Page 36 of Captured by the Billionaire Cowboy (The Secret Billionaires #7)
No one was in the field when she arrived, so she travelled straight to the paddock, where the horses roamed.
Despite their relative health, the accommodations were not suitable.
The horses were crowded into a small, dusty paddock, the sides penned with rusty, sharp fencing.
The animals had no shade to protect them from the blazing sun, which baked the manure to a nearly overwhelming stench.
Only a couple of small buckets of murky water, far too little to accommodate the horses, stood in the corner of the ring.
The horses moved listlessly, their restlessness putting them at risk for emotional and physical trauma.
“Don’t worry,” she whispered. “Soon you’ll be living the life you deserve.”
It seemed like the “loose horse” pen, where the most ragged auction horses stayed, and which often fetched price per pound. Yet judging by the number, all the horses were in this state. For the kill buyers, it was a veritable feast.
“The auction isn’t until noon.” A gruff voice came from behind her, and she turned to see an older man and woman ambling towards her.
The man wore dusty overalls over a stained brown shirt, yet the woman wore a sunshine yellow dress, brilliant with purple flowers that matched the bow in her silver hair.
They had come from a modest two-story house with faded sides and peeling paint.
It leaned down, almost as if tired from the burden of simply staying upright.
The elderly man seemed the same. “I’m George Owens, and these are my horses. ”
In contrast, the woman was smiling widely. “Oh George, don’t speak to her like that. Hi sweetie!”
Ciara forced out a polite greeting, even as she wanted to demand an explanation for the condition of the horses. Yet the man’s eyes were so sad, and the woman’s so strangely happy, she bit back her accusations. They were more likely to agree to her proposal if she stayed cordial.
“It’s been so long since you visited, Jane,” the woman gushed, placing a hand on her arm. “You don’t come nearly enough.”
Ciara parted her lips. “I’m not–”
“Able to stand around and chat all day, right?” the man quickly broke in. He gently removed the woman’s arm and gestured towards the house. “Sue, let’s go inside and have a glass of cool, sweet lemonade.”
The woman’s smile faltered. “Okay.” She took a step towards the house, then turned. Her smile broke out again. “Jane! It’s been so long since you visited. You don’t come nearly enough!”
The elderly woman started towards her once more, but the man stepped between them.
“Be right back,” he mouthed before taking the woman’s hand in a surprisingly gentle grip.
He led her to the house, guiding her forward even as she repeatedly turned to look at Ciara.
A few minutes later, the man reappeared alone.
He didn’t seem angry. He didn’t seem uncaring. He seemed resigned .
His next words shocked her. “I can’t tell you how bad I feel about these horses.”
Ciara parted her lips. She’d expected callousness like the last owner, nonchalance and total disregard for any and all blame. She never expected guilt.
“She loves the horses, you know.” He gazed back to the house, to the door where the woman had disappeared.
“She always wanted a ranch, with a whole herd of horses to love and care for. I kept putting it off, busy with life and work and putting food on the table. When we finally did it, it was her dream come true. I’d never seen her so happy.
She took care of the horses like they were her babies.
” He sighed softly. “Yet in the end, I waited too long.”
“I know what you’re thinking.” His expression turned hard as he stared at the horses.
“Nothing excuses this. And you’re right.
But you can’t imagine how quickly things go wrong, how quickly things…
progress. I needed the money for her, and a lifetime of savings just went so fast. She was the one who knew how to care for horses.
I tried, but…” His voice trailed off, and he breathed deeply.
“I never meant for any of this to happen.”
Despite everything, a sliver of compassion sparked. Maybe it was the hopelessness in his eyes, or the tender way he held his wife, but clearly matters were not as she first assumed.
“I have to sell the horses. I was hoping someone would want them for…” He hesitated. “Well, for something good, but I see the reality. I’m just sorry it went this far.” He shook his head, straightened. “As I said, the auction isn’t until noon. Come back later, and you can get what you came for.”
“Actually, I came early for a reason.” Ciara stepped forward, breathing deeply. Only the perfect pitch would show the opportunity for both of them. “I’m not a kill buyer.”
He cocked his head to the side, his gaze turning skeptical. “You don’t look like one, but I just assumed. I tried to find a reputable buyer. A few people came out, but they said the horses were in too rough shape. Not worth the time and effort.”
The horses gazed forlornly at her, and her heart strained. They were worth all the time and effort in the world. “I don’t feel the same,” she said firmly. “I’m not here to ship them across the border. I run a horse rescue. I rehabilitate horses, helping them recover so they can find good homes.”
For a second his eyes lit with something akin to hope; in the next his shoulders slumped. “I can’t afford to donate them. We need the money too badly.”
“I wasn’t suggesting you donate them,” Ciara quickly corrected. “I want to buy them.”
The man looked confused. “Like I said, the auction is in a few hours. You can bid on the ones you like.”
“I don’t want to buy just a few. I want them all, and I’m willing to pay for it.” She reached into her purse, pulled out the check she’d already written. “I calculated the price per pound and added extra for the inconvenience of cancelling the auction. I hope my offer is generous.”
His eyes widened when he saw the check, a good sign, she hoped.
She wasn’t lying when she said he’d be unlikely to get more, even with multiple bidders.
Of course, that meant she’d probably pay less if she waited for the auction, but she couldn’t risk losing a single horse.
“I’d like to do this now before the auction so I can spare the horses – and you. ”
He nodded, yet still seemed unsure. She gestured to the animals, beautiful even in their state. “You’d get less in the auction. And you know what will happen if someone else buys them.”
The uncertainty in his eyes disappeared, replaced by hope, satisfaction and clear, unadulterated relief.
“Despite how it seems, I care about the animals. I was just so preoccupied with Sue.” He shook his head.
“No more excuses. I may not have done right by them before, but I can do right by them now. Are you ready to make the deal?”
“This very moment,” she confirmed. “I have trailers waiting on standby at our ranch. They can come as soon as I call.”
“Then you have yourself a deal.” He reached out with a calloused hand, and she shook it heartily. The sun emerged from behind the clouds, its brightness reflecting pure happiness. By the man’s hopeful look, she hadn’t just helped horses today.
“It’ll be difficult to cancel the auction at this late time, but I’ll message the people who inquired and put up a sign,” he said. “If you come inside, we’ll get everything settled.”
“That would be great.” Ciara beamed. Her mood wavered slightly when she cast one more look at the horses, but she fortified herself. Soon they would blossom, just like the last rescues. “Before we conduct business, do you mind if I give the horses more water? I brought buckets in my trunk.”
He turned to the horses and seemed surprised at the state of the water. “Of course. The hose is on the east side of the house.”
“Great.” She turned to her car, hesitated. “Also, I was wondering if there might be a cooler place we can bring them. Somewhere with shade?”
At the sight of the sun-drenched paddock, he deflated a little more. Clearly, he hadn’t realized how much he’d neglected the horses. “There’s another paddock on the east side of the building. It’s smaller, but has some shade. If you want, I can help–”
“That won’t be necessary,” Ciara quickly said. She wouldn’t ask the older man to do any physical work, but the offer was kind. “If you give me a few minutes, I’ll move them.”
He wiped his dusty palms on his overalls. “I’ll get everything prepared and meet you inside.”
Ciara raced back to the car to get the buckets. Filling two at a time, she quickly brought them to the horses. The animals were thirsty, but not afraid. Hopefully, once they were treated properly, they would recover without any lingering effects.
After the horses were settled, she couldn’t stop herself from staying for a few minutes, granting comforting words and gentle touches.
Most of the horses were receptive, perking up at the attention.
She could have remained all day, but she pulled herself away.
She wouldn’t give Mr. Owens a chance to change his mind.
Judging by the warm greeting the older man gave her, there was no danger of that. From there, everything progressed smoothly, albeit slowly. After she gave him the check, they spent time discussing the horses, then he went off to get their papers.