Silver Spurs (10 page)

Chapter Fourteen

Kate and her friends lingered outside the barn, hoping for word on Melissa's horse. “How long will the vet take to examine him? I'd think he'd be finished by now.” Kate turned to Colt. “You said you want to be a vet someday. Do you know what he's doing?”

“I volunteer, but so far I've mostly cleaned kennels and walked dogs at the clinic. I imagine he's checking Mocha's tendons and maybe doing X-rays of his bone.”

“Seriously?” Kate hadn't expected something like that.

“Yeah. They have portable X-ray machines, and it's not a big deal to bring one out. I hope Mocha's okay.”

“Me too.” Kate whispered the words, regretting she'd wished that Melissa would lose. She didn't even know how many points she'd gotten or what her standing was in the class because they'd all been hanging around the barn since the injury.

A couple of minutes later, Kate's mom waved at them and walked over. “Mocha might have bowed a tendon. The vet isn't sure. Or it could be something as simple as popping a splint on his bone, and if so, that will heal in time and won't cause permanent injury.”

Kate closed her eyes and sighed. “So that's good, right? I mean, if it's a splint instead of a tendon? How soon can she ride him again? Any chance he'll be okay by the time Melissa needs to enter the final class?”

“No. The vet wrapped his leg and iced it, but she has instructions not to use Mocha for the next month.”

Tori cringed. “What a bummer for Melissa.”

Her mother nodded. “Hadn't you better get ready for your class, Kate? You've been waiting for this for a long time.”

“Yeah,” she mumbled. But somehow her heart wasn't in it. She felt terrible for Melissa. She could only imagine what she'd be going through if it had happened to Capri.

Colt patted his stomach. “I'm starving. You guys got everything under control, or do you need help?”

Kate waved her hand. “Go eat. You're looking awfully skinny. Tori and I can take care of things.”

“Fine.” He grinned at them both. “Want me to bring you something?”

“Naw. I'm not going to eat till my class is over.”

“Scared?” He quirked a smile.

“No way. I just don't want to spill any food on my clothes, that's all.”

“Right.” He winked, then sauntered off, a cheerful whistle drifting after him.

Tori nudged Kate's arm. “So, you're nervous too, huh? You didn't want Colt to know 'cause he'd tease you?”

Kate shrugged. “I guess. Mostly, though, I'm worried about Melissa and don't feel like eating. She's got to be so upset.”

“Maybe we should stop by her stall and tell her we're sorry.”

Kate perked up. “Good plan. Let's go.”

She was thankful most of the indoor classes were finished for now, and the afternoon ones wouldn't start for another hour. Most of the spectators and participants were outside watching the final round of jumps before lunch. She had more than enough time to get Capri groomed and her tack checked out before her class.

They neared Mocha's stall and slowed their pace. “Do you suppose the vet is gone? We don't want to barge in if Melissa's still busy,” Kate whispered.

“Right. Let's hang here for a minute and see if we hear anything.” Tori stopped near the door two stalls down and leaned against the wall.

Kate slid the door open, thankful the stall was empty, and beckoned Tori inside. She dropped her voice. “In case the vet comes out, we don't want him or Melissa to think we're spying on them. If he walks by, we'll wait a minute or two and then go, casual like, and tell her we're sorry about what happened.”

Tori nodded, her eyes wide.

Footsteps approached from the opposite direction. They didn't come from Mocha's stall, but from the way it sounded they stopped right in front of it.

“Mom!” Melissa's voice rang through the walls separating them.

“Melissa. I got here hoping to see your first jumping class, and I was directed here. I passed the vet in the parking lot, and he told me Mocha will be fine. What's going on?”

Kate and Tori looked at each other, and Tori leaned in close to murmur, “Should we try to escape?”

“I'm afraid they'd see or hear us,” Kate whispered back. “Let's hang here for now until they leave. We'll catch up with Melissa later, since her mom's with her.”

Melissa's voice was low, but her words carried through to the empty stall. “Mocha can't finish the show.”

“What? But the vet said he'd be fine.”

“He will, with proper rest and care. I can't use him for at least a month. I'm sorry, Mom.”

Kate arched her brows at Tori. Why should Melissa tell her mother she was sorry Mocha got hurt, as if it was something that would upset her mom more than Melissa? Weird. Kate held perfectly still, hating to eavesdrop but intrigued in spite of herself.

Melissa's mother's voice went up a notch. “That is not acceptable, Melissa. You
must
finish your classes today. You've taken a first in one class. How about this last one?”

“I haven't heard, but I made it with no penalty points, so I imagine I'll place, even if I don't get first place.”

Something that sounded like a hand hitting the wall made Kate and Tori jump. “You need a first or a second in every class to make regionals.”

“I know that.” A note of desperation had crept into Melissa's voice. “But what am I supposed to do? He's lame. I can't ride him. It's over.”

“It can't be over!” Melissa's mother said in an icy tone. “My standing at the country club is based on your success as a rider … and your father's money. I can't keep up this charade much longer. Finances are tight. We
need
this win, Melissa.” There was a slight pause, and her tone turned condescending. “Your prestige among your peers hinges on this win too—as well as your dream to make the Olympic team someday. Then there are college scholarships. This win would ensure you getting into regionals.”

Kate and Tori, shocked, stared at each other.

“So are you going to pull another horse out of a hat, then?” Sarcasm and fear dripped from Melissa's voice. A sharp slap echoed through the stall. “Mom! I can't believe you hit me!”

“I will not tolerate disrespect, Melissa. Not from you or anyone else. How about the lesson horse at this barn? Can't you use him?”

Tori stiffened next to Kate, and they shot each other a look.

“He's not a high enough level, from what I've heard. He's mostly used for flat work and low jumps—hunter-jumper, not intermediate or advanced jumping. Besides, I haven't taken lessons on him, so I doubt Mrs. Ferris would allow me to use him.”

“We'll see about that.”

“No! Mom, I told you. He can't compete at the level I need for my final class. He'd fail going over the jumps. Would you rather I scratch the class or look foolish riding a horse that's obviously not up to it?”

Mrs. Tolbert heaved a deep sigh. “Neither. I want you to ride in that class and win. But I'm beginning to see that might not be a viable option.”

“Exactly.” Melissa sounded on the verge of tears, and Kate's heart twisted.

“I am not happy about this, Melissa. But I believe I have a solution.”

Silence followed her declaration. Kate and Tori exchanged glances and took a step closer to the wall.

“Fine. If you're just going to stand there and stare at me, I'll tell you. I'm going to contact the vet and tell him to give Mocha a heavy painkiller so you can ride him in the final class. Since the vet said he'll be fine with a bit of rest, I can't imagine a ten-minute ride will hurt.”

Melissa gasped. “No way! The vet will never agree, and I won't either. I love that horse, and I'm not going to risk crippling him.”

“That's absurd. So ride him, then let him take five weeks off instead of a month, but I doubt that will be necessary, with the proper medication. Why, anything is possible with drugs.”

“I will not ride him, Mom.”

“You'll do as you're told, and that's final.” The stall door slid open.

Footsteps receded in the opposite direction, and Kate wilted against the interior stall wall. She beckoned for Tori to come close and put her lips against her ear. “Let's get out of here.”

Tori's eyes turned toward the stall where Melissa must still have been with her horse.

Sobs that had barely been discernible suddenly escalated into a full-throated cry. Kate grabbed Tori's hand and slid the door open, then both girls tiptoed toward the closest exit.

Kate could barely concentrate on her class as she entered the ring. Melissa's sobs still rang in her ears. How could her mother threaten to have her horse drugged so she could compete? She shuddered and patted Capri's neck, thankful neither of her parents was so focused on winning that they'd do something underhanded and hurtful.

The announcer gave the command to trot, and Kate concentrated on rising on the correct diagonal. She could do this in her sleep now, but apparently not with Melissa on her mind. She and Tori hadn't talked much about what they'd heard. They barely had time to get Capri groomed and tacked up before Kate's class was called. If only she'd had time to discuss it with her mom or dad, but both were busy keeping everything running smoothly, as well as watching Pete.

“Canter, please. Canter your horses.” The announcer's flat voice sounded over the speaker system.

Kate touched Capri with her heel, feeling anew when her mare instantly picked up the correct lead. She'd only recently learned how to ask properly, and now she understood why Capri had fought her in the past. Getting the proper response from even a well-trained mount depended so much on understanding how to ask. Some of her friends in Spokane thought that riding a horse amounted to climbing into the saddle, kicking the horse, and hauling back on the reins when they wanted to stop.

“Walk your horses, please. Walk your horses.”

Kate kept Capri collected as she brought her down to a walk. She'd looked forward to this class for weeks, and now she wasn't even enjoying it. Better to keep her mind on what she was doing for a few minutes, since she couldn't do anything about Melissa or Mocha now—if at all.

They made several more rounds of the arena, reversing direction and putting their horses through their paces yet again. A judge with a clipboard stood in the middle watching each rider as they passed and jotting down notes. Kate wondered if she was writing negative or positive things each time her head bent over the clipboard.

“Form a line in the middle of the arena, please.”

The riders did as they were told, then each one backed her horse, then moved forward, taking their original position. Kate hadn't noticed anyone messing up, and she doubted she'd even place with over a dozen riders in this class. It didn't matter anymore. She'd had the fun of taking part, and there was at least one more class she planned to enter later, so there was always hope for a ribbon then.

Each name was called, but Kate barely noticed. Her thoughts had flown ahead to Melissa's dilemma, but as hard as she struggled, she couldn't think of any way to make it better. Did she want to interfere? Melissa wasn't a friend—and at times, Kate felt she was close to an enemy. But something about the girl's reaction to her mother's threat had melted the ice in Kate's heart. She could only imagine what kind of person she'd be if she had a mother like that.

“And second place goes to Kate Ferris riding Capri. Please walk forward and accept your ribbon.”

A thrill ran through Kate as she realized they'd called her name. She looked around to be sure—maybe she'd only imagined it—but she saw Tori and Colt on the sidelines clapping and hooting, and her parents grinning not far from her friends. She nudged Capri forward and stroked the mare's neck. “Thank you, big girl. You did it all. I just came along for the ride.” New gratitude swelled in her chest that God had brought this horse into her life.

Kate accepted the red ribbon, not caring that it wasn't a first. She'd only been half paying attention during the first several minutes of the class, so it was a wonder she'd placed so high. She rode from the ring, reining to a stop as she reached her parents, Pete, and her friends. She held up the ribbon. “My very first one.”

Mom patted Kate's leg. “And I'm sure it won't be your last. You and Tori can be proud of the progress you've made since you started riding. Your dad and I are proud of you too.”

“Yeah!” Tori hugged herself. “And I have you guys to thank for it. If it wasn't for Mr. Gray, I wouldn't have gotten a chance to ride in a class at all.”

Kate slipped from the saddle and beckoned to the small group. “You guys want to follow me back to my stall?”

Her mom and dad exchanged a look. “Can we stop by in a bit, Kate? We need to get outside and check on the next class that's starting.”