him a small amount of interest and took dried apples from his hand, but the stallion ignored him.
“He ignores everybody,” Spring told him. “So don’t be offended.” She looked over at him. “Is the walking tiring you out?”
“No. I’m not one hundred percent, but moving around feels okay.”
“We’ll walk slow.”
He appreciated her concern.
The next stop was at the barn to meet the cats. The two older females chose not to make an appearance when called, but he did get to meet the kittens and learn their names.
On their way back to the cabin, Odell drove up in his wagon. Garrett now enjoyed the old trapper’s visits due to the care he’d been shown after the attack. Odell got down and opened the gate on the wagon bed, calling, “Your ram’s ready, Spring!”
Her face lit up and she ran to Odell’s side, leaving a confused Garrett behind. Following her to the wagon, he stopped and stared with more confusion at what Odell handed her. It was a tan-colored head of what looked like a sheep with two large curling horns. “What is that?” he asked.
“A mountain goat!” she happily exclaimed, eyeing the thing as if it were made of gold. “Odell, you did a great job! Thank you!”
“Is it a real animal?” Garrett asked.
“Used to be before I stuffed him,” Odell replied with a smile. “He’s a youngster, though. The big males have horns twice this size. Maybe sometime soon we’ll take you up where you can see a herd for yourself.”
Garrett thought he might enjoy that. It was certainly unlike any goat he’d ever seen.
“I’m going to mount it above my fireplace,” Spring declared proudly.
Garrett had noticed the stuffed animal heads on the wall of the telegraph office, but there hadn’t been anything like this one.
Odell said to her, “Sorry it took me so long.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’m just pleased it’s done.”
Odell climbed back up to the wagon. “Got some more deliveries to make.”
Garrett asked, “Any word from my folks?”
He shook his head. “Sorry, no. I’ll let you know when something comes. Promise.”
Garrett swallowed his disappointment. “Thanks.”
With a wave, he was gone.
Spring said, “Going to hang this right now. Will you take it inside while I get some tools?”
“Sure.”
She handed it over and hurried to the barn. He stared down into the glass marble eyes, chuckled at the wonder of the things he’d learned since arriving in Paradise, and carried the goat head into the cabin.
It only took her a short while to mount the thing, and once it was done, they stood back and admired Odell’s handiwork.
She said, “It looks good there, don’t you think?”
“I do.” Admittedly, he’d never considered a stuffed goat’s head as essential to a home’s decor but it seemed perfect for her cabin. “Where’d Odell get it?”
“From me. I found the goat last autumn. Odell’s been working on getting it ready all winter. He likes taxidermy. Even goes to conventions occasionally so he can learn better techniques and talk to folks who love doing these things as much as he does.”
Garrett was finding Odell to be a much more layered person than he’d thought when they first met the morning after the snowstorm.
A knock on the door drew their attention. Spring went to answer it and returned with Ed Prescott. He and Garrett exchanged silent nods of greeting before Ed noticed the goat.
“Odell finished it, I see. It looks fine up there, Spring.”
“I think so, too. What brings you by?”
“Hands brought in some new ponies and one of the mares is particularly ornery. Need your help calming her down.”
“Is she broken yet?”
“No.”
Garrett listened while they discussed the mare’s size, breed, and how long she’d been in Ed’s corral.
Once they were done, Spring said, “Let me get my gear and I’ll be there shortly.”
“Thanks.” He turned to Garrett. “Good to see you’re healing up, McCray.”
“Thanks.”
After Ed’s departure, Spring said, “You’re welcome to come along if you want.”
The idea of watching her work piqued his interest. “I’d like that.”
“We may be there a few days, so bring along anything you might need. Ed won’t mind putting you up if we do need to stay. He has plenty of room.”
“You’re sure? I don’t want to impose.”
“You won’t be.”
He had many questions about what taming a horse entailed but didn’t want to delay their leaving.
As if having peeked inside his mind, she asked, “How many questions am I going to be peppered with about this?”