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Authors: Sharon Ihle
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straw. After quickly cleaning the filly's mouth and nostrils, then making certain that it could breathe easily on its own, he jumped to his feet and checked his mare.
"How's she doing?" Hawke asked Lacey as he helped Taffy discharge the afterbirth. "Eyes open yet?"
It took her a moment to answer, and when she did, Lacey was no longer singing or making nonsensical rhymes. She was astounded by the sight of the foal and its fierce struggles to rise up from the bedding straw, amazed by all she'd witnessed in these few short moments. She'd just taken part in God's most glorious miracle.
Tears spilled down from her eyes as Lacey pressed her own cheek against Taffy's, hugged her and said, "The lass is trying. She's a wee bit tired right now but I can feel that she's trying her best to come 'round."
Hawke heard the warble in her voice, and at first, thought she might be too nervous or upset to remain in the stall. Then he glanced up and saw that she'd wrapped her arms around the mare's neck, and that Taffy had taken her up on the offer by resting her weary head on Lacey's delicate shoulder. Both of their eyes were closed in quiet tranquility.
No longer concerned about Taffy's reactions to a stranger's presence in her stall, Hawke moved up beside Lacey and lightly tapped her on the back. When those blue eyes flashed open, he saw such a warm serenity and keen sense of wonder in them he almost took her into his arms to celebrate the success of the difficult birth. Hawke managed to restrain himself, but did let her know how grateful he was for her help.
"Thanks for keeping Taffy so calm. She trusts you now you know." Lacey glanced up at him meeting his gaze, then favored him with a smile that brought the golden sparkle to the surface of her clear blue eyes. Startled by their continued impact on him, Hawke looked away and had to clear his throat before he could speak again. "Will you be all right if I leave you alone with these two for a minute? I've got to mix up some gruel for Taffy, and get some doctoring supplies so I can finish up with her and the foal."
Glancing at the mare, Lacey impulsively kissed the top of the animal's nose. "We'll be just dandy. There's no need for the angels to be laying a soft bed for this lass. She'll be runnin' and snortin' 'fore you know it."
Although she was obviously new with horses, her confidence, as well as Taffy's, was enough to reassure him that he could go about his business. "I won't be long. Just call me if she tries to lay down or does anything that doesn't seem right to you."
After Hawke let himself out of the stall, he took another look over the door at his best brood mare and the curious woman beside her. She'd surprised him, this Irish miss, not just over her willingness to learn, but because of her natural abilities with the horse. That in itself was almost a good enough reason to consider keeping her on, but why would a woman like that consider life with a man like him? he wondered again. What the hell was wrong with her?
* * *
Once they finished drying the little black filly with one of the blankets, then made certain that Taffy had recuperated enough to take an interest in her foal and begin nursing her, Hawke and his new assistant returned to the house for their very late breakfast. There they discovered that Lacey had left the pan which contained the meal too close to the burner. Not only were the bottoms of the biscuits burned black, but the ham was dried out, and the towel Lacey had used to cover the pan was scorched at the edges. Left unattended much longer, and the material might very well have burst into flames, catching the curtains afire and putting the entire house in jeopardy.
Hawke said nothing to her about the near disaster or the ruined breakfast. He couldn't, not on the heels of what she'd done in the barn. What he did do after fetching her a leather thong for her hair, was set her down on one of his mahogany chairs, pour two cups of coffee, and deposit the pan
"How's she doing?" Hawke asked Lacey as he helped Taffy discharge the afterbirth. "Eyes open yet?"
It took her a moment to answer, and when she did, Lacey was no longer singing or making nonsensical rhymes. She was astounded by the sight of the foal and its fierce struggles to rise up from the bedding straw, amazed by all she'd witnessed in these few short moments. She'd just taken part in God's most glorious miracle.
Tears spilled down from her eyes as Lacey pressed her own cheek against Taffy's, hugged her and said, "The lass is trying. She's a wee bit tired right now but I can feel that she's trying her best to come 'round."
Hawke heard the warble in her voice, and at first, thought she might be too nervous or upset to remain in the stall. Then he glanced up and saw that she'd wrapped her arms around the mare's neck, and that Taffy had taken her up on the offer by resting her weary head on Lacey's delicate shoulder. Both of their eyes were closed in quiet tranquility.
No longer concerned about Taffy's reactions to a stranger's presence in her stall, Hawke moved up beside Lacey and lightly tapped her on the back. When those blue eyes flashed open, he saw such a warm serenity and keen sense of wonder in them he almost took her into his arms to celebrate the success of the difficult birth. Hawke managed to restrain himself, but did let her know how grateful he was for her help.
"Thanks for keeping Taffy so calm. She trusts you now you know." Lacey glanced up at him meeting his gaze, then favored him with a smile that brought the golden sparkle to the surface of her clear blue eyes. Startled by their continued impact on him, Hawke looked away and had to clear his throat before he could speak again. "Will you be all right if I leave you alone with these two for a minute? I've got to mix up some gruel for Taffy, and get some doctoring supplies so I can finish up with her and the foal."
Glancing at the mare, Lacey impulsively kissed the top of the animal's nose. "We'll be just dandy. There's no need for the angels to be laying a soft bed for this lass. She'll be runnin' and snortin' 'fore you know it."
Although she was obviously new with horses, her confidence, as well as Taffy's, was enough to reassure him that he could go about his business. "I won't be long. Just call me if she tries to lay down or does anything that doesn't seem right to you."
After Hawke let himself out of the stall, he took another look over the door at his best brood mare and the curious woman beside her. She'd surprised him, this Irish miss, not just over her willingness to learn, but because of her natural abilities with the horse. That in itself was almost a good enough reason to consider keeping her on, but why would a woman like that consider life with a man like him? he wondered again. What the hell was wrong with her?
* * *
Once they finished drying the little black filly with one of the blankets, then made certain that Taffy had recuperated enough to take an interest in her foal and begin nursing her, Hawke and his new assistant returned to the house for their very late breakfast. There they discovered that Lacey had left the pan which contained the meal too close to the burner. Not only were the bottoms of the biscuits burned black, but the ham was dried out, and the towel Lacey had used to cover the pan was scorched at the edges. Left unattended much longer, and the material might very well have burst into flames, catching the curtains afire and putting the entire house in jeopardy.
Hawke said nothing to her about the near disaster or the ruined breakfast. He couldn't, not on the heels of what she'd done in the barn. What he did do after fetching her a leather thong for her hair, was set her down on one of his mahogany chairs, pour two cups of coffee, and deposit the pan
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