Free Six White Horses by Janet Dailey Page B

his head and studying her through narrowed eyes with a little more interest. "I'm going to have to keep my eye on you. You've been getting in a little more practice on the side, haven't you? I'm the one who's supposed to be teaching you about kissing."
    "Don't be silly. Who would I practice with?" Her gaze sought the arena again as the announcer introduced the last contestant in the calf-roping event.
    For the first time she noticed Morgan Kincaid leaning against the inside rails of the arena near the gate. He wasn't looking in her direction, but Patty flushed anyway.
    "I'm in next," she said, checking the rein again to be sure it was lying straight, and swung herself onto Loyalty's back.
    "I'll be rooting for you from the chutes," Jack promised, and patted her knee lightly before sauntering off in that direction.
    Her mouth began to get dry as she watched the arena being cleared of horses and riders. She glanced at her grandfather standing at Liberty's head. He gave her a thumbs-up sign and she nodded with a weak smile.
    The leader of the small four-piece band looked at her from the announcer's stand, noddingas he raised his baton. Standing up on Loyalty's back and shifting a foot to Landmark, Patty nodded to Lefty to open the gate. As it swung open, the first rousing note of "She'll be Comin' Round the Mountain" was sounded by the band.
    The six white horses pranced through the gate, breaking into a spirited, rolling canter while Patty waved to the crowd, who applauded her entrance. Then every sight and every sound was blocked out as she concentrated on the routine.
    The weaves, the figure eights, all were executed without error. Patty was breathing easier as she saw her grandfather supervising the erection of the jumps. She paid little attention to the men setting them until she sensed that something wasn't as it was supposed to be. As she circled on the inside of the arena, it took her nearly a full turn to realize that the height of the jumps was less than usual. Her lips tightenedgrimly as she guessed that the tall dark man standing near her grandfather was the culprit.
    She reined the horses to a stop beside them. "What's going on here?" she demanded. "Those are supposed to be three-foot jumps."
    "We thought it would be safer to lower them," Morgan answered.
    "We?" Patty mocked harshly. "You mean you thought it would be safer. Well, you can just go and raise them to three feet. I take my horses over three-foot jumps, not kindergarten hurdles!"
    "Liberty refused the second jump twice last night," her grandfather reminded her. "Both times you were able to avoid disaster by the skin of your teeth."
    "But he took the jump," she added forcefully.
    "Patty, you're making a scene," Morgan spoke quietly and patiently. "Take the horses over the jumps and we'll argue about it when the performance is over."
    "That's what you'd like me to do, isn't it?" She turned on him, placing both feet on Landmark's back to be closer to the resolute figure. "Why don't you tell me about your plans before the performance instead of now? This is just another one of your attempts to trick me into a position where I have to do what you want. It's not going to work this time."
    Morgan sighed and shook his head. "All indications are that Liberty is sound. But he still could be sore. Whatever the cause he seems to have lost his confidence. What does it matter if you have to take smaller jumps for a few nights as long as you don't injure yourself or the horses? He's one of the leaders. He has to have confidence."
    Her temper wouldn't allow her to acknowledge the logic of his politely spoken argument. In a trembling rage, she jumped to the ground.
    "Either you're going to raise those jumps or I am!" she declared.
    She watched her grandfather and Morgan exchange glances. The slender shoulders of her grandfather lifted in a resigned shrug. Tight-lipped, Morgan turned from her and with angry, springing strides walked to the jumps and raised the bars to their