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As they walked from room to room, Caleb covered what he thought was most important. Stopping at the back door of the kitchen, he reached up to grab a set of car keys and held them out to Madison. “While you’re here, you can use the black car under the carport. At least until your vehicle is fixed.”
Madison smiled. “Really? Wow! I won’t say no to your generous offer. Thank you so much, and it will make things easier to get here and go home every day.”
It hadn’t been a simple decision to make, but it had been the right one. The black car had been Lauren’s and other than driving it around the property to keep it running smoothly, it wasn’t used. Also, it would be better if he wasn’t playing chauffeur the whole time Madison was the nanny. They stepped out onto the porch. “It’s that one right over there,” he said, pointing toward the carport on the house side of the barn.
“Perfect. Thanks again.”
Caleb barely heard her answer, his focus on the truck and horse trailer pulling out onto the road from his driveway. He hadn’t been expecting anyone, and he certainly didn’t use the barn for anything. Perhaps someone turning around, except if that were true, they were going in the wrong direction based on the way they were facing and would have come from.
“What’s wrong?” Madison asked, following him off the porch.
“I’m going to check out the barn. I can’t imagine who that was or what they were doing and why they didn’t stick around to talk to me.” The man had jumped into the truck and drove off the second he spotted them.
Madison and Joelle followed him, but a sense of urgency had Caleb in a near run. Something wasn’t right. He pulled open the barn door, the fresh scent of hay assailing him. Which made no sense considering he hadn’t used the barn since Lauren’s riding accident, and he had sold the horses.
Once upon a time, he loved riding horses, but no more.
Not now. Not ever.
He rounded the corner into the first corridor and stopped short. Caleb shook his head and tried to clear his vision because none of what he saw made sense. A sleek, all-white mare that stood about fourteen hands high was tied to the post.
“Daddy, she’s beautiful,” Joelle said, running toward the horse.
“Joelle, no! Get back. It’s not safe,” he warned. Caleb didn’t have a clue what was going on, but he intended to find out.
His daughter stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide with fear. She backed up and moved to stand next to Madison, grabbing her hand for comfort. “Where did the horse come from, Daddy?”
“I have no idea, but once we find out…it’s going straight back. Someone dropped it off, probably hoping I’d take the horse in as a freeloader. They picked the wrong place, that’s all I’m saying.”
“If that was the case, why would they leave hay, feed, and tack?” Madison asked, picking Joelle up in her arms and moving closer.
The mare sniffed at his clothes and then nudged his shoulder as if trying to get Caleb’s attention. She was elegant and well balanced, and certainly not someone’s cast off.
“She likes you, Daddy.” Joelle giggled.
“Look, Caleb…there’s an envelope stapled to the post where the mare’s tied,” Madison said, pointing toward the stall.
Sure enough, Madison was right. Caleb moved forward, ignoring the horse and snatched the envelope off the post. He tore it open and pulled out the letter inside.
“What’s it say? Read it out loud as you’ve got me more than a little curious,” Madison asked.
Caleb skimmed over the page, some words popping out at him, but not making much sense. It sounded like someone had given him a horse. Which was ridiculous.Or was it?
“It says I’ve been chosen as the recipient of Sundancer’s Star,” he said, going back to the top of the page to read it out loud.
Sundancer’s Legacy
Sundancer is a legendary mare who helped Arabella, an early American pioneer woman, find peace and love with her new Indian family hundreds of years ago. Legend has it, that the mare found Arabella after she had fallen sick and wandered off from her wagon train which left her behind unknowingly. Finding Arabella near death, the mare led the warrior Tanveer to her. The brave warrior brought Arabella back to his teepee, and the women of the tribe nursed her back to health. Tanveer and Arabella fell in love, and he took her as his wife, giving her Sundancer as a wedding gift.
Over the years, Sundancer had many foals and Arabella gave them to other people based on two conditions. One, that all the descendant’s first foals would bear the first name of Sundancer. And two, those foals could never be sold, only gifted to someone with a broken spirit who needed help.
The legacy still lives on in the hearts of those helped, but also in the horses who bring the gift of healing.
He finished reading and looked to Madison, trying to gauge her reaction before he continued. “There’s a postscript at the end. It reads…Sundancer’s Star is yours for as long as you need her. She can’t be sold, only gifted to someone in need if you choose not to keep her. The same would go for her first foal. May Sundancer’s Legacy bring you peace in your heart, and happiness in your life. It’s well known you once had a great love for horses. Now is your chance to rekindle the flame you once knew. Ride with the wind and be blessed.”
Caleb folded the letter back up and shoved it in his pocket. “I can’t accept this gift, and I don’twantthis gift.”
“I think it’s an amazing story of love and triumph. Perhaps someone understands better than you do what you need to move forward in your life. I’ve not been around you much yet, but I can tell the past is holding you back.” Madison darted a quick look at Joelle, carefully choosing her words so as not to upset the little girl.
