The barn was clean, with all the stalls bedded with fresh straw. Ruth saw five mares, each in a separate stall. She marveled at each one of them and listened as Jimmy introduced her to two chestnut horses, one with a white diamond on its face, a black Quarter Horse, a palomino, and Muse—Mary Jane’s horse.
“They’re all beautiful,” Ruth breathed, thrilled to be shown the mares.
Coyte let out a yip, not to be forgotten. “Alright, girl,” Jimmy smiled and patted her head. “Excuse me for a bit, Ruth. Coyte wants her treats.”
Ruth nodded and watched Jimmy leave the barn with Coyte fast at his heels.
She wondered if Daniel would have brought her here to see the mares. She let out a small sigh of resignation and tried hard to not think about Daniel. Even helping Jimmy had not kept her thoughts far from her employer. Despite his outbursts she saw kindness in his eyes. She wanted to feel the touch of his strong hand again, remembering its warmth and the tingle when their hands touched.
She closed her eyes and realized she couldn’t deny it anymore. She liked Daniel and felt guilty about it. She realized how devoted he’d been to Mary Jane and how much he still loved her. So why did she entertain the thought that he might like her, too? It was just a childish thought, but what she felt was real. If only her father were still alive, he would know what she should do. He always gave good advice and comforted her with words that gave her hope.
“Oh, fudge sticks,” Jimmy said suddenly, startling Ruth. His wide eyes and his face were full of concern. “Muse is foaling already. It’s way too soon. She isn’t due yet.”
“What?” Ruth stared at him, her pulse quickening. “Will she and her foal be alright?”
“I think so; she’s been restless the last few days. See her belly? It’s dropped somewhat. Look at the other mares, their bellies haven’t dropped as much yet. Her flanks are sweaty, too.”
“I hope Daniel comes back soon,” Jimmy looked at Ruth’s hands still wrapped in his canteen’s cloth cover. “I’d ask you to help if she starts birthing, but if your hands get worse, Daniel’s sure going to have words with me.”
“My hands are not that bad. Don’t worry, Jimmy,” Ruth smiled, “I don’t think he will be angry at you. It is just a couple of blisters.”
Ruth watched the beautiful tan colored mare circle the stall; she pawed the ground in distress.
“Can I at least get clean rags or water?” Ruth asked, eager to be of help.
“Yes, that’d be great,” Jimmy agreed appreciatively. “We do have those things here, but if you could get more rags from Elizabeth, it would help.” He paused thoughtfully. “Muse seems calmer now, but I better keep an eye on her. This could still take several hours.”
Ruth gave a small nod and within a few minutes she returned with additional clean rags. She had checked on Matthew, who was still sound asleep, and Elizabeth promised to call her when he woke up.
“Jimmy,” Ruth said softly, “earlier you said I was like Mary Jane. What did you mean by that?”
“Well,” he upturned two large pails and bid her sit. “When I met her, she was shy at first, but soon fit right in. She was a very kind woman and Daniel was always in good spirits.”
“She sounds like a lovely person,” Ruth smiled. “It would have been nice to meet her.”
“Yes, losing her was a real tragedy,” Jimmy commiserated, shaking his head. “What makes you ask about Mary Jane?”
Ruth swallowed. “After I heard what happened to her and how grief-stricken it left Daniel, I just wondered what kind of person she was.”
Jimmy looked over the stall door and saw Muse was lying down. “She was a good person and a good mother. She and Daniel were very happy.” He looked at Ruth. “It doesn’t take much to make a man happy,” he said, gazing off into the distance. “It’s a matter of the heart, you know; love is a strange thing.”
“I suppose it is,” Ruth agreed. “My father said the same thing.”
Muse got Jimmy’s attention again as she stood with a whinny and circled the stall again. “I hope Daniel gets here soon. This foal could come any time now.”
Ruth put her head down and prayed silently. She hoped Muse and her foal would be safe and healthy.
Chapter Twelve
“You know something, Daniel,” Alistair said as he tweaked on his mustache. He watched Rose a little too closely for Daniel’s liking, as she placed a pot of coffee and mugs on the table in the lounge area. “I’ve always seen you as a son,” he commented.
Rose almost dropped the tray and Daniel stared at Alistair in surprise. What was he going on about?
“Have you been drinking, Alistair?” Daniel looked at him carefully. Alistair had been acting strangely since Alexander Grant’s death, and this was one of those moments where Daniel understood more than ever why he sometimes deliberately avoided his partner.
“Drinking?” Alistair looked disgusted, “Hah! That’s your habit, not mine. If you were my son, you’d never have been a drunk.”
“Excuse me, Alistair,” Daniel felt the heat of anger well up and his eyes narrowed. “You might want to choose your words carefully or you could find yourself flying out one of these windows.”
