then stepped down
carefully to the ground. In just another second she was unloaded and
Feather was handing the lead rope to Jordan. “Here she is.”
Jordan’s
knowledgeable eyes were already sweeping over the animal with admiration.
She didn’t say anything, but led the filly a few steps away so Feather could
unload the last horse in the trailer.
Jordan’s hands
were almost shaking as she tentatively stroked the filly’s gray-brown
neck. Feeling the firm warmth of muscle under her hands, Jordan’s touch
became more confident and she rubbed down the strong shoulders and across the
length of the animal’s smooth gray/brown barrel. She lost track of time
as she examined the creature carefully wondering if she was going to find any
blemishes anywhere. Her heart was racing with excitement and admiration
as she assessed her new horse.
The filly was
accustomed to being handled on a daily basis and stood still while the woman
felt her over. Gradually Jordan came back to the present and realized
that Feather and her brother were watching her careful evaluation of the
filly. “She wonderful,” she breathed softly. “I’m almost
speechless.”
Daniel Chetan
pulled the baseball cap off his head and combed his fingers through his black
hair. “She’s put together as near perfect as any horse I’ve ever
seen.” He was holding the lead rope of the last horse that had unloaded
from the trailer. He wanted to add that Jordan could have been included
in that statement if he changed horse to woman, but wisely left that unspoken.
Suddenly
Jordan’s manners returned. She smiled at them. “I’m sorry.
You can release your horses into this field.” She indicated the small
field between the barn and the brick house further up the hill. “There’s
clean water in the tub up in front of the house.” She moved to open the
gate for them.
As soon as
they were released, the two geldings trotted over to a big sandy spot and
dropped down to roll. The filly at her side pulled on the lead rope and
shook her head. Jordan smiled and nodded. “Alright, I guess you
want to romp for a while too.” She led the filly over to a smaller
paddock and turned her loose inside. Like the geldings the filly found a
good sandy spot and quickly rolled, but unlike the geldings, when she got up,
the green grass didn’t interest her. She jumped high in the air, kicked
her hind feet up over her head and took off around the small field as fast as
she could go. She ran with her head stretched out and her tail flying out
behind her, alive with freedom. She made about four laps, throwing in an
occasional buck or two accompanied by loud explosions of expelled gas, then
slowed to a long springy trot, her head high, her tail high, blowing loudly
through her nose.
Tempest and
several other horses watching from their respective paddocks began to romp and
race, now, including the two geldings from Idaho. Jordan watched
anxiously, hoping none of them hit a fence or hurt themselves, but thrilled to
see them all healthy and playful. Gradually they settled down and even
the filly started to graze on the lush green grass.
Even after the
brother and sister had dropped their trailer and left to go to the motel,
Jordan couldn’t tear herself away from the barn. She looked for things to
keep her busy there, close to her new horse. Finally she just gave it up
for a lost cause and leaned against the barn, watching the filly graze,
admiring the fine, sleek roll of hard muscles under the smooth gray-brown coat.
Chapter
Fifteen
Frankie sat
quietly on the ground under the tree waiting for the lights to go out in the
Swartz home, outside Poplar Bluff. From where he was, he could see the house
where Jordan had lived with her school teacher husband. There were other
people living there now, but they held no interest for him. He knew he
couldn’t risk going into town to ask about her and he knew the Swartz
carefully to the ground. In just another second she was unloaded and
Feather was handing the lead rope to Jordan. “Here she is.”
Jordan’s
knowledgeable eyes were already sweeping over the animal with admiration.
She didn’t say anything, but led the filly a few steps away so Feather could
unload the last horse in the trailer.
Jordan’s hands
were almost shaking as she tentatively stroked the filly’s gray-brown
neck. Feeling the firm warmth of muscle under her hands, Jordan’s touch
became more confident and she rubbed down the strong shoulders and across the
length of the animal’s smooth gray/brown barrel. She lost track of time
as she examined the creature carefully wondering if she was going to find any
blemishes anywhere. Her heart was racing with excitement and admiration
as she assessed her new horse.
The filly was
accustomed to being handled on a daily basis and stood still while the woman
felt her over. Gradually Jordan came back to the present and realized
that Feather and her brother were watching her careful evaluation of the
filly. “She wonderful,” she breathed softly. “I’m almost
speechless.”
Daniel Chetan
pulled the baseball cap off his head and combed his fingers through his black
hair. “She’s put together as near perfect as any horse I’ve ever
seen.” He was holding the lead rope of the last horse that had unloaded
from the trailer. He wanted to add that Jordan could have been included
in that statement if he changed horse to woman, but wisely left that unspoken.
Suddenly
Jordan’s manners returned. She smiled at them. “I’m sorry.
You can release your horses into this field.” She indicated the small
field between the barn and the brick house further up the hill. “There’s
clean water in the tub up in front of the house.” She moved to open the
gate for them.
As soon as
they were released, the two geldings trotted over to a big sandy spot and
dropped down to roll. The filly at her side pulled on the lead rope and
shook her head. Jordan smiled and nodded. “Alright, I guess you
want to romp for a while too.” She led the filly over to a smaller
paddock and turned her loose inside. Like the geldings the filly found a
good sandy spot and quickly rolled, but unlike the geldings, when she got up,
the green grass didn’t interest her. She jumped high in the air, kicked
her hind feet up over her head and took off around the small field as fast as
she could go. She ran with her head stretched out and her tail flying out
behind her, alive with freedom. She made about four laps, throwing in an
occasional buck or two accompanied by loud explosions of expelled gas, then
slowed to a long springy trot, her head high, her tail high, blowing loudly
through her nose.
Tempest and
several other horses watching from their respective paddocks began to romp and
race, now, including the two geldings from Idaho. Jordan watched
anxiously, hoping none of them hit a fence or hurt themselves, but thrilled to
see them all healthy and playful. Gradually they settled down and even
the filly started to graze on the lush green grass.
Even after the
brother and sister had dropped their trailer and left to go to the motel,
Jordan couldn’t tear herself away from the barn. She looked for things to
keep her busy there, close to her new horse. Finally she just gave it up
for a lost cause and leaned against the barn, watching the filly graze,
admiring the fine, sleek roll of hard muscles under the smooth gray-brown coat.
Chapter
Fifteen
Frankie sat
quietly on the ground under the tree waiting for the lights to go out in the
Swartz home, outside Poplar Bluff. From where he was, he could see the house
where Jordan had lived with her school teacher husband. There were other
people living there now, but they held no interest for him. He knew he
couldn’t risk going into town to ask about her and he knew the Swartz
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