As much as I resisted, as hard as I focused on keeping my attention on everything else, it was only a matter of time before his memory crept into my thoughts. I pulled down the neck of my sweatshirt and looked at the reflection of my shoulder. It was covered with widening patches of navy blue, and one long, bright red streak, where the boards had dug into my flesh as I scraped by them.
I couldn’t help but let my afternoon encounter with Dayne deflate me. He had seemed like a romance novel hero in my dreams last night, and now I was pretty sure he hated me. The sad part was that for some sick, twisted, masochistic reason I had felt my heart sink a little deeper in love with him this afternoon.
Which made absolutely no sense.
Chapter 6
Dead or Alive
The next few days passed quietly. I tried to do everything exactly right. Managing Ennishlough’s impressive stables was a huge opportunity for Phin. I didn’t want to mess up again and possibly jeopardize his position.
Lucas and I had struck up quite a friendship. He was just the kind of guy I needed to get my feet wet with the whole boy/girl relationship thing. He had the protective nature of a big brother, but the flirtatiousness of a potential paramour. Even though neither one of us had the first clue how to flirt with each other, his quick wit and charming smile quickly became the highlight of my days at the barn.
I steered clear of Dayne. Maybe he would forget how much he hated me if he didn’t see me for a while. I did everything I could to avoid him—peeking around walls to be sure the coast was clear before venturing out into the aisle, listening out for the sound of his footsteps on the stone walkway before emerging from a stall.
But that didn’t keep me from watching him from afar when I was sure there was no way our paths would cross.
I envied the way he rode LeSheen. It was so effortless, like they could read each other’s minds. I marveled at how his touch, or just the sound of his low whistle, could turn LeSheen from a snorting, fiery beast into a gentle playful puppy dog.
An endless string of girls flocked to Ennishlough over the week, always having some ridiculous excuse as to why they stopped by. They would stare at me with obvious disgust, looking me over from my baseball cap all the way down to my dirty boots and back up again. “Well, be sure to tell him I stopped by.” They would always say. I always wanted to say, “Sure, you and half the town.” It was really quite pathetic the way girls threw themselves at him. Maybe I was just jealous.
That Friday I was riding with Lucas, taking Penny and Prince on their usual stroll around the woods. It had been a week since I started working, and Lucas was letting me lead the trail ride for the first time. We took a new trail that dumped us out onto the side lawn of Ennishlough. I’d never been so close to it before, and I chided myself when I absently wondered which window was lucky enough to belong to Dayne’s bedroom. The castle towered over us. We stuck close to the edge of the woods as we made our way around to the other side of the lawn to pick up the trail again. The faint strains of a stringed instrument plucked through the air. A beautiful and calming sound, blowing along on the breeze as natural as could be.
“Have you ever been inside?” I half whispered to Lucas, staring up at windows that seemed to reach to the sky.
“Nope. Don’t know of anyone that has. I’m sure the people of Clonlea aren’t nearly good enough to be invited to one of the DeLaney’s fancy dinner parties.” Lucas tried to sound as if he knew how the DeLaney’s high society would feel about a meager stable hand from Clonlea joining their ranks.
“So, it’s just him in this big old house?” Since our encounter on my first day Lucas and I had taken to referring to Dayne as simply him. I think we were both a bit afraid to utter his name for fear of being answered.
“No, there’s an older lady that lives with him, keeps the house and everything. But, I think she must be deaf or something. Never comes to town and just sends Dayne to do the shopping with a list of what she needs. No one has ever talked to her.” He turned Prince onto the new trail and disappeared into the woods.
Lingering on the lawn, I looked back over my shoulder one last time and my eyes flew wide with shock. A lady stood in the window of the bottom floor. Goose bumps puckered over the entire surface of my body.
She wasn’t scary looking, quite pleasant actually. She had a little white bun on top of her head like a grandmother might, tiny little wire rimmed glasses and an apron over her clothes. Her little hand raised at her side in a wave, and I instinctively raised mine and waved back as I disappeared into the woods behind Lucas.
We returned to the barn to find Phin in a tailspin, racing around as fast as his limp would allow.
“Hannah’s milk has dropped, that baby is coming tonight! Lucas, go and get that stall cleaned out and put in some fresh shavings and straw. Faye, come with me; we’ve got to get our birthing kit together. I’ll need to call Dayne, too.” Phin shouted out orders faster than we could move our feet.
I followed him into his cluttered little office. As he dialed the phone, he motioned to a black box on the top shelf. I pulled it down and almost dropped it when he said, “Mr. Dayne? Looks like Hannah’s going to drop that foal tonight. Yep, The vet's on his way, we’re going to stay here with her. I’ll call you when it comes.” I handed him the box and he rummaged through, satisfied that the contents were all he would need. He called Rose and let her know not to expect us home until late. Her excited chatter gurgled out of the phone at the arrival of a new baby.
Lucas spread out the last bit of fresh straw as Hannah paced around the large birthing stall. Phin hooked a lead rope to her halter and put it in my hand; she stopped pacing. Phin walked to her rear end and began to tie her tail up out of the way. He secured it with a fuchsia tail wrap that seemed out of place in his rough hands. I spoke softly to Hannah and stroked her forelock, the discomfort clear in her eyes. Phin pulled on a long plastic glove that covered him from fingertip to shoulder. I couldn’t believe what he was about to do. His arm disappeared into Hannah; she groaned slightly with the added discomfort. My heart broke for her.
“That’s not good. This baby hasn’t turned.” Phin frowned down at the stall floor, trying to imagine in his mind what his fingertips were feeling. He pulled his arm back slightly and went in again, repositioning on the other side. Again, Hannah groaned. “Not good at all!” He said as he took the glove off his hand.
“When's the vet getting here?” I asked, worried by Phin's sudden change in mood.
“Any minute," he answered after tugging at his sleeve to study his watch. His hands slid expertly over Hannah's slick black coat, the barrel-like buldge of her belly labored by every panting breath. I wondered how many foals those hands had coaxed into this world, and how serious the situation had to be to worry Phin so. He stepped to her head and whispered soothingly into her ear. Hannah continued to stare straight ahead, as if she was in too much discomfort to acknowledge us.
"I'm going to call the vet again," Phin said in a lowered voice as he patted Hannah's forehead and limped from the stall. His face was blank, his brows drawn taught across his forehead in a nervous way I had never seen before.
Nodding in what I hoped was an encouraging way, I turned back to Hannah and continued stroking her long neck, humming softly to soothe her pain.
A muffled conversation floated in bits and pieces through the wall Hannah's stall shared with Phin's office. Phin's voice raised a few octaves as he shouted into the phone, and then went quiet. A second later he popped his head in the stall door, the look on his face no longer concerned, but honestly afraid.
"Can you sit with her?” he asked, eyes wide.
"What's going on, Phin?" My chest felt empty and tight at the same time, instantly recognizing the change in Phin.
"Vet blew a tire on the way from Shannon. I'm going to pick him up."
“Of course I'll stay. What should I do if she starts to go?” I asked.
"Call Mr. Dayne. He's at the house." My stomach flipped over
on itself as he placed his ancient dinosaur of a phone in my hand after typing Dayne's number into the screen. "I should be back with the vet long before she goes. I just hate to leave you two here all alone."
"We'll be fine," I smiled at him as if I wasn't the least bit worried about being all alone with a mare in labor and a cell phone ready to call him. I knew Phin would never leave me if he thought I was scared, and I knew how badly Hannah needed the vet.
"Go!" I smiled and nodded again, trying not to let my face tremble with fear as I took the phone he held out to me. "Hannah needs that vet and she needs you. So hurry up."
"Mr. Dayne's waiting by the phone. Call him if the tiniest thing happens. Okay?" Phin leveled a serious look at me.
"GO!" I yelled again, and shooed my hand at him.
I'm not sure how I kept that smile on my face. Maybe because I knew it was the only way Hannah and her baby would have a fighting chance if things were as grim as Phin seemed to think they were. Lucas had left shortly after preparing Hannah's stall and the barn was quiet except for Hannah’s labored breath and pitiful grunts.
I sat there stroking Hannah’s face. Trying to soothe her with cooing words as she stared at nothing and groaned with what I assumed were contractions. Phin had been gone about 15 minutes when something dropped to the straw behind Hannah. My eyes went wide with fear when I peeked around her swollen belly and saw a bloody liquid falling onto the clean straw by her back hooves. She spread her back legs wide, floundering and swaying with the effort to stand. It didn’t take a vet to know that Hannah’s baby was about to greet the world. Hannah let out a great groan and lost the fight, falling to the floor with a huge crash. My wide-eyed fear became utter and total chaos. I began to scream, and in my wild panic, grabbing at Hannah's lead rope as if it would keep her upright, I managed to send Phin's cell phone flying.
“Help! Help me! Phin! Lucas! Help me! Hannah is down! She’s down! Someone help!” Fear knotted my stomach and my shrill shrieks startled the horses dozing around us. The stall blurred as I spun around, trying to find something, anything to fix the helpless animal before me. My entire body began to tremble when I realized I was Hannah's only hope.
Her great black body was sprawled out to the side, the enormous rib cage heaving with labored breathing as she took in short and uneven breaths. A near constant groan seeping from somewhere deep within her. I stood there, doing nothing but holding the lead rope in my quivering hand. Hannah’s eyes closed and she lay still for a moment. I held my breath, struggling to hear hers. Then with a great sweep of motion, she lurched backwards and forwards, struggling to get the baby out of her.
A snapping sound interrupted Hannah’s guttural pants of pain, followed by a great gush of liquid spraying out behind her; her water had broken.
“Somebody, please!” Panic and fear broke my voice as I cried for help once again. My own body was suddenly ravaged by the pain I imagined Hannah was feeling and knew there was nothing I could do about it. Tears pooled on my lower lashes. I blinked them away and startled at a rush of movement beside me.
Through the haze of tears, I saw Dayne bending over Hannah, running his hands along the swollen belly and down to the wrapped tail where nothing had appeared. He took stock of the situation before casting his gaze on me, trembling and helpless at Hannah’s head. My body quaked under the weight of his glare, but I knew that this was no time for such foolishness. Hannah needed me, and I wasn’t going to let her down.
“How long has she been like this?” He demanded.
“She just went down,” I answered, meeting his penetrating emerald stare for the first time with any wits about me.
“Where’s Phin?” His eyes covered every inch of Hannah as he barked out questions.
“Went to get the vet. He said the baby wasn’t turned.” Dayne’s head snapped to me as he digested this new bit of news.
“Okay, we have to get her on her feet. If that baby hasn’t turned, the only chance we have to turn it is with her on her feet.” He came to stand right beside me. He unhooked the lead rope and retied it around her neck and put it back in my hands. “When I say pull, I want you to tug against this rope with all the strength you have. Okay? Pull her head that way.” He pointed to a corner of the stall.
Dayne went behind her and positioned himself around her backside. He took a deep breath, “Okay, PULL!” He shouted as he threw all his weight into Hannah. She let out a pitiful groan to protest being moved. Dayne pushed with all his strength, I pulled with all my might, and Hannah fought us with all she had. We somehow created enough motion between the three of us to get Hannah’s legs back up under her. She was standing, all four legs splayed out at the far reaches of her body, struggling to keep them under her.
Dayne pulled on another one of the long gloves, and his hand disappeared where Phin’s had. “Damn!” He exclaimed. He tore the glove off his arm and paced the stall length several times before turning back to me. “Have you ever done this before?”
“No,” I said in a small voice, unsure of what his reaction might be. He stared at me, thinking of his options. My eyes instantly found the straw his feet easier to look at.
“Well, you’re about to learn. She’s not going to like what I’m going to have to do to get this baby out of her. You’ve got to keep her as calm as possible. Understand?” He was talking quickly and loudly. I nodded in automatic agreement.
Dayne took out a towel and wet it with the warm water Phin had laid out. He carefully cleaned Hannah with a gentleness that amazed me. He put a clean glove on his arm and got into position by her tail. He had one hand on her hip and spoke in a voice so low I couldn’t make out what he was saying. His eyes were closed, and I wondered if he was talking to Hannah or praying. Hannah’s body tensed and she groaned against a contraction. “Now,” Dayne said, looking at me and nodding.
I wrapped my arms around Hannah’s head and neck. I made long strokes along her tensed neck muscles. I spoke soothingly into her ear while I mustered every ounce of peace and calm within me and hoped and prayed that it passed into her.
I closed my eyes and concentrated on creating quietness within me. As I ran my hand along her great neck, I focused on pushing that quiet out into her, of calming her body as I had just calmed mine. After a few passes of my hand, the muscles of her neck began to relax. I slowly opened my eyes, amazed to feel it working. I looked down the length of Hannah’s body and when my eyes came to Dayne, he was staring right at me. I blushed instantly, realizing what a fool I must have looked like, and pulled my hands away from Hannah. She immediately convulsed when my hands left her neck.
“No, no. Keep doing whatever it is you are doing. It’s working. She’s relaxing, and that’s the only way we can get this baby out,” Dayne encouraged. The front of his shirt was stained red with Hannah’s blood. I swallowed hard, closed my eyes and repeated my calming technique again. I calmed myself and then passed it into her with every bit of concentration I had. I spoke to her in my mind. I calmed her and soothed her, and once again, she responded to my touch.
Hannah let out a groan, signaling the beginning of her contraction, but she did not fight against it. She was still calmed by my touch. I could tell she was beginning to fade. Her body began to sway with the strain it was under.
“Sorry, girl,” I heard Dayne say. Hannah let out a heartbreaking moan of pain. A wet snapping sound came from somewhere behind her and then Dayne held a new born foal in his arms, jet black like Hannah but with four white socks and a wide blaze painted down his face. Another sloppy sliding sound came from her body as the rest of the placenta hit the straw behind Hannah. She crumpled to the floor and did not move. I crumpled to the floor beside her. My muscles quivered with exhaustion and I knew her body must have been feeling much worse. Relief washed over me to see that the foal was safe, but something in the pit of my stomach told me this was far from over for Hannah. I put my hand on her again and could feel the muscles tensed in her neck, obviously trying to distract the pain that must
have been radiating through her body. There was a lot of fresh blood with the placenta. The blank stare on Dayne’s face when he saw the blood told me it wasn’t a good thing.
Dayne put the foal down and raced to Hannah’s side. He was sitting right beside me, checking her pupils and breathing. I couldn’t help it. I began to cry. Big fat tears rolled down my cheeks and fell to the fresh straw. I was shaking with the effort of controlling my sobs, not wanting Dayne to see. His arm brushed against mine when I reached out to stroke Hannah’s ears. He jerked away like he had been electrocuted and stared straight at me.
“Why are you crying?” He asked, not really interested in me at the moment.
“Is she going to be okay?” I forced out between sobs.
“Hard to say. She doesn’t look good.” It was obvious he was just as concerned for Hannah as I was. He gently stroked the enormous head I had wiggled into my lap. I watched as he drew a needle full of medicine from a bottle and injected it into her neck. The tears kept rolling down my face, landing on the silky black hair of Hannah’s cheek. It wasn’t fair for this beautiful horse to die after giving birth to her baby. It just wasn’t fair.
“No!” Phin groaned in the doorway. I turned to look at him. He was shocked when he saw my red face and the tears that streamed down my cheeks. Beside him stood a short little man, with thick black framed glasses and the weathered face of a true Irishman. In his hand he held a vet's bag, almost as large as he was. His expert eyes assessed the situation in seconds, and the big bag hit the floor as he rushed to Hannah's side.
Without saying a word, I turned back to Hannah, unable to think about anything but her. I tried my soothing technique again. I didn’t get any response this time. Her body was already limp, but I kept trying anyway. It was helping to calm me.
Dayne stood up and walked out into the aisle to talk with Phin as the vet began to pull items from his bag and work on Hannah in a fevered way. The conversation in the aisleway was so soft I couldn’t understand what they were saying. Not that I really cared anyway.
Heir of Earth (Forgotten Gods) Page 8
