and tell her thanks. I’ll see you soon.” She made a few arrangements, then said good-bye, sure her parents would keep trying to convince her to go with them.
The little beagle she’d saved bounded into the living room and hopped up on Mattie’s legs, ready to play. “But it won’t do any good, will it? We’re not going anywhere,” she told the pup and nudged him behind the ears.
Clara joined them and sat across from Mattie in another recliner. Her two youngest children followed. Sara climbed onto her lap, while her older brother, Nathan, waited at Clara’s side. Their pixie faces made Mattie smile, despite her gloomy mood.
“Here’s a copy of last week’s Reader-News. Maybe it’ll list some rentals.” Clara handed her the folded newspaper and bounced the two-year-old on her knee.
Mattie awkwardly flipped to the last page and read the classifieds. The rental section listed three mobile homes and nothing else. She laid the paper on the end table. “Not many options. Even if I manage to pull a trailer onto my property, I’ll still be short either a clinic or a home. One trailer isn’t big enough for both.”
“Something will work out. We’ll have the pastor pray for you at church this morning,” Clara said as a knock sounded on the front door. She set Sara on the carpet with the puppy and got up to answer it, four-year-old Nathan in tow.
“Mornin’, Clara. I understand you folks had some commotion the other night. Heard Mattie was staying with you.”
Mattie recognized the deep voice and rose to greet the older gentleman in the next room. “You didn’t need to come to town, John. I planned to call as soon as I figured out what to do with Dusty.”
“That’s why I’m here. Had Jake drive me in.” Deep lines on his face showed his concern.
“I assure you, Dusty’s okay.” Mattie attempted to sooth his unease. She’d checked on the gelding earlier that morning and had purchased medicine in Emporia yesterday to get him by for at least a week. “The barn wasn’t damaged from the fire. That’s where I’m keeping the animals until their owners can pick them up. I have no way to care for them until my clinic’s restored.”
John shuffled into the front room, leaning heavily on his cane. “It’s horrible what happened, but it’s times like these when you gotta step back and let friends help. Ain’t that right, Clara? Can’t do everything yourself.”
He chucked Nathan under the chin and smiled, his own chin covered by motley gray whiskers. “Jake’s got the trailer hooked to his truck, already bedded with straw for Dusty, and we rounded up a few crates for your critters. Not as sophisticated as what you had before, but they’ll do until you can get more.”
“I don’t understand.” Mattie’s eyebrows arched. “I can’t move my patients. I have no place to go.”
“You can stay at the Lightning M and hole up in the guesthouse. Not fancy, but it’ll work for now. Put the animals in the barn and use the tack room as your office.” He swept his hand in the air. “Plenty big for that. Do whatever you need to get set up.”
“I wouldn’t dream of imposing.” Mattie loved the McCray ranch but could never ask such a thing. To have clients traipsing in and out with their sick pets would be too much. She thought of Gil and the angry words they’d exchanged the last time they’d parted. “I’m sure your son wouldn’t appreciate me living on your land. I doubt he’d condone your generosity.”
“The Lightning M is my home, not Gil’s. Dusty needs a place to stay where he’ll get ’round-the-clock care. You can do that at the ranch. I’m not hiring another vet.”
Mattie sank into an armchair and sat on one of the children’s squeaky toys. John’s support served as salve to her wounded spirit, and his words made sense, even to her weary mind. She removed the toy from under her leg and gave in a little. “I’d insist on paying rent.” Even if it meant laying off her employees for the time being.
The man switched the wooden cane to his other hand and cleared his throat. “I’m sure we can work out an arrangement. The important thing is for you to tend your animals.”
He stepped to the divan and used it for additional support. “No sense wasting your hard-earned money on high rent when you can use my ranch. Your troubles won’t last forever. If you’re careful with