Fiction: A Home for a Castaway

This month's Words for Wednesday prompts are provided by Wisewebwoman and posted at River's blog over here. This week's prompts are: ambulance, bluebell, Sacristy, fountain and/or magnificent, Connemara, castaway, trumpet. I didn't fit sacristy in there. 

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Fiction: A Home for a Castaway
Bluebell acquired his new name when he was brought by a young lady for a mere hundred dollars but he didn't fret. If there was anyone who should fret, it was the lady, Stevie Knight, but she was as calm as a stone even as she tried to climb onto Bluebell's back.
    Looking on, Bluebell's former owner laughed. After the lady had succeeded on the third try and was on his back, Bluebell showed him his teeth as he rode past. The old man grimaced and probably in remembrance from all the ambulance calls he had to made. Bluebell never bit lightly, not on humans who dared to believe he could be tamed with cruelty. Once a Connemara, Bluebell was old by human standards. He was born small and frail and didn't grow much bigger but if humans tested him, they would know he wasn't a weakling.
    Having been sold and resold many times, Bluebell was a castaway. At night, when he was left alone in his tiny stall, he would contemplate how best to escape but he never could think of a place to go.
    The lady's firm grip on the rein and her magnificent voice pleased and soothed him. For a large human, she was as light as a leaf and strangely lighter than the old man. Through the saddle, Stevie gave off a warmth that kept him from feeling the late winter chill. He trod at a slow pace around the crowded sidewalk. 
    They paused at a water fountain where humans were tossing coins while a trumpet player poured out a sad melody. Stevie slid off Bluebell and dug into her coat pocket and fished out a coin that she threw toward the fountain. The afternoon sunlight caught a glint of the coin before it was swallowed by the water.
    Surrounded by humans, Bluebell expected gawking and peals of laughter but there were none. Their wide eyes and large grins gave him a particular thrill. He didn't make a sound or move when a few children patted him.
    A shriek rang out. Bluebell turned to the maker - a round female was running, and shouting, "My baby, he stole my baby..." with her hand pointing toward a man carrying a yellow bundle. When he ran past the fountain, Bluebell raced after him. Within minutes, he was nipping the thief's coat tail. The man threw the bundle into the air. Bluebell let go of the man and caught the edge of the foot of the onesie with his teeth. A giggled escaped from the bundle.
    Stevie was breathing heavily when she appeared followed by the sobbing female who took the bundle from Bluebell, thanked him and rushed off.
    "Good boy," said Stevie and she rubbed Bluebell's head. Her hand was warm and assuring and for a moment, Bluebell was in heaven. Then he snapped out of it but the thief was gone.
    A policeman came and parted the crowd. Without preamble, the beefy man placed handcuffs on Stevie. She didn't protest, merely said she must take her horse with her and since Bluebell couldn't fit into the police car, they had to walk alongside it with one policeman beside them and the other driving.
    At the station, Stevie refused to leave Bluebell outside and kept a hand on his rein. Anyone who went near him, he neighed and showed his teeth. Once inside, he stayed quiet beside Stevie as she sat on the long bench among thieves, con artists and other assortment of criminals. By the tight grip of his rein, he knew Stevie was afraid though her face was a blank. He eyed those on the bench and shifted his front foot slightly to show them with one kick, he could crush them. Most averted their eyes.
    Eventually, Stevie was called, signed some papers and was walking Bluebell home. A police car followed them all the way to her ranch. She took Bluebell toward the stable where she led him to one of many stalls. With little light, Bluebell could still see a sheep, a hare and a goat in the stalls as he was led past them. He didn't need to ask to know, like him, these animals were castaways.
    For a moment, Bluebell ran around the spacious stall before settling down. After Stevie fed, washed, groomed him all with a soothing hand, she said, "Welcome home, Bluebell," and left him for the night. For a long moment, his mind was swept clear but then he dared to believe what he had hoped - he was home.