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thoughts, suddenly ashamed of the direction they’d taken. She wouldn’t like her horse to be chased by a strange dog either, but Mom or she should discipline him, not Melissa. Kate shot up a little prayer. God, please help me control my temper.
    She raised her voice, hoping to be heard above the barking. “Rufus—come here, boy.” Melissa’s continued shrieks seemed to upset her horse even more. Kate cupped her hands around her mouth. “Leave that cat alone!”
    Mom and Mrs. Tolbert ran down the alleyway from the office at the far end of the barn. Mom arrived at their side first. “Rufus, get over here right now,” she commanded. “Come.”
    Something about her voice must have gotten the dog’s attention. He slid to a halt only a couple of yards from where Mom stood. He panted and grinned as though he’d won some kind of special doggy award. “I said, come!” She patted her leg, and Rufus trotted over and sat beside her. Grabbing his collar, she led him out into the alleyway. “Kate, tie up your dog. He can’t be loose anymore during business hours.”
    Kate couldn’t believe she’d heard right. This was not Rufus’s fault—or hers. It was that dumb cat’s fault for running in front of him, and Melissa’s for chasing him and getting her horse all worked up. “Mom! That’s mean. I understand keeping him tied up if someone is here, but not all the time!”
    â€œNo, young lady, it’s not. We can’t have him chasing horses.”
    â€œBut he wasn’t. He was chasing a stray cat.”
    Mrs. Tolbert stepped up and glanced from the dog to her daughter. “Is Mocha all right?”
    Melissa stormed across the arena, her mouth pinched in a frown. “You need to discipline that dog and keep him chained. He’s dangerous.”
    Kate pulled Rufus to her side, her hands shaking. “He didn’t hurt your horse, and you know it. He wasn’t even looking at Mocha. All he cared about was the cat.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter. Mocha could’ve hurt himself when he kicked the wall, or he could have hurt someone else.” She turned to her mother. “This is what I was afraid of. They don’t know what they’re doing. I want to take Mocha somewhere else.”
    â€œYeah, well, he could’ve ruined our wall too.” Kate tugged on Rufus’s collar and headed toward Tori, who stood quietly a short way up the aisle. “Why don’t you find another barn if you think we’re so horrible?”
    â€œKate.” Her mother’s tone stopped Kate in her tracks. “You need to apologize.”
    â€œMom! I didn’t do anything wrong.”
    â€œMelissa and her mother are our boarders. They have every right to be upset that Rufus frightened their horse, and you shouldn’t be rude.”
    It was all Kate could do not to glare at her mother, but she knew exactly where that would get her. As it was, she’d probably be grounded for the rest of her life if she didn’t follow orders. Even then, she’d bet Mom and Dad would give her a talking to after everyone left. She kicked at a pebble in the dirt, then raised her eyes toward Melissa. “Sorry.”
    Her mother took a step toward her, eyebrows raised. “Excuse me?”
    Tears of humiliation sprang to Kate’s eyes. She stared at the wall and blinked a couple of times, then turned toward the arena. “I apologize for saying you should go somewhere else, Melissa.”
    There. She’d said it the way her mother expected, but she didn’t mean it. Not a word. In fact, she hoped Melissa wouldn’t accept it. Maybe she would demand they take her horse and leave, and her mother would listen. Nothing would make Kate happier.
    Melissa’s gelding had come to a stop and stood quietly along the nearby rail. The girl snapped the lead line on the halter and led him to the open gate,