Page 13 of Historical Hotties
“He’ll come back,” Bose said. “He always does.”
Cassius was indecisive. “True,” he said. “But he is getting older and he tends to get lost in new places, the idiot. If he gets too far away, he might lose his way.”
Bose reined his horse towards the side of the road. “Then I shall fetch him.”
“Nay,” Cassius said. “You stay with the duke. I’ll find him. He doesn’t particularly like you, anyway. He might never come back if you try to catch him.”
“That dog loves me.”
“That dog growls at you every time you get near him.”
As Bose cocked an eyebrow at the old dog who only seemed to like Cassius and no one else, Cassius directed his horse over to the side of the road, sliding down the slight embankment as he headed towards the river. He could hear barking and whistled for the dog again, but Argos was being stubborn. He was having too much fun chasing ducks.
Until Cassius heard a feminine shriek.
Digging his spurs into his horse’s flanks, he thundered towards the river.
CHAPTER THREE
When Cassius arrivedat the river’s side, he spied a disaster.
A woman was in the river on her knees while Argos cavorted around her, chasing ducks and other waterfowl. He was having a grand time. As Cassius watched in horror, the dog ran up to the lady, licked her face, and then shook himself so that the water on his fur sprayed out all over her.
The lady yelped.
Cassius was in the water in an instant.
“Here, my lady. Allow me to help you.”
When he touched her, the woman shrieked again, yanking her arm away from him and stumbling forward, splashing down into the water again. Cassius wasn’t sure what to do, so he stood there, watching her struggle to her feet, pulling the ends of her wet apron around her face before she ever turned to look at him. In fact, she was covering most of her face, leading Cassius to believe that Argos must have hurt her somehow.
He was mortified.
“My lady, are you injured?” he asked, concerned. “My deepest apologies. The dog is usually harmless, I swear. If you are injured, I shall seek a physic immediately.”
The lady finally turned to him, staggering, with one hand holding the apron on her face and the other one gathering her soaking skirts. The only thing he could really see were her eyes and her forehead, and a head of dark, luscious hair that was braided into one long braid that trailed to her buttocks.
But those eyes… somewhere between pale blue and pale green, as if they had a fire all their own.
He’d never seen a color like that in his life.
“Is this your dog?” she demanded through the cloth on her face.
He nodded with great remorse. “Aye,” he said. “I am exceedingly sorry, my lady. If you are injured, please let me help you.”
She was agitated. That much was clear. “He is a very naughty dog.”
“I know, my lady. He is usually much better behaved.”
“Hejumpedon me.”
“I am very sorry, my lady.”
“He… he got me allwet!”
Cassius sighed sharply and whistled, one of those piercing bursts, and the dog immediately came to his side. He looked at the dog sternly.
“Do you see what you did?” he scolded the mutt. “You pushed this lady into the river and hurt her, and now I am at her mercy because of you. If she wishes to beat me in retaliation, then I must let her. If she wishes to kick me, then I will have to stand for it. If she wants to light my hair on fire and call it justice, then I will have no say in the matter. Well? Do you see what you have done, you ridiculous creature?”
