Page 7 of The Burning Passion of a Fiery Lady
He set off, carefully monitoring the sky. The sudden storm that had spooked the colt had vanished as quickly as it had arrived, but there was a strange energy in the air. The wind had picked up again, whipping the trees into a frenzy. He wouldn’t be surprised at all if another storm was approaching.
He gazed around. It was wild, but beautiful, terrain; filled with evergreen trees, pointing towards the heavens, so thickly forested that he had to weave around them. It was steep and rocky. Twice he stumbled, correcting his footing.
When he had climbed a distance, he stopped, sitting down on a large mossy rock, gazing back at the house and property that surrounded it. From up here, it looked almost like a doll’s house; he could see it all spread out before him.
She is somewhere, in that house, he thought, his heartbeat starting to quicken slightly.What is she doing, at this very moment?
The beautiful Widow Drake, who had taken fright and run away from him after their hands had touched, stroking the horse. He knew that the strong, instant connection she had felt had spooked her, because it had spooked him, too. He had not expected that the physical connection would be quite so fiery.
He looked down at his hand, flexing it. It still tingled from where she had touched it.
She had run away as soon as her housekeeper had given her an excuse and hadn’t looked back. He doubted very much if he would see much of her again. She was probably hiding in her rooms, ashamed that she had felt such a way, with a man so low. Or a man that she assumed was low.
He wasn’t the lower class servant she thought him, but that hardly mattered. He wasn’t about to advertise the fact that he was actually the son of a wealthy landowner, who didn’t need to work. It was his private business, after all; he hadn’t informed any of his previous employers, and he wasn’t about to start now.
He tilted his head to the side, contemplating the situation. It was probably for the best. It would only complicate things if he started some kind of relationship with her, however temporary. He was only staying here for as long as it took, and then he would be gone, to the next assignment. It was how he lived his life, now, and it worked for him.
Keep moving. Keep travelling. Stay ahead of it.
Abruptly, her sweet voice drifted into his head when she had told him that she needed him. He knew it wasn’t a personal comment – all that she was referring to was the fact that she needed someone to help her break in the colt. But still, his face glowed with pleasure, just thinking of it.
Another frisson of sensation swept over him, and he stirred uneasily on the hard rock. This was dangerous. Hereallyshould have refused her offer to stay at the property. Even if she kept her distance, which she probably would, he was bound to see her around the place. The connection between them was powerful. Would he be able to resist pursuing her?
He sighed, running a distracted hand through his hair. He couldn’t. He mustn’t. Apart from the shame she would surely feel about it – she was a respectable widow, after all, who was still grieving her husband – he just couldn’t handle it, either. It was too soon. Perhaps it would always be too soon. Perhaps he would never be ready to connect with another woman on a deep level.
Perhaps he just didn’t want to … ever again.
He sighed again. It was fraught with danger, but he had committed himself, now. Hemustcomplete this assignment; it went against his own code of conduct, to walk away. She was expecting him to complete a job, and he was going to do it. He would never run away from it.
All he had to do was avoid her, as much as possible. Be polite, and respectful, but keep his distance. So what if there was a connection between them? It could be managed. She would not be eager to pursue it, either. They could both ignore it, and nothing need happen.
Decisively, he stood up. Yes, that was exactly what he would do. He would avoid her as much as possible, and ignore it, and it would probably fade away, die a natural death anyway. Often these things did – he had been strongly attracted to quite a few women in his life, but not all had blossomed into anything significant.
He headed back down the hill towards the property, his heart lighter. All it took was conviction. The headcoulddefeat the heart and the body. It was as simple as that.
Chapter 4
Susannah turned around, gazing at her reflection in the full-length mirror. Carefully, she straightened her gown. For a brief moment, she was assailed by a wild urge to take it off, rummage in her wardrobe, and find a prettier gown, in a bright colour. One of the gowns that she had worn before Gilbert had passed away. One of the gowns that were now gathering dust, at the back of her wardrobe.
She smiled sadly. She had always loved fashion, ever since she was a young girl. Gilbert had indulged her love of it, and her wardrobe was crammed with beautiful gowns and the finest quality shawls, in every colour imaginable. She had hundreds of bonnets, as well, carefully selected to match every dress. Her jewellery box was full to overflowing, and she had a ridiculous number of gloves, as well.
She stared hard at her reflection, biting her lip. Another plain gown, in a muted shade of lavender, as befitted her semi-mourning state. At least it was better than the heavy black she had worn, day in and day out, for six months after his death …
Instantly, she was ashamed. Why was she contemplating her wardrobe? It was right and proper that she was wearing these plain, muted gowns. She was a widow, now, after all. Why was she suddenly dreaming of all her pretty dresses?
But as she stared at herself in the mirror, she knew the reason, and it shook her to the core.
She wanted to look pretty. She wanted to look pretty forhim.
The large, handsome Master of Horses. Even thinking about him briefly caused a shudder to fall through her body.
She hadn’t dined with him last night. She hadn’t seen him at all since she had fled the stables, after her impetuous decision to ask him and his apprentice to stay here. But when she had gone to bed, she had thought of him again, wishing that she had invited him to sup with her. She had been compelled to admit to herself what a fascinating man he was. He had an obvious love for animals, and he hadn’t treated her like some fragile woman, instead respecting her authority over the horses.
But when she had awoken this morning, she had immediately thought of him, and the fear and shame had leapt to life again. She should avoid him, as much as possible. Let him get on with the job by himself. She didn’t need to be monitoring him, after all. He knew what he was doing.
But as she gazed at her reflection, she knew that it was impossible. She knew that as soon as she left this room, she would be heading to the stables, to see how he was getting along. The compulsion was real and strong.
Susannah took a deep breath. Then she turned to the door, stepping out, her heart beating wildly in her chest, at the prospect of seeing him once again.
