Читать книгу Vets and Pets 2: Jamie and the Horse Show - Helen Brain - Страница 4

Jamie makes a plan

A short while later Jamie and Pan were sitting on a bench near the car park, waiting for Pan’s au pair to pick them up.

“I can’t believe it,” Jamie grinned. “I just asked her and she said yes. I can’t wait to ride him. I’m going to ask Mom if I can come every day. And when Mrs Bunhoffer sees how well I handle him, she’ll give me a special price. I know.”

“I hope so,” said Pan, opening her can of Coke. “Look, here comes the new girl. I wonder what her name is.”

The girl came sauntering out of the stable yard. She was beautiful. She had long, silver-blonde hair tied in a thick plait, turquoise eyes and glowing skin.

“Hiya,” she said lazily and leaned against the wall next to the girls’ bench. “I’m Shardonnay. What are you talking about?”

“Nothing,” Jamie mumbled. She’d seen the girl laughing at her. She wasn’t going to be friendly.

“Just chatting,” said Pan. “Would you like some Coke?” she held out her can.

Shardonnay wrinkled her pretty nose. “Nah. Never touch the stuff. Makes you fat,” she said running her eyes up and down Jamie. “That your pony you were riding?”

Jamie blushed. “No. He’s a school pony. McTavish.”

“A school pony?” Shardonnay raised her eyebrows. “Seriously? Don’t you have your own horse?”

“Not yet, but …”

“Oh shame,” interrupted Shardonnay. “I couldn’t survive without my own horse. I’m leasing the Chestnut for now, but my dad’s going to buy me my own as soon as the right one comes along. He says the price doesn’t matter – I’ve just moved here from Jo’burg. My teacher said I’m so good I’ll be riding in the Olympics one day. Anyway, I’d better go. Here’s my mom.”

She tossed her plait over her shoulder and walked off towards the SUV driving in through the gates. She turned around suddenly and looked at Jamie’s jeans. “By the way, nice jodhpurs.”

Jamie felt the heat rising off her cheeks. She was furious.

Pan patted her arm. “Just ignore her. She seems like a real cow.”

“I HAVE to buy Oreo,” Jamie said. “I’m sick of being the riding school laughing stock. But where am I going to get three thousand rand. In fact, I need five thousand five hundred for Oreo. And that’s IF my mother sticks to her side of the bargain and pays the other half.”

“Hmm,” Pan said. “Let’s think. You’ve already got a job working for your mom in the vet practice, right?”

“Yes, only odd jobs every now and again. It will take me forever to earn that much.”

“Have you got anything you can sell?”

Jamie snorted. “You mean like my little brother? Or his monkey?”

“No silly,” Pan giggled. “I mean like toys, or PC games or even clothes. People pay good money for them.”

Jamie thought. Her room was a mess, but there must be some things she didn’t need anymore.

“I’ll tell you what,” Pan said. “Let’s ask your mom if I can sleep over, and I can help you go through your stuff. Then we can advertise on Gumtree.”

Over the fence Oreo whinnied, and Jamie smiled. “Oreo thinks that’s a great idea.”