Shining Water 01 - The Icecutter's Daughter Read Free

sorry, girl.” Merrill felt the birth canal relax a bit and hurried to do what she could to help the horse. After a few more contractions, during which she managed to twist the unborn foal into a different position, Merrill felt the leg straighten at last. “I’ve got it.” She pulled away from the mare just as another contraction started.
    “No wonder she’s been at this for so long,” Merrill said, rubbing her hand to get the blood flowing again.
    “Things ought to go a sight faster now.”
    Merrill nodded and watched the progress with a practiced eye. Addie labored to expel the baby from her body. After a time, both legs appeared as well as a hint of muzzle. Addie panted and fought against the pain. Without warning she scrambled to her feet, nearly knocking Zadoc backward.
    “Watch out!” Merrill said, knowing that a horse in the pains of birth could be quite unpredictable.
    Zadoc didn’t seem to mind, however. He took hold of Addie’s bridle and spoke in a soothing manner. Meanwhile, the mare continued to contract.
    Addie was progressing, but the time dragged on, and Merrillcould see that the mare was tired. Poor horse had been laboring hard for hours due to the bent leg. “I’m going to help her,” Merrill declared. “You hold her tight. I’ll try to pull a bit. Maybe we can get this baby born.”
    The little legs were slick from fluid, making it hard for her to get a good grasp. Merrill’s leather gloves were in her coat pocket on the back of the porch, however, and there was no time to retrieve them. She saw the horse bear down, while at the same time trying to move away from the pain. Unfortunately for Addie, there was no way to distance herself from the labor.
    Merrill pulled on the legs just enough to help ease the head from the birth canal. She pulled back the birthing sack and could see a lovely white blaze down the baby’s nose. “Gonna be a beauty, Addie girl. Just keep pushing.”
    Zadoc continued to murmur in the mare’s ear while Merrill worked to help the baby. Before Merrill knew what was happening, the mare gave one more heave, and the foal slid out quickly. Merrill took the foal in her arms but lost her balance and fell backward against the wall of the stall. The warm, wet horse lay perfectly still in her arms, and Merrill wasted no time. She ran her hand into the baby’s mouth to expel the mucus and fluid, then began to rub it furiously to stimulate it to breathe. It was only a moment before the tiny animal responded.
    “Looks like we got us a little girl,” Zadoc said, coming to help Merrill. “Probably a good thing, too.”
    “Why’s that?” Merrill asked, struggling to ease the foal onto the straw so that Addie could tend her. Merrill got toher feet with the help of her brother and looked at him with a frown. “Why is it such a good thing it’s a girl?”
    “Well, what with your pretty bonnet and all, I think a boy might take offense.”
    Merrill had forgotten all about the new bonnet. “Is it ruined?” she asked, not wanting to touch it with her slimy hands.
    “It looks right nice,” Zadoc replied. “But maybe a little fancy to wear to birth a foal.”

Chapter 2

    “What do you mean, you’re leaving for Minnesota?”
    Rurik Jorgenson looked down at the small blond-haired woman and tried to offer a sympathetic smile. “Just what I said, Svea. Uncle Carl needs my help. He’s been sickly of late and asked if I could come and lend a hand. Since he and my Farfar Jorgenson taught me to make furniture, it seems only right that I do what I can.”
    “But I’m sure Grandfather Jorgenson meant for you to use those skills here, not in Minnesota. That’s so far away. What about me? Everyone expects us to marry.”
    Svea’s pout made her look rather childish, but she didn’t seem to care. For Rurik, it only confirmed his decision. She was much too young to marry. He had wanted to talk to Svea about delaying their engagement for a long time, but this wasn’t the place.