Purebred by Bonnie Bryant Page B

come to a meeting and see what they’re like.”
    “We’ll have the birthday party right after the meeting,” said Stevie.
    Karenna looked confused. “What birthday party?”
    “Why, Prancer’s,” Lisa said. “Don’t you remember?”
    Before Karenna could respond, Meg and Betsy came up to them. “Karenna, we’re going to go to the West End Mall for the rest of the afternoon. Want to come? Oh … Stevie, Lisa, you guys can come too.”
    “Great!” said Karenna. “I’d love to. Let me call my dad and brush my hair, and I’ll be ready to go.”
    “No, thanks,” said Stevie.
    “No, thanks,” echoed Lisa.
    Meg and Betsy offered to show Karenna where the pay phone was.
    “See you tomorrow!” Karenna said to Lisa and Stevie as she left with the other girls.
    “Well, how do you like that!” said Lisa, a little miffed. “Now we can’t call Carole!”
    Stevie slipped her arm around her friend’s shoulders. “We can’t all three call Carole. But there’s nothing to stop you and me from going home and calling her right now!”
    I N M INNESOTA , C AROLE had spent a long, snowy afternoon playing board games with Louise. Grand Alice was sleeping, so Carole hadn’t been able to hear any more family stories—not that she was all that eager to listen. Despite the good stories Grand Alice had told her, she was still bothered by the tale of Jackson Foley, and now she was worried about that photograph of Jessie too.
    Then the phone rang, and it was Lisa and Stevie!
    Carole was thrilled. “How is everything at Pine Hollow?” she asked. “How’s Starlight? How is No-Name doing?”
    “Great, great, and super-wonderful great,” Stevie replied. “Listen, you’ll never guess who went trail riding withLisa and me today. Your old friend Karenna Richards!” She told Carole about Karenna’s visit.
    “I sorry I missed her,” Carole said. “But I’m glad you could spend time with her since I can’t. How are you all getting along?”
    “Just fine,” cut in Lisa, who was on the second extension at Stevie’s house. “But Karenna isn’t here right now because she’s gone to the mall with Betsy and Meg.”
    Carole laughed. “That’s Karenna, all right. She really loves to shop. I’m not much of a shopper myself—but she sure is a good rider, isn’t she?”
    “She is that,” Lisa agreed. They chatted a little bit more, and when Carole hung up she felt suddenly homesick for her friends and for Starlight.
    “Something wrong?” asked Aunt Jessie, who had just come into the room.
    “I guess I’m missing my horse,” said Carole. “I’m used to seeing him every day. He’s a really great horse, you know—he’s got lots of talent and can really jump, but he’s also sweet and affectionate. I really love him.”
    “I’m sure any girl would think her own horse was special,” said Aunt Jessie, not seeming very impressed. “But honestly, I can’t see how any horse that’s just used for fun riding and that fancy show stuff can be much of a real horse.”
    Carole was offended. “Show riding is a lot harder thanregular riding,” she said. “It requires knowledge, strength, and discipline. I might not have done too much of it, but I did get a blue ribbon at a show on Long Island and I was Reserve Champion at Briarwood.” Carole felt defensive about her riding skills for the first time in her memory. Usually everyone knew that she was a good rider. “Of course,” she continued, “neither of those shows was quite as important as the American Horse Show that I went to in New York, but some day I’m going to …”
    Jessie flinched when Carole said the words
New York.
Carole remembered the picture of Jessie at the Statue of Liberty. “Did you go to the American when you were in New York?” she asked.
    “No, I never went there.” Jessie twisted her hands together and for a moment looked confused. Then she looked angry. “I never was in New York,” she said. “That part of my life is dead.