Free Lois Greiman - [Hope Springs 02] by Home Fires

she asked.
    “She’s hurting,” Ty said.
    “I bet you are,” she said, addressing the mare. “But hang in there, old girl. Lead her into the stocks, will you?”
    Ty tugged Angel into the metal frame as the girl continued to croon.
    “But you’re a tough old bird, aren’t you, sweetheart.” She approached slowly and placed her hand on the mare’s muzzle. Lifting the gray’s upper lip, she glanced at her gums. Even to Casie’s uncertain eye, they looked pale. The girl pinched the skin on the mare’s leathery neck, testing for dehydration. “You Ty?” she asked, glancing at the boy.
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “Are you the one who takes care of her?” It didn’t take a genius to recognize the worry in Ty’s eyes, the tender caring in his hands.
    “I try to,” he said.
    She gave him a solemn glance. “Do you know how long it’s been since she drank?”
    “I gave her a five-gallon bucket last night,” he said. “It was half gone this morning.”
    The girl nodded. Her blond hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail. Her face was unlined. She glanced into Angel’s eyes again. “Such a nice girl, aren’t you, sweetheart. Just a peach. So polite, even with a tummyache.
    “Any recent change in her diet?” she asked, not glancing toward the humans.
    “No, ma’am. Lots of pasture, a little hay and crimped oats at night. But . . .” He winced. “I worked her pretty hard yesterday.”
    “Worked her how?”
    “Cattle.” He slipped a hand onto the mare’s broad cheek as if he couldn’t help himself. “She’s real good with cows.”
    “I bet she is.” Easing the stethoscope from around her neck, she plugged the bifurcated ends into her ears and placed the flat end on the mare’s belly. Her hand looked gentle but firm against the mare’s spine when she steadied herself to lean down. “I bet you show those cows who’s boss, don’t you, sweetheart?” She listened for a second, moved the stethoscope toward the mare’s flank, and listened again. In a matter of seconds, she let the stethoscope drop to the end of its cord, lifted the old mare’s tail, and carefully inserted a thermometer. “Any history of colic in the past?”
    Ty shook his head. “She’s been real healthy ever since we first got her. Except she was lame for a while. But that was just a gravel.”
    She glanced up from where she was palpating Angel’s belly. “Did she work that out on her own?”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “How long have you had her?”
    He scowled. “Year. Year and a half, maybe.”
    Angel lifted a hind leg, cranking it painfully up against her belly.
    “Well,” the girl said, “she’s lucky to have found a man who takes such good care of her. There are lots of people who wouldn’t have even noticed—”
    “The animal’s in pain,” Sophie snapped. “Are you going to get a vet in here or what?”
    The blond girl straightened slowly. “I guess I didn’t introduce myself,” she said. “I’m Dr. Sarah.”
    Sophie’s brows dipped even lower.
    “Are you Ty’s sister?”
    “No!”
    “Girlfriend?”
    Sophie actually paled. If Casie hadn’t been worried out of her mind she would have laughed out loud.
    “Not—”
    “Sophie and Ty help out on the ranch,” Casie said. “I’m Cassandra Carmichael.” Once the words were out she wished she could call them back. The name Carmichael had gained something of a reputation with her father’s declining health. It wasn’t a good one. “What can you tell us?”
    “Well . . .” The young doctor shook her head and glanced toward Sophie, who was atypically silent. Dr. Sarah exhaled, scowled. “There are virtually no gut sounds.”
    “Is that bad?” Ty barely seemed able to force out the words.
    “It means she’s twisted an intestine.” Sophie’s voice was low, lacking inflection. Casie glanced at her. “Right?” she said, turning her attention back to the vet.
    “It’s possible,” she said. “I’m going to give her something for the pain. Then