Crown Prince Challenged (18 page)

“Sure,” Kayla said. “I think Tim knows those trails like the back of his hand, and we don't want to get lost out there. And who wouldn't like to go riding with a guy like Derek?” Kayla noticed Mrs. Wagner's SUV approaching. “I think this is your mother coming now.”

When the SUV rolled to a stop, Sarah opened the hatch and put her new horse blanket in the back. Then she and Kayla hopped in. “It looks like you found one you like,” Mrs. Wagner said.

“Yeah,” Sarah replied, “I was just lucky there were quite a few bucks left on my card. I also got a cheap everyday halter for Prince, so he doesn't have to be turned out with his good one.”

“You were lucky he came with an expensive halter with a name plate,” Kayla said. “Horses always wear a halter when you buy them, but usually it's a tired nylon job.”

“Let's face it, Kayla. I was lucky all the way around when I got Prince.”

After dropping Kayla off, Mrs. Wagner turned off Ridge Road to take Sarah to Brookmeade Farm. “Your father will call you when he's leaving school, and he'd appreciate it if you could be ready when he arrives.”

“Okay…. Bye, Mom,” Sarah said as the SUV pulled to a stop near the barn's main entrance. “Thanks much!” She grabbed her purchases from the back of the vehicle, and with a wave, headed for the barn. After making her way up the cement steps and pushing in through the heavy entry door, she glanced into the office as she passed. Tim and Paige were talking to Jack. Sarah quickly put on the brakes and swung into the office. “I hope I'm not butting in,” she said.

“Oh, no,” Jack said, as he walked to the door. “It's time I got on French Twist, so I'll be off.”

Paige noticed the red horse blanket Sarah was carrying. “I guess we'll see Prince coming from a mile off with that on,” she said. “It's a good thing there aren't any bulls on this farm!”

Sarah grinned. “You're right. And for a big horse, it takes a big blanket.” She paused, leaning her package on top of a chair. “Hey, Kayla's bringing Fanny over here tomorrow morning at nine to go for a trail ride with me. Any chance you guys are going to ride in the morning? Want to come with us to the trails across Ridge Road?

“Yeah, we're going to hack tomorrow,” Tim said. He looked at Paige. “What do you think?”

“We haven't ever gone out on the trails with Kayla,” Paige said. “She's a lot of fun. Sounds awesome.”

“Okay,” Sarah said. “See you about nine-fifteen. Now I'm going to Prince's stall while I can still carry this thing!”

Sarah was about halfway up the aisle when she saw Derek coming toward her. “I guess you won't have to worry about turning Prince out during hunting season with that,” he said. When he got close to her, he reached out for the blanket. “Here, let me carry that for you.”

“Oh, thanks,” Sarah said, as he took the blanket. “You'd think pulling bales of hay around the loft would make me able to carry one horse blanket without any trouble, but that thing weighs a ton.”

As they walked to Prince's stall, Sarah deliberated—should she ask Derek to come on the trail ride? She'd ridden with him a few times, but always at
his
invitation. She liked being with him, and their conversation came easy. She was always sorry when they got back to the barn. Now that she knew about his girlfriend in Chicago, she didn't want to give the impression she was making a move on him.
But this is a group ride,
she thought.
Oh, why not!

“Are
you riding in the morning?” she asked Derek, glad he wasn't looking into her reddening face when she said it. “Kayla Romano's mother is trucking Fanny over about nine, and Tim and Paige are riding with us. We're going across Ridge Road to the trails.” She paused.
Here comes the hard part,
she thought. “Want to come?”

“Oh, wow,” Derek said, immediately excited. “That would be awesome. I usually hack on Saturdays, when I have plenty of time. I've been hoping someone could show me those trails.” He turned to look at her, and Sarah was reminded how intensely blue his eyes were. “Thanks for asking me.”

* * * * *

On Saturday, Sarah pedaled her bike fast through the crisp fall air to be at the barn before seven. Once the horses had been fed, she grabbed a push broom and headed for the lounge to begin her sweeping chores. As she worked, she thought about how much fun the ride would be. She and Kayla had wanted to do this from the first day Crown Prince had come to Brookmeade, and
finally
it was going to happen. Tim and Paige were riding with them, and best of all, so was Derek.

After sweeping the lounge, feed room, and both tack rooms, she decided the two aisles would have to wait. She hurried back to Prince's stall. He had finished eating his hay and was watching Derek groom Bismarck.

“Hi, Sarah,” he said. “Is Kayla here yet?”

“Not the last time I checked,” Sarah said, going up to Bismarck and stroking his head. She loved his narrow blaze, and the horse enjoyed her attention. He pulled against the cross-ties to sniff her pockets. “I don't dare give you the carrot you smell,” Sarah said to the horse. “Prince would call his lawyer.”

“Don't feel sorry for Bismarck,” Derek said, running a dandy brush over the horse's hindquarters. “He got his share of apples already.”

It was only then that Sarah noticed Nicole Jordan leaning on Bismarck's stall on the other side of the horse. She decided it was a good time to head for the tack room to retrieve her grooming caddy and tack. When she returned, Nicole was gone. Sarah brought Prince out into the aisle and got busy with a curry comb.

When Derek had Bismarck tacked up, he said, “I'm going to school in the outside ring until everyone is ready.” He started leading his horse away, but stopped after taking a few steps and looked back at her. His face sobered. “I'm not sure, but Nicole and Kelly might follow us. I didn't actually invite them—Nicole asked what I was doing today and then hightailed it out of here. Sorry,” he said. He could see that Sarah wasn't thrilled.

After Sarah had finished grooming Prince, she went to a window to see if Kayla had arrived. Kayla was holding Fanny while her mother unhooked the trailer from their pickup. Sarah saw Paige down the aisle with Quarry on cross-ties, getting him ready, and guessed Tim was doing the same thing. Sarah rushed back to her horse and began to tack up.
I really hope I don't have to deal with Kelly and Nicole on this ride,
she thought.

When Sarah led Prince out to the courtyard to use the mounting block, Kayla was already on Fanny and talking to Derek. Paige led Quarry out of the barn, followed by Tim and Rhodes Scholar. Everyone was ready to go! Sarah was relieved that Prince seemed laid back and totally unfazed by the other horses milling around. After his weekly group lessons, this was no big deal.

Sarah rode Prince toward Kayla, giving her a thumbs-up. “How come your mother is leaving your trailer here?” she asked.

“Mom wants to do some errands without pulling the trailer around, and this way I can tie Fanny to it when we're through riding,” Kayla said. She reached down and gave the mare a hearty pat on her neck. “We've been doing an awful lot of ringwork lately. Fanny is going to love getting out on the trails, especially some she's never been on before.”

Tim and Paige joined them. “We'll follow the entry road to get to Ridge Road,” Tim said. He turned Rhodes in that direction, with the others following. They had started walking up the hill away from the barn when Sarah turned in her saddle to speak to Kayla. Out of the corner of her eye she saw two other horses just starting up the roadway. She recognized them at once—Jubilee and Midnight Jet.

“Guess who's bringing up the rear,” she said to Kayla, as she gestured over her shoulder with her thumb. Kayla looked around to see the two trailing horses and started laughing. “It looks like we're going to have a real big ride, almost like a foxhunt!”

Paige heard what Kayla said, and she looked back. “All we need now are the hounds!” she quipped. Derek and Tim were riding side by side in the lead, and hearing the laughter, they also turned to see what was up. Derek gave Sarah a knowing look. Those girls were totally predictable!

FROM THE SPRING IN HIS STEP,
Sarah sensed Prince was happy going out with the other horses. He took the bit eagerly, and despite the distractions, he listened to her constant communications through the reins and her leg aids. Sarah reached down to pat his neck, thankful to have such a super horse. A cool breeze made her wish she'd worn a vest over her sweater, but she knew she wouldn't be chilly for long. The sun on this crisp, cloudless morning was taking the edge off the coolness and lighting up the fall foliage like a neon sign.
This is incredible!
Sarah thought.
I'll remember this day for the rest of my life.

When the riders neared the O'Briens' bungalow, Kathleen was coming out of the carriage shed. Her auburn hair blended with the blazing backdrop of maple trees as she hurried out the driveway to wave to them. “'Tis a grand day!” she called.” Have a wonderful ride.”

Soon they had reached the foot of the small hill beyond the bungalow. “Let's trot!” Tim called to everyone. Rhodes and Bismarck picked up a lively trot. Sarah and Kayla rode side-by-side, their two horses trotting as a pair behind Paige. Because Prince's stride was longer than Fanny's, Sarah found herself frequently using half-halts to check his pace, and Kayla had to ask Fanny to extend her trot.

The group trotted along the gravel road and over the bridge, the horses' hooves drumming loudly on the planks. The turned-out broodmares, whose foals had by now been weaned and sent away, raised their heads from grazing in the fields to watch them go by. After a long trot, the riders got closer to Ridge Road and could see the trailhead directly across the way. Tim raised his right arm to signal a downward transition. After coming back to walk and halting to make sure there was no traffic coming, they walked their horses across the asphalt.

Sarah looked behind to see if the other two horses were still following, but there was no sign of them. “I guess Kelly and Nicole decided to go a different way,” she said to Kayla.

Kayla also looked behind. “They could be hidden by that bend in the road, or they might have gone on the meadow trail. That would be just as well, don't you think?” Sarah raised an eyebrow as she nodded.

The trail began on what appeared to be an old farm lane, where a thick bed of crisp, fallen leaves rustled under the horses' feet, sending up their own pungent aroma. The narrow road eventually opened into a large field with a worn path around the perimeter. “There are a few trails that go off from this field,” Tim said. “Do you want the one that climbs Sutters Hill? It's pretty steep in places, and can be rough and rocky. Good view from the top, though.”

Paige offered a suggestion. “How about the rock wall trail? There's a great stretch where you can jump the stone walls or go around them. I think there are at least four walls not too far apart. It's good galloping ground, too. Tim and I use the trail to get our horses ready for events.”

“Sounds awesome!” Kayla cried out.

Derek agreed with Kayla. “Cool. Maybe Bismarck will decide he wants to become an event horse.”

Sarah nodded her head, too. She couldn't help being excited, even though she clearly remembered the first time she and Prince had jumped in a group, when Prince had plowed into Chancellor. She'd have to keep a tight hold on him today!

“Why don't Quarry and Rhodes go first?” Paige asked. “Our horses have done this before. What do you think, Sarah?”

“As long as I don't go last, I don't care. Remember the old orchard trail ride?” Sarah replied.

“Fanny won't mind being left behind for a little while,” Kayla said. “I'll go last.”

Derek was thoughtful. Finally he said, “I'll follow you, Sarah.”

“Okay, you guys,” Tim said. “Paige and I will meet you in a small meadow after the fourth rock wall. Give the rider ahead of you a few minutes before you start, just in case there's a problem.” He guided Rhodes into the field and trotted a big circle before asking for canter and heading to the trail opening.

Tim had just gotten out of sight when Kayla spotted movement in the field behind them. Turning in her saddle, she saw Kelly and Nicole riding toward them. “Oh, boy,” she said. “Look who is coming.” The riders watched Kelly and Nicole pick up trot to close the gap between them. When they reached the group, both Midnight Jet and Jubilee were breathing heavily.

“Why didn't you guys wait for us?” Nicole said. “We've been trying to catch up with you from the beginning. It seemed like you trotted forever, and we couldn't keep up.”

Kayla wasn't sympathetic. “We had no idea you were coming with us. Did you tell anyone?”

“Look, it's time for me to go,” Paige said. “You guys figure out who's going when.” With that she cantered Quarry in a circle in the field and then disappeared onto the rock wall trail.

Derek walked Bismarck toward Kelly and Nicole, clearly concerned with their presence. “We're going to do some serious jumping on this trail. Are you sure you girls are up to it?”

After scanning the riders in the group, Nicole spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. “If Sarah Wagner can do it on her green horse, than we can do it,” she said. “Don't worry about us, Derek.”

Derek caught Sarah's eye for a moment before turning back to Kelly and Nicole. “Are you really sure your horses are fit enough to canter for some distance, as well as jump four rock walls?

Both Kelly and Nicole nodded their heads resolutely.

“Well, if you're going to insist on doing this, I'll go last and follow you,” Derek said with obvious frustration.