Astounded: Day 8

Word Count: 48,011

Summary of Events:

Jemima was instructed by Penrod on how to feed the animals while he was gone and they had somewhat terse discussions over breakfast in which Jemima suggested Penrod was controlling, while he insisted he was protective. Penrod left to visit the rancher near Sheridan and found no evidence for arrest, but his suspicions were aroused, and he also made a rather convicting discovery. Jemima, surprised at how lonely she was without Penrod, set about baking and thinking about their discussion, eventually being so moved by guilt that she resolved to apologise to Penrod immediately upon his return. Penrod was thinking about the same conversation, and realised how controlling he'd become to Jemima and decided he, too, should apologise.

Excerpt of the Day:

"Unlike before, no one was around, although Penrod could hear distant activity. Inside the barn it was even quieter. Several horses peeked their heads over stall doors. None of them was black with a bald face, and none of them were markingless and golden with a black forelock like Clarence either.

Finally Penrod found Clarence, still tacked up, looking much more relaxed than he had when he'd been led away. Penrod checked inside the stall and saw there was no food or water, for which he was partially pleased; he didn't trust Mr. Albers, but he couldn't do anything about it either.

Unbolting the door, Penrod led Clarence out of the stall and then noticed a stall that had a cage over the top half of the door, preventing the horse inside from peering out.

Penrod's curiosity was aroused and he walked over to look inside. Lying on the floor, dozing, was a black horse. It bore a right fore stocking, a left hind white pastern, and the face was emblazoned with a bald face marking.

"Samuel?" Penrod asked quietly.

The horse's ears flicked and then eyes opened.

"Samuel," Penrod said.

Bringing its forelegs out from under itself to stick out, the horse heaved to its feet and walked over to the stall door. Nosing the cage wire, it nickered, deep and rumbling, to which Clarence responded.

"Hey Samuel," Penrod said quietly. "What are you doing here?"

Naturally, no response was given, but the horse looked alert, and Penrod was sure he'd found Mr. Vaughan's gelding. Looking down the aisle to make sure no one had seen him, Penrod then walked out of the barn and noticed a man leaning against the side of the barn, lighting a cigarette.

Penrod cleared his throat. The man startled and turned to look at him, and then startled even more, almost as if he were seeing someone or something he hadn't expected. He dropped his cigarette into the snow and nearly fell down as he gazed at Penrod wide-eyed.

"You have a black horse in there, with a big bald face marking," Penrod said. "When'd you come by him?"

"He was bought, like all our horses," the man replied slowly, still gazing at Penrod with wide eyes.

"When?" Penrod asked.

"June," the man replied.

"He working out for you?" Penrod asked.

The man looked at Penrod suspiciously for a long while before finally giving an answer: "Yes."

"You wouldn't happen to want to sell him, would you?" Penrod asked. "A friend of mine lost his horse in a wolf attack, I've been keeping my eye out for a horse he'd like."

"I'd have to ask the boss," the man replied.

"You mean Mr. Albers?" Penrod asked.

"Yeah," the man replied.

"I was just in talking to him, he told me I could have a look at the horses and see if I found a suitable one," Penrod lied. "What do you want for it?""