Free Stable Hearts by Bonnie Bryant Page B

school. She wouldn’t care. Too bad he was two thousand miles away.
    Carole had seen Dime put his ears back again, and even though she was concerned for Stevie,that bothered her more. Why was this usually cheerful pony acting so ugly? Carole didn’t know what else to do for him. She knew Max was already doing everything he could.
    Stevie sat down next to Carole and buried her head in her arms. “I thought it was going to be such a nice evening,” she said. “I was really hoping for a nice time.” Carole shook her head sadly. All along she’d thought Stevie was overreacting, but now the misery in Stevie’s voice hurt her heart. Why couldn’t Stevie and Phil have worked it out? They were both going to be unhappy now.
    “Well,” Lisa said after a long, depressing pause, “I suppose we should go ride.”
    “I suppose so,” Carole said. “Starlight needs the exercise. Stevie?”
    Stevie rose to her feet. “Yeah. I mean, that’s what we planned to do. We might as well do it.” She couldn’t remember when she’d been less enthusiastic about a trail ride. For a moment she thought of all the special rides she’d taken with Phil, but that only made her feel worse. They had had a lot of fun together, but it was over now.
    The girls gathered their grooming equipment and tack and began to prepare their horses. Standing in Starlight’s stall brushing the dustfrom his glossy flanks, Carole began to feel just a little bit better. Anyone who owned a horse like Starlight couldn’t feel depressed for long. She leaned against him.
    “Hey! My favorite young ladies! Would you by any chance be going on another trail ride?” Mr. Stowe came around the corner of the aisle, a saddle in his arms, smiling broadly.
    Stevie smiled listlessly in return. “Good guess,” she said.
    “Hello, Mr. Stowe,” Carole said. “Did you finish your surprise?”
    Mr. Stowe made hushing movements with his hands. “Not yet,” he said. “No, I thought I’d go for a ride with you girls first. That is, if you don’t mind.”
    Stevie rolled her eyes at Lisa in dismay. Lisa understood, but what could they say? Mr. Stowe had been so nice to them.
    “Sure,” Carole said faintly. It was the only polite answer.
    Mr. Stowe secured Delilah on a set of cross-ties just outside Starlight’s stall and began grooming her. “I’ve got my secret hidden in my car,” he whispered to Carole over the door of Starlight’sstall. “Elizabeth’s car is still in for repair, and she was just asking me for another ride. I can’t have her see the secret! So I told her I was going to ride with you right now.” He moved to Delilah’s other side, and as a consequence he spoke more loudly. “I’d like to stay away from Elizabeth for a little while.”
    Carole looked up from combing Starlight’s tail. She saw Mrs. Reg come around the corner and then stop, facing Mr. Stowe’s back. Mrs. Reg’s smile faded away, and a hurt expression took its place. She looked at Mr. Stowe’s back for another moment, then turned on her heel and left.
    Carole stood still for a moment, puzzled and too surprised to say anything. Why did Mrs. Reg look so upset? All Mr. Stowe had said was that he’d like to stay away from her. Carole turned this phrase over in her mind, trying to decide whether it would upset her. It probably wouldn’t be the nicest thing to hear, she decided, but it wouldn’t be that bad. But Mrs. Reg had looked really hurt—stunned and disappointed.
    Carole didn’t say anything to the other girls, because she didn’t want Mr. Stowe to know that he’d upset Mrs. Reg. He hadn’t done it on purpose,after all. But she continued to wonder about it even after they were mounted and riding through the bare trails.
    Mr. Stowe seemed conscious of how morose they all were.
How could he not be
, Carole thought,
when none of us is laughing or even talking?
    “I do hope you all would have told me if you didn’t want an old man’s company,” he said. “I