Fabulous Five 031 - The Fabulous Five Together Again by Betsy Haynes Read Free Book Online

Beth, pointing at
the crystal chandelier glittering from the ceiling.
    "Yeah, and look at all the portraits over the
staircase," Beth whispered back. "The frames alone must be worth a
fortune. Who are all those people, Christie?"
    "Connie's ancestors," she replied.
    Neal led them into a large room where Connie and the others
were seated on sofas and armchairs. The paneled walls were painted a deep red,
with pale cream trim. The ceiling was the same shade of cream with ornate woodwork
accented in gold.
    "Here they are," said Connie, getting up.
    "What a fantastic house," said Beth,
twirling around to take in the whole room. "I can't imagine what it would
be like to live in a gorgeous place like this."
    Connie shrugged. "I'm sure yours is as nice in its own
way."
    "Riight," said Jana with a wry smile.
    Connie led the way out back. The riders walked through a
formal flower garden bordered by green hedges that had been shaped into neat
rectangles. Gravel paths cut through the gardens, and marble statues stood here
and there.
    "It's beautiful," said Beth, and the others
readily agreed.
    When they reached the stables, two saddle boys were
adjusting the stirrups of a group of horses gathered in the yard.
    Jana eyed the two-story brick stable admiringly. "Even
the horses have it pretty good here. Would you mind if I moved in with them,
Connie?"
    He laughed. "I don't think you'd like what they eat.
Have you girls ridden before?"
    "Randy and I have gone a couple of times," replied
Jana. Katie and Beth had also, but Melanie told him it was her first time.
     
    "That must be Rigel," said Beth, pointing to a
small, powerfully built black Arabian. Its tail and mane were long and creamy
white.
    "It sure is," replied Christie, taking the horse's
head in her hands and laying her cheek against its face. "Isn't he the
most beautiful thing you've ever seen?"
    "He sure is," agreed Beth quickly. "And I
like that horse, with the black spots, too. Can I ride it?"
    "I'll help you mount," Charlie said, taking the
horse's reins.
    "But . . ." Eleanore started to say something,
then closed her mouth.
    "Here. Put your foot in the stirrup," Charlie
instructed Beth. He put his hands on her waist and helped her up.
    "Come here, Snowfall," he ordered a stocky white
horse. Gathering its reins, he mounted, too.
    "No one had better touch Sunshine," warned Nicki,
stepping between Melanie and a bay-color horse. "She's mine."
    Davey mounted a tall, gangly horse.
    "Thanks a lot for the assist, Davey boy," said
Nicki, pulling herself up on Sunshine.
    "The dappled horse is gentle," said Connie. "Why
don't you take her, Jana? And Melanie, you take Cleopatra."
    Melanie eyed the horse nervously. "She's got such a big
head. And look at her nostrils. They're huge, too."
    The London girls laughed.
    "That's the way they come equipped," replied
Eleanore. "You can't get a horse any other way."
    "Here. Let me help you," offered Connie, holding
the stirrup for Melanie. "Wrong foot," he told her when she tried to
put her right foot in the left stirrup.
    "Ooops. Sorry," said Melanie. Eleanore giggled,
and Phoebe put her hand over her mouth to hide a smile.
    "Let her do it her way," said Nicki. "Maybe
she prefers to see where she's been instead of where she's going."
    Melanie frowned at her and changed feet.
    "When you want Cleopatra to go, just dig your heels
into her flanks," instructed Connie. "To turn, pull the rein in the
direction you want to go, and when you want to stop, pull back on both reins.
Got it?"
    "I think so," answered Melanie, looking as if she
wasn't at all sure.
    "I'll stay with you, Melanie," volunteered Davey.
    Connie looked around to see who still needed a horse.
    "Katie can ride Sapphire," suggested Phoebe. "I'll
ride Blackie this time."
    "Eleanore, that leaves you," said Connie. "You
take Buttercup." He handed her the reins of a beautiful gold-color horse.
    "But he's your horse," protested Eleanore.
    "No problem," responded Connie. "I want to
ride Duke. He