Hobbyhorse by Bonnie Bryant

Author:Bonnie Bryant [Bryant, Bonnie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-82559-9
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2013-02-06T05:00:00+00:00

ON SUNDAY, LISA, her parents, and Amelia spent the day with Lisa’s aunt and uncle. Fortunately they had three children younger than Amelia, so Superbrat bossed them around the whole day and ignored Lisa. Lisa curled up on her aunt’s couch and read magazines. She was happy to be left alone.

Monday morning Amelia came down to the breakfast table in another new pair of jodhpurs and another tidy wool sweater. Her face was scrubbed clean, she’d polished her paddock boots, and she had tied bright ribbons at the ends of her braids.

“Why, Amelia,” said Mrs. Atwood, “you look very nice.”

“Thank you, Aunt Eleanor,” Amelia said politely. “Could you please wash my other jodhpurs for me? They got a little dirty on Saturday.” She slid into her chair and reached for the cereal.

“Of course. I must say, it’s a pleasure having someone around who takes as much care with her appearance as you do.” Lisa’s mother gave Lisa a sideways smile, and Lisa sighed. She’d been wearing the same pair of breeches for three days now, and she hadn’t cleaned her boots in more than a week. But she was wearing clean socks and a fresh shirt, her hair was clean and combed, and she’d brushed her teeth. She wasn’t dirty. Besides, no one around the stable cared what she looked like. The only person who really fussed over her appearance was Veronica diAngelo.

“Do you think I look okay, Lisa?” Amelia asked shyly.

“Sure. Pass the orange juice, will you?”

A smile had started on Amelia’s face, but it faded under the scornful tone in Lisa’s voice. Amelia pushed the orange juice carton sullenly across the table, and it spilled a little.

“Be careful!” Lisa said.

“I’m trying.”

Something anxious in the tone of Amelia’s voice made Lisa look at her more closely. Was it possible that Amelia was worried about how she looked? Suddenly it occurred to Lisa that Amelia was just trying to look right, to fit in. She wanted to be liked. Unfortunately, Lisa thought with a sigh, she also wanted to get her own way a hundred and six percent of the time.

On the way to Pine Hollow, Lisa thought sadly about the broken hobbyhorse. Her parents had still not said one word about it, so neither had she. She’d avoided going into the garage, because she didn’t want to see the beautiful piece of art sitting on top of the trash.

Amelia didn’t speak to Lisa after the exchange at the breakfast table. When they got out of the car at Pine Hollow and waved good-bye to Lisa’s mother, Amelia turned to Lisa. “Can I ride Prancer today?” she asked.

“Don’t be stupid,” Lisa said crossly. “You’re not going to ride her at all this week. I’m sure Max will give you Delilah again, and you ought to be happy with her. You got along fine with her Saturday.” She didn’t understand Amelia’s obsession with riding Prancer, especially given how much fun she’d had with Delilah.

Amelia’s eyes filled with tears. “But I don’t want to ride Delilah.

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