Her light lilac fragrance again assailed his senses. Shiny hair lay in wild disarray around her lovely face. One long auburn curl brushed his upper arm and he stared at it, a slash of dark red against his white sleeve, and he fought the almost irresistible urge to reach out and touch it.
He cleared his throat. 'Yes. I like it very much. You captured my mood perfectly.'
'You mentioned a younger brother named Robert.'
'Yes. He's away, traveling on the Continent.'
She studied him intently. 'And William-you love him very much.'
A lump lodged in his throat. 'Yes.'
He didn't comment on her use of the present tense. God yes, he'd loved William. Even at the end when he'd claimed he didn't… when he'd witnessed with his own disbelieving ears and eyes his brother's unthinkable treason.
'Yes. I loved him.' He handed her back the tablet. Her gaze riveted on his cheek. 'Does your injury pain you?'
'It stings a bit.'
'Then I insist on preparing you a salve.' She pulled a satchel from her knapsack.
'What is that you have?'
'My medical bag.'
'You brought a medical bag on a walk?'
She nodded. 'Whenever I walk or ride. As a child I constantly skinned my elbows and knees.' A teasing gleam entered her eyes. 'As you already know my fondness for crawling about in the bushes, I'm sure this doesn't surprise you. Papa finally fashioned a bag for me to bring along whenever I left the house. I've pared the supplies down to the bare minimum and the bag isn't heavy.'
'How did you manage to skin your knees? Didn't your skirts protect you?'
A blush washed over her cheeks. 'I'm afraid I tended to, er, hike my skirts up a bit.' His surprise obviously showed because she quickly added 'But only when I climbed trees.'
'Climbed trees?' A picture of her, long limbed and laughing, her skirts hiked up to her thighs, flashed in his mind leaving a trail of heat in its wake.
She shot him a teasing smile. 'Have no fear, your grace. I stopped climbing trees several weeks ago. But I still bring my bag with me. You never know when you may run across a handsome gentleman in need of medical aid. I find it best to always be prepared.'
'I suppose that's true,' Austin murmured oddly pleased she thought him handsome, yet surprised that her words did not strike him as flirtatious-merely friendly.
He watched with interest as she removed several pouches and small wooden bowls from the satchel. Excusing herself, she walked to the lake, returning with a container of water. After setting her supplies around her, she set to work, her face a study in concentration.
'What are you mixing?' Austin asked fascinated by her unusual actions.
'Nothing more than dried herbs, roots, and water.'
He didn't see how a few herbs and water could help his stinging cheek, but he remained silent and simply watched her, reminding himself that the more he observed her, the more he would learn about her.
When she finished she knelt in front of him, then dipped her fingers into the bowl of salve. 'This may sting a bit at first, but only for a moment.'
He eyed the creamy concoction dubiously. 'What possible good can that do?'
'You'll see. May I proceed?'
When he hesitated she raised her brows, her eyes dancing with mischief. 'Surely you're not afraid of a bit of salve, your grace.'
'Of course not,' he all but huffed irked that she would suggest such a thing, even in jest. 'By all means, apply the salve.'
She leaned forward and gently rubbed her cream into his injured cheek. It stung like the very devil and he forced himself not to pull away and wipe off her ridiculous remedy.
In an effort to distract himself from his fiery skin, he turned his attention to her. An expression of concern puckered her brow as she dabbed on more of the salve. Streaks of early morning sunlight dappled through the trees, shooting her hair with red and gold highlights. For the first time he noticed the smattering of tiny freckles on her nose.
'Just a bit more, your grace. I'm nearly done.'
Her warm breath touched his face. His gaze dropped to her mouth, and his throat tightened. Damn it, she possessed the most incredible mouth he'd ever seen. He suddenly realized that not only did his cheek no longer sting, but her gentle touch was sending ripples of pleasure streaking through him.
His entire body pulsed to life. The desire to kiss her, to feel those amazing lips crushed beneath his own, to touch his tongue to hers, slammed into him, overwhelming him. If he leaned forward just a tiny bit…
She abruptly leaned back. 'Does it still sting?'
He blinked feeling dazed. And unkissed. 'Ah, no. Why do you ask?'
'You moaned. Or perhaps it was more like a groan.'
Annoyance, at both her and himself, surged through him. Here he was, fantasizing about kissing her, his trousers growing increasingly uncomfortable, moan-ing-or was it groaning?-and she wanted to know if she was hurting him.
She was damn near killing him.
He was truly losing his mind. He needed to focus on the matters at hand, but it was damn hard to do with her so tantalizingly close.
'Thank you, Miss Matthews. It feels much better. Are you finished?'
She frowned then nodded while wiping her fingers on a square of cloth. He wondered what she was thinking, his curiosity aroused by her silence and troubled expression.
'Is something wrong, Miss Matthews?'
'I'm not certain. May I… touch your hand?'
Heat snaked down his spine at her request. Without a word, he lifted his hand.
She pressed it tightly between her palms and closed her eyes. After what seemed like an eternity, her eyes slowly opened. There was no mistaking the fear and concern shadowing them.
'Is something amiss?'
'I'm afraid so, your grace.'
'Did you, er,
'No. I saw… you.'
She nodded looking worried. 'I saw you. I felt it.' 'What did you feel?'
'Danger, your grace. I fear you're in grave danger.'
Chapter 4
Austin stared at her. Clearly she was suffering from delusions, but the fearful expression in her eyes chilled him.
'Soon,' she whispered. 'I see trees, moonlight. You're on horseback, in a forest. Rain is on the way. I wish I knew more, but that's all I saw. I cannot tell you what form this danger will take, but I swear the threat to you is genuine. And imminent.' Her voice turned into a desperate plea. 'You must not ride in the forest after dark, in the rain.'
Disgusted with himself for feeling slightly unnerved Austin pulled his hand from between hers. 'I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Miss Matthews. Do not concern yourself.'
