“Be quiet.” She glanced anxiously over his shoulder, relieved that the girls weren’t in sight or earshot. “I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, but it’s none of their business or yours. I don’t want the girls hearing any of this.”

“It’s my business when you lose a night’s sleep helping me out, then come out here looking as though I could knock you over with a careless breath.” He yanked her to her feet. “I figured you were out playing all day at the shop, diddling at an office, and getting your hair done.”

“Well, you were wrong, weren’t you? And it isn’t your concern one way or the other. Now, where are the girls?”

He vibrated with impotence, with the rage of not being able to help or hinder. With a shrug, he turned on his heel. “In the paddock.”

“Alone?” Visions of calamities raced through her head even as she dashed toward the stables. When she saw them in the paddock, fear turned to shock.

Her daughters were happily riding in circles on a pair of patient quarter horses.

“I haven’t got them jumping through flaming hoops yet or doing flips,” Michael said dryly. The woman, he thought, was an open book. “That’s next week.”

“Aren’t they great?” Annoyance with him vanished as she gripped his arm and watched. “Ali’s trotting. She posts so well already.”

“I told you she was a natural. Kayla,” he called out, “heels down.”

Her little boots adjusted immediately and, like the pup, she looked over for approval. “Mama! Look, Mama, I can ride!”

“You sure can!” Thrilled, Laura moved to the fence, hooked one foot on the bottom rung. “You both look fabulous.”

Her head high, Ali trotted over and drew her mount to a polite stop. “This is Tess. She’s three. Mr. Fury says she’s a very good jumper, and that he’ll teach me.”

“She’s beautiful, Ali. You look beautiful on her.”

“That’s why I want her. I can buy her with my own money. I can take it out of my savings.” Her eyes tilted down in challenge. “It’s my money.”

Had been, Laura thought wearily. Peter had taken it, along with the college fund. And she hadn’t nearly begun to replace the loss. “A horse is a very big responsibility, Ali. It’s not just the buying, it’s the keeping.”

“We have the stables.” She’d thought about this, dreamed about this for days. “I can feed her, and pay for the hay with my allowance. Please, Mama.”

Now a headache brewed nastily in the fog of fatigue. “Ali, I can’t think about this right now. Let’s wait and—”

“Then I’ll ask my father.” Ali jerked her chin up even as her lips trembled. “I’ll call him and ask him.”