Free Starlight Christmas by Bonnie Bryant Page A

left any dirt on it. Stevie gritted her teeth and ignored the incredibly rude gesture. She needed information from Veronica.
    “You’re here early for the Starlight Ride, aren’t you?” she asked Veronica, trying to keep her voice pleasant.
    “Not exactly,” Veronica said. “I just came by to see that Garnet’s Christmas present had arrived—her new stable blanket. She’s wearing it now. Would you like to see it?”
    Stevie said she would. Veronica led her to Garnet’s stall. The mare was wearing a fashionably tailored blue-and-green blanket with Veronica’s initials monogrammed at the flank.
    “Nice,” Stevie said. “I like the colors.”
    “They match my new riding outfit,” Veronica explained. Stevie expected as much.
    Stevie felt sorry for Garnet. It must be terrible to be apure-blooded Arabian mare reduced to serving as a fashion accent for Veronica diAngelo. Stevie wished there were some way to make it up to the horse. While she thought about it, she idly polished the brass plaque by Garnet’s stall. All the stable horses had their names on the outsides of their stalls on plastic plaques. The private owners usually used brass ones that showed both the horse’s name and the owner’s. Garnet’s read:
    GARNET GEM
Veronica diAngelo
    “Are you wearing your new outfit tonight?” Stevie asked.
    “Of course,” Veronica said. “The car’s going to pick me up in a few minutes to take me home so I can dress. You’re going to change too, aren’t you?” Her tone implied that Stevie needed to.
    Stevie wasn’t going to give Veronica the satisfaction of answering that question. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the clothes she had on. They were comfortable and warm—even if they didn’t match anything.
    “I think Lisa needs some help,” she said. “I’ll see you later!” She waved good-bye, but what she was thinking was
Good riddance!

“T HEY ’ RE HERE !” S TEVIE said to Lisa. Lisa knew she meant Phil and A.J. Stevie had turned over a brand-new water bucket to stand on so she could see out the window when she heard the car pull into the driveway at Pine Hollow.
    “Why don’t you go get them?” Lisa suggested. She shouldn’t have bothered. Stevie was already out the door of the stall.
    Lisa finished up the work that was left, spreading the fresh straw evenly and putting the water bucket back where it belonged. It was hard to think of a stall as being sparkling clean, but as far as it was possible, this one was just that. Lisa was pleased with the work she and Stevie had done. It was exactly right.
    Lisa straightened out a wrinkle in the clean horseblanket and hung it over the top of the door, covering the horse’s nameplate. She returned all the work tools to the tack and supply rooms, slid the screwdriver back into Max’s toolbox, and followed her ears to where Stevie was giving A.J. and Phil the grand tour. Their horses needed to be unloaded, but that could wait until shortly before the Starlight Ride.
    Stevie was about to introduce the boys to the stable’s youngest tenant, a colt named Samson, when the foursome heard the distinct sounds of the enemy approaching. They all dashed into Samson’s stall and, much to the colt’s amazement, hid in the corner behind him.
    “I don’t like this, do you?” a voice whispered. It was Diana.
    “No, but Veronica says we have to do it. It won’t be so bad. Besides, I’d just as soon not have those girls on the ride with us anyway, wouldn’t you?” Elaine whispered back.
    “Oh, I don’t know,” Diana said.
    The girls passed Samson’s stall on their way to the locker area where they would be putting their coats.
    “Not a second to spare,” Stevie said. “You boys go distract the girls while Lisa and I get to work.”
    Phil and A.J. looked at each other and shrugged. They didn’t have a better plan.
    “See you later,” Phil said. He and A.J. followed Elaine and Diana to the locker area.
    “The grays first,” Stevie said. She