Moonlight on Water by Jo Ann Ferguson Page A

again, even though Rachel had asked her not to? “Misterhors” had been the second word on the page left on the kitchen table.
    Why was she hesitating? Was she so intimidated by Mr. Colton that she did not dare to go to his steamboat again? She frowned at the very idea. The man was a rogue, but she had met rogues before. They usually were mostly bluster, and if one ignored them they got bored and went on their way to bother other people.
    Gathering up her cumbersome skirts, Rachel hurried past the railroad station and down the hill toward the river. She heard a carriage behind her. As she stepped to the side of the road, she heard a shout of warning. She turned and saw a hooded buggy speeding too quickly for safety. Was it out of control? She was about to jump out of its way. Then she saw a small, redheaded form in the middle of the road where a ball was rolling to a stop.
    â€œKitty Cat!” she screamed in horror. As she raced back up the hill, she stepped on her hem, nearly stumbling. Fabric tore, and a flash of hot pain scored her ankle. She did not slow as she yanked the little girl out from in front of the approaching wagon. The ball flew up into the air and under the carriage. It bounced away into some high grass.
    â€œRachel, that hurts!”
    She squatted before Kitty Cat. “I didn’t want you to be run over by that carriage.”
    â€œCarriage?” Excitement fired Kitty Cat’s voice as she whirled to stare after the vehicle, which was spraying dirt behind it in a brown cloud.
    Rachel stood and drew Kitty Cat out of the dust. “You need to be more careful when you’re in Haven. It isn’t like our Community where no vehicles are allowed near the walkways.”
    Sean rushed up, his brown hair falling into his eyes and the ball in one hand. He wiped dirt from his clothes as he shouted, “Wow! That was close! Kitty Cat, have you forgotten how fast a carriage can go?” He scowled at her. “You never were so silly when we lived in New York City.”
    â€œI forgot,” said the little girl. “I wanted to catch the ball before it rolled all the way into the river.”
    â€œBut you could have been killed,” Rachel scolded. “Sean is right. You need to be more careful.”
    She hung her head. “Rachel, I am sorry.”
    â€œJust don’t forget again.”
    â€œI won’t.”
    â€œGood.” She smiled at Sean. “Thank you for shouting your warning! If I hadn’t heard you, I wouldn’t have gotten up the hill in time.” She shifted, taking weight off her left foot. She shook it, hoping the heated pain stabbing it would vanish before she began the walk back to River’s Haven.
    â€œAre you all right?” asked a man from behind Rachel.
    She turned. Her smile wavered when her eyes met Mr. Colton’s gray ones. “Yes, we are fine.”
    â€œI would readily agree.” His gaze wandered along her as if he had never seen her before.
    â€œThank you for asking, Mr. Colton,” she said in the same cool tone.
    He was dressed in the work clothes she had seen him wear the last time she visited the boat. Oil stains drew her eyes to his strong arms and muscular legs. He pushed a broad-brimmed hat back on his head and greeted the children.
    â€œLet’s go, Kitty Cat.” Rachel took a single step, then winced.
    â€œAre you hurt?” Mr. Colton asked.
    She clenched her hands, and the little girl yelped. Releasing Kitty Cat’s fingers, she said, “I twisted my left foot when I rushed to save Kitty Cat from that carriage.”
    â€œAnd tore your dress.”
    â€œMy dress?”
    He looped a single finger in the torn seam at her waist. “Here.”
    â€œWhat are you doing?” She tried to step back as she pushed that probing finger away, but halted when more pain swirled up her leg.
    â€œYou ripped your dress.” He gave her a rakish grin. “Just wanted to point