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Robert smiled. “Well, it looks like they might have been doing something more than just playing with one another, if no other dog has been with Lady. The two of you might be the proud owners of a litter of purebred Westies.”

“That would be totally unexpected but happy news.What do we owe you for the emergency delivery, Doc?” Bruce asked.

“Nothing. It was my Good Samaritan deed for the day.”

“Let me at least give you a brand-new T-shirt that I picked up to replace yours.” Without waiting for a response, Bruce took Lady and her puppies to their guest room. Mary went with them and then returned, carrying a blue shirt with the imprint of the Scottish lion in white and gold.

“This is really nice. I can ship it back to you later,” Robert said.

“No way. It’s our small token of thanks.”

“Okay, thanks. Just another tip: if Lady normally wants to stay with the two of you—some dogs shadow their owners—keep her and her puppies nearby so she doesn’t leave her pups alone for long just to be close to you. They need to nurse, and they require her body heat to keep them warm.”

“Thanks so much, Dr. Campbell. We’ll have to let our friend, Stuart, know that his dog is a daddy. McKie is just as sweet as Lady. We’ll give Stuart one of the pups if he wants one. And you too. If you hadn’t found her and helped her with the delivery, she most likely would have lost her pups, and we might have lost her too,” Mary said.

Robert pulled on the shirt. “I would be happy to give one of the pups a home if you can’t find someone to take all of them in. Tell Bruce thanks for the shirt.”

“I will. It’s the least we can do after all the trouble you had to go through.” Then Mary returned to her room, and Robert checked on Maisie.

“Maisie and I had started a beef stew in the slow cooker earlier today, and it’s ready to eat. I already ate shortly before you and she returned, since I didn’t know when you would get in,” Anne said.

“I don’t blame you, and that sounds great. It smells delicious too.” Robert placed a decorative pillow from the couch on the coffee table, then elevated Maisie’s foot on top of it. “Do you have an ice pack I can use on Maisie’s ankle, Anne?”

“Yes, in the freezer.”

He walked into the kitchen to get the ice pack.

“Sorry I’m so much trouble,” Maisie said when he returned. She really wished she hadn’t sprained her ankle.

“Nonsense. It could have beenmewho sprained my ankle and then you would have had to carry me down those slippery rocks,” Robert said.

Anne and Maisie laughed.

“If you had to rely on me to do that, we wouldn’t have made it.” Maisie moved her leg a little to make it more comfortable. “We would have had to tell the MacQuarries to pick you up near where Castle Tioram was, and I would have had to do all that you did for Lady and her puppies while you guided me.”

“I have every faith in you that you would have taken care of Lady and her puppies just fine.” Robert placed the little felt pack of ice featuring a polar bear on her ankle.

“Thanks. I’m glad we didn’t have to put me to the test. I like your new shirt.” Maisie reached out to touch it.

“Yeah, a perfect gift for me. Otherwise, you poor lassies would have had to see me bare-chested through dinner.” Robert flexed his muscles.

“We weren’t about to complain,” Anne said, smiling.

Maisie agreed with her sister. “I can’t believe you told them that you would give one of the puppies a home only if no one wanted one of them. You should have said for sure you wanted one. They will all find homes otherwise.”

He chuckled.

“You should know this about Maisie: she’s always ready to take home all the puppies in the world and care for them,” Anne said.

“That sounds like Edeen. She wanted the little red Irish wolfhound puppy the MacQuarries had because they couldn’t find her a home right away, like they’d been able to for all the brindle males,” Robert said.

“Well, Ruby is adorable, and I bet she is cute with Edeen’s fox terriers,” Maisie said.

Anne began dishing up the stew for them, then brought in glasses of water. She’d set them on the dining room table, but then glanced at Maisie. “Do you both want to sit in the living room and eat so Maisie can keep her foot elevated?”

“Yeah, that works for me.” Maisie didn’t want to have to hop to the dining room table or have Robert carry her.

“Sure, that’s fine,” Robert said. “Whatever is easiest for Maisie.”