the flock. Colin rushed the animal, but his abrupt
movements only served to rile the entire flock. In an instant,
Makyn had blended in with the rest of the bleating, scurrying
bundles of wool.
“Where the devil did she…? Ah, there you are, you
bloody....”
Stifling a smile, Tess stood up and walked toward
Colin. She put a hand on his arm, stopping him. “Not to be critical
of your shepherding, but I shouldn’t think Makyn is in any
condition for this. The creature is probably only a day or two away
from lambing. I think she’s had enough excitement, don’t you?”
His gaze fell on her hand resting on his bare arm.
He had rolled up his shirt to the elbows. His skin was so warm, and
Tess withdrew her fingers as if she’d been burned.
“Very well. I am your attentive pupil,
mistress.”
Tess didn’t dare look up to meet his gaze. Instead,
she focused her attention on the terrified ewe in the far end of
the yard.
“Sheep must always be handled firmly, but calmly and
gently, too” she said softly. “Running and exciting them will only
invite trouble.”
“I always thought the same could be said about
handling people,” he whispered in her ear. “I was firm, calm, and
gentle when I met you, but you still ran away.”
“That just shows you that I am much smarter than
Makyn.”
Tess tried to not be affected by his low rumble of
laughter, by his warm breath caressing her ear.
“Makyn is still nervous. We need to approach her
very slowly and quietly.”
“Do they all have a name?”
“Only the animals that I decide to keep.”
“Very insightful. The thought of having a ‘David’
skewered and roasting over the fire is not very appetizing.”
“It could be worse.”
“How?”
Tess moved away from him. “We could have a ‘Colin’
roasting over the fire.”
“In that case, I feel much, much safer having a
name.”
“And another thing, you should remember that in
approaching sheep, never look at them directly.”
He was beside her again. “Very well.”
Tess felt his hand take hold of hers. Stunned
momentarily, she turned and looked at him.
His eyes were sparkling with mischief. “I thought it
might be helpful for you to look at me as
we approach her.”
He was simply too handsome for her comfort. “And why
should I want to do such a thing?”
He shrugged. His smile was warm enough to melt
through a sea fog. “Perhaps because I enjoy looking at you.”
“And why should you want to do such a
thing?”
“You are beginning to ask far too many questions.”
He shook his head. “You might pick up my good habits…and not just
the bad ones.”
“You have good habits?”
“Some,” he said softly, his blue eyes searching
hers.
Tess’s heart pounded wildly in her chest as she felt
his gaze brush over her face. In sheer panic, she took a half step
back.
“I…I think Makyn is calm enough now for…for us to
tend to her.”
Colin’s eyes had turned a smoky blue—almost gray—and
Tess felt her heart hammering in her chest. She wasn’t sure what he
intended to do, or what it was that she wanted . Stopping,
though, seemed to be the best course.
He seemed to read her thoughts, and his friendly
smile returned. “Very well. You lead and I’ll follow…or just tell
me what to do.”
“I’ll catch and hold her. You spread the salve on
her feet. Or we can do it the other way around, if you like.”
Of course, she could have done the whole thing by
herself, but she suddenly didn’t want him to go away.
“I don’t think my stomach will allow me to get too
close to that cauldron. Tell me what to do, and I’ll catch
her.”
She took him by the elbow and brought him a little
closer to Makyn. “Without looking at her, get a bit nearer. When
she is within your reach, quickly reach out and grab the wool under
her chin. Just tip the head upward. This will keep her off balance
and easy to hold. Now if she turns her back to you, just grab her
by the rear flank.” She gave him a
movements only served to rile the entire flock. In an instant,
Makyn had blended in with the rest of the bleating, scurrying
bundles of wool.
“Where the devil did she…? Ah, there you are, you
bloody....”
Stifling a smile, Tess stood up and walked toward
Colin. She put a hand on his arm, stopping him. “Not to be critical
of your shepherding, but I shouldn’t think Makyn is in any
condition for this. The creature is probably only a day or two away
from lambing. I think she’s had enough excitement, don’t you?”
His gaze fell on her hand resting on his bare arm.
He had rolled up his shirt to the elbows. His skin was so warm, and
Tess withdrew her fingers as if she’d been burned.
“Very well. I am your attentive pupil,
mistress.”
Tess didn’t dare look up to meet his gaze. Instead,
she focused her attention on the terrified ewe in the far end of
the yard.
“Sheep must always be handled firmly, but calmly and
gently, too” she said softly. “Running and exciting them will only
invite trouble.”
“I always thought the same could be said about
handling people,” he whispered in her ear. “I was firm, calm, and
gentle when I met you, but you still ran away.”
“That just shows you that I am much smarter than
Makyn.”
Tess tried to not be affected by his low rumble of
laughter, by his warm breath caressing her ear.
“Makyn is still nervous. We need to approach her
very slowly and quietly.”
“Do they all have a name?”
“Only the animals that I decide to keep.”
“Very insightful. The thought of having a ‘David’
skewered and roasting over the fire is not very appetizing.”
“It could be worse.”
“How?”
Tess moved away from him. “We could have a ‘Colin’
roasting over the fire.”
“In that case, I feel much, much safer having a
name.”
“And another thing, you should remember that in
approaching sheep, never look at them directly.”
He was beside her again. “Very well.”
Tess felt his hand take hold of hers. Stunned
momentarily, she turned and looked at him.
His eyes were sparkling with mischief. “I thought it
might be helpful for you to look at me as
we approach her.”
He was simply too handsome for her comfort. “And why
should I want to do such a thing?”
He shrugged. His smile was warm enough to melt
through a sea fog. “Perhaps because I enjoy looking at you.”
“And why should you want to do such a
thing?”
“You are beginning to ask far too many questions.”
He shook his head. “You might pick up my good habits…and not just
the bad ones.”
“You have good habits?”
“Some,” he said softly, his blue eyes searching
hers.
Tess’s heart pounded wildly in her chest as she felt
his gaze brush over her face. In sheer panic, she took a half step
back.
“I…I think Makyn is calm enough now for…for us to
tend to her.”
Colin’s eyes had turned a smoky blue—almost gray—and
Tess felt her heart hammering in her chest. She wasn’t sure what he
intended to do, or what it was that she wanted . Stopping,
though, seemed to be the best course.
He seemed to read her thoughts, and his friendly
smile returned. “Very well. You lead and I’ll follow…or just tell
me what to do.”
“I’ll catch and hold her. You spread the salve on
her feet. Or we can do it the other way around, if you like.”
Of course, she could have done the whole thing by
herself, but she suddenly didn’t want him to go away.
“I don’t think my stomach will allow me to get too
close to that cauldron. Tell me what to do, and I’ll catch
her.”
She took him by the elbow and brought him a little
closer to Makyn. “Without looking at her, get a bit nearer. When
she is within your reach, quickly reach out and grab the wool under
her chin. Just tip the head upward. This will keep her off balance
and easy to hold. Now if she turns her back to you, just grab her
by the rear flank.” She gave him a
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