Elizabeth Wakefield's friend Ted Rogers is in big trouble. He's been behind in his payments to Carson Stables for the care of his horse, Thunder. Unless he wins the prize money in the regional jumping championship, he'll have to sell the magnificent animal.
With everything riding on this competition, Elizabeth offers to help Ted train. Soon they're spending most afternoons at the stable. That's where they meet the mysterious new girl named Lucy Benson. Lucy seems to know alot about horses. And when Ted takes a bad fall, only weeks before the competition, Elizabethis convinced that Lucy can take his place. Elizabeth doesn't know that a secret fear has kept Lucy off a horse for the past two years. But she does know that Lucy needs to compete - and win - for Ted's sake . . . and her own.

"You're a great rider, Lucy!" Elizabeth said encouragingly. "You'd have a real chance of winning the prize money!"
Lucy looked from Elizabeth to Ted and back again. "I can't," Lucy said, her voice nearly cracking. "I'd like to help you keep Thunder, Ted, but there's no way I could do what you're asking."
"Do what?" Ellen asked, riding up on Snow White.
"We're trying to talk Lucy into competeing on Thunder in my place," Ted explained.
"But I can't," Lucy repeated sadly.
"You mean you won't," Ellen taunted. "I knew you were all talk, Lucy Benson! It's easy to show off when there's no pressure. But you're afraid you'd fail in a real competition, aren't you?"
Lucy stuck out her chin. "That's not it at all, Ellen!"
"It doesn't matter," Elizabeth told Lucy in a soothing voice. "We understand." But Elizabeth wasn't quite sure she did understand. Couldn't Lucy see that she was Ted's only hope?

What will be Jessica's next surprising new intrest? Madmoiselle Jessica