The Baby Race Read Online Free Page B

without veterinary treatment for a month before
someone complained and we got him. We'll be lucky if we can save
his eye."
    "Annie says he'll be fine," Bobbie Sue
said.
    "Who's Annie?" Claire asked.
    "Annie Greentree. Our vet." Race frowned at
her. "You're soaking wet. Why didn't you go on up to the house and
get settled?"
    Claire started to sputter an objection, but
Vicki beat her to it.
    "Because, Dear Cuz, you dragged her here
first."
    "I needed to look in on Willow," Race offered
by way of an apology. He had told her the mare's sad story over
dinner the previous night.
    "Willow is fine. Annie was out just this
morning to check on her and the other patients. Warren and I have
everything under control." Vicki turned to Claire. "Warren is
Race's right hand man, caretaker and all around handy person at The
Rescue Race Ranch. He lives in the little house. Like Race, War
isn't all that good with people, but he's the best with anything
that has four legs. Unless he sees you coming first, you'll meet
him eventually."
    A smile softened Race's scowl. "I'll
introduce you to everyone tonight at dinner." He headed out of the
barn.
    "Can I stay here?" Bobbie Sue asked.
    "I'll keep an eye on her," Vicki offered.
    Claire nodded and swallowed her irrational
hurt. Of course, horses and cats would command a six-year-old's
rapt attention, more than a well-known older sister.
    "Oh, Race," Vicki said. "Aunt Cindy is up at
the house. She insisted on coming over to get things ready for your
homecoming."
    Though Claire liked Bobbie Sue's former
teacher, Cindy was now her mother-in-law. The thought of seeing the
woman so soon after her and Race's hasty marriage made Claire
uncomfortable. She wished she had more time to adjust to all the
changes in her life before she had to start pretending to be a
happy newlywed.
    Race's hand, warm and comforting on Claire's
elbow, tightened almost painfully at Vicki's parting comment.
Apparently, he felt nervous about the coming encounter too.
    Outside, the rain had stopped and the late
afternoon sun peaked through the clouds, bathing the yard in a
watery glow. She filled her lungs with the fresh, moist air.
    "Don't expect too much from the house," Race
warned her as they drove up the gravel road.
    Before Claire could reassure him, the house
came into view and her heart dropped.
    Though solidly built and no doubt sound, the
two-story farmhouse had an air of neglect and abandonment. Its
white clapboards were badly in need of fresh paint. Faded forest
green shutters hung askew around windows dark with years worth of
grime. Weeds grew in abundance through the cobblestone path and
crowded out what remained of the yard and flowerbeds. Old furniture
and appliances cluttered the expansive front porch.
    "The inside is better."
    "It couldn't be much worse," Claire
muttered.
    "What?"
    "Nothing."
    Race looked doubtful, but continued, "I
haven't had the time to work on the outside yet."
    "The stuff on the porch has to be cleared
away before Bobbie Sue decides to investigate. Too many sharp rusty
edges."
    "No problem. I'll get to it first thing
tomorrow."
    He sounded so relieved to have something
concrete to do Claire couldn't contain her smile. The house would
do. First impressions were often deceiving. Compared to some of the
places she'd lived, this house was a mansion. With a bit of work
and some TLC, the house would reclaim its formal glory. Her smile
widened.
    "Something funny?" He followed her gaze.
    A large, pot-bellied pig nudged the screen
door open and waddled across the porch toward them, her snout
quivering in excitement.
    Race closed his eyes and groaned. What next?
At this rate, Claire would turn tail and run long before he could
collect Grandmere's Marriage Bonus. "Don't worry. Petula's not
normally allowed in the house. She keeps sneaking in."
    "Don't worry about it. I spent a lot of time
in the tropics with the local natives. Pigs, cows, sheep and
various other wildlife often shared our dwelling. You get