a teakettle, Liz spotted a small glass vial and metal box. She threw a quick look toward the sitting room, then picked up the vial. A second later, she understood Marilyn's confused state. Insulin. She's diabetic.
The labor of the night's drama screamed through every aching muscle, as Liz washed the greasy, black soot from her hands and arms. Her thoughts returned to the fire. How did it start? And how did it get so far out of hand before the fire department showed up?
Kurt appeared beside her. "Find a kettle?"
She nodded. It felt so good to have him near. She resisted the powerful urge to lean against him and close her eyes for just a minute. Glancing toward the sitting room, she lowered her voice.
"How do you think the fire started?"
Kurt shook his head. "I dunno. Maybe smoker's carelessness."
"But, Kurt, the woman's been in the business for years. Surely she wouldn't smoke in the barn!"
He shrugged. "Folks get worn out in this rat-race, get careless. I really don't know much about her."
Liz remained silent, unable to deal with the notion of setting one's own barn on fire.
A few minutes later, Marilyn sipped the tea, but still seemed dazed. Liz grasped her arm.
"Marilyn, do you need your insulin?"
The woman looked baffled, then shook her head and spoke haltingly.
"No...I took my shot at dinnertime...I'm just tired."
Liz rose from the couch, motioning for Kurt to follow her to the kitchen.
"I think I'd better stay with her the rest of the night. She's diabetic, and seems a little shocky. If she needs medical attention, someone should be here to take her to the hospital."
"I'll stay, too. You might need help."
She searched his face, warming to the sincerity written on his weary features. Gratitude swelled in her chest, followed by another unfamiliar feeling where Kurt was concerned - trust.
Marilyn finally drifted into a deep sleep, and Kurt went down to the pond pasture to check on the horses, leaving Liz alone with her thoughts. She was sticky and dirty, but didn't have the strength to let it bother her. Leaning her head back on the couch, her heavy, burning eyelids closed. Immediately, against the dark backdrop of her brain, flames licked around the corners of the barn and into stalls filled with screaming horses. Her eyes flew open, her heart thundering. How many times will I have to live this night again?
As the urgency of the disaster began to fade, her thoughts centered on the teamwork she and Kurt had shared in order to save nine horses from death. Kurt had plunged into the dangerous situation without hesitation, confident of his skill in getting the terrified animals to obey him.
Her own courage had been bolstered by his presence, and the certainty that he would help her if she needed him. The memory of his protective, tender embrace warmed her heart. There's a lot more to this man than he wants me to see.
Kurt returned, and settled down next to her, intruding on her musings and bringing her back to the reality of the present.
"The horses are fine for tonight. I'll pick up some feed and hay in the morning." His gaze drifted to Marilyn's sleeping figure. "I wonder what she'll do with 'em, now that she doesn't have a barn."
Liz's analytical mind switched on. "That's a legitimate question. Nine horses can't live in that tiny pond pasture for more than a day or two. We can talk to her when she wakes up, see what she wants to do." She thought for a minute. "I have two empty stalls in the barn, and my run-in shed is pretty large, but I don't have room for all of them. Could you take a couple back to Aliqua?"
He shook his head. "I doubt that Eve would be agreeable. She and Marilyn have never gotten along."
Liz bristled. "Well, this isn't exactly a social event we're talking about! Doesn't she have any feelings for other people?"
Kurt's crooked smile emphasized his words. "Not much, Lovey. She's a one-woman woman."
Liz fumed for a minute, then decided not to waste time and energy thinking about
The labor of the night's drama screamed through every aching muscle, as Liz washed the greasy, black soot from her hands and arms. Her thoughts returned to the fire. How did it start? And how did it get so far out of hand before the fire department showed up?
Kurt appeared beside her. "Find a kettle?"
She nodded. It felt so good to have him near. She resisted the powerful urge to lean against him and close her eyes for just a minute. Glancing toward the sitting room, she lowered her voice.
"How do you think the fire started?"
Kurt shook his head. "I dunno. Maybe smoker's carelessness."
"But, Kurt, the woman's been in the business for years. Surely she wouldn't smoke in the barn!"
He shrugged. "Folks get worn out in this rat-race, get careless. I really don't know much about her."
Liz remained silent, unable to deal with the notion of setting one's own barn on fire.
A few minutes later, Marilyn sipped the tea, but still seemed dazed. Liz grasped her arm.
"Marilyn, do you need your insulin?"
The woman looked baffled, then shook her head and spoke haltingly.
"No...I took my shot at dinnertime...I'm just tired."
Liz rose from the couch, motioning for Kurt to follow her to the kitchen.
"I think I'd better stay with her the rest of the night. She's diabetic, and seems a little shocky. If she needs medical attention, someone should be here to take her to the hospital."
"I'll stay, too. You might need help."
She searched his face, warming to the sincerity written on his weary features. Gratitude swelled in her chest, followed by another unfamiliar feeling where Kurt was concerned - trust.
Marilyn finally drifted into a deep sleep, and Kurt went down to the pond pasture to check on the horses, leaving Liz alone with her thoughts. She was sticky and dirty, but didn't have the strength to let it bother her. Leaning her head back on the couch, her heavy, burning eyelids closed. Immediately, against the dark backdrop of her brain, flames licked around the corners of the barn and into stalls filled with screaming horses. Her eyes flew open, her heart thundering. How many times will I have to live this night again?
As the urgency of the disaster began to fade, her thoughts centered on the teamwork she and Kurt had shared in order to save nine horses from death. Kurt had plunged into the dangerous situation without hesitation, confident of his skill in getting the terrified animals to obey him.
Her own courage had been bolstered by his presence, and the certainty that he would help her if she needed him. The memory of his protective, tender embrace warmed her heart. There's a lot more to this man than he wants me to see.
Kurt returned, and settled down next to her, intruding on her musings and bringing her back to the reality of the present.
"The horses are fine for tonight. I'll pick up some feed and hay in the morning." His gaze drifted to Marilyn's sleeping figure. "I wonder what she'll do with 'em, now that she doesn't have a barn."
Liz's analytical mind switched on. "That's a legitimate question. Nine horses can't live in that tiny pond pasture for more than a day or two. We can talk to her when she wakes up, see what she wants to do." She thought for a minute. "I have two empty stalls in the barn, and my run-in shed is pretty large, but I don't have room for all of them. Could you take a couple back to Aliqua?"
He shook his head. "I doubt that Eve would be agreeable. She and Marilyn have never gotten along."
Liz bristled. "Well, this isn't exactly a social event we're talking about! Doesn't she have any feelings for other people?"
Kurt's crooked smile emphasized his words. "Not much, Lovey. She's a one-woman woman."
Liz fumed for a minute, then decided not to waste time and energy thinking about
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