Purebred by Bonnie Bryant Page A

was back on the stereo, and her father and Grand Alice moved gently to its slow, soft beat.
    She thought again about the story Grand Alice had toldher. She’d been so caught up in the idea of family history and bloodlines that she’d been overly ready—even eager—to believe that Jessie had behaved like Jackson Foley. That hadn’t been the case at all Jessie’s anger and grief were nothing like Jackson’s abandonment and betrayal Clearly, Jessie was not much like Jackson. Maybe bloodlines weren’t as important in humans as they were in horses.
    Carole thought back—if Jessie had married Lawrence fifteen years ago, then Joy, if she had lived, would have been close to Carole’s age. She would have been close to Louise’s age too.
    Suddenly Carole felt she had found a key to understanding the close, protective relationship between Jessie and Louise. Once when Carole had gone on rounds with Judy Barker, Pine Hollow’s veterinarian, she had seen a mare whose foal had died at birth. The mare seemed lost and unhappy without a foal to care for, but over the next several weeks she had gradually “adopted” another foal, as a way to soothe her grief. She had licked and fussed over and even nursed her adoptive baby, and the foal, cared for by two attentive mothers, had thrived.
    Jessie and Louise reminded Carole of that mare and foal. Who was Carole to say that they hadn’t both benefited by being so close to each other? For a brief moment Carole envied Louise. If Jessie had been nearby when Carole’s mother had died, perhaps they could have leaned on each other. Carole would have liked that.
    The music ended, and the silence broke Carole out of her reverie. Her father and Grand Alice stopped dancing and Grand Alice took a seat at the edge of the dance floor. Colonel Hanson went into the kitchen and came back with something to drink for both of them. That was a good idea—Carole was thirsty too. Plus, Jessie and Louise had gone into the kitchen. Carole would get a soda and apologize to Jessie at the same time.
    But the big room was empty except for two little kids racing toy cars across the tiled floor. Carole looked back into the party rooms, but she didn’t see Jessie or Louise—or Christina either—there. She did see Emile, sitting by himself on the sofa. He waved to her, and she was just about to go ask him where everyone was when Christina came through the lean-to door.
    A blast of icy air came in with her. Christina was heavily dressed in a thick parka and boots, with a scarf wrapped around and around her face. “Brrr! It’s
really
getting cold out there!” she said to Carole through folds of scarf.
    Carole helped her unwrap.
    Christina’s cold fingers fumbled with her parka zipper. “I’m half numb.” She took off her hat and shook out her hair.
    “Have you seen Louise?” Carole asked.
    “Sure. That’s where I’ve been. I just gave her a ride home on my snowmobile.” Christina set her dripping snow boots on the mat by the door and hung up her coat on ahook. “She said she wasn’t feeling well, but her parents are having fun and she didn’t want to make them leave the party.”
    That didn’t sound right to Carole. Louise had been feeling fine all day long. But why would she lie to Christina? Carole had a sudden bad feeling. “What about my aunt Jessie?” she asked. “Have you seen her?”
    “Uh-uh.” Christina shook her head. “I think she’s gone, too, because her truck isn’t in the driveway. Didn’t she come over separately from the rest of you?”
    “Yes.” So Jessie was gone, and now Louise too. Carole still didn’t believe that Jessie would ride out to Lover’s Point, but clearly she had at least gone home. Gone home to sulk, Carole thought. No, that wasn’t right—gone home because Carole had upset her. Carole felt like she had spoiled the party for both Jessie and Louise. In the back of her mind, she considered how disastrous it might be if Jessie actually did go to