Gift Horse by Bonnie Bryant Read Free Book Online Page A

matter is settled. And it specifies that No-Name must remain at Pine Hollow Stable until everything is adjudicated—settled by a judge.”
    Stevie was speechless for a moment. Then she found her voice. “What?” she cried. “How can they do that? It’s not fair—she’s my horse! They can’t forbid me to ride her!”
    “Honey …” Mrs. Lake began.
    But Stevie wasn’t listening. “I just don’t understand why this girl is doing this!” she exclaimed, her voice shrill. “What does she want from me? Why would anyone want to stop me from riding my own horse?”
    “Stevie, just calm down,” Mrs. Lake said firmly. “Getting hysterical isn’t going to solve anything.”
    “Yes, sweetheart,” Mr. Lake added, placing a comforting hand on Stevie’s shoulder. “We’re doing everything we can to straighten this whole thing out. The best thing for you to do is just to abide by the restraining order until we’ve had a chance to do that.”
    Stevie’s whole body felt numb. She could see her father’s hand on her shoulder, but she couldn’t feel it. Her mind felt numb, too. How could this be happening to her?
    Then she started shaking. She had to be alone. Shegrabbed the papers from her mother, turned, and ran upstairs to her room. She closed the door, lay down on her bed, and stared at the ceiling. Her whole body was trembling. She had never felt like this before—beyond screaming or crying or becoming hysterical. Just numb and shaking so hard she thought she’d never stop.
    She tried to calm herself by thinking about No-Name. She had to stay strong and focused for the mare’s sake. She had to fight the Webbers so she and No-Name could stay together, just as they were meant to. How could stupid old Chelsea Webber even begin to think that No-Name ever could have belonged to her? That was ridiculous. And it didn’t matter one bit what some judge said. No-Name belonged to Stevie, heart and soul, and she always would. That was that. Stevie just had to find a way to keep No-Name no matter what. She couldn’t take any chances on what the judge decided.
    Finally Stevie stopped shaking. She put down the papers, which were wrinkled now where she’d been clutching them, and sat up to pick up the phone on her bedside table. Silently praising the person who’d invented three-way calling, she got Carole and Lisa on the phone and told them the news.
    They were almost as shocked as Stevie had been. But as they kept repeating over and over how horrible it all was, Stevie’s mind was already racing in another direction.
    “Listen, I think I’ve got an idea,” she said suddenly,interrupting Carole’s string of insults against Chelsea Webber.
    “What?” Lisa asked.
    “How is anybody going to know whether I ride No-Name or not?” Stevie asked. “And how could anybody care? Nobody at Pine Hollow is going to turn me in to the Webbers, right? I can just keep on riding her anyway.”
    “That’s right,” Carole said excitedly. “After all, No-Name has to be exercised or she’ll stiffen up. Even the stupid Webbers wouldn’t want that to happen.”
    “Uh, hold on just a minute,” Lisa put in. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea, Stevie. For one thing, Chelsea or her parents could turn up at Pine Hollow any old time—like she did today, for instance. Also, you’ve got to remember that you’re dealing with legal documents and stuff here. And I’m pretty sure that violating court orders like that could land you in jail.”
    “Jail?” Stevie repeated. “Just for riding a horse?”
    “Yes, just for riding a horse,” Lisa replied. “Oops, there’s my mom. I have to go eat dinner. Call me later if anything else happens, okay?”
    Stevie promised to do so. Then she and Carole talked for a few more minutes until Carole, too, had to go downstairs for dinner.
    After Stevie hung up the phone, she sat on the edge of her bed, thinking hard. She thought about what Lisa hadsaid—that she might be thrown in jail