Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered by Maggie Shayne

Author:Maggie Shayne [Shayne, Maggie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Romance, General
ISBN: 9780425205761
Google: CsFEy7ebcJYC
Amazon: B000H2M6DU
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Published: 2005-12-06T05:00:00+00:00

Al kept it to himself, but he'd been as amazed by Mary Catherine's strength as she had been by his ability. Any other woman he'd known would have been in tears, become paralyzed with fear, or simply fainted away, had she found herself in a similar situation. A lowlife manhandling her, a weapon pressed to her tender belly. But Mary Catherine had defied the dog, insulted him, refused to cower.

She was, quite simply, amazing.

He suggested she drive far from the city, into as rural an area as the modern world had to offer. And instead of "ditching" her aunt's contraption, whatever that meant, he'd persuaded her to trust its care to a farmer. Indeed, he'd managed to talk the kind man into letting them rent a pair of horses for the night, leaving the car as a sort of collateral to ensure their return.

The man's eyes had widened when Al had offered him a handful of gold coins in exchange for the use of his horses. He'd examined them carefully, while M.C. had elbowed Alexandre in the rib cage.

When he looked her way, she whispered, "Those coins are probably worth a fortune, Al!"

"Nonsense. 'Tis a pittance."

"Not in this day and age. If you have any more, hold on to them, for heaven's sake."

He shrugged, quite befuddled. But the man pocketed the coins, grinning hugely, and was only too happy to comply when Alexandre asked him to keep the car in his barn overnight. To protect it from the elements, he said, though his true motive was to keep it from prying eyes.

He thought he'd done quite well, until the farmer led two graying, swaybacked mares from his barn, decked out in worn saddles and bridles whose straps were split with age.

"Are these the only two you have?" Alexandre asked, running a hand along one horse's neck and feeling the matted coat in dire need of grooming.

" 'Fraid so," the man said. "Take 'em or leave 'em."

"Er… Al?"

Alexandre shook his head at M.C, then addressed the man. "Perhaps I shall give you more coin upon our return. So that you can purchase some oats for these animals, and perhaps a brush."

The man frowned, unsure about whether he'd just been insulted, but unwilling to let the possibility of more gold slip by him. Finally he nodded. "That'd be real kind of you, mister."

Alexandre nodded. "Then I shall, provided you keep all of this to yourself. The lady and I do not wish to be disturbed tonight."

The farmer smiled widely, and winked. "Mum's the word."

"Al," M.C. said, and she tugged on his long coat this time. He turned to her. "We'll only be needing one horse," she told him. "Unless you want to see me fall on my butt."

Alexandre frowned. "You do not ride?"

"Never have. And won't start now if we have a choice."

"A choice, my lady, is one thing we do not have. I shall teach you. Fear not."

She tugged him aside, her voice low. "Al, I mean it. I don't want a horse all to myself.

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