Gold in the Fire and Light in the Storm Read Online Free

what with the fire and all.”
    “Maybe I should throw myself on Lizzy’s mercy, too.”
    “You know Lizzy?”
    “Oh, yes. She’s a mainstay at Sweetwater Community Church.”
    “That’s right. I’d forgotten that’s where my mother found her and asked her to be our housekeeper.”
    “How long has she been working for your family?” Joshua opened a gate and stepped to the side to allow Darcy to go first into a pasture that shortened the trip to the farthest barn.
    “Fourteen years. Mom died not too long after Lizzy came to work for us.” One of the mares in the paddock trotted over to Darcy and nudged her. She laughed and dug into the pocket of her black jeans for a few sugar cubes, holding her palm out flat. “Bluebell won’t let me leave without getting some sweets from me. She’s spoiled rotten.” She ran her hand over the horse’s dark brown flank. “She knows she’s my favorite and uses that to her advantage.”
    Joshua walked around the mare, making sure the horse knew where he was at all times. “She’s a beauty. When is she due?”
    “Not for another month. I can’t wait. She always has a beautiful foal.” Darcy patted Bluebell on the rump before continuing toward the far end of the field where the broodmare barn was located.
    “I wish I had more time to ride.”
    “You’re in horse country. How can you not ride?”
    Again Joshua opened the gate and waited for Darcy to go first. “I know. Life gets in the way.”
    When Darcy entered the barn, the scents of hay andhorses permeated the air. They made her feel as though she had come home. For the past ten years, since her marriage to Clay, she had spent all of her time other places—many other places—while her husband pursued his fighter-pilot career in the Navy. With his death the year before, everything had changed…and yet it hadn’t. She wasn’t sure what she should do with her life.
    “Mom! Joshua! Come have a look. She’s feeding.” At the other end of the barn Sean danced in front of a stall with the biggest grin on his face. As they neared, he darted inside.
    “I can see your son loves the farm,” Joshua said with a laugh.
    “Definitely.” Darcy went into the stall with Joshua following, pushing away the guilty feeling she suddenly experienced. But it still niggled. She hadn’t wanted to come home; she hadn’t brought her son to see his grandfather until now.
    “See. Isn’t she neat?” Sean pointed to the foal nursing. “She lets me touch her. She almost fell once but she didn’t.”
    Darcy inspected the foal who was all legs and still wobbly. The chestnut-colored coat reminded Darcy of the foal’s mother. She hoped she was as good a jumper as her mother. Despite the fire, seeing the filly caused Darcy’s hopes to rise. Life continued even amid problems.
    “Grandpa said I could name her.” Sean continued to stroke the foal.
    “Have you come up with one yet?” Darcy asked, remembering the first time her father had let her name a horse—a lifetime ago. So much had happened to her in the last twenty-four years, and yet her relationship with her father was the same—strained, at best.
    “I was thinking of Big Red, but that sounds like a boy. What do you think, Joshua?”
    Joshua cocked his head and thought for a moment. “You’re probably right. The correct name will come to you. After spending some time with her, I’m sure you’ll come up with something that fits. Naming something is important.”
    Sean straightened, his shoulders thrown back, his big grin spreading even more. “I think so. I can’t just give her any ol’ name. Something real special.” He peered around Joshua. “Where’s Arnold? I was hoping to see him again.”
    “He’s at home. He worked hard today so I gave him a treat and he’s resting up. I’ll bring him back some other time.”
    “I never met a fire dog before.”
    “There aren’t a lot of them around.”
    “How did you come up with the name Arnold?”
    “My first