A Touch of Autumn(22)
She reached out and ran her hand down the mare’s side, murmuring and petting. Then one by one, she allowed the girls to touch and pet the horse.
After the girls each had their turn, she asked them to step back and she showed them how to place and secure the sidesaddle.
As she tightened the girth underneath the horse behind the front legs, she heard a gasp.
“Miss Livvy, won’t that hurt her?” Molly’s eyes were wide and full of distress. “Will she be able to breathe?”
“I promise she’ll breathe just fine, sweetie. While the girth restricts a horse’s movements a little, it doesn’t hurt at all.”
“Really, Molly, don’t be silly.” Margaret snorted.
“Please don’t be unkind, Margaret. Molly was simply concerned. There’s nothing silly about that.”
A blush tinted the girl’s cheeks. “Sorry, Molly.”
Molly smiled. “It’s okay. I’m not mad.”
Livvy shook her head. Molly and Trudy stood up to Margaret more than they used to, but Molly was such a sweet child, she still tended to let the other girl get away with a lot. Livvy sighed. She supposed that was love and forgiveness in action.
She got through the lesson without too many problems. Her hand may have trembled slightly a time or two, but she felt no real fear around the dainty little mare. Lucky for her the sidesaddles were made for smaller horses so at least she didn’t have to contend with the large ones.
Once Suzie was back in her stall with an apple as a prize for being so good, Livvy and the girls returned to the house.
“You promise to be back Friday?” Lily Ann asked.
“I promise.”
“And we get to ride next time?”
“Yes, Trudy, I think you’ll have a few minutes each on a horse on Friday.”
As the girls ran upstairs, Livvy glanced around once more for Charles but saw no sign of him. But school hadn’t been dismissed yet and she had no real reason to stay. She had hoped to speak with him, though.
Hannah, the sign-language teacher and Lily Ann’s mentor, appeared in the foyer.
“Livvy, how did Lily Ann do with the horses?”
“Well, actually, she helped me to put the girth on Suzie, so she could feel how it goes. She seemed fine. Why?” Her face suddenly felt drained and she gasped. “Oh, Hannah, I didn’t even think.”
Lily Ann’s blindness had occurred several years ago, when a runaway horse kicked her in the head. It would have been perfectly normal for the child to have been afraid to go near horses. Livvy felt like kicking herself for being so concerned about her own foolish fears.
Hannah smiled and patted Livvy on the shoulder. “Lily Ann is very strong. I’m happy to hear there were no problems. I’ll see you at church Sunday.” Hannah headed up the stairs.
With a sigh, Livvy got in her buggy and drove home.
Chapter 10
“Calvin, have you seen Jeremiah?” Charles had looked all over the building to no avail and concern tightened his stomach.
The boy’s hands flew. Quite an accomplishment for only a year of signing classes. “Yes, sir. He said he was going out to muck the stable, so Albert wouldn’t have to do it.”
Warmth rose up in Charles’s chest. Jeremiah was a changed boy. He’d been performing little acts of kindness on his own recently. Charles couldn’t help the pride that surged through him.
He grinned and gave Calvin a friendly clap on the shoulder, then turned and headed across the still-green lawn to the stable. Jeremiah deserved a reward. Maybe ice cream at the hotel in Magnolia Junction.
He stepped into the stable to find Albert, shovel in hand, scooping manure out of a stall. Confused, he glanced around. “Where’s Jeremiah? I thought he was doing that.”
“Saw him going in the barn a while back. He sure not doin’ this.”
Calvin must have misunderstood him. He was probably cleaning the barn instead. Charles tossed a wave at Albert and walked toward the weathered structure that now housed only the cows.
The acrid smell of smoke greeted him as he drew near the building. Dread clutched him. He ran. A vision of Jeremiah, passed out from smoke inhalation while the barn burned, attacked his senses. God, please let him be all right.
Charles burst through the barn door. A faint scurrying sound in the rear drew his attention. “Jeremiah?”
He rounded the last stall. Disappointment hit him so hard that nausea washed over him. Jeremiah was stubbing out a cigar and trying unsuccessfully to hide the evidence as he looked up at Charles.
“It’s no use. I’ve already seen it.”
Jeremiah swallowed hard, guilt all over his countenance. But not for long. His face stiffened with rebellion and he shrugged, hopping up from the ground and brushing off his overalls.