A Bright Particular Star by Elizabeth Hanbury Page B

heap on the flagstone hearth, rattling the fire irons and sending embers shooting up the chimney.
    With a squeak of delight, Sophie open ed the door and ran to Theo, th rowing her arms around his neck and exclaiming, “ Y ou were wonderful! ” She drew back to look into his face, her voice brimming with admiration. “ Where did you learn to do that? ”
    “ Jackson ’s saloon, ” replied Theo absently, staring down at her. Then, he cleared his throat and said in a startled tone, “D id you witness it, then? ”
    “ I was watching from behind the door, ” she admitted . “ I wish I could have done it! I had my reticule ready. ”
    His lips curved into a reluctant smile. “ You ’ re not a girl for swooning, are you? ”
    “ No, indeed! ” She cast a critical g lance over the supine Melville. “ Is he badly injured? Not that I mind too much if he is, odious man! ”
    “ He ’s seeing stars for the moment, but we had best move him before his clothes catch fire. ”
    “ Oh, but you are injured! ” she cried in sudden concern , seeing Theo wipe a tric kle of blood from his mouth.
    He shrugged. “ I ’ ve had worse. ”
    “ It ’s my fault you are hurt, ” she said, wringing her hands . “ My stupid impetuous nature is always getting me into scrapes. ”
    ****
    Theo ’s blinding rage was abating but now other emotions seethed inside him.
    Earlier, as he had walked back from the stables, he had mused on the discovery that, far from resenting having his time taken up by Sophie, he was enjoying the experience.
    His plans had been disrupted, he was now obliged to take her to London, and he would have to endure his groom ’s sullen expression for a month after leaving him behind. Normally, even one of these circums tances would have irritated him , but every vexation was forgotten in Sophie ’s company.
    She was undeniably attractive althou gh for Theo her beauty lay as much in the sparkle in her eye and in her ready laugh than her face and figure. He had never been attracted to the beautiful but insipid misses who populated Almack ’s . They were as frothy, insubstantial and as well-behaved as one of the great Careme ’s meringues and he was bored rigid within ten minutes of making their acquaintance. Sti ll, he had always had the notion he wo uld marr y one of them in the future because a demure wife had seemed more appealing than a lively miss who would give him no peace. But Sophie Devereux was as different from that conc ept as sunshine was to moonbeams . She was delight ful , a shining girl who possessed an endearing blend of candour, warmth, naive ty and wisdom. Her exuberance was infectious, yet he also perceived a vein of insecurity within her, no doubt born out of her time at Ludstone. She had been told so often she was unattractive she simply accepted it was so. She was free of conceit and had no idea how appealing she was, and how she would draw men ’s admiration li ke bees to a honey pot. I t was unconsciously done on Sophie ’s part, but Theo fel t jealousy among the other emotions fighting for release.
    He was angry with himself for leaving her alone. It was highly unusual for her to be subjected to a drunk ’s attentions at a hostelry like T he Castle and, in the absence of his groom, Theo knew he ’d had no choice but to check on his horses, but still he blamed himself.
    And he was staggered by his reaction to her emb race . He had experience d desire before, but never had it been intertwined with these other feelings and this inconvenient, overwhelming urge to protect. He wanted to drag Sophie into his arms and never let her go. Now, looking down into her upturned face, he wanted to tangle his fingers in her hair and kiss her. Not a chaste peck, bu t a long, satisfying kiss that would begin to ease his temptation and his torment , a kiss to allay the ache in his chest, a kiss that would at least beg in to communicate how he felt. Then he wanted t o trail his lips down the soft ,