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“Yeah. Some pet parents can be in denial that their dog ended up getting impregnated.” Robert smiled at her.

“Boy, will this be a shock to him if that’s the case.”

“Yes, they might not have taken her in to see the other vet after I left and thought she was just overeating. I’ve had a couple of cases like that.”

Maisie watched the pups nursing. “You can’t tell what they are, can you? I mean, if she got mixed up with another breed.”

“No. Not yet. DNA would tell me. Or if Lady had been around a male dog that they know of and they didn’t realize she could end up with pups.”

Another pup suddenly came.

“They are so adorable,” Maisie said. “It’s a little miracle.”

“It truly is.”

Lady worked to take care of the first little female. She wasn’t having any more contractions, and he had three placentas for the three puppies, so he hoped that was the last one. The female snuggled against her brothers and began nursing. That was a good sign for all three of them, though she had some catching up to do.

About an hour later, they heard voices on the mainland nearby—Grant, Lachlan, and Enrick—and a splashing sound. Lady woofed, alert, concerned, though he could tell she was tired from delivering her pups.

Lachlan and Enrick were coming to their rescue in a rubber dingy, motoring to the island. Grant was waiting onthe mainland shore for them to return.

Robert was relieved and gave Maisie a hug. “We’ve been saved.”

She kissed his mouth. “We survived with a kaboodle of pups.”

Robert chuckled. “Totally unexpected when I first followed the two of you onto the island.”

“Sorry it took us so long to get here.” Enrick pulled a plastic storage bin lined with newspaper and rags to serve as a temporary whelping box out of the boat. He carried it to them, then smiled to see the pups, as Lachlan joined them. “Hell, we have little pups. Well done, you three. We didn’t realize she would have them before we got here.”

“I was just watching how this was all done,” Maisie said. “Lady and Robert did all the work. It truly is amazing.”

“It is.” Lachlan handed bottled waters to Maisie and Robert and another one for Lady. “They’re adorable. I wonder what they are.”

“A DNA test will tell,” Robert said.

“Well, no matter what they are, they’re cute.” Enrick pulled a water dish out of the box and handed it to Robert. “We realized we had to patch the boat and wait for it to dry before we could bring it here. Plus, Edeen was trying to put together a temporary whelping box in a hurry. She said the pet owners could keep it.”

Lachlan raised his brows when he noticed Robert was shirtless, then he saw the shirt underneath Lady and her litter of pups. “Talk about an emergency delivery.”

“It sure was.” Maisie drank from her bottle of water. “Ladywas so lucky to have Robert.”

“How areyoudoing?” Lachlan asked Maisie.

“My ankle hurts, but I’m sure it will heal up soon. Thanks for asking.”

Robert gave Lady some water in the dish, and she lapped it up. Then Robert drank from his own bottle of water. “I’m going to put Lady’s puppies in the box because her fur is standing on end. She’s worried about you guys around her puppies, and I don’t want her to bite anyone. She’s used to Maisie and me now.” Robert took one pup and set him in the box, and naturally he began to cry. He’d lost his nipple as well as his siblings’ and his mother’s warmth. Lady was already standing up, frantic, wanting to get her pup out of the box but not wanting to leave her other pups behind. Then Robert set the others in with the first. Lady was jumping at the box to get to them. He lifted her up and set her inside with them, and she quickly inspected them, making sure they were all there, then quietly settled down with them. Robert put his shirt in the box behind her so she would feel she hadn’t lost her nest.

“I’ll get Maisie,” Lachlan said.

“Okay, thanks.” Robert carried the whelping box to the boat.

Lachlan smiled at Robert. “Any excuse to remove your shirt in front of the lassie.”

Robert laughed. “Well, if it hadn’t been for her ankle and then Lady having her pups—”

“You would have removed your shirt so that Maisie could have worn it to keep her warmer.” Enrick continued to putout the campfire.

Maisie chuckled. “He issomy hero.”