Jeanette felt she would not care so intensely if only some one not in her own family would win.
She remembered Cecil Perry's farewell good wishes to her stepmother. He might at least have had the good manners to wish her well, even if they did not pretend to like each other.
Jeanette was not consciously thinking of this, only of her ride. Her thought was merely subconscious, her only really conscious thought was of success. At whatever cost to herself, or her pony, she must win.
The next jump would probably be the supreme test, as beyond lay a stretch of easy riding.
She could only see the graceful, gallant figure in the brown cloth riding suit so like her own. She had no sensation of dislike toward her stepmother at this instant, only the impression that the race was between them.
Once more Jeanette spurred her pony, passing the others again.
She was nearing the final ditch ahead of all the riders. Close behind her was the easy patter of the horse and rider with whom she was most familiar.
Jeanette recognized that her stepmother had followed the plan she had advised her to pursue. From the beginning she had saved her horse for the final effort. Neither horse nor rider was in the least overexcited or tired.
In almost a panic Jeanette headed her own pony for the last jump. An instant he wavered, then recognizing his own fatigue, he refused to make the attempt.