"Mira."
"What?" she asked stiffly.
"Thank you for your kind ministrations to me in my hour of need. I feel so much better now."
Throwing him a venomous glare, she flounced out of the room in a speechless rage, wanting to slam the door but unwilling to attract the attention of others.
The morning sun made a valiant effort to warm the air and the ground, but all the same a distinct chill caused Mira to pull the edges of her long-sleeved, short-waisted jacket together. The day was cool and dry, puffs of wind stirring up tiny clouds of dust from the ground. For her walk to the village she had dressedin muted colors that would attract little attention and did not show dirt easily. Her gown was pale blue edged with navy ribbons and sprightly sash, her low-heeled boots made of sturdy leather. Since it was an unusually slow morning and there were few people to see her, Mira took her hated poke bonnet off and stuffed it in the sack she carried.
The road was well-kept and smooth, the ruts filled with wood and the holes with large stones. Cattle were driven frequently along this road, nibbling at patches of green along the way, their milk occasionally tainted by the garlic-flavored buckrams that sprang up here and there. Humming a soft tune to herself, Mira was absorbed in her thoughts until she noticed the sound of hooves approaching from behind her. Turning to observe the rider, she lifted a hand to shade her eyes. As the brilliant white horse and its rider came nearer, Mira nearly stumbled, her jaw slackening in surprise. Alec slowed the pace of the white stallion to a slow, prancing gait, his coal-black hair ruffled attractively by the wind as he threw her a lazy smile.
"I don't believe you're… What are you doing here?" Mira asked, continuing to walk while looking up at him in a stupefied manner. Clothed in gray pantaloons, a dark blue coat, a soft ruffled shirt, and a low-cut brocaded waistcoat, he looked vital and dashing enough to send the most implacable female into a swoon. She moved her gaze away from him and quickened her pace, determined to remain indifferent to him.
"There is a conspiracy afoot in Sackville Manor," he said, staring down at her with warm gray eyes.
"Indeed?" she questioned coolly.
"To keep me informed of your various plans and whereabouts. This morning two maids stood by my door while conversing just a little too loudly about your schedule for the day, and it was obvious that they—""Oh! C'est un attentatl" she exclaimed, flushing in irritation. "Lizzie and Tessie—I will make them regret this! They imagine that… well, never mind what they imagine! It is wrong!"
"They didn't mean any harm. Besides, I found their information extremely helpful."
"Did they happen to talk about the fact that I am visiting a sick man and his wife, and that any visitors would be an unwelcome nuisance?"
"No… only that it was a pity you had planned to walk such a long distance unaccompanied."
"I like to walk! I could have taken a horse or carriage if I had wanted to! It is not a long distance at all. In fact, we are almost at the outskirts of the village now."
"I can take you the rest of the way." Alec extended a brown hand to her, which she resolutely ignored. "Well, as long as you enjoy walking…"
The white horse's hooves kept pace perfectly with her stride.
"Don't you have a hunt to attend?" Mira asked pointedly.
"I begged off for today, due to my injuries from yesterday."
"Injuries!" she scoffed, sneezing vigorously as fine dust was kicked up and wafted into her nostrils. "Your injuries would be apparent only to someone with an extraordinary imagination."
"I was in terrible pain."
"I don't believe you."
"It's true. After you left me last night, I ached for hours."
Mira went crimson, no longer feeling the chill of the wind as every inch of her skin glowed with an unwanted flush.
"Only your pride was injured yesterday," she gritted, and lifted a hand to her mouth as she sneezed once more."Severely. I've never had a woman so anxious to leave my bed before. God bless you—is the dust bothering you?"
"Yes!" she said, covering her face with her hands and sneezing yet again. "Your horse is kicking it up."
"I don't think it will get any better—"
"It would if you would turn around and go back!"
"—unless you ride up here with me."
"I wouldn't even if you were the last…" She lifted a hand to her nose and mouth, warding away the dust. "Oh, please stop it! All right. I surrender. You have your way again, but don't be smug about it."
A slight smile betrayed Alec's satisfaction as he leaned over and held his hand down to her. They grasped each other's wrists in an unbreakable clasp, and then Mira gasped as Alec pulled her up easily, his muscles bunching underneath his clothes. Her buttocks landed on the saddle in front of him, her feet dangling against the horse's side. In a reflex action Mira grasped at his coat lapels to steady herself, and Alec's arm went around her protectively. Immediately aware of the vital strength of his body, Mira turned away from him to face forward, releasing his coat to find something else to hold on to. Accidentally her hand brushed against his taut, well-muscled thigh, and she jumped in confusion, nearly falling off the horse.