Was it really Ashleigh's fault? Tragedy has struck Edgardale. Ashleigh Griffen's favorite yearling has been injured in a terrible accident, and Ashleigh feels responsible. The vet says the colt should be put down. Ashleigh begs for time, and devotes herself to caring for the yearling. But nothing Ashleigh does seems to help. The yearling must be destroyed. Blaming herself for the colt's sad fate, Ashleigh vows never to become attached to a horse again -- it can only end in tearful good-byes. Can any horse mend Ashleigh's broken heart?

Ashleigh #4 Goodbye, Midnight Wanderer

Chapter One

"I'll race you to the barn, Caro!" Ashleigh Grifen called to her older sister, Caroline, as she dashed through the kitchen.

"But Ashleigh...?' Caroline's voice trailed off as Ashleigh sprinted out the door.

It was Saturday -- no school -- and ten-year-old Ashleigh was in high spirits. She raced out of the little white farmhouse and turned the corner of the gravel path. Ahead of her, the big brown horse barn loomed, nestled amongst rolling Kentucky pastures. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath and gaze out over the white-fenced paddocks. Sleek Thoroughbreds grazed quietly, and an atmosphere of peacefulness filled the air. Ashleigh almost had to pinch herself to remember that Edgardale was home. The most perfect home in the world, Ashleigh thought. She drew her coat around her more tightly as a gust of icy wind made her shiver.

"Hi, Jonas' Ashleigh called across the barn to where Edgardale's new stable manager was sweeping up.

"Morning' Jonas grunted in reply, his tall, gray-haired figure disappearing into the feed room before Ashleigh could strike up a conversation.

Ashleigh shrugged, grabbed a lead rope, and began to bring the horses out to the paddocks so that their stalls could be cleaned. Jonas was a funny sort of guy. He'd been at the farm only a few weeks -- ever since their old stable manager, Kurt, had moved to Missouri to live on his sister's breeding farm. He was kind of unfriendly, but Ashleigh knew that didn't necessarily mean anything. Kurt hadn't been that welcoming when she'd first met him, and he'd gone on to become a really good friend.

Jonas had already given each horse its ration of grain, and now they were eagerly pulling hay from their hay nets while they waited to be led outside.

"That's enough of that, Georgie," Ashleigh murmured as the bay mare, My Georgina, went to take a bite out of her arm. She led the mare out the barn door and through the paddock gate, clipping it shut behind her. She hurried back for Stardust, her new riding horse. At the sound of Ashleigh's footfall, Stardust's chestnut head appeared over her door, and she nickered softly as Ashleigh rubbed the white stripe on her face.

Stardust was as good as gold as Ashleigh led her out to the paddock she shared with Moe, the Shetland pony that belonged to Ashleigh's six-year-old brother, Rory.

Midnight Wanderer was next. Back and forth Ashleigh and Jonas went with the different horses. When they were all out, exploring-their paddocks and blinking in the early morning sunlight, Ashleigh returned to the barn to muck out the horses' stalls.

"Can I do Tonka's today?" Rory's little voice broke into Ashleigh's thoughts.

"I don't see why not' Ashleigh ruffled Rory's red-gold hair. "But don't forget you've got Moe's stall to do first -- he's your number one priority now."

"How could I forget that, Ash?" Rory grinned.

Ashleigh smiled as Rory disappeared down the aisle. She knew her brother would be as good as his word. He adored the fuzzy-coated pony.

Ashleigh looked over her brother's shoulder to see her parents walking across the grass toward the barn. They were on their own. Maybe Caroline had swapped her stable chores for breakfast duties again that morning. Caroline always pitched in around the barn, but she really wasn't interested in horses. Ashleigh and Caroline were only three years apart in age, but the sisters couldn't have been more different.

Ashleigh got a wheelbarrow and pitchfork from the feed room and wheeled them to Stardust's stall. Next door, she could see Rory trying to fill a wheelbarrow with bedding. He was struggling, since the pitchfork was almost twice his height.

"Here, let me help' Ashleigh offered. Rory frowned, and Ashleigh immediately realized her mistake. Rory might be little, but he wanted to play as big a part in looking after the farm as she did. Ashleigh didn't say another word, and left him to it.

As soon as she had finished mucking out her stalls, Ashleigh started cleaning and filling up the water buckets. Then she set about sweeping the aisle.

When Ashleigh had swept up every stray bit of bedding, she went outside to watch the horses grazing peacefully on the patches of winter grass. The horses were all blanketed, but their necks shone in the sunlight. Gray horses, black horses, chestnut horses, bay horses -- a complete host of colors.

The black colt, Midnight Wanderer, lifted his head and whinnied a greeting. Ashleigh smiled. He was the most valuable of this year's crop of yearlings, but that wasn't why she loved him so much. She loved him for his calm intelligence and gentle spirit. He'd inherited those qualities from his mother, Wanderer -- Edgardale's prized broodmare. It was hard to believe that Midnight had once been the small foal Rory had nicknamed Tonka, after his favorite toy trucks. Now, with his muscled hindquarters and long straight legs, he looked every inch a racehorse in the making.

"I'm sorry, I haven't got anything for you' Ashleigh said as Midnight nuzzled her pockets for treats. She tickled his velvety nose. "But you've got all this nice grass?'

Then Ashleigh remembered that some prospective buyers were coming to look at the yearlings that afternoon. They had heard about Midnight and had a particular interest in him. Ashleigh hated to admit it, but she didn't think Midnight would be at Edgardale for long, and of all the yearlings he was her favorite.

"I'm going to have to get going now' Ashleigh said, gently pushing Midnight's nose away. "I've got other jobs to do, and I'm going to ride Stardust, too?'

Ashleigh's best friend, Mona Gardener, was bringing her bay Thoroughbred, Frisky, over so that they could go for a ride. The weather had been so bad lately, and the winter nights so long and cold, that they hadn't had a chance to go out together in a while. Ashleigh would have loved to stay with Midnight, but Stardust was badly in need of exercise.

Ashleigh #4 Goodbye, Midnight Wanderer. Copyright © by Joanna Campbell. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.

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Excerpted from Good-Bye, Midnight Wanderer by Joanna Campbell
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