo ponies,” Lisa said. “We decided to exercise them on the longe line to save some time, so we only have two more to go. We haven’t touched the other three horses yet. We’ll do them next.”
Stevie nodded. “All right, then,” she said. “If you guys can finish up with the polo ponies, I’ll take Romeo out and …” Her voice trailed off and she grimaced. “Uh-oh,” she said quietly. “Don’t look now, but I think I hear Aunt Eugenia.”
Sure enough, the old woman strode into the tack room a moment later with Max on her heels. “Don’t be ridiculous, Max,” she was saying huffily. “I think I know how to tack up my own horse.”
“Are you sure you really want to go riding right now, Aunt Eugenia?” Max wheedled. “It’s pretty warm out.”
“Don’t insult me,” she replied sharply. “I’m not so old yet that I can’t tolerate a little heat.”
Meanwhile, the girls were trading panicked looks. If Eugenia went riding now, she would surely notice that The Saddle Club hadn’t groomed Honeybee since the night before. And they could just imagine how she would react to that!
“Aunt—er, Ms. Eugenia,” Stevie put in, trying to imitate Lisa’s tactful talking-to-adults voice. “Maybe you didn’t realize it, but Max has some pretty strict rules about trail rides here. One of the most important ones is that riders can never go out on the trail alone. It could be dangerous.”
Max nodded vigorously. “Stevie is right, Aunt Eugenia,” he said. “If you wait just an hour or two, Deborah will be back from her office. I’m sure she’d love to take you on a lovely trail ride. And it will be much more pleasant then, once the sun has gone down.”
Eugenia was silent for a moment, thinking. Then she shook her head. “No, thank you just the same, but I’d rather go now,” she said firmly. “And if I’m not to go alone, then one of these girls will have to come with me.”
Lisa gulped. She had a feeling she knew which girl it would be.
But Carole stepped forward. “I’d love to go with you, Ms. Eugenia,” she volunteered. She had seen the look on Lisa’s face. Since Lisa was the one who had to deal with Eugenia the most, Carole decided the least she could do was spare her friend a trail ride with the crotchety old woman.
Eugenia peered at her. “Very well, then,” she said. “Let’s be off.”
“Um, well, the thing is,” Carole stammered, trying to think of an excuse to put off the ride long enough to give Honeybee a quick grooming.
“The thing is,” Stevie said quickly, taking over, “I don’t think you’ve had a proper tour of the stable since you arrived.”
Eugenia looked suspicious. “I’ve seen the stable, young lady. I’ve been here for four and a half days.”
Stevie thought fast. “But you haven’t seen the polo ponies,” she said. “They’re really something. Very special.”
“Polo ponies?” Eugenia looked interested. “What’s so special about them?”
“Oh, all sorts of things,” Stevie said, ignoring Max’s raised eyebrow. “Just come along with me and I’ll tell you all about it.” She put a hand on Eugenia’s arm and gently led her out of the tack room and around the corner to Tempest’s stall. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Carole and Lisa dash in the opposite direction toward Honeybee’s stall.
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