at her again. “Certainly, if it interests you.”
It did, geek that she was. “Do you still manage the mines yourself?”
He nodded. “Effectively, yes, though, I’ve hand-picked my team, I like to put in an appearance when commitments permit, particularly when we’re digging a new shaft.”
While he spoke, Brig’s keen ears picked up the distant sound of voices and the thump of machinery.
“To reach the camp from here, we’ll have to ride through some rougher terrain. Are you all right with that?”
She gave him a look that said, “Are you serious?”
He grinned. “Forgot who I’m talking to.” Urging his horse into a canter, he headed toward an incline.
Brig followed close behind, enjoying the faster pace, thinking she might buy her own horse when she got back to Earth. Long minutes later, they reached the top of a slope and Brig saw the drilling site below.
Duncan dismounted. “We’ll leave our mounts here, away from the clamor.”
Brig slid off her horse, and removed her helmet, stowing it in her saddlebag. “Will the horses stay?”
“My black will, and I’ll hobble the gelding.”
While he tended to that, Brig turned to study the worksite below. There were people everywhere, milling around the mountain area, or sitting at long wooden tables near a mobile catering unit.
Brig was startled w hen she felt the warm pressure of Cameron’s hand on hers, as if to guide her down the hill. “We agreed no touching.” She pulled her hand free, annoyed to find she was breathless from the quick contact.
Duncan smiled into her eyes. “No, I don’t believe I did agree to that, but in this case, I was merely trying to be courteous. There are a lot of naturally occurring potholes in this area. I don’t want you to trip and hurt yourself.”
She gave him a droll look, and they walked the rest of the way in silence.
As they entered the worksite, a tall auburn-haired man approached. Brig noted that he walked with a slight limp. “Good morning, boss. Everything’s set to go.”
Duncan patted the man on the shoulder. “Malcolm, let me introduce you to Brig Monroe. Brig, this is Malcolm Finlay, my team leader.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Finlay.”
“And you, ma’am.” He doffed his cap.
“Why don’t you grab yourself a drink, Brig,” Duncan suggested. “And I’ll call you when we start to drill.”
She wanted to insist that she should go with him because he was vulnerable out here in the open. His warning look stopped her. She blew out a breath and nodded. Sitting down at the first table she came to. Once Cameron and Finlay moved away, she stepped up her psychic feelers to scan the surrounds. At the same time, she noted the palace guards walking toward a table off to her right.
With nothing else to do, she reached for the thermos of coffee in the center of the table to pour herself a cup. Sitting opposite her was an auburn-haired boy, who looked to be about ten years old. Though it was still early for lunch, the lad was hungrily consuming a mountainous sandwich, stopping only to wash it down with deep glugs of milk.
He paused to nod politely at Brig. “Good morning, ma’am. I’m Jamie Finlay.”
Charmed by his freckled face and his milk mustache, Brig smiled broadly. “Good morning to you, Jamie Finlay, I’m Brig Monroe.” As she looked him over, she asked teasingly, “Are you one of the workers here?”
He grinned hugely, obviously tickled at the idea. “I hope to be one day, ma’am. It’s really somethin’ out here, ain’t it?”
“Yes, it is.” She looked back toward the drill site where Duncan and Finlay and another operative were crouched down, examining a piece of equipment.
“I want to work as a geologist like my dad,” Jamie continued.
“Good choice,” she said. “It’s a fascinating profession.”
“Yeah, but I have to go to college and everything first, and that’s like light-years away.” He shrugged his small shoulders, and took another bite of
It did, geek that she was. “Do you still manage the mines yourself?”
He nodded. “Effectively, yes, though, I’ve hand-picked my team, I like to put in an appearance when commitments permit, particularly when we’re digging a new shaft.”
While he spoke, Brig’s keen ears picked up the distant sound of voices and the thump of machinery.
“To reach the camp from here, we’ll have to ride through some rougher terrain. Are you all right with that?”
She gave him a look that said, “Are you serious?”
He grinned. “Forgot who I’m talking to.” Urging his horse into a canter, he headed toward an incline.
Brig followed close behind, enjoying the faster pace, thinking she might buy her own horse when she got back to Earth. Long minutes later, they reached the top of a slope and Brig saw the drilling site below.
Duncan dismounted. “We’ll leave our mounts here, away from the clamor.”
Brig slid off her horse, and removed her helmet, stowing it in her saddlebag. “Will the horses stay?”
“My black will, and I’ll hobble the gelding.”
While he tended to that, Brig turned to study the worksite below. There were people everywhere, milling around the mountain area, or sitting at long wooden tables near a mobile catering unit.
Brig was startled w hen she felt the warm pressure of Cameron’s hand on hers, as if to guide her down the hill. “We agreed no touching.” She pulled her hand free, annoyed to find she was breathless from the quick contact.
Duncan smiled into her eyes. “No, I don’t believe I did agree to that, but in this case, I was merely trying to be courteous. There are a lot of naturally occurring potholes in this area. I don’t want you to trip and hurt yourself.”
She gave him a droll look, and they walked the rest of the way in silence.
As they entered the worksite, a tall auburn-haired man approached. Brig noted that he walked with a slight limp. “Good morning, boss. Everything’s set to go.”
Duncan patted the man on the shoulder. “Malcolm, let me introduce you to Brig Monroe. Brig, this is Malcolm Finlay, my team leader.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Finlay.”
“And you, ma’am.” He doffed his cap.
“Why don’t you grab yourself a drink, Brig,” Duncan suggested. “And I’ll call you when we start to drill.”
She wanted to insist that she should go with him because he was vulnerable out here in the open. His warning look stopped her. She blew out a breath and nodded. Sitting down at the first table she came to. Once Cameron and Finlay moved away, she stepped up her psychic feelers to scan the surrounds. At the same time, she noted the palace guards walking toward a table off to her right.
With nothing else to do, she reached for the thermos of coffee in the center of the table to pour herself a cup. Sitting opposite her was an auburn-haired boy, who looked to be about ten years old. Though it was still early for lunch, the lad was hungrily consuming a mountainous sandwich, stopping only to wash it down with deep glugs of milk.
He paused to nod politely at Brig. “Good morning, ma’am. I’m Jamie Finlay.”
Charmed by his freckled face and his milk mustache, Brig smiled broadly. “Good morning to you, Jamie Finlay, I’m Brig Monroe.” As she looked him over, she asked teasingly, “Are you one of the workers here?”
He grinned hugely, obviously tickled at the idea. “I hope to be one day, ma’am. It’s really somethin’ out here, ain’t it?”
“Yes, it is.” She looked back toward the drill site where Duncan and Finlay and another operative were crouched down, examining a piece of equipment.
“I want to work as a geologist like my dad,” Jamie continued.
“Good choice,” she said. “It’s a fascinating profession.”
“Yeah, but I have to go to college and everything first, and that’s like light-years away.” He shrugged his small shoulders, and took another bite of
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