Disclaimer: I don't own Saddle Club, Saddle Club is a copyright of Bonnie Bryant, I also don't own Ghostwriter, Ghostwriter is a copyright of Sesame Workshop and the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Invitation From Willow Creek Part 1

One brisk winter day after Christmas, Rob Baker was sitting at his desk reading a letter from his good friend, Thomas Norburt aka Tommy Truborn or Double T to his friends.

When a knock suddenly sounded on Rob's door.

"Come in!" Rob called.

Colonel Baker, Rob's father entered his son's bedroom.

"What's that, Son?" asked Rob's dad when he saw the letter that his son kept reading and rereading.

"It's a letter from Double T." Rob replied to his father.

"Speaking of letters, this finally came in the mail for you, all the way from Willow Creek Virginia." Colonel Baker said to Rob, handing the letter off to his son.

Rob took the letter, "It's from my pen pal, Lisa Atwood!" he exclaimed.

Rob silently read his letter from Lisa.

"Lisa has asked me and all of my Fort Greene friends to come to a place called Pine Hollow for New Year's." Rob answered.

"Sounds wonderful." Colonel Baker said to Rob.

And, maybe Lisa has a mystery that needs solving! Rob thought.

"Well, okay, I guess you can go," Colonel Baker said. "if the whole group is going."

"Thanks, Dad!" Rob said excitedly as he grabbed a piece of paper to let Lisa know the good news.

Over in Willow Creek the next afternoon, Lisa was at her horseback riding lesson at Pine Hollow.

Lisa, Carole, and Stevie sat in the saddle waiting for their turns to try the dressage exercise that Max wanted them to do.

Lady Louise fidgeted and nickered a little.

Lisa's immediately whipped her head around and she saw Murray riding into the ring.

"You're late, Murray." Max said firmly without even taking his eyes off Desi who was executing a flying change.

Lady Louise fidgeted even worse.

"Whoa, whoa," Lisa soothed, patting her gently. "easy, girl, it's okay."

"Having trouble?" Murray asked Lisa smugly.

"Lady Louise was just fine until she saw you!" Lisa snapped.

"Yeah," Carole snapped. "she's not likely to forget someone who put a burr under her saddle!"

"It was just a joke," Murray snorted. "lighten up!"

"Well, there was nothing funny about it!" another voice snapped, it was Max, he had finished with Desi and had turned just in time to hear what the girls were talking about, it was the first he had heard of it, but he had heard that for some reason Lady Louise had almost bucked Lisa off the previous afternoon, now he knew why.

"Max..." Murray began.

"It was stupid not to mention dangerous," Max continued. "Lisa could have been seriously hurt! Not to mention, it's a mean thing to do to the horse."

Murray looked down at his stirrups, "It won't happen again, Max." he sighed.

"Murray, go to my office," said Max, "I'll deal with you later!"

"Yes, Max." Murray sighed.

After Murray had gone, Max turned to the next girl in line, Jenny Tyler.

"Jenny," Max said. "you're up."

While Jenny took her turn, the girls in the Saddle Club began to discuss their New Year's plans.

"I just got a letter from Rob," Lisa said. "he and the rest of the Ghostwriter team said they would love to come here over break!"

"That's great," Stevies aid excitedly.

"Yeah," Carole agreed. "we need to arrange a place for them to stay."

"No problem," Lisa said. "I have an idea, after the lesson, I'll ask Max if they can use the guesthouses!"

"Great." Stevie said.

"Now, if we just had a mystery for them to solve while they're here." Lisa said.

"Lisa." Stevie said, shaking her head and chuckling.

Lisa grinned, "It was just a thought!" she laughed.

After putting Lady Louise's tack away and putting Lady Louise back in her stall, Lisa grabbed her bike and bike helmet and rode on home.