woman’s face. Abby’s heart skipped a beat and she asked, “What’s wrong? Are you okay? Is it the baby?”
Fiona grabbed her coat from the rack. “No, the horses are loose. We’ve got to get them back in the fence or they could end up who knows where.”
Alarmed, Abby bolted to her feet. She’d been working on the files again at the kitchen table using the laptop Cal had given her last night. “You can’t go out there. I’ll help.”
Fiona gripped the coat in her fist. “I have to.”
“No. Think of the baby.”
That stopped her. She pulled in a deep breath even as she bowed her head in defeat. “I know I can’t,” she whispered, “but the horses…we can’t lose any of them. They’re not all ours. Our clients depend on us to keep their animals safe.”
Abby didn’t hesitate. She hurried down the steps to her small apartment and snatched the heavy down coat, hat and gloves from the chair. Bless Fiona’s heart in loaning them to her. She raced back up the stairs to find Fiona still in the kitchen, looking out the window, her face reflecting her anxiety. Abby told her, “I can round up horses as well as the next person. I’ve done it before.”
Surprise took the place of some of Fiona’s worry. “Really?”
“Yep.”
Then the frown returned. “But you’re still recovering.”
Abby tugged on the coat, then the gloves. “I’m fine. Not a hundred percent, maybe, but definitely okay to go hunt some horses.”
Gratitude flared in Fiona’s eyes. “I’ll call the barn and have Jesse saddle you a mount—if Jesse’s still there.”
“If not, I can do it myself.”
Abby opened the door and stepped out into the cold. The temperatures hovered in the low forties, melting the ice that had formed the night before. Still, a strong wind blew and she shivered as she trudged toward the barn.
At least it had stopped snowing, although the sky threatened more.
Entering the barn, she paused, taking in the smell of hay and horses. She saw Jesse slipping the bridal on a beautiful quarter horse.
Another fully tacked horse had been tied to the post about ten feet away. Jesse looked at her. “Here ya go. Ms. Fiona caught me just as I was heading out. This little darlin’ is Pretty Mama. She’s got a good temperament. You won’t have any problems outta her.” Several harnesses were hooked to the saddle. She knew she’d use those to lead whatever horses she was able to snag back to the pasture.
“Thanks, Jesse.” Abby took the reins from him and introduced herself to the horse by slipping her a couple of sugar cubes she’d snitched from the kitchen.
Jessed watched her with a twinkle in his eye. “Know yer way around horses, eh?”
“A bit.” Abby smiled and hauled herself into the saddle. It felt good. And right. She shifted and got comfortable on the creaking leather, thankful she no longer had a headache or dizziness. “Where should we look first?”
“I’d say around the river, but honestly, they could be anywhere by now. Cal said he was heading back this way to check the creek line.” He shook his head. “That river’s high right now with all the rain and snow we’ve had. Temperatures are melting the ice, but the river’s edge will still be frozen and slick. Be careful around it.”
“I will.” She adjusted the stirrups as she mentally pictured the direction she’d go from the barn.
Jesse said, “I’m hoping those horses will stick together. Fortunately, it’s not like they’re wild. You should be able to ride right up to ’em and slip a harness over their heads.”
Clicking to the horse, Abby guided her from the barn. Together, she and Jesse headed toward the river. Unfamiliar with the land, she visualized the layout of the ranch in her mind using the map she’d seen on the wall in the den.
They rode slow and easy for the next few minutes.
“I see one,” Jesse said. “I’m heading that way.” He pointed to the black horse in the distance. Abby nodded and
Fiona grabbed her coat from the rack. “No, the horses are loose. We’ve got to get them back in the fence or they could end up who knows where.”
Alarmed, Abby bolted to her feet. She’d been working on the files again at the kitchen table using the laptop Cal had given her last night. “You can’t go out there. I’ll help.”
Fiona gripped the coat in her fist. “I have to.”
“No. Think of the baby.”
That stopped her. She pulled in a deep breath even as she bowed her head in defeat. “I know I can’t,” she whispered, “but the horses…we can’t lose any of them. They’re not all ours. Our clients depend on us to keep their animals safe.”
Abby didn’t hesitate. She hurried down the steps to her small apartment and snatched the heavy down coat, hat and gloves from the chair. Bless Fiona’s heart in loaning them to her. She raced back up the stairs to find Fiona still in the kitchen, looking out the window, her face reflecting her anxiety. Abby told her, “I can round up horses as well as the next person. I’ve done it before.”
Surprise took the place of some of Fiona’s worry. “Really?”
“Yep.”
Then the frown returned. “But you’re still recovering.”
Abby tugged on the coat, then the gloves. “I’m fine. Not a hundred percent, maybe, but definitely okay to go hunt some horses.”
Gratitude flared in Fiona’s eyes. “I’ll call the barn and have Jesse saddle you a mount—if Jesse’s still there.”
“If not, I can do it myself.”
Abby opened the door and stepped out into the cold. The temperatures hovered in the low forties, melting the ice that had formed the night before. Still, a strong wind blew and she shivered as she trudged toward the barn.
At least it had stopped snowing, although the sky threatened more.
Entering the barn, she paused, taking in the smell of hay and horses. She saw Jesse slipping the bridal on a beautiful quarter horse.
Another fully tacked horse had been tied to the post about ten feet away. Jesse looked at her. “Here ya go. Ms. Fiona caught me just as I was heading out. This little darlin’ is Pretty Mama. She’s got a good temperament. You won’t have any problems outta her.” Several harnesses were hooked to the saddle. She knew she’d use those to lead whatever horses she was able to snag back to the pasture.
“Thanks, Jesse.” Abby took the reins from him and introduced herself to the horse by slipping her a couple of sugar cubes she’d snitched from the kitchen.
Jessed watched her with a twinkle in his eye. “Know yer way around horses, eh?”
“A bit.” Abby smiled and hauled herself into the saddle. It felt good. And right. She shifted and got comfortable on the creaking leather, thankful she no longer had a headache or dizziness. “Where should we look first?”
“I’d say around the river, but honestly, they could be anywhere by now. Cal said he was heading back this way to check the creek line.” He shook his head. “That river’s high right now with all the rain and snow we’ve had. Temperatures are melting the ice, but the river’s edge will still be frozen and slick. Be careful around it.”
“I will.” She adjusted the stirrups as she mentally pictured the direction she’d go from the barn.
Jesse said, “I’m hoping those horses will stick together. Fortunately, it’s not like they’re wild. You should be able to ride right up to ’em and slip a harness over their heads.”
Clicking to the horse, Abby guided her from the barn. Together, she and Jesse headed toward the river. Unfamiliar with the land, she visualized the layout of the ranch in her mind using the map she’d seen on the wall in the den.
They rode slow and easy for the next few minutes.
“I see one,” Jesse said. “I’m heading that way.” He pointed to the black horse in the distance. Abby nodded and
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