Horse in Danger by Michelle Bates

Author:Michelle Bates [Michelle, Bates]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781409555032
Publisher: Usborne Publishing

As she cycled up the drive and round the house, she propped her bike against the stable wall. Jake wasn’t there, but Silver Dancer’s stable door stood wide open and there was his jumper on the ground. This time she didn’t have to look far – Jake was out in one of the paddocks, cantering a neat circuit around the outside of the school. The moment she saw him, her doubts and anxiety vanished into thin air.

Gladly, she watched as Jake rode around the paddock. He was a hard worker, determined not to slack on Silver Dancer’s training. Rosie waved across the grass to him. Gently sprinting over, she jumped up onto the gate and waited for him to stop.

“All right?” Breathlessly, Jake cantered over to her and drew to a halt. “I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“I came looking for you last night but you weren’t around,” Rosie said accusingly.

“I took Dancer for a ride,” he answered.

Rosie shrugged her shoulders. “Well, I don’t want to worry you, but I’ve got some news. O’Grady’s been phoning around again. Someone had given him a lead. He thought he’d got you.”

“Really?” The panic showed in Jake’s eyes.

“Don’t worry. It was only a retired racehorse that someone had sighted. It’s just that he obviously hasn’t given up on finding you, that’s all. I know that we’d banked on him thinking you’d gone far away, but he still seems to be hunting around the area.”

“Perhaps I should be more careful,” Jake said thoughtfully. “I’ve only got to stay hidden for a few more days. Anyway, let’s not think about it right now. Dancer’s raring to go.” He offered the reins over to Rosie. “Want a ride?”

“A quick one.” Rosie grinned and jumped down from the gate. She took the reins eagerly. Walking Silver Dancer around the paddock, she looked across to Jake for permission to go a bit faster. When he nodded his head, she squeezed the horse’s sides and fluidly went straight into an easy canter. Sitting deep into the seat, she could hardly feel Silver Dancer’s hooves touch the ground. Smiling to herself, Rosie took another circuit of the paddock, losing herself in the rhythm of her riding.

Happily bringing the horse to a halt, she drew up next to Jake and jumped to the ground. She handed over the reins and was just about to jump up onto the gate to watch him when she stopped still in her tracks.

“I don’t believe it,” she exclaimed, looking at her watch. “How can I have been so stupid. How could I have forgotten?”

“What? What is it? What have you forgotten?” Jake asked.

“Oh nothing,” Rosie muttered under her breath. “Just that I said I’d meet Jess at ten, that’s all, and now it’s half past. She’s going to be really furious. I’m going to have to get a move on or I’ll be late for cross-country too.”

Quickly, she ran over to her bike and turned out of the yard. She wouldn’t feel happy until she’d seen Jess and apologized.

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