The sound of gravel crunching made Samantha look up. Ashleigh�s car appeared, then stopped just a few feet from her. A very angry looking Ashleigh stepped out. �I just talked to Ken, and he told me what Seth said about Brad hitting Pride.�
Sammy stood up. �I was at the wrong spot to see anything, so I didn�t want to say it. But that�s what it looked like to me too.�
�I�m about to have it out with Mr. Townsend, and I�d like you to come with me.�
Samantha nodded. �Let me tell my dad.�
A minute later the two were walking towards the big house. Samantha glanced at Ashleigh out of the corner of her eye. The older girl�s mouth was set firmly in a grim line, and her normally cheerful blue eyes were cold as ice. Samantha shivered inwardly, very thankful that she was not the target of Ashleigh�s anger.
Ashleigh pushed open the heavy oak door to the Townsend mansion and marched straight to Clay Townsend�s office. But leaning against the doorframe was Brad, looking very cocky.
�How dare you!� Ashleigh hissed.
Brad raised one eyebrow. �How dare I what?�
Ashleigh clenched her fists tightly to keep from hitting Brad. �I know what you did to Pride this morning. I will not let it slide by!�
�You weren�t there, Ash. You didn�t see the way he bolted.�
�But I did.� Samantha spoke up. �Striking Pride like that was completely uncalled for. That�s why he bolted!�
At that moment, the office door opened and Clay Townsend stepped out. �What is going on out here?�
�Nothing, Dad.� Brad smiled.
Ashleigh glared at the young man who she had thought of as an enemy since Wonder was born. �Stuff it, Brad.� She then turned her attention to the elder Townsend. �I want to know if you�re going to do anything about what happened to Pride this morning.�
�Ashleigh, there isn�t anything I can do. There�s no proof that anything happened.�
Samantha stepped up. �Yes there is, Mr. Townsend. Pride has a welt on his shoulder where Brad hit him. Seth wouldn�t lie about something this serious.�
Clay looked at his son, who had stuffed his hands in his pockets and was studying the carpet. Clay then looked at Samantha. �Show me.�
The foursome walked down to the training barn and Samantha picked up Pride�s lead shank. He had been so tired that morning that Ken had instructed her to put Pride in his stall so he would rest.
Pride wasn�t resting though. He was pacing. Samantha slipped into the stall to clam him, thankful that she�d grabbed a carrot as the passed the tack room. She broke it into pieces and fed it to him slowly, all the while stroking his neck and talking softly to him.
Once he was relatively calm, Samantha led him out of the stall and into the aisle. The colt saw Brad and whinnied loudly, backing up into his stall and tossing his head. Ashleigh turned an angry glare on the young Townsend and Clay looked back and forth from his son to the colt. Something was definitely wrong.
Brad backed up away from Pride, knowing that he was in trouble.
Samantha placed a hand on Pride�s blaze and stroked his neck. He was trembling all over and the girl felt tears prick at the back of her eyes.
Clay stepped forward to examine the welt on Pride�s right shoulder. It hadn�t broken the skin, but he could see it raised up in the muscles. He sighed. �Samantha, please see that this is properly cared for. And do whatever you have to do to get him calmed down.�
Sammy nodded, then turned her completely attention to the chestnut colt. She heard Mr. Townsend say, �Brad, you�re coming with Ashleigh and me. We have some things to discuss.�
Samantha smiled. Mr. Townsend was not happy. He too wanted Pride to live up to his potential. �I think things are looking up, Pride!�
The colt whuffed out a carroty breath and nudged Samantha�s arm with his nose.
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
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