Free Midnight Rescue / The Proposal / Christy's Choice by Catherine Marshall Page B

oatmeal.”
    The front door opened and David rushed inside. He was wearing his work clothes. His shoes were covered with hay and mud. “Anyone seen the doctor?” he asked breathlessly. “I was just putting Prince out in the pasture, and I noticed the doctor’s horse is gone!”
    Christy held up the envelope. “Doctor MacNeill left about an hour ago.”
    â€œWell, that’s a relief,” David said, sinking into the chair next to Christy.
    â€œDavid, how can you say that?” Christy demanded.
    â€œI meant it’s a relief to know he took his horse,” David said. “I was afraid it might have been stolen. You know—the moonshiners up to their tricks again. Although—” he winked at Miss Ida, “I have to admit I won’t exactly miss the man.”
    â€œThe doctor is still sick,” Christy insisted. “He should never have left here, especially after our argument last night.”
    â€œIt’s not as if we could have resolved things, Christy,” David said. “There are some things people are just never going to agree on.”
    Christy opened the envelope and read the letter inside:
    My dear Christy:
    You have been a fine hostess, nurse, and surgeon, but I find I must get back to my patients before you spoil me any further.
    I trust that David will keep an eye on you, but please be careful in the days ahead. We may argue about many things, David and I, but about you, at least, we seem to be in remarkable agreement.
    Neil MacNeill
    P.S. You still owe me a dance.
    Christy set the letter aside. “David, we have to go get him.”
    â€œWhat?” David cried. “Go get the doctor? After what he said to us last night?”
    â€œThe point is, he’s running a high fever.”
    â€œHe’s a doctor,” David argued. “He can take better care of himself than we can.”
    â€œDavid. Be reasonable.”
    He gazed at her pleadingly. “You’re not going to budge on this, are you?”
    Christy shook her head.
    David looked at her intently. “You know, the doctor’s cabin is a long ride off. And I can’t take Prince. He’s way too high-strung to be ridden today. I’d never even get a saddle on him.”
    â€œPoor thing,” Christy said. “I let Ruby Mae and Rob go visit him during the noon recess. Ruby Mae said she’d never seen him so skittish. She’s still furious at us, by the way.”
    â€œI know. She wouldn’t say a word to me during math class this afternoon.” David sighed. “The point is, I’ll have to ride Old Theo. And let’s face it, that mule isn’t exactly the fastest thing on four legs. Not only that, it looks like it’s going to storm.”
    â€œMaybe I should go.”
    â€œChristy, you know I can’t let you do that.” David stood and stretched. “Okay, I’ll go get the doctor, assuming, that is, he’ll come back. The man’s more ornery than Old Theo.”
    â€œWhich is why you’re the perfect person to retrieve him,” Christy said.
    David rolled his eyes. “I’ll try to make this quick,” he said. “With luck, I may even be back before dark. But in the meantime, you and Miss Ida and Ruby Mae stay close to the house, all right?”
    â€œWe will,” Christy agreed. “But don’t you think the danger’s past, now that the moon-shiners have gotten their revenge?”
    â€œMaybe so, maybe not. On this, at least, I’m inclined to listen to the doctor.”

Eight
    R uby Mae stared at her dinner plate. Usually, she loved Miss Ida’s chicken pot pie, but this evening she was in no mood to eat.
    She was still furious at the preacher and Miz Christy about what had happened to Prince. And since the preacher was out hunting for Doctor MacNeill, that meant the only person Ruby Mae could be mad at for the time being was Miz Christy. They’d barely