He was fine on his own, but the woman’s sudden interest in helping out wasn’t anything he was going to say no to. “The ropes should hold him. Just keep a hand on his halter.”

Kate gripped the leather near the horse’s mouth. “He looks sick. Should he be breathing like that?”

Caleb was crouched at the rear of the animal. “You’re the doctor—you tell me.”

He lifted the horse’s foot. With his other hand, he angled the pliers to the wound. There wasn’t much to grab hold of. As the tips made contact, the animal shoved his weight backward, whinnying and tossing his head.

“Keep him still, damn it!”

“I’m trying!”

“He’s a horse, Kate. Show him who’s boss.”

“What do you want me to do, slug him?”

Jeb was having none of it. Caleb left the shelter and returned with a length of three-quarter-inch chain, which he ran through the halter, up and over the horse’s nose. He tightened the chain against Jeb’s jaw and gave the ends to Kate.

“Hold this,” he said. “And don’t be nice.”

Jeb didn’t like it, but the chain worked. Caught in the tips of the pliers, the offending article slowly emerged. Caleb held it up in the light. About two inches long, it was made of a rigid, nearly translucent material, like the bone of a bird.

“Some kind of thorn, I guess,” he said.

The horse had relaxed somewhat but was still breathing rapidly. Flecks of spittle hung from the corners of his mouth; his neck and flanks were glossed with sweat. Caleb washed the hoof with water from a bucket and poured iodine into the wound. Handsome was lingering near the shelter, watching them cautiously. While Kate held the halter, Caleb sheathed the hoof in a leather sock and secured it with twine. There wasn’t much else he could do at this point. He’d leave the animal tied up for the night and see how he was in the morning.

“Thanks for your help.”

The two of them were standing at the door of the shed; the light was just about gone.

“Look,” Kate said finally, “I know I haven’t been especially good company these days.”

“It’s fine, forget it. Everybody understands.”

“You don’t need to be nice about it, Caleb. We’ve known each other too long.”

Caleb said nothing.

“Bill was an asshole. Okay, I get that.”

“Kate, we don’t have to do this.”

She didn’t seem angry, merely resigned. “I’m just saying I know what everybody thinks. And they’re not wrong. People don’t even know the half of it, actually.”

“So why did you marry him?” Caleb was surprised at himself; the question had just popped out. “Sorry, that was a little direct.”

“No, it’s a fair question. Believe me, I’ve asked it myself.” A moment passed; then she brightened a little. “Did you know that when Pim and I were kids we used to have fights over who would get to marry you? I’m talking physical fights—slapping, hair pulling, the whole thing.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Don’t look so happy, I’m surprised one of us didn’t end up in the hospital. One time, I stole her diary? I think I was thirteen. God, I was such a little shit. There was all this stuff in there about you. How good-looking you were, how smart you were. Both your names with a big fat heart drawn around them. It was just disgusting.”

Caleb found the thought hilarious. “What happened?”

“What do you think? She was older, the fights weren’t exactly fair.” Kate shook her head and laughed. “Look at you. You love this.”

It was true, he did. “It’s a funny story. I never knew about any of it.”

“And don’t flatter yourself, bub—I’m not about to throw myself at your feet.”

He smiled. “That’s a relief.”

“Plus, it would seem a little incestuous.” She shuddered. “Seriously, gross.”

Night had fallen over the fields. Caleb realized what he’d been missing: the feeling of Kate’s friendship. As kids, they’d been as close as any two siblings. But then life had happened—the Army, Kate’s medical training, Bill and Pim, Theo and the girls and all their plans—and they’d mislaid each other in the shuffle. Years had passed since they’d really spoken, the way they were doing now.

“But I didn’t answer your question, did I? Why I married Bill. The answer is pretty simple. I married him because I loved him. I can’t think of a single good reason why I did, but a person doesn’t get to pick. He was a sweet, happy, worthless man, and he was mine.” She stopped, then said, “I didn’t come out here to help you with the horses, you know.”

“You didn’t?”

“I came to ask you what’s making you so nervous. I don’t think Pim has noticed, but she’s going to.”

Caleb felt caught. “It’s probably nothing.”

“I know you, Caleb. It’s not nothing. And I have my girls to think about. Are we in trouble?”

He didn’t want to answer, but Kate had him dead to rights.

“I’m not sure. We might be.”

A loud whinny in the paddock broke his thoughts. They heard a crash, then a series of hard, rhythmic bangs.

“What the hell is that?” Kate said.

Caleb grabbed a lantern from the shed and raced across the paddock. Jeb lay on his side, his head tossing violently. His hind hooves were knocking against the wall of the shelter in spasmodic jerks.