Page 550 of Conveniently Wed
She couldn’t keep her eyes from widening at that announcement. What was Franklin’s former fiancée doing here? And where was the man she ran off with? Franklin must be hurting pretty badly because of the memories she’d aroused.What in the world do I do now?
Her husband led her into the kitchen. Mrs. Oleson held Michael sleeping on her shoulder.
“I took the baby’s bed and his things into m—our bedroom. Here, let me have him. I’ll put him down for his nap.” Lorinda wanted to get out of the way before she came apart at the seams. Her hands shook as she transferred her son to her own shoulder.
When she returned to the kitchen, Franklin and Mrs. Oleson sat at the table drinking cups of coffee.
“Good...” Her husband looked straight into her eyes. “...I wanted to tell you both at the same time. Miriam is here, and she’s in bad shape. I’ve sent for the doctor. She’s sleeping right now, so I’ll go put up the wagon.”
“What happened to her?” Lorinda grabbed a heavy shawl from the hall tree and followed him outside.
He shook his head. “I don’t know. She passed out before I could ask her anything.”
She glanced toward the wagon and gasped.
Franklin stopped and turned around. “What’s the matter, Lorinda?” He came back up the steps.
“Where did you get that palomino?” She could hardly get the words out past the lump in her throat.
“Miriam was riding it.”
Lorinda couldn’t hold back a shocked exclamation. “That’s Golden Boy, Mike’s horse! I’m almost sure it is. I’ve never seen him in such bad shape.”
She accompanied Franklin out through the gate. Going to the back of the wagon, she reached her open hand, palm up toward the horse.
“Golden Boy, do you remember me?”
The horse blew warm air on her palm before nestling his muzzle on it.
“You do.” Lorinda slid her hand up the horse’s withers and into the tangled mane. “You’re still a pretty boy, even if you haven’t been taken care of.” She turned toward Franklin. “We need to make sure he gets plenty to eat and is groomed.”
Franklin stopped beside her and placed his arm around her back. “We sure will. Look, I don’t know what’s been going on, but we’ll find out when Miriam feels well enough to tell us.”
Leading her horse, Lorinda followed the wagon to the barn. She stopped by the water trough to let the horse get a drink, making sure he didn’t drink too much.
When she led him into the barn, Franklin met her with a feedbag. “Here’s some oats for your horse.” He hung the bag on the horse’s head, so he could start eating.
While Franklin unharnessed the other horse from the wagon, she went to the tack room and got a brush and a mane comb. While Golden Boy munched on the feed, she started a rhythmic brushing of his sides and back. His muscles quivered under her ministrations. She wondered how long it had been since he’d been groomed. He’d always enjoyed the brushing.
Franklin picked up the mane comb from where she’d laid it on a bench nearby. He began to work the tangles out of the almost-white-blond mane and tail. “Someone needs to be horsewhipped for letting such a valuable animal get into this shape.”
She smiled at this man she’d married. His heart for animals touched her. “Thank you for helping me.”
“I’m not leaving you out here to finish this.” His return smile shot straight to her softened heart.
“I wonder where sh...Miriam got our horse. I was disappointed when you brought Mike’s body to me, but you didn’t have his horse. I guess I figured someone had stolen him. Maybe even his killer. But maybe not.” As she kept moving the brush over the horse’s coat, removing loose hair and debris, the horse’s hide began to take on a healthier glow, but his bones were still too near the surface of his coat.
When she glanced at Franklin, his face took on the expression she recognized as one he had when he was ponderingsomething. Funny how she’d learned to read so many of his moods. Other times, she had no idea what he was thinking or feeling.
“If she obtained him in a legal way, I’ll buy him back for you. If not, I’ll make sure you get to keep him.” He moved around to face Golden Boy’s head.
Since the feedbag was now empty, Franklin removed it and started on the horse’s forelock.
Lorinda enjoyed this time alone with her husband, but she was fearful of what changes Miriam might bring to their household. Why had that woman come here? Her heart quaked within her. She didn’t want to lose her husband. Not when things were getting better between them.
28
Lorinda peered out the front window for what felt like the thousandth time today. An equal number of times, she’d opened the door to the bedroom where Miriam rested in the bed that had been Lorinda’s before her marriage. Each time, the woman still slept, but her breathing was more even and less labored that it had been earlier in the day. That gave Lorinda a bit of faith to cling to.
