Kirsty nodded. ‘Yes, just while Eddie takes Dasher back to the pasture. I’ll be as quick as I can.’
‘That’s okay. I’ll wait.’
Drew wondered whether Caro would be going in to see the rabbits with the rest of the group, but when Kirsty ushered them towards the long, low building where the smaller animals were kept, she turned, walking towards him.
‘You’re not going to see the rest of the animals?’
‘No, I’ve seen a reindeer. That’s enough excitement for the day.’ Her face was shining, and she plumped herself down on the hay bale next to him. ‘The little boy I was with was scared, and I said that I’d go and stroke him for both of us. But he ended up coming to stroke him too, did you see?’
‘Yeah, I saw.’ The magic of the moment hadn’t been lost on Drew. It was so easy to relive the wonder of touching an animal for the first time through her.
‘Are we going back to the diving centre? Or do you want to take a rest first?’
‘Neither. I’ve got to take a look at one of the Shetland ponies.’ Kirsty had disappeared with the children, and Eddie was leading Dasher back to the pasture, and a thought occurred to Drew. ‘I don’t suppose you’d come and keep her still for me, would you?’
‘I can try. I don’t know how to keep a Shetland pony still, though.’
That was one of the things he liked about Caro. She didn’t back off from things she knew nothing about, she tried them anyway.
‘You just hang onto her bridle. Missy’s getting on a bit, and she’s not going to give you any trouble.’
He led her into the stable block, found Missy’s stall, and showed Caro how and where to hold the bridle. She wrapped her arm around Missy’s neck, whispering to her, and Missy quietened. Caro might not have much experience with animals, but she was a natural.
‘What’s the matter with her?’
‘Kirsty thinks she may have trodden on something and bruised the sole of her foot.’
‘Ouch! Poor thing. I hate it when that happens.’ Caro twisted round, watching as he bent down and lifted Missy’s leg a little. ‘What are you doing now?’
‘Just scraping away the dirt so I can see. It doesn’t hurt her.’ Drew carefully cleaned the sole with a knife and examined it. There was a red area that looked like a bruise.
‘Is she all right?’ Caro interrupted his train of thought.
‘Hold on. Let me examine her properly.’
Caro gave a little huff of impatience and started
whispering to Missy again, who seemed a lot more unconcerned about the procedure than she was. Drew went back to feeling the pulse on Missy’s leg and checking the temperature of the sole. He could see no evidence of a cyst or laminitis, which would have been far more serious.
‘It looks as if it’s just a bruise. She’ll need to be rested up a bit, but she’ll be fine.’
‘Good. D’you hear that, Missy?’ Caro was stroking the pony’s mane. ‘Can I give her something to eat?’
‘No, she’s fine.’ Caro looked so downcast that Drew relented. ‘You can give her a little hay from that bale over there.’
Caro scooted out of the stall, pulling at the bale to get a good handful. When Missy took the hay, then nuzzled against Caro’s arm, her face lit up again.
It had been so long since he’d really felt the magic he saw in Caro’s face. Since he’d felt the wonder she saw in things around her, and in every new experience. Drew could spend a lot of time just watching her and still feel that it wasn’t enough.
Kirsty’s arrival broke his reverie, and he quickly relayed his findings and went through everything she should do for Missy. Caro gave Missy one last stroke, and then followed him out of the stable.
‘Are we going to the diving centre now?’ She grinned up at him.
‘Wait. Hold on a minute.’ Drew shot her a mock-serious look. ‘You’re taking the afternoon off, even though you haven’t worked yourself to a standstill. And you’re actually enjoying it?’
Caro’s laugh seemed rather more carefree than before. Joyous even. ‘Yes, I was wondering about that myself. Seems I am.’
* * *