Claire and Rowan drove to the new ranch. They wanted to start clearing things out and fixing a few small things. When Claire tried to get water from the stable, nothing came out.

Claire: “Rowan, there isn’t a single drop coming from the pipe.”

Rowan: “Then let’s check the well.”

But the well was empty too.

Claire: “It’s completely dry. That can’t be right.”

Rowan: “A well doesn’t just disappear.”

Suddenly a voice spoke behind them.

Neighbor: “Hello neighbors. If you’re looking for water, you’ve got a problem.”

Claire: “Why wouldn’t we have water here?”

Neighbor: “Because this ranch doesn’t have water rights.”

Rowan: “So we have a well… that we’re not allowed to use.”

Claire immediately called Ed Field, the man who had sold her the ranch.

Claire: “Mr. Field, there’s nothing in the documents about missing water rights.”

Ed Field: “That can’t be. My father would never have hidden something like that.”

A short while later, Ed arrived at the ranch with a large box full of documents.

Ed Field: “I brought everything I could find. My father kept every paper. It must be in here somewhere.”

Rowan: “And if not, hopefully he kept some water somewhere too.”

Together they searched through the old paperwork. After a while, Ed held up a yellowed document.

Ed Field: “Here! A certificate for the ranch’s water rights. They were only leased — never sold. And the lease has already expired.”

Claire: “Thank goodness! A ranch without water would have ended my dream.”

Rowan: “So the rights belong to the ranch again.”

After a few clarifying conversations with the authorities, water finally returned to the ranch a few days later.

Claire: “Yippie! We have water! That could have gone terribly wrong.”

Rowan: “Yeah. A ranch without water is like a saddle without a horse.”

Claire: “Now that we have water again, could you maybe fix the plaster on that corner of the house? Jamie left tools and work clothes inside.”

Rowan: “Sure, no problem. I’ll just change quickly.”

It took a while before Rowan came back outside.

Rowan: “You can’t be serious, Claire?!”

Jamie had left behind his “special” work clothes from the Veiled Village. Rowan looked more like a scarecrow than a handyman. Claire burst out laughing.

Claire: “Well… they’re very airy and extremely breathable!”