Word Count: 48,019
Summary of Events:
Caetline's dad and his cousin were back for a break, Caetline watched as her dad's cousin adeptly rode one of the school horses that possessed a more challenging personality. Macaulay was working at the hospital again and ended up being rather busy. Caetline and her friend Eva spent a few moments sitting in the shade after catching the morning's horses . . .
Excerpt of the Day:
"Are you alright?" Eva asked. "You look like you're a little off."
"Jada's got a bay," Caetline replied.
"And you're jealous because you don't have a horse of your own?" Eva asked.
"No," Caetline replied. "Her parents didn't pay any money. In fact, I'm pretty sure they're actually going to be getting paid for the arrangement."
"Really?" Eva asked. "What do you mean?"
"She's riding Pride," Caetline replied.
"He's a stallion!" Eva exclaimed.
Caetline nodded, saying nothing.
"How did she arrange that?" Eva asked.
"Lucas-Oliver decided it would get him out of having to hire an exercise rider for Pride if he let her ride him," Caetline replied.
"How did they even connect?" Eva asked.
"Mr. Greenwall and Mrs. Johnstone are brother and sister," Caetline replied.
"Oh," Eva said. "So they ended up seeing him because he's home and talked to him about it and he decided to kill two birds with one stone."
"Yes," Caetline replied.
"And you think it's going to harm your chances to buy Pride," Eva said.
"It's going to destroy them," Caetline replied. "If it's a success, anyways."
"So you're hoping it fails?" Eva asked.
"I guess," Caetline replied. "I don't know."
"Does that mean everyone who's on a mare will be changed to riding a gelding?" Eva asked.
"That's my guess," Caetline replied.
"And M. Lécuyer is okay with this?" Eva asked.
"It's not his horse," Caetline replied. "He's planning on talking to a lawyer to make sure that he can prove his lack of liability if anything goes wrong, thus any attempt to sue him would fall flat."
"I've never been allowed to ride a stallion," Eva said. "Nor have you. It seems kind of unfair that Jada should be allowed to when she's the newest to the class."
"I know," Caetline replied dismally. "I've never even ridden a horse worth more than ten thousand dollars. She's riding a quarter of a million dollar horse."
"And he's gorgeous too," Eva said.
"I know," Caetline replied. "Why else do you think I want to buy him?"
Eva sighed. "That's really disappointing."
Caetline merely nodded. What else was there to be said? The horse she wanted the most was being ridden by the girl she found the most difficult to be around. The girl who was the most inexperienced. The girl who was least deserving of such a privilege. The girl who was the most entitled.
"I really don't think they'll work well together," Eva said.
"They were fine yesterday," Caetline replied.
"She rode him yesterday?" Eva asked.
"Yes," Caetline replied. "Lucas warmed Pride up first, so Arrière-Oncle Guy isn't convinced it will necessarily remain as sunny as it looked yesterday, but they rode yesterday and things went well."
"And there's not really any way we could try and ruin the partnership without making things dangerous," Eva said.
"No," Caetline agreed. "There isn't, and even if there were I don't know that I'd want to do it for Pride's sake."
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