She scrambled down from the rail with the empty bucket and strode toward the barn. Win caught her arm, swinging her around. Cait trembled, halfhoping he would kiss her again, then hating herself for being so weak.
“No, you’re not a girl anymore,” he began softly. He cupped her face in his palms. “You’re a beautiful, independent woman who should be married with a passel of kids tugging at her apron strings.”
Cait forced a laugh. “Have you ever seen me in an apron?”
Win dropped his hands to her hips and spanned her waist with his fingers. “I can imagine, just as I can imagine you with beautiful blond, blueeyed children.”
Cait propped a hand on her hip, then realized she’d only made her nightgown tighten against her breasts. She quickly lowered her arms. “That’s funny. When I was younger I used to dream of darkhaired children with hazel eyes.”
Win’s hands fell away and he stepped back. “I rode away so that wouldn’t happen.”
Cait’s smile felt more like a tortured grimace. “Don’t worry. It worked.” She spun around, set the pail by the barn, and grabbed her rifle. “I’m going to check on the mare. Good night.”
She was fearful that Win would follow her, but he must’ve taken her notsosubtle hint and returned to his bed in the barn. The night was still, broken only by the familiar sounds of the horses, an occasional owl’s hoot, and a nighthawk’s screel. She shivered from the cool air and wished she had gone to the cabin to put on a heavy shirt before returning to the foaling mare.
Tiptoeing, she neared the pen where the mare lay on her side with a damp puddle behind her. The water bag had already broken. It would be a quick birth.
Cait laid the rifle on the ground and stood motionless, watching as the foal’s front feet appeared out of the birth canal. She caught her breath even though she’d lost count of the number of times she’d seen a new foal come into the world.
Over the past years, the significance of each birth had grown for Cait. Ten years ago, she’d felt the beginning of life fluttering within her. Although she’d been ashamed of her condition and terrified of the day her father would learn her secret, the awe of a baby growing within her would make her cry at the oddest times. Sometimes she even imagined herself holding her child as it suckled her breast. There were even moments when she’d remember with joy, instead of regret, the night the child was conceived.
However, four months later she’d lost her baby and the ability to bear more. Now she would give anything, even the ranch, to be able to have a child. Instead, she brought foals into the world, tasting her bitter loss anew every time she did.
The foal’s nose peeked out and Cait found herself breathing with the panting mare.
C’mon, girl, you can do it.
More of the head emerged, then the knees, followed by the neck and flanks. Cait gripped the wood rail tight, but she hardly noticed the splinters biting into her palms. Her attention remained focused on the drama in the corral.
The mare pushed again and all but the back legs and hips of the baby were outside the birthing canal.
Cait brought a fist to her lips and gnawed at her knuckles anxiously. She’d seen this happen before and most of the time the back end of the foal was expelled some minutes later. The few times the foal remained locked in this position Cait’s pa would help the baby get free of its mother.
Long, fretful minutes passed and Cait considered getting Win, but discarded the idea almost immediately. This was her ranch now, and her responsibility. Win wouldn’t be here much longer and she’d have to know how to care for the horses on her own.
The mare tried a few more times to free the hindquarters of its offspring, but finally gave up, her side heaving up and down with her exertions.
Cait’s stomach fluttered, but she resolutely slipped between the rails and very deliberately neared the mare. She could see the whites of the mare’s eyes, but there was little strength remaining to continue the struggle.
“It’s okay, girl. It looks like you might have a small problem here,” Cait crooned softly, her voice trembling. “I can help, girl. It’s okay. Easy now.”
The mare’s gaze tracked Cait and she tried to rise once, but was too weak.
“Shhhh. Relax, Mama. You’ve got a beautiful foal here, but you both need a hand.”
Cait slowly squatted beside the mare and laid her hand lightly on her hindquarters. The mare’s skin rippled, but she didn’t seem overly fearful, only nervous.
“That’s right, Mama, I’m going to help you.” Cait concentrated on what her father had done and gently took hold of the foal’s slimecovered front legs.
“It’s okay, little one.” With slow steady pressure, Cait pulled downward, toward the mare’s heels. Her hands slipped once and she regained her slick hold on the foal. Again she strained carefully, tugging the foal until the hips popped out of the birth canal, along with the hind legs. Cait fell onto her backside with the foal’s head in her lap. She remained sitting on the damp earth, eyeing the tiny filly with wonder and joy.
She eased away from the foal and scuttled backward, away from the mother and its newborn. Slipping out of the corral, she tried not to disturb them. The longer the mother lay there, the more blood would be given to its baby through the cord connecting mother to daughter. The mare instinctively would know when it was time to struggle to her feet and break the cord.
Cait observed the new family, drinking in the healthy baby’s appearance. The filly’s long legs lay tangled beneath her, and it would be a challenge for the little girl when she got around to standing.
It wasn’t long before the mare rolled, getting her hooves beneath her to rise. The cord between her and her offspring broke and only a small bit of blood was shed. Mama sniffed every inch of the filly, then began to lick the infant clean.
Cait smiled as her eyes misted. Another healthy foal. There was only one expectant mare left now and she hoped that birthing went as well as the previous four.
“She’s a beauty.”
Cait whirled around and collided with Win. He grabbed her arms to steady her.
“You shouldn’t go around sneaking up on folks,” she said, pulling away from him.
“I wasn’t sneaking. You just didn’t hear me.”
She’d been so enthralled by the newborn that she wouldn’t have noticed a train barreling out of the trees.
“The foal’s hips got locked inside the mare so I had to give her a hand,” Cait said.
“I know.” He motioned toward her. “You could use a bath.”
For the first time, Cait noticed her arms and gown were covered by drying mucus and blood. She wrinkled her nose at the coppery scent that filled her nostrils. “I didn’t even notice.”
Win smiled crookedly. “I didn’t think you did.” He reached out and scrubbed her cheek with his thumb. “Here, too.”
Although, looking like she did, Cait knew Win couldn’t possibly have any type of indecent thoughts of her, she enjoyed his gentle touch. After hating him for so long, she couldn’t figure out how she could have tender feelings for him again. Was she that starved for intimate contact that she could be swayed so easily by a simple deed? Even from a man she had considered hunting down and putting out of her misery?
“You’re right. I’d best go clean up and get some sleep,” Cait said, suddenly not liking where her thoughts were headed. She glanced at the mare. “Everything’s gone well so I don’t think she’ll have any trouble with the afterbirth.”
“Do you want me to stand guard?” Win asked.
Normally, she wouldn’t have worried, but knowing there was a mountain lion nearby and that he’d surely smell the blood… “It’s not what you signed on for.”
His lips quirked upward. “I didn’t sign on for a lot of things, but that doesn’t mean I mind doing them.”