A Much Compromised Lady by Shannon Donnelly

led them only to
more disappointment for they had gotten nothing from that gaujo . Ah, she should be used to that by now.
    The steady sound of ‘Lisi’s grazing began to
ease her unhappiness, but still that need to do something mixed
uncomfortably with the dread that things really would not work out
as she wanted. Ah, but she did not want to spend another winter in
tents and on muddy roads. Her mother never complained, but Glynis
hated it most when the icy weather came and her mother moved stiff
and slow, like an old woman.
    ‘Lisi shifted, moving to a new patch of
grass. Glynis followed the pony, brushing shedding hair from the
pony’s back, scratching at the top of ‘Lisi’s shoulders.
    “Ah, ‘Lisi. Too bad I am not like you, and
happy to be anywhere that thick grass grows.”
    ‘Lisi lifted her head and nodded, as if
agreeing, but Glynis knew the pony was only enjoying the attention.
She smiled. And the back of her neck began to tingle.
    A branch snapped under a horse’s step.
Straightening, Glynis turned and started towards the sound, eager
to see the horses Bado and Christo had bought. But it was a giant
of a black horse that stepped from the shadows of the sheltering
maples.
    At the sight of the rider on his back Glynis
froze.
    Him! That gaujo !

CHAPTER FOUR
    For a moment, half-hidden by the shadowing
trees, with his dark mount and his wicked beauty, he looked more
like some lord of the fey folks rather than a mortal lord. His
mount pawed the ground, restless, but he sat easily in the saddle.
Everything came too easy to this one, Glynis thought, frowning at
him.
    His horse stepped forward and the last rays
of daylight glinted in his hair. The breeze ruffled those deep
bronze locks, disordering the curls into softness. His dark blue
coat opened over a rich, gold brocade waistcoat, and the nipped
waist made his shoulders look broader than she remembered. Only she
knew it was not padding that filled out his coat. She had seen the
sleek muscles under his white shirt when she had stripped him.
    The memory warmed her face, and she scowled
at him. She would do best to remember that Lucifer, too, had the
beauty of dawn in his face. And this devil was a gaujo . A
Romany never came to any good at their hands.
    Folding her arms, she deepened her scowl,
hoping that would hide how her pulse quickened, and how sensations
tingled upon her skin, and perhaps it would make him decide to turn
and ride away again. If she had any sense, she would turn and run
herself. But running had not gotten her very far from him—not if he
had tracked her here. And she had as much pride as he. So she
braced her feet wider and narrowed her eyes.
    This time, he was in her world. This time, he
would be the one alone against her and her kind.
    With a faint smile twisting his mouth, he
swung off his black horse and left it standing, his reins dangling.
She wished the animal would run off, but he had bewitched it as
well, so that it stood patient and waiting, its black ears
flickering towards its master.
    Tucking a package wrapped in brown paper
under his arm, the gaujo lord came towards her, lazy grace
in every movement. As he neared, she saw the corner of his wide,
sensual mouth lift a touch more, but wary caution lay in his green
eyes.
    Yes, you had better take care, my gaujo. I
have more than one trick to play.
    He stopped close enough to her that she could
see the trace of golden beard on his cheek. She also saw the faint,
red line of a branch’s slash across his left temple. Her fingers
twitched to reach out to him, but she closed a fist on the impulse.
It was no concern of hers if he had so much conceit that he stayed
mounted rather than walk on the ground like a Gypsy peasant when
the branches thickened.
    Oh, but why did she even notice such
things?
    He made her a bow as if she was a lady and
they stood in the tame park of a great house, and held out the
package to her. “I believe these are yours.”
    She glanced at the package, and