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“More than likely,” Wyatt agreed.
At that instant, the instinct surfaced to place a protective hand over her stomach. Cat knew then, with total and absolute certainty, that she wanted to have this baby—not because of any personal moral beliefs, but because she wanted it. In the face of that revelation, all the problems and ensuing scandal of her decision seemed suddenly unimportant.
The veterinarian arrived at the same time that the crew returned from moving the horse herd to its winter pasture. Ty waited at the stables to help unload the half dozen stock horses that would be kept at headquarters through the winter. Cat noticed him, but her attention was quickly claimed by the vet, Andy Rivers. The instant he saw the mare, he skipped the usual pleasantries and went directly into the pen. Cat held the mare’s headstall while he examined the horse, plying both Cat and Wyatt Yates with questions. As expected, he administered a large dose of antibiotic, advised them to closely monitor the mare and notify him immediately of any change in her condition, then checked on a calf they were treating for pneumonia.
After he left, Cat tended to the other patients in the hospital. It was nearly suppertime when she finished with the last one. She stopped to look in on the mare, then lingered, postponing the moment when she would have to face her father again.
Jessy joined her, echoing the question Cat had asked earlier, “How is Sandstone?”
“Doc Rivers thinks she’ll pull out of it, but she’ll probably lose her foal. Even if she carries it to term, as high as her fever has been, he thinks it will be stillborn.”
“I guess we’ll have to wait and see,” Jessy murmured, detecting something more than simple regret in Cat’s voice. If Ty hadn’t talked to her, she might not have noticed it. “Cat,” she began and saw her stiffen, instantly on guard and defensive.
“Ty told you about me, didn’t he?” she stated, her eyes never leaving the mare.
“Yes.”
Turning, Cat looked but found neither pity nor censure in Jessy’s expression. It lessened some of her tension, but she remained wary. “Let me guess—Dad and Ty are hoping you’ll be able to pump more information from me about the baby’s father.”
“They love you. Did you really expect them to react any other way?” Jessy reasoned gently.
The question surprised a dry laugh from Cat. “Not really, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to let them take over and start deciding what’s best for me. It’s my life and they have no business running it.”
“I agree, but you’ll never convince them of that.”
The unshakable truth of Jessy’s statement brought a reluctant smile to Cat’s lips. “Probably not,” she said on a suddenly weary note. “It was all such a crazy mistake, Jessy. I missed Repp. I wanted to recapture the way it felt when we were together. I wanted to feel the way it should have been for us. I thought I could find Repp in another man’s arms. Instead, I lost him. Now, every time I summon Repp’s image, I see gray eyes.”
The pain of regret was in her voice. Jessy reached out and laid a comforting hand across the back of Cat’s glove.
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” Cat managed a wan smile and turned from the fence.
“What will you do now?”
“Do?” Cat didn’t follow the question.
“Ty thought you might want to go away for a while—until after the baby is born.”
“I considered it, but it felt too much like cowardice. Besides,” Cat paused and lifted her gaze to the sweep of rolling plains beyond the ranch buildings, a warmth entering her eyes, “I want my child to be born here.”
“It won’t be easy,” Jessy warned. “There will be a lot of talk, some of it ugly. Not so much because you’re having a child out of wedlock, but because you’re a Calder.”
Cat smiled wryly. “Calders have always given people a reason to talk—Ty, my father and my grandfather before that, maybe even Benteen Calder for all I know. I’m just carrying on the tradition.”
Jessy laughed in spite of herself. “And another chapter gets added to the Calder legend.”
“You mean scandal,” Cat corrected and pushed from the fence, turning toward the house. “At least the worst is over now that Dad knows. I still have to tell Uncle Culley, though. The rumors will start flying before long, and I don’t want him to hear about it from someone else.”
“Are you worried what he’ll think?” By mutual consent, they started for The Homestead.
“A little,” Cat admitted. “He’s convinced I can do no wrong.”
“That’s why he’ll understand.” Jessy’s mouth curved in a small smile that warmed her eyes. “Actually, I’m going to enjoy being an aunt almost as much as I’ll enjoy being a mother someday.”
Cat seized on the chance to change the subject. “Have you and Ty talked about how many children you want?”
“Are you kidding? I scared him to death.” Jessy grinned. “I told him I wanted to fill that house with children.”
