The Palomino Pony Wins Through by Olivia Tuffin Read Free Book Online

long day.”
    “Thanks, Mum.”
    “Gee!” Emma cried as she saw her friend on the front step.
    Georgia hugged her best friend, who laughed and plucked a piece of hay out of her hair. “Come on in,” she said, leading her into the sitting room and plonking herself down on the sofa, patting the spot next to her.
    “Tell me everything. What’s going on?” asked Emma.
    “Well…” Georgia didn’t know where to start! “Some strange stuff, Em,” she said with a frown.
    “But Lily’s fine, isn’t she?” said Emma.
    Georgia nodded.
    “And the gorgeous Secret?”
    “He’s fine too,” replied Georgia.
    “Well, that’s great!” Emma said. “Isn’t it?”
    Georgia realised she must sound distracted. “Yes,” she said, smiling. “It’s just there’s other stuff going on at the Smalleys’.” And she quickly told her friend everything.
    Sitting beside Emma, fingers wrapped round a mug of hot chocolate, it felt easy to open up. Em listened patiently – to the threats that Lucy had made at the show, right through to Georgia finding out the tragic story of Honey’s death.
    “After riding Alice’s ponies, you can tell how much she must have loved them,” Georgia concluded. “I just wish I could help in some way!”
    Emma looked thoughtful. “Georgia,” she said carefully. “I know how much you want things to turn out for the best.” She looked at her best friend. “But really, I don’t know what you can do. In less than two weeks’ time you’ll be back at Redgrove. This is something for Josephine to sort out on her own.”
    Georgia looked thoughtful. Perhaps Em was right. But for some reason, Georgia felt sure there must be something she could do to help. She just wasn’t sure what that was yet!

C HAPTER E LEVEN
    A week later and the show team were taking Porridge, a Connemara called Milky, an Exmoor named Toby, and Lily to the next date in the calendar, a qualifier show.
    “Don’t worry, boy,” Georgia had whispered to Wilson that morning. “Enjoy your day relaxing in the fields. You deserve it.”
    Callie had bustled up and nudged him in theshoulder, making Georgia laugh.
    “Ready!” Josephine called.
    Georgia gave both ponies one last scratch before sprinting back to the lorry. Secret had been grazing, and didn’t come over to say hello. Georgia tried to swallow a tiny bubble of hurt. She knew Secret was independent and that was just the way he was, but sometimes she wished he would show a tiny bit more affection towards her. Again, she wondered what Melanie would do with him. She knew they would have to talk about it when Melanie got back from France.
    With the season still in the early stages, the show was being held at an equestrian centre with all-weather arenas. It was a blustery, bright spring day, but the ground was still sodden following the wet winter. Georgia shuddered when she remembered the stormy day back in October – the night Secret was born – and the rising floodsaround Redgrove Farm. Thank goodness Dan had been there and suggested that they move all the ponies to his farm.
    He was working at the farm today so he wasn’t able to come and watch Georgia at the show. She missed him – lorry journeys weren’t so much fun without him!
    Idly, she wondered if they’d ever get to go to the cinema after all. They had barely seen each other over the last week. Every time she thought about Dan her tummy gave a little flip! Thank goodness for Lily; she was always able to pour out her secrets to the little palomino.

    Much like the last show, the morning was a flurry of activity. If Georgia wasn’t showing she was warming up another pony in the outdoor ring, or helping Shelley brush out manes and tails and apply lashings of shine spray. She was walking Lilyaround on a loose rein when she felt her blood run cold. There was that girl – Lucy – standing right in front of her. Georgia looked around frantically, hoping to see Shelley, Fergus or Josephine, but she was