Forget about Clay,she told herself.This is your chance.Take it.
The next two riders both went clear, as often happened. Once a rider saw that it could be done, they seemed to relax. The next four riders weren’t so lucky, and the odds evened-out a little.
Tensely awaiting the sound of her name, Ellie checked her position in the saddle, stirrups beneath the balls of her feet, her weight evenly distributed above her hips and legs. As Jube’s name was called over the loudspeaker, followed by her own, she nudged the big stallion forward.
She wanted this moment. She needed it as never before in her life.
Focusing on her ride, she let her body relax, let herself feel the stride of the animal beneath her as she’d taught herself since childhood. As she increased Jube’s speed, the noise of the crowd receded. She was ready for this. More than ready.
Feeling more relaxed than she ever had, Ellie took the first fence at an easy gallop, Jube’s body moving with subtle assurance. Four long strides to the red and white oxer, which the big horse took with confidence.
She smiled. Dog leg left, easy breezy, to the big triple combination Jube made look small. Over the next vertical, the pace a little faster, Jube’s concentration as powerful as her own.
Next came a big wide oxer, six long strides, Jube stretching out, then collecting himself just as she commanded—over with just the merest click of a hoof.
The crowd held its breath as the bar shimmied in the cup but didn’t fall. Dog leg right to a green and white vertical, then a brick wall jump. Clearing the wall, she started the next series of fences, which passed beneath her as if they weren’t there.
The crowd was on its feet cheering, and Jube seemed to lap up the sound. The big horse was taking the fences with ease, making them look like the pros they’d trained to be.
They approached the water jump, Ellie’s heart pounding but filled with pride. No matter what happened now, they’d ridden like champions. Over the water jump—the crowd still on its feet. Over the last vertical.
They made it! They’d gone clear and within the time allotted! Ellie felt the sting of tears and a swell of pride in her heart.
Jake was applauding above his head, grinning from ear to ear. Flex and Prissy stood beside him looking radiant. She glanced to the announcer’s stand where Shep sat with his back propped up with pillows giving her a thumbs-up.
Gerry rushed up to meet her. Jumping down triumphantly, she handed him Jube’s reins, and gave him a hug. “We did it!”
“You were wonderful. That’s by far the best ride you’ve ever given the old boy.”
She couldn’t stop grinning. “It was, wasn’t it?”
“I’m proud of you, lady.”
“Thank you, Gerry.”
“Me, too,” Prissy added, walking up beside her.
“Don’t get too cocky, young lady,” Jake said. “I expect to see more of the same in the second round.” But his eyes glowed with pride.
Only two other riders went clear, the contest far from over. Ellie found herself searching for Clay, hoping he’d say something to her, but he didn’t. She wondered why sleeping with him had changed his attitude towards her so completely. Linda Gibbons had slept with him, and God knew how many other women. He didn’t seem to hold them in contempt.
Maybe it was something she’d done. Not telling him she was a virgin then demanding he take her to bed.Something. All she knew was that whatever it was, she’d undo it if she could.
At the end of the first round, the others had done well enough they’d been able to throw out Prissy’s low score, leaving them in fourth position. In the second round, both Prissy and Flex put in good rides, Flex with eight faults, Prissy with four. When Clay’s turn came up, he seemed a little less sure of himself this time, Max a little tired. The first round had been grueling, this one no less so.
Clay rode beautifully, but Max caught a hoof on the last big vertical and the rail went down. Four faults in the time allotted. A good score and one that moved them up to third position. The next two riders each had two rails down. A French team member finished with sixteen faults and an Italian with twelve. At last, it was Ellie’s turn.
Willing herself to ride clear, she entered the arena, took her time getting into position. The first jump, the vertical, Jube took with ease, but Ellie could sense his fatigue. As with Max, the first round had taken more out of him than she’d suspected.
The second jump, the oxer, they cleared, but Jube landed out of stride, and she put him wrong at the combination. He righted himself and went over all three fences. Silently, she thanked him for saving them and continued over the next set of fences, working their way toward the water jump.
They cleared the jump, but Ellie feared they might have touched the fault line. She wouldn’t know until they finished the round.
Over the next set of fences, Jube tapped a hoof on the rail, which wobbled in the cup but remained in place. The crowd was cheering as she cleared the last big vertical and finished the course. She rode up to Jake still uncertain how she had done until the announcer called her score.
No faults within the time allotted. The crowd roared to its feet, applauding until her ears rang.
The last rider, a Frenchman, chalked up twelve faults. When the scores were tallied, the U.S. team had moved from third position to first—and most of the credit went to her.
