liberally punctuated with confident grins and coy, flirtatious smiles. “Stuart . . . or Major Lord Stuart Burke, as he is known in more formal circles, or even Viscount, if you prefer, is an honored guest of our riding party today. For that distinction, Stuart was given a choice of the area in which we rode. ‘Twould seem the rolling countryside is his preference. Adriana knows it as well as her own reflection, but I fear I’ve never been as adventuresome on a horse as she . . . or you, for that matter.
Going up a hill while sitting in a sidesaddle is bad enough, but coming down leaves me wondering if I’ll arrive at the bottom with or without the horse.” She smiled as her brother responded to her wit with amused chuckles, and then veered astray of the main topic long enough to interject, “It always puzzled me why, with your vast equestrian skill, you refrained from joining the cavalry, Colton, but, of course, that is now neither here nor there. You certainly proved your worth many times over in the infantry.” She patted his arm affectionately before returning to the original subject. “Actually, today’s ride was Stuart’s first since surgeons pronounced him fit to carry on with normal activities. It also happens to be his birthday, which we’ll be observing here at dinner this evening. Now that you’re home, ‘twill surely be a threefold celebration.”
“ ‘Twould seem I couldn’t have chosen a better time to return. Your planned events will allow me to get reacquainted with everyone, but, as yet, the only person I’ve been able to recognize since my arrival is Mother. She’s still as elegant as she once was. On the converse side of that, Adriana was definitely the most befuddling. Even after she told me who she was, I had difficulty believing it was true.”
Samantha giggled. “ ‘Tis a wonder she didn’t send you reeling for daring to take hold of her. Adriana can be quite standoffish when it comes to men trying to handle her. In the past she has come close to blackening the eye of many an overeager swain before Father banished them from her sight. I’ve seen them leaving here with their tails tucked between their legs. Once they regained their footing, however,
their hackles rose, and they ceased to be gentlemen, blaming her when it was really their fault for being so free with their hands.”
Colton rubbed the back of his forefinger across his mouth as he sought to subdue the grin that seemed wont to manifest itself. Had he known the identity of the beauty to begin with, he’d have likely been more cautious. Considering what she had managed to do to him, he’d have definitely had cause to reflect upon the possibility that she had been trying to exact revenge for past offenses. “Well, if you’re at all curious, she left me wondering if I’d ever be the same man again.”
Samantha peered up at him in growing bemusement, but Colton didn’t care to explain his witticism. The fact that his privates still felt as if they had been caught in a clothes-press right along with his trousers made him wonder if it would be safe to approach the lady again without donning a full suit of armor.
Leaving his sibling still puzzling over his statement, he approached the sandy-haired man who had entered hard on his sister’s heels and whose presence had recently been discovered by the wolfhounds. It was evident that this was one young man the animals enjoyed having around, for he was now squatting on his heels beside them, stroking their long coats.
Colton grinned and stretched forth his hand as he neared. “I think after two years it’s about time I welcome my only brother-in-law into the family. What say you, Perceval?”
The low, throaty, canine moans of appreciation ceased abruptly when the younger man jumped energetically to his feet. Readily accepting the proffered hand, Perceval chortled at the unexpected exuberance exhibited by the other and responded with equal fervor as he pumped his
Going up a hill while sitting in a sidesaddle is bad enough, but coming down leaves me wondering if I’ll arrive at the bottom with or without the horse.” She smiled as her brother responded to her wit with amused chuckles, and then veered astray of the main topic long enough to interject, “It always puzzled me why, with your vast equestrian skill, you refrained from joining the cavalry, Colton, but, of course, that is now neither here nor there. You certainly proved your worth many times over in the infantry.” She patted his arm affectionately before returning to the original subject. “Actually, today’s ride was Stuart’s first since surgeons pronounced him fit to carry on with normal activities. It also happens to be his birthday, which we’ll be observing here at dinner this evening. Now that you’re home, ‘twill surely be a threefold celebration.”
“ ‘Twould seem I couldn’t have chosen a better time to return. Your planned events will allow me to get reacquainted with everyone, but, as yet, the only person I’ve been able to recognize since my arrival is Mother. She’s still as elegant as she once was. On the converse side of that, Adriana was definitely the most befuddling. Even after she told me who she was, I had difficulty believing it was true.”
Samantha giggled. “ ‘Tis a wonder she didn’t send you reeling for daring to take hold of her. Adriana can be quite standoffish when it comes to men trying to handle her. In the past she has come close to blackening the eye of many an overeager swain before Father banished them from her sight. I’ve seen them leaving here with their tails tucked between their legs. Once they regained their footing, however,
their hackles rose, and they ceased to be gentlemen, blaming her when it was really their fault for being so free with their hands.”
Colton rubbed the back of his forefinger across his mouth as he sought to subdue the grin that seemed wont to manifest itself. Had he known the identity of the beauty to begin with, he’d have likely been more cautious. Considering what she had managed to do to him, he’d have definitely had cause to reflect upon the possibility that she had been trying to exact revenge for past offenses. “Well, if you’re at all curious, she left me wondering if I’d ever be the same man again.”
Samantha peered up at him in growing bemusement, but Colton didn’t care to explain his witticism. The fact that his privates still felt as if they had been caught in a clothes-press right along with his trousers made him wonder if it would be safe to approach the lady again without donning a full suit of armor.
Leaving his sibling still puzzling over his statement, he approached the sandy-haired man who had entered hard on his sister’s heels and whose presence had recently been discovered by the wolfhounds. It was evident that this was one young man the animals enjoyed having around, for he was now squatting on his heels beside them, stroking their long coats.
Colton grinned and stretched forth his hand as he neared. “I think after two years it’s about time I welcome my only brother-in-law into the family. What say you, Perceval?”
The low, throaty, canine moans of appreciation ceased abruptly when the younger man jumped energetically to his feet. Readily accepting the proffered hand, Perceval chortled at the unexpected exuberance exhibited by the other and responded with equal fervor as he pumped his
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