Lock, Stock and Saxhorn

Chapter 1

"What in the world is he bringing home now?" Nick said to Heath as they watched Jarrod pull in through the gate in a buggy with a very large crate in the back.

"Pappy got paid in something other than cash again," Heath said as he and Nick walked toward their brother, who was pulling to a stop in front of the house.

Jarrod was already out and unlashing the crate from the back when Nick and Heath arrived. "Just in time, boys," Jarrod said cheerfully. "Get this thing into the house for me, will you?"

"Not until I know what's in it," Nick said, refusing to even touch it.

"Will it bite?" Heath asked.

Jarrod laughed. "No, I just fed her about half an hour ago."

Nick actually jumped back when the crate made a half crying, half growling noise. "Jarrod, what the hell is in there?"

Victoria and Audra had come out of the house, and from their angle they could see what was in the crate. Audra burst into smiles. "Oh, my goodness! Is this a dog?"

"It is indeed," Jarrod said, "and she's been bred as a house dog, to keep guard from inside instead of outside. Her name is Daisy and she's as gentle as can be to the people she protects, but look out if you have bad intentions."

Nick was still scowling, but Heath got a better angle so he could see the end of the crate that had bars on it. As soon as he looked at the large, furry white bitch, he smiled. Daisy began to wag her tail so hard and fast that the crate began to rock.

"Bow howdy, she's a beauty," Heath said, resting the back of his hand against the bars and getting a happy lick in response.

Victoria put the back of her own hand against the bars, and so did Audra. They each were baptized the same as Heath was. But Nick was still wary. "I'm not too keen on having a horse in the house."

"Come on, Nick, let's just check her out," Heath said and reached for the crate.

Nick succumbed and took the end of the crate where Daisy could not see him. Together, they lifted the crate and carried it into the house, with the rest of the family following along.

"Couldn't you just have gotten money for a change?" Nick asked as he and Heath set the crate on the floor of the foyer.

Jarrod laughed. "Relax, Nick, you're gonna love her once you know her. She's smart, she's lovable, and she makes a great footstool."

Everyone but Nick laughed. Nick held back as Jarrod opened the barred end of the crate. Daisy stepped out slowly, but as soon as she was out, she shook all over and her entire back end was wagging to beat the band. She licked the hand of everyone in front of her – except Nick.

Then, suddenly, Daisy stood perfectly still and looked up at Nick. Nick looked her in the eye, too, and wondered if he was about to be attacked. He honestly didn't know what to do. "Jarrod – " he said warily.

Jarrod spoke to the dog. "Daisy, this is Nick. Nick, this is Daisy."

Hearing her name, Daisy began to wag her tail again, and she stepped closer to Nick, as if she understood they had just been introduced. Daisy moved her nose closer to Nick's right hand, nuzzling it, then moving her head into his hand so he would pet her.

Nick was sunk. He scratched Daisy's head, and Daisy moved her entire body against his leg, wagging like crazy. Nick actually smiled.

"One thing I've been told about Daisy," Jarrod said. "She protects her entire household, but she has a tendency to love one person more than others, usually a man. Nick, I think you're it."

Nick smiled even more, but he said, "Jarrod, how the heck are we gonna handle something this big in the house?"

"She's been raised in a house, Nick," Jarrod said. "She's very careful around furnishings, very clean. When she needs to go outside, she'll scratch you a little with her right front paw."

"She's right-handed?" Heath asked.

"Looks like it," Jarrod said.

Suddenly, Daisy was scratching Nick's leg with her right front paw. "What do I do now?" Nick asked. "Just let her out?"

"Yeah," Jarrod said. "She can go alone and she'll give one sharp bark at the door when she's ready to come back in, but why don't you go out with her, since this is her first time here? She might want to have a look around outside."

Nick opened the door for her. "I wonder how she's gonna get along with the outside dogs."

Daisy trotted outside, and Nick followed along.

"I guess we'll find out," Heath said.

XXXXXX

From the kitchen window, Victoria just laughed at what she was seeing outside. Audra joined her, and she couldn't help but laugh too. There was Nick, Daisy beside him, the three dogs that lived outside dancing around the both of them with tails going like crazy. Daisy was sticking close to Nick, but she was wagging her tail like crazy too, and Nick was wearing a big silly grin.

"They've been out there for half an hour," Audra said.

"Getting to know one another," Victoria said. "Nick is acting like he just got a new sister he wants to show around."

"Look at the way Daisy looks at him. She already adores him."

"Well, you looked at him pretty much the same way the first time you saw him," Victoria said.

"Are you saying I've been replaced?" Audra asked, not seriously.

"No," Victoria said. "Nick has a big heart. It has room for a lot of love. I suspect that's what Daisy figured out about him right away, just like you did."

When it came time for drinks together before dinner, the whole family got a charge out of Nick and Daisy. Jarrod was right about Daisy being a great footstool. Nick sat in one of the armchairs in the living room, and Daisy was directly under his feet, lying still but attentive.

"What are we gonna do when Nick and I go out into the field tomorrow?" Heath asked. "Is Daisy gonna want to go along?"

"No, I doubt it," Jarrod said. "She's a house dog. She already knows what her job is and where's she's supposed to be. I don't think I've ever run into a more intelligent dog. That's why I was happy to accept her as my fee."

"I'm surprised her family gave her up," Nick said, reaching down and scratching Daisy's ear. Her tail wagged a little.

"One of Daisy's pups has taken over the duties in their house," Jarrod said. "Daisy was getting a bit restless for someone to protect."

"What breed of dog is she, Jarrod?" Victoria asked.

"A mix, maybe two or three breeds out of central Europe, so I'm told," Jarrod said.

"You know, we don't get too many invasions of the house," Victoria said. "Is she going to get restless?"

"I don't know," Jarrod said, "but I get the feeling she'll have plenty to do now that she's adopted Nick."

"Maybe she knew right away that he'd be the one needing protection from trouble," Heath said.

"Hey, now," Nick said. "What commands does she know?"

Jarrod said, "Well, let's see if these all still work if it's not Nick saying them. Daisy!"

Daisy lifted her head alertly and looked at Jarrod, who was standing by the mantle.

Jarrod said, "Daisy, come."

Daisy got up, leaving Nick to put his feet on the floor. Daisy was at Jarrod's side instantly, sitting down, looking up at him.

Jarrod petted her. "Daisy, speak," Jarrod said.

Daisy barked once and kept looking up at him.

"Daisy, lie down," Jarrod said.

Daisy lay down at his feet. She didn't look up at him anymore, but her eyes were checking out Victoria and Audra on the settee.

"It looks like Daisy is settling in," Audra said.

Jarrod nodded. "I think you'll find she's a good addition to the house. If we're lucky, we'll never need her to protect us from invaders, but if we do, I'll bet she'll do the job."

Nick said, "Daisy, come."

Daisy immediately got up and went to Nick.

"Daisy, lie down," Nick said, and Daisy lay down at his feet. Nick put his feet atop her. He smiled. He had his footstool back.