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“I know, sweetheart. I’m sorry. I fell off my horse and couldn’t get back on.”
“Temel promised he’d find you, and he did.”
“Yes, he did,” she agreed, smiling up at him.
“He said you was sleeping up here now, so he could take care of you,” Tommy added innocently.
“He did, did he?” She opened her mouth then closed it again. It would be foolish to protest when she’d been the one to suggest it in the first place. “Do you mind?”
“Nah. I like having my own room again. And Dora’s right next door. She was worried too.”
“Where is she?”
“Crying again,” Tommy said, making a face. “She keeps doing that.”
“I’d like to see her,” she told Temel.
He nodded and rose.
“Watch over your mama for me,” he said as he left, and Tommy nodded importantly.
“I like Temel lots, Mama. Don’t you?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Maybe he could be my new daddy?”
The question took her by surprise and she hesitated, not sure how to answer him. She settled for the perennial parental favorite of “we’ll see.” He accepted it without argument, then snuggled against her side, telling her about the spring lambs he had seen.
The pink cloud started to descend again as she listened to him and she was half-asleep when Temel returned with Dora. Tommy was right, she was crying, but she was so obviously distressed that her heart ached for her daughter.
“It’s all right, sweetheart. I’m just fine except for my ankle and it won’t take long to heal.”
“I should never have left the house,” Dora gulped with another sob.
“Don’t be silly. Fresh air is good for you and Angel. You didn’t know I’d have to leave.” Something pricked at her memory. “But didn’t I leave a note in your room?”
“I didn’t see one.”
“That’s strange. I’m almost positive I did. But maybe the anesthesia is playing tricks on me.”
Temel shot a quick look at her puzzled face and rose again.
“I’ll check.”
After the door closed behind him, Dora gave her an apologetic look.
“There was something I wanted to tell you.”
“All right,” she murmured, yawning sleepily.
Her daughter started to say something, but then the door opened and both Kalpar and Naffon appeared. Dora immediately stiffened and looked away from the big golden male. He shot her a quick unreadable glance before smiling at Ida.
“I’m glad you’re back. I thought we were going to have to go back to Kalpar’s cooking.”
Kalpar cuffed him around the ear, but gave her the most genuine smile she’d ever seen from him.
“Cooking aside, I am glad you have returned. We were concerned about you.”
