days. Bella couldn’t die—she was Angel’s last link to her family.
Travis raced around the corner of the barn in time to see Angel draw up near the corral. Colic could kill a horse. A deep groaning met his ears before he spotted Bella lying on her side in the dirt. The mare attempted to lunge to her feet but fell back with another loud groan. She lay panting for a moment, then jerked all four legs in the air and flopped over to the other side, repeating the movement several times. Angel leaned over the rail and spoke quietly to the horse, avoiding the flailing hooves.
Dismay hit Travis hard. Why had he been so harsh, allowing her to think he only cared about what she could do for him? He’d never been much good with women. Not with his mother in the past, or his sister—and apparently that carried over to female employees. He felt sick with worry about Angel’s horse, but even more so about the injury she’d shrugged off. Infection could set in and cause gangrene. His throat ached at the thought of Angel suffering. When they got past this crisis, he’d talk to her again. Only this time he’d convince her she mattered to him as a person, not merely a hired hand.
Wren and James came from the barn, Wren gripping a rope halter. “You’ll need to get her up and walking.”
“I know.” She took the halter and slipped it over her arm, tossing the long length of rope over her shoulder. “I’ll wait till she’s done thrashing so I don’t get kicked.”
James stopped beside her. “Why’s she groaning? What’s wrong with her?”
Angel leaned on the fence. “You ever have a bad bellyache? One that hurts so much you want to curl up and die?”
He nodded, his face solemn. “Yeah. One time when I was little Ma had to call the doctor, I was screaming so loud.”
“That’s how Bella feels—only she can’t scream, she can only groan.”
“Is she gonna die?”
Bella lay quiet, breathing hard.
“I sure hope not, but it’s possible.” Angel slipped between the wooden bars. “I’ll get her on her feet and walk her for the next few hours. Rolling on the ground can twist her gut into a knot and then she’d die for sure.”
“Can I help?” The boy hooked a leg over the rail, but Travis drew him back.
“Wait, son. You might spook her. She knows Angel, but she doesn’t know us.” Travis understood how the boy felt—he desperately wanted to lend a hand, as well. But the struggling mare would panic if too many strangers came close while she fought this pain. He’d never lost a horse to colic but had heard horrible stories about their suffering. He said a silent prayer for the animal, knowing Bella’s future lay in God’s capable and caring hands.
Angel inched her way closer. Bella lay on her side. A quick flick of her wrist and Angel slipped the halter over Bella’s nose, securing it behind her ears. “You’re going to be all right. Easy there.” She knelt beside the mare’s head, stroked the length of her neck, then gently rubbed behind her ears. “I need you to get up, Bella.” She stood and took a step back, tightening the rope attached to the halter.
Travis gripped the rail and leaned forward. “Want any help?”
“No. If she can stand, she’ll do it when I ask.” Angel clucked to the horse and spoke again, too low for Travis to make out her words.
Wren moved close to Travis. “Since she don’t want any help, I’m goin’ to find Smokey. He’s a wizard with sick horses.”
“Good idea. Go.” Travis kept his attention pinned on the girl as Wren’s rapid footfalls grew fainter.
Travis clenched his jaw. He’d seen how attached she was to the mare. He’d never had a special relationship with an animal before. He’d always wanted a dog while growing up, but his father wouldn’t allow it.
Maybe he’d see if Angel would accept another horse as a replacement, if anything happened to this one. She’d need a mount if she continued her work here. Shock hit him at the way his
Travis raced around the corner of the barn in time to see Angel draw up near the corral. Colic could kill a horse. A deep groaning met his ears before he spotted Bella lying on her side in the dirt. The mare attempted to lunge to her feet but fell back with another loud groan. She lay panting for a moment, then jerked all four legs in the air and flopped over to the other side, repeating the movement several times. Angel leaned over the rail and spoke quietly to the horse, avoiding the flailing hooves.
Dismay hit Travis hard. Why had he been so harsh, allowing her to think he only cared about what she could do for him? He’d never been much good with women. Not with his mother in the past, or his sister—and apparently that carried over to female employees. He felt sick with worry about Angel’s horse, but even more so about the injury she’d shrugged off. Infection could set in and cause gangrene. His throat ached at the thought of Angel suffering. When they got past this crisis, he’d talk to her again. Only this time he’d convince her she mattered to him as a person, not merely a hired hand.
Wren and James came from the barn, Wren gripping a rope halter. “You’ll need to get her up and walking.”
“I know.” She took the halter and slipped it over her arm, tossing the long length of rope over her shoulder. “I’ll wait till she’s done thrashing so I don’t get kicked.”
James stopped beside her. “Why’s she groaning? What’s wrong with her?”
Angel leaned on the fence. “You ever have a bad bellyache? One that hurts so much you want to curl up and die?”
He nodded, his face solemn. “Yeah. One time when I was little Ma had to call the doctor, I was screaming so loud.”
“That’s how Bella feels—only she can’t scream, she can only groan.”
“Is she gonna die?”
Bella lay quiet, breathing hard.
“I sure hope not, but it’s possible.” Angel slipped between the wooden bars. “I’ll get her on her feet and walk her for the next few hours. Rolling on the ground can twist her gut into a knot and then she’d die for sure.”
“Can I help?” The boy hooked a leg over the rail, but Travis drew him back.
“Wait, son. You might spook her. She knows Angel, but she doesn’t know us.” Travis understood how the boy felt—he desperately wanted to lend a hand, as well. But the struggling mare would panic if too many strangers came close while she fought this pain. He’d never lost a horse to colic but had heard horrible stories about their suffering. He said a silent prayer for the animal, knowing Bella’s future lay in God’s capable and caring hands.
Angel inched her way closer. Bella lay on her side. A quick flick of her wrist and Angel slipped the halter over Bella’s nose, securing it behind her ears. “You’re going to be all right. Easy there.” She knelt beside the mare’s head, stroked the length of her neck, then gently rubbed behind her ears. “I need you to get up, Bella.” She stood and took a step back, tightening the rope attached to the halter.
Travis gripped the rail and leaned forward. “Want any help?”
“No. If she can stand, she’ll do it when I ask.” Angel clucked to the horse and spoke again, too low for Travis to make out her words.
Wren moved close to Travis. “Since she don’t want any help, I’m goin’ to find Smokey. He’s a wizard with sick horses.”
“Good idea. Go.” Travis kept his attention pinned on the girl as Wren’s rapid footfalls grew fainter.
Travis clenched his jaw. He’d seen how attached she was to the mare. He’d never had a special relationship with an animal before. He’d always wanted a dog while growing up, but his father wouldn’t allow it.
Maybe he’d see if Angel would accept another horse as a replacement, if anything happened to this one. She’d need a mount if she continued her work here. Shock hit him at the way his
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