that Lancelot isn’t growling at you.”
“I’m not growling at him, either.”
“You don’t understand. He always responds that way to men. I don’t know why he’s behaving differently with you.”
The dog pawed at her knee and automatically she fed him another bite of muffin.
“He doesn’t seem particularly threatened,” Matt observed, wondering why her dog had such a distaste for men. She didn’t look like the sort of woman who would have a parade of men in her life.
Brynn stroked the dog’s head. “I guess not. Perhaps being away from the city is so different...” She smiled in an abrupt burst of joy. “The unexpected has a way of changing animals, I suppose—and people.”
Matt guessed there was a meaning beneath her words. But at the moment he was more fascinated by the transformation in her face. Somewhere beneath those glasses and all that hair, there was more than he’d expected.
But then she seemed to remember something as she drew back in. “You’re right. I should finish my breakfast.” She plucked the bagel from her plate. “In fact, I’ll take it along with me. I have to find something rugged to wear.”
“I’ll talk to Mother about it. She can find something in the gift shop. There’s no need to rush your breakfast.” But even as he spoke, Matt watched her wrap the bagel in a napkin, along with a bit of the salmon—for the cat, no doubt.
“I do have to get the animals settled in, too,” she replied, rising and edging toward the door.
Matt realized there was no stopping her. He wondered if she was part sprite. The thought barely surfaced and she’d disappeared, calling to the cat and dog and offering her arm to the bird. Noah’s little helper.
Shaking his head, Matt glanced at all the food left on the table, then back at the spot where Brynn had disappeared. He realized she’d left him a lot to chew on.
BRYNN GLANCED DOUBTFULLY in the mirror atop the oak dresser in her room, wishing for a full-length one so she could see just how the new clothes fit. Ruth MacKenzie had brought jeans that while not tight were certainly more formfitting than the clothes she was accustomed to wearing. And the chambray shirt and cotton-ramie sweater were also very tailored. Feeling like an Eddie Bauer advertisement, she turned again, trying to gauge the allover effect.
But the mirror just wasn’t large enough to give her a true picture. If she’d been more adept, she’d have managed to avoid the entire situation, rather than having to decide if the clothes looked all right But somehow she’d gotten caught up in the conversation with Matt, momentarily forgetting his relation to Gregory. She glanced at the album on the dresser, quickly opening it to the first picture and caressing the familiar face. It wouldn’t do to forget again.
The grandfather clock in the wide hallway outside her room chimed the half hour and Brynn realized she was dawdling. It wasn’t like her to spend so much time on her appearance. She swiped at her hair, the curls springing back seconds later. Grimacing at her reflection, she grabbed her glasses and looked wistfully at the album, knowing she had no time to indulge herself, reluctantly closing the cover.
She paused at the door to look at her pets. “Okay, guys. Behave.” Lancelot thumped his tail, his eyes pleading to be taken. “Next time, Lancelot. I don’t think I can ride one of those all-terrain vehicle things, so I really don’t think I ought to kill us both.”
“Later, baby!” Bossy called out, scratching at the water dish in his cage.
“You too, Bossy.” Petting both Lancelot and Snookems. she slipped out. Since she hadn’t made specific arrangements to meet Matt, she went to the most obvious place—the lobby. But other than the desk clerk and a few guests, it was empty. Mentally, she ticked off the other conspicuous places, then realized she ought to be looking outside instead of inside.
Pushing open the huge double doors that led
“I’m not growling at him, either.”
“You don’t understand. He always responds that way to men. I don’t know why he’s behaving differently with you.”
The dog pawed at her knee and automatically she fed him another bite of muffin.
“He doesn’t seem particularly threatened,” Matt observed, wondering why her dog had such a distaste for men. She didn’t look like the sort of woman who would have a parade of men in her life.
Brynn stroked the dog’s head. “I guess not. Perhaps being away from the city is so different...” She smiled in an abrupt burst of joy. “The unexpected has a way of changing animals, I suppose—and people.”
Matt guessed there was a meaning beneath her words. But at the moment he was more fascinated by the transformation in her face. Somewhere beneath those glasses and all that hair, there was more than he’d expected.
But then she seemed to remember something as she drew back in. “You’re right. I should finish my breakfast.” She plucked the bagel from her plate. “In fact, I’ll take it along with me. I have to find something rugged to wear.”
“I’ll talk to Mother about it. She can find something in the gift shop. There’s no need to rush your breakfast.” But even as he spoke, Matt watched her wrap the bagel in a napkin, along with a bit of the salmon—for the cat, no doubt.
“I do have to get the animals settled in, too,” she replied, rising and edging toward the door.
Matt realized there was no stopping her. He wondered if she was part sprite. The thought barely surfaced and she’d disappeared, calling to the cat and dog and offering her arm to the bird. Noah’s little helper.
Shaking his head, Matt glanced at all the food left on the table, then back at the spot where Brynn had disappeared. He realized she’d left him a lot to chew on.
BRYNN GLANCED DOUBTFULLY in the mirror atop the oak dresser in her room, wishing for a full-length one so she could see just how the new clothes fit. Ruth MacKenzie had brought jeans that while not tight were certainly more formfitting than the clothes she was accustomed to wearing. And the chambray shirt and cotton-ramie sweater were also very tailored. Feeling like an Eddie Bauer advertisement, she turned again, trying to gauge the allover effect.
But the mirror just wasn’t large enough to give her a true picture. If she’d been more adept, she’d have managed to avoid the entire situation, rather than having to decide if the clothes looked all right But somehow she’d gotten caught up in the conversation with Matt, momentarily forgetting his relation to Gregory. She glanced at the album on the dresser, quickly opening it to the first picture and caressing the familiar face. It wouldn’t do to forget again.
The grandfather clock in the wide hallway outside her room chimed the half hour and Brynn realized she was dawdling. It wasn’t like her to spend so much time on her appearance. She swiped at her hair, the curls springing back seconds later. Grimacing at her reflection, she grabbed her glasses and looked wistfully at the album, knowing she had no time to indulge herself, reluctantly closing the cover.
She paused at the door to look at her pets. “Okay, guys. Behave.” Lancelot thumped his tail, his eyes pleading to be taken. “Next time, Lancelot. I don’t think I can ride one of those all-terrain vehicle things, so I really don’t think I ought to kill us both.”
“Later, baby!” Bossy called out, scratching at the water dish in his cage.
“You too, Bossy.” Petting both Lancelot and Snookems. she slipped out. Since she hadn’t made specific arrangements to meet Matt, she went to the most obvious place—the lobby. But other than the desk clerk and a few guests, it was empty. Mentally, she ticked off the other conspicuous places, then realized she ought to be looking outside instead of inside.
Pushing open the huge double doors that led
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