Fabulous Five 027 - The Scapegoat Read Online Free Page A
Author: Betsy Haynes
its surface.
"This is beautiful," Christie said to the girls in
the backseat.
"Wait until you see Farrell Manor," Eleanore told
her.
A couple of turns later they drove through a gate and up a
long drive, leading to one of the largest brick houses Christie had ever seen.
"My gosh," she gasped. There were long rows of
windows on both the first and the second floors. The wings at both ends of the
house were capped by chimneys. The grounds were dotted with brightly colored
flowers, and tall, graceful trees lined the circular drive in front of the
house.
"We told you it was something," said Nicki.
"Wait till you see the barns and gardens out back,"
Eleanore said. She opened the door and all three girls thanked Mr. Winchell.
"I'll be back around three to pick you up," he
replied. "Have fun."
"Thanks, Dad," Christie called as she hurried
after the others.
"Mind your manners now, McAfee," warned Phoebe as
they approached the door.
Nicki grinned and smiled innocently. "Who, me? I always
mind my manners."
Phoebe reached up and hammered the door with its knocker. A
butler opened it and let them into a large foyer.
"Hi," said Connie as he came to meet them. He was
wearing riding boots and breeches. Davey Hopper and Charlie Fenwick were right
behind him.
Davey was tall and thin with light brown hair. Christie
thought he looked like a younger version of Sting. Charlie was shorter, darker,
and more muscular. His black hair had a short rattail that hung over his
collar.
"Did you birds get lost?" Charlie asked.
"No, love," answered Nicki. "If you could
tell time, you'd know we're right on the blooming dot."
"Let's go out to the stable," said Connie,
laughing. He led them through the house.
Christie stopped and sucked in her breath when she saw the
beautiful formal garden behind the house. Rows of green hedges were shaped into
neat squares and rectangles. Inside the squares and rectangles were rosebushes
with flowers of every color. Gravel paths led through hedges, and statues stood
at some of the intersections.
Beyond the garden was a long, two-story brick building. It
was the stable. A young man was holding several horses that had been saddled in
the yard. Christie counted them. There were only six horses, and there were
going to be seven riders. Off to the side was a corral with a mare and her
colt.
Christie hurried to catch up with Connie. "Will you
tell me now who it is you want me to meet?"
"You'll see," he said, grinning.
"You know where the tack is," Connie said to the
rest of the group. "Why don't you outfit yourselves while I introduce
Christie to someone."
Connie led her through the stable's big double doors and
down a passageway. There were rows of stalls on either side, and most of the
upper halves of the doors were open. A few horses had their heads sticking out
and watched them go by. Connie finally stopped at a stall near the end.
"This is the fellow I wanted you to meet," he told
her, opening the stall door and leading the animal out. "Meet Rigel,"
he said proudly.
Christie drew in her breath. "He's gorgeous." She
reached out to touch the horse's nose. He threw back his head and looked at her
with his humongous eyes.
Rigel was small and had a powerful chest. His coat was black
with a dappling of gray on his flanks. His mane and tail were creamy white and
long. He was the most delicate and beautiful horse Christie had ever seen.
"He's an Arabian," said Connie. "We've named
him after one of the brightest and prettiest stars in the constellation Orion."
Christie ran her hand over the horse's neck, and it nuzzled
her. "You're a sweetie," she cooed.
"I thought you'd like him," said Connie with a
grin. "He's your ride for today."
"You're kidding! " cried Christie. "He's
. . . he's so special."
"Yes, he's a champion. That's why he's yours to ride."
As Connie looked Christie in the eyes, she quickly looked away.
CHAPTER 6
"Wow, that horse is a beaut!" exclaimed Davey as
Connie led Rigel out of the
"This is beautiful," Christie said to the girls in
the backseat.
"Wait until you see Farrell Manor," Eleanore told
her.
A couple of turns later they drove through a gate and up a
long drive, leading to one of the largest brick houses Christie had ever seen.
"My gosh," she gasped. There were long rows of
windows on both the first and the second floors. The wings at both ends of the
house were capped by chimneys. The grounds were dotted with brightly colored
flowers, and tall, graceful trees lined the circular drive in front of the
house.
"We told you it was something," said Nicki.
"Wait till you see the barns and gardens out back,"
Eleanore said. She opened the door and all three girls thanked Mr. Winchell.
"I'll be back around three to pick you up," he
replied. "Have fun."
"Thanks, Dad," Christie called as she hurried
after the others.
"Mind your manners now, McAfee," warned Phoebe as
they approached the door.
Nicki grinned and smiled innocently. "Who, me? I always
mind my manners."
Phoebe reached up and hammered the door with its knocker. A
butler opened it and let them into a large foyer.
"Hi," said Connie as he came to meet them. He was
wearing riding boots and breeches. Davey Hopper and Charlie Fenwick were right
behind him.
Davey was tall and thin with light brown hair. Christie
thought he looked like a younger version of Sting. Charlie was shorter, darker,
and more muscular. His black hair had a short rattail that hung over his
collar.
"Did you birds get lost?" Charlie asked.
"No, love," answered Nicki. "If you could
tell time, you'd know we're right on the blooming dot."
"Let's go out to the stable," said Connie,
laughing. He led them through the house.
Christie stopped and sucked in her breath when she saw the
beautiful formal garden behind the house. Rows of green hedges were shaped into
neat squares and rectangles. Inside the squares and rectangles were rosebushes
with flowers of every color. Gravel paths led through hedges, and statues stood
at some of the intersections.
Beyond the garden was a long, two-story brick building. It
was the stable. A young man was holding several horses that had been saddled in
the yard. Christie counted them. There were only six horses, and there were
going to be seven riders. Off to the side was a corral with a mare and her
colt.
Christie hurried to catch up with Connie. "Will you
tell me now who it is you want me to meet?"
"You'll see," he said, grinning.
"You know where the tack is," Connie said to the
rest of the group. "Why don't you outfit yourselves while I introduce
Christie to someone."
Connie led her through the stable's big double doors and
down a passageway. There were rows of stalls on either side, and most of the
upper halves of the doors were open. A few horses had their heads sticking out
and watched them go by. Connie finally stopped at a stall near the end.
"This is the fellow I wanted you to meet," he told
her, opening the stall door and leading the animal out. "Meet Rigel,"
he said proudly.
Christie drew in her breath. "He's gorgeous." She
reached out to touch the horse's nose. He threw back his head and looked at her
with his humongous eyes.
Rigel was small and had a powerful chest. His coat was black
with a dappling of gray on his flanks. His mane and tail were creamy white and
long. He was the most delicate and beautiful horse Christie had ever seen.
"He's an Arabian," said Connie. "We've named
him after one of the brightest and prettiest stars in the constellation Orion."
Christie ran her hand over the horse's neck, and it nuzzled
her. "You're a sweetie," she cooed.
"I thought you'd like him," said Connie with a
grin. "He's your ride for today."
"You're kidding! " cried Christie. "He's
. . . he's so special."
"Yes, he's a champion. That's why he's yours to ride."
As Connie looked Christie in the eyes, she quickly looked away.
CHAPTER 6
"Wow, that horse is a beaut!" exclaimed Davey as
Connie led Rigel out of the