“She is. They are. Had a long night, didn’t you, Darling?”

The stall didn’t look like the site of a long, messy birth. The straw was clean as a whistle, and both mother and child were well groomed. Since it had been only an hour since Laura had stumbled into the kitchen, it seemed the boy hadn’t been wasting his time.

“You’ve had one as well, Mr. Fury, from what I’m told. I’m surprised you’re not snoring in your bed.”

“I hope to be as soon as I finish up here. The horses need to be fed and watered first.” Because he knew it would annoy her, he grinned over his shoulder. “Want to give me a hand?”

“I have my own duties to see to. You’ll keep your own house.” And he was apparently keeping it well, she admitted. Tidy habits earned Ann’s respect. But . . . “Apparently you had no problem imposing on Miss Laura and keeping her up through the night.”

Satisfied that mother and child were settled, he moved out, skirted around Ann’s rigid form and began to deal with the feed. “No, I didn’t.”

“The girl needs her sleep.”

“Well, she’s getting it now.”

“She’s on her way to Monterey.”

The scoop paused, grain dribbled as he turned back to her. “That’s ridiculous. She was up all night.”

“She had an appointment this morning.”

“She was exhausted.”

“I know it.” She was surprised that he did and that he seemed so annoyed.

“Stupid.” He thrust the scoop back into the grain bin. “She could get her hair or her nails done later.”

“Get her hair done, her nails?” Disgusted, Ann slapped her hands on her hips. “If that’s what you think Miss Laura is about, you’re stupid. And I’ve never thought otherwise. She’s gone to work, you baboon, at the hotel. And this afternoon she’s going to work at the shop. Then, if she’s able to stand after you kept her up all night with your horse, she’ll tend her children, then she’ll—”

“She owns the damn hotel,” he shot back. “And the damn shop. And I imagine both could stand if she took a lousy day off.”

“She takes her obligations seriously. And she’s got children to raise, doesn’t she? Tuition to pay for, clothes and food to buy, bills to pay.”

“Templetons don’t work for paychecks.”

“Laura Templeton does. Do you think she’d live off her family? Do you think that even after that heartless bastard took all her money she’d go crying to her parents?”

“What are you talking about, took all her money?”