She found Denny in the barn. "How long has she been standing like that? " she said. Denny looked at the mare. She seemed a little off this morning.
Boss didn't notice when he left or he'd have said something. She needs a veterinarian. Denny shifted on his feet. Ma'am, Mr. Concaid didn't leave instructions about that. I can't spend money without She needs a veterinarian today, Miriam said.
Not when Mr. Concaid gets back. Today, ma'am, I don't have authority to. Then give me a horse, she said, and I'll go for the veterinarian myself. Denny looked at her. He looked at the mare.
He was 19 years old and trying to figure out which of the two risks in front of him was the larger one. The nearest veterinarian is Doc Puit in Carver's Mill. He said finally about 4 miles south. Saddle me a horse, she said. He did.
She rode to Carver's Mill in less than an hour found Dr. Puit and told him the situation without particular drama. He came back with her. He examined the mare for 20 minutes, administered what he needed to administer, and told Miriam that if she'd waited another 6 hours, it would have been too late. Miriam paid him from the household account that Bramwell had given her access to for supplies. She told Denny what she'd spent and why, and told him to make a note of it for when Mr. Concaid returned.
Then she went back to the kitchen and started dinner because dinner needed to happen regardless of anything else. Bramwell came back at dusk. Denny met him at the barn door and told him what had happened. Miriam heard him come into the house. She heard him stop in the hallway.
She heard him stand there for a long moment before he pushed open the kitchen door. She was at the stove. She turned around because she'd rather see whatever expression he was wearing than be surprised by it from behind. His face was not what she expected. He was a man who kept things contained.
She'd understood that about him within two days. And whatever was happening in him right now was contained too, but not all the way. Something had come loose around the edges of his composure that she'd never seen before. Denny told me what you did, he said. I'll write it in the accounts, she said.