Six White Horses by Janet Dailey

Author:Janet Dailey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 1977-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

"I'M NOT SURPRISED," Patty sighed wearily, affectionately stroking the neck of her black trick horse as he tugged at the hay in his stall. "I fully expected the engagements to be broken. After all, the rodeo producers were paying for a complete equestrian act, not an average trick rider. Were they able to find someone to replace us?"

"They didn't say," her grandfather answered with a shrug. "But there are plenty of quality acts around. I'm sure they'll find someone."

"Two months without any income," she sighed again.

"I've canceled the engagements for the next three months," Everett King told her with a rueful smile. "Liberty is going to take some time healing, and even then, I'm not certain that he'll make it back to his old form. We might have to start looking for a replacement."

"A replacement?" Her brown eyes widened. "That means breaking in a new horse."

"That's why I figured we need at least three months. We've been talking about getting a spare horse anyway. This is the time to do it."

"But our finances? How bad is it, grandpa?"

"The vet's bill, the feed bill, boarding." It was his turn to sigh. "Let's just say that it's put a healthy dent in our emergency fund, and there's more to come."

"We'll have to go back to New Mexico, won't we?" She scuffed the toe of her boot in the hay scattered along the concrete walkway in front of the stables.

"It's more than seven hundred miles back home. Texas is a big state to cross. It would be foolish to try to trailer the horses that distance in their condition. Foolish and risky."

"But we can't afford to stay here either," Patty pointed out. "Not without any money coming into the kitty, only going out for stalls and feed."

"And to the vet," her grandfather added.

"We have to go back," she said, repeating her earlier statement only with more force and determination. "We can make the trip in stages, resting the horses for a couple of days in between."

"Do you think it's a good thing for us to go back?" he asked quietly.

"A good thing?" Patty frowned, glancing at him in confusion. "Of course! It's the only thing. What do you mean?"

"I was thinking about Lije. Back at your parents' ranch, you're bound to run into him and his wife."

For a freezing second Patty couldn't reply. It was impossible! She hadn't given Lije Masters a single thought. Always before the thought of her parents' home in New Mexico had been synonymous with the thought of Lije Masters, the man who had filled her heart and mind for as long as she could remember. Now, suddenly, they were separate. She couldn't believe it. How had it happened?

"Patty?" The weathered hand of her grandfather touched her arm, his voice echoing the concern in his eyes as he gazed, into her nearly colorless face. "You're white as a sheet. What's wrong?"

"I…I…" Patty stumbled, unable to put into words what she couldn't understand herself.

"Is it your shoulder again?"

"Yes." She

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