She pulled her arm away from him. 'Daniel, it's rude to look away when
you're speaking to someone.' He smiled over the censure in her
voice.
She sounded like a teacher explaining simple manners to a little boy.
'Grace, I'm trying to make sure no one takes a shot at you, but if you
would rather I looked at you . . . ' 'No, no, I would rather you watch
the street. Do you think there's someone waiting to shoot me? '
'Besides me? ' 'That isn't funny.' They arrived at the stable a
moment later. The wagon was in the back, and Grace went through the
crates until she had found three more hats to take with her. She
stuffed two inside her valise and kept the third one with her. Daniel
made her stand away from the door while he went to ready his horse.
The owner, a short, squat man with a thick neck and a round belly, came
forward to introduce himself. He had a sincere smile and smelled of
horses. 'My name's Harry, and I'd shake your hand, Miss, but it's real
dirty. Can I be of assistance? ' She smiled at the eager young man.
'Yes, you may be of assistance, ' she replied.
'The lady needs a sound horse, ' Daniel called out. He was saddling
his own horse, a beautiful gray stallion with a surprisingly calm
disposition, but he was also keeping a watchful eye on Grace.
She looked completely out of place. 'Pink fluff, ' he whispered. The
woman belonged in a fancy parlor, dressed the way she was in that
ridiculously feminine hat and those impractical leather slippers.
Harry sure did like her though. The man had a rapturous look on his
face and kept trying to edge closer to her. Probably because she
smelled so good, Daniel thought, but he didn't care what Harry's reason
was. He wanted him to back away.
'How about getting the lady a horse, Harry? ' Daniel called out, his
tone just as sharp as he intended.
'Your husband sounds a might possessive, ' Harry whispered before
turning to Daniel. 'I'll fix your woman up with the best I got.' A
few minutes later, Harry came strutting forward leading a swaybacked
gelding that Grace suspected had lost all of his teeth. The poor thing
was obviously on his last legs.
She took one look at the sorry beast and politely declined. 'No, thank
you.' Harry rubbed his jowls while he considered which of the other
horses to show her. 'I only just inherited this stable from my
brother, and I'm not familiar with his stock, ' he said. 'But I recall
one pretty little mare. You're gonna like her just fine, ' he promised
