that jibe about not being a country bumpkin. And it was no excuse that he had thrown that insult at her out of sheer desperation.
“Coward!” she called after his retreating back. It was a verbal parry to his verbal lunge.
She knew it was malicious and she knew it was unfair. Tears of frustration clouded her vision.
Wasn’t it always the same? Girls were always dismissed as being the weaker or too much the lady to be able to fight on a level field with a man. She stomped her foot, knowing full well that she was far from letting the matter die. Country bumpkins indeed.
Baffled by his uncouth behavior, André ducked into the study. What he needed was a stiff drink and the calming effect of a cheroot to recover his equilibrium. As he bent to light the thin cigar, he happened to see Stormy charge past the open door, hugging her blouse protectively against her slender curves.
Despite their ill-fated conversation, André’s lips quirked in an amused grin. No wonder they called her Stormy. She moved like a small tempest, her hair flying behind her like a banner in the wind, her eyes burning with the unrequited need for revenge.
STORMY HEIDE KATROS
27
CHAPTER FIVE
He knew he couldn’t keep the masquerade up much longer. Already posters had been tacked to trees along the highway warning of his presence and offering a hefty sum for his head.
He would hang, if he were captured. He had to find his solicitor and he had to get his hands on the forged deed, then make a clean break and hope no one would ever connect him to the subversive activity of a common robber.
He was also thoroughly tired of spending cold nights in the hunting cabin and it was hardly fair to Noir to be hidden away there. Tiredly, he saddled the roan gelding he used during the day.
Breakfast was already in progress when André sauntered into the sunny morning room.
He called out a general greeting that included everyone and went to help himself from the dishes on the sideboard. Without appearing to do so, he had already gauged where Stormy was seated and knew he would keep as far away from her as possible. But as fate might have it Annabelle, who had been sitting next to Stormy, got up and excused herself because she had been asked to run upstairs to fetch a shawl for her mother.
“Uncle André, you can have my seat,” she chimed blithely, unaware of the tension that knotted the broad shoulders of her favorite male outside of her father. “I am already finished with my breakfast and I am planning to ride over to visit with my friend Caroline.”
André inhaled an unsteady breath and damned the fact that he had arrived later than usual and would now be forced to sit next to the one person, who was capable of setting his world on its head. Either that or he would be deemed incredibly rude. His smile tight, he carried his plate to the indicated place at the table and nodded to Stormy.
“How are you enjoying our English countryside?” It was an idle question to brook the awkwardness he felt. In fact, he wasn’t quite sure how he felt. Was the room hotter than usual or was he coming down with something?
At his question, Stormy’s hand stopped midway to her mouth and she fixed him with an impudent stare. “I haven’t seen much of it, sir, but I was told I could not ride out alone, because there is a notorious highwayman on the loose.”
Now where had that come from? No one had mentioned the hold-up of their carriage and no one at this table had hinted at this robber. She didn’t dare look at her parents sitting further down the table for fear of seeing the reproof in their eyes.
André almost choked on his eggs. “Well, I am sure that in your country young ladies aren’t allowed to ride out alone either. As I hear it there are renegade Indians on the loose.” He refrained to add that the colonies would be rife with felons, since the English crown had settled some states with their most notorious criminals. “However, I am sure
“Coward!” she called after his retreating back. It was a verbal parry to his verbal lunge.
She knew it was malicious and she knew it was unfair. Tears of frustration clouded her vision.
Wasn’t it always the same? Girls were always dismissed as being the weaker or too much the lady to be able to fight on a level field with a man. She stomped her foot, knowing full well that she was far from letting the matter die. Country bumpkins indeed.
Baffled by his uncouth behavior, André ducked into the study. What he needed was a stiff drink and the calming effect of a cheroot to recover his equilibrium. As he bent to light the thin cigar, he happened to see Stormy charge past the open door, hugging her blouse protectively against her slender curves.
Despite their ill-fated conversation, André’s lips quirked in an amused grin. No wonder they called her Stormy. She moved like a small tempest, her hair flying behind her like a banner in the wind, her eyes burning with the unrequited need for revenge.
STORMY HEIDE KATROS
27
CHAPTER FIVE
He knew he couldn’t keep the masquerade up much longer. Already posters had been tacked to trees along the highway warning of his presence and offering a hefty sum for his head.
He would hang, if he were captured. He had to find his solicitor and he had to get his hands on the forged deed, then make a clean break and hope no one would ever connect him to the subversive activity of a common robber.
He was also thoroughly tired of spending cold nights in the hunting cabin and it was hardly fair to Noir to be hidden away there. Tiredly, he saddled the roan gelding he used during the day.
Breakfast was already in progress when André sauntered into the sunny morning room.
He called out a general greeting that included everyone and went to help himself from the dishes on the sideboard. Without appearing to do so, he had already gauged where Stormy was seated and knew he would keep as far away from her as possible. But as fate might have it Annabelle, who had been sitting next to Stormy, got up and excused herself because she had been asked to run upstairs to fetch a shawl for her mother.
“Uncle André, you can have my seat,” she chimed blithely, unaware of the tension that knotted the broad shoulders of her favorite male outside of her father. “I am already finished with my breakfast and I am planning to ride over to visit with my friend Caroline.”
André inhaled an unsteady breath and damned the fact that he had arrived later than usual and would now be forced to sit next to the one person, who was capable of setting his world on its head. Either that or he would be deemed incredibly rude. His smile tight, he carried his plate to the indicated place at the table and nodded to Stormy.
“How are you enjoying our English countryside?” It was an idle question to brook the awkwardness he felt. In fact, he wasn’t quite sure how he felt. Was the room hotter than usual or was he coming down with something?
At his question, Stormy’s hand stopped midway to her mouth and she fixed him with an impudent stare. “I haven’t seen much of it, sir, but I was told I could not ride out alone, because there is a notorious highwayman on the loose.”
Now where had that come from? No one had mentioned the hold-up of their carriage and no one at this table had hinted at this robber. She didn’t dare look at her parents sitting further down the table for fear of seeing the reproof in their eyes.
André almost choked on his eggs. “Well, I am sure that in your country young ladies aren’t allowed to ride out alone either. As I hear it there are renegade Indians on the loose.” He refrained to add that the colonies would be rife with felons, since the English crown had settled some states with their most notorious criminals. “However, I am sure
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