The Temptress by Jude Deveraux Page A

sigh.
    â€œThank you very much. I admire and respect your father and I take it as a high compliment that you consider me like him in any respect. Now, lead the way because I can’t see a thing.”
    Laughing, pleased that he’d said that he liked her father and didn’t complain about him as most people did, Chris led him back to camp. Asher said that not only could he not see but he couldn’t understand her directions, so Chris “had” to hold two fingers of his left hand to guide him back to camp.
    When they entered the camp, Tynan was bending over the fire frying fish dipped in cornmeal. He looked up when a laughing Chris and a laden Asher arrived, but put his head down again quickly.
    Chris suddenly felt ridiculously happy. Holding the divided skirt of her habit out, she began to hum.
    â€œI don’t guess you’d care to dance, Mr. Prescott,” she said, holding out her arms. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Tynan but he didn’t even look up.
    With obvious happiness, Asher took Chris’s extended hands and began a quick dance about the little clearing. It was a cross between the Virginia Reel and a square dance that was exuberant and happy. Chris followed his lead and no matter how fast he led her in the dance, even when her feet barely touched the ground, she stayed with him.
    â€œWatch out!” she heard Tynan shout just before she and Asher tumbled into a foot-deep depression filled with ferns.
    They lay there together, Asher’s arms around her protectively, Chris’s skirts around his legs, while Tynan stood looming over them. “Are you two all right?” he asked, his brows drawn together in a scowl.
    â€œNever been better in my life,” Asher said, then planted a hearty kiss on Chris’s cheek.
    Still grinning, she turned to see Tynan looking at her oddly.
    â€œI think we can eat now,” Tynan said before turning away to return to the campfire. “That is, Miss Mathison, if you are finished with your dancing.”
    â€œFor the moment,” Chris said and went to take a place by the fire.

Chapter Six
    Asher was in rollicking good spirits after their impromptu dance and he did his best to entertain Chris, even singing to her. She joined in and they made an enthusiastic duo.
    Tynan sat to one side of them, head down, whittling on a stick, not participating but not leaving them either. Once, as she was singing with her cheek close to Asher’s, it occurred to her that maybe Tynan didn’t know how to participate.
    It was midafternoon before anyone thought of leaving and then it was Chris who stopped the laughter and suggested that they clear up and go.
    Tynan tossed his stick away, put his knife in his pocket and slowly started toward the horses. As Chris was tightening the straps on her bedroll, he stopped beside her.
    â€œThat was nice,” he said. “Real nice.”
    â€œWhere did you grow up?” she asked quickly.
    â€œNot where people sang,” he answered just as fast. “You like the man?”
    â€œOf course. You’ve pointed out what a fine man he is, haven’t you? And you’ve told me to stay away from you so I should be pleasing you now.”
    He looked at her in a way no man had ever looked at her before. His eyes seemed as if they could burn her. “You do please me.” Abruptly, he turned on his heel and walked away, almost crashing into Asher.
    â€œWhat was that about? He looked angry. Is something going on that I don’t know about?”
    â€œMr. Prescott, I have no idea what you know and what you don’t.”
    â€œChris, I must give you some advice. Tynan isn’t the sort of man…well, I mean, a girl like you…I don’t like the interest he’s taking in you.”
    â€œInterest in me?”
    â€œYour father told him you were a Montgomery and he asked what that meant.”
    â€œAnd did you know to tell him?”
    â€œNo, I