There followed a rapid conversation in French, dominated by Julien. Money changed hands, and to Kate’s further surprise, the man bowed to Julien, dusted off his clothing, and walked quickly into the forest.
Kate clicked her horse forward and drew up beside her husband.
“Well, my dear, it seems that you now own a horse.” He allowed his features to soften now at the sight of her. She was a mess, very pale, with her hair hanging in tangles about her face.
She gave him a huge smile, and that was lovely, and completely her, full of bravado. “You hit him smartly. I was impressed. Perhaps you could show me just how you did that.”
“Not likely. When you meet Percy, he will tell you in the most condescending manner possible that I spend too much of my time sparring with Gentleman Jackson. I fear they wouldn’t approve your membership.”
“He’s the boxer.”
“Yes, he is. Now let’s go home. Both you and your horse are in need of attention.”
For the first time, Kate became aware of her disheveled condition. “I guess I am rather a mess.”
“But no worse off than your horse.”
“She will be all right, won’t she, Julien?” she said, as she looked at the pitiful specimen she had rescued.
“She will forget this experience more quickly than you will, I wager.”
Julien’s lightness of heart lasted only until they reached the villa. His anger, born undeniably of his fear for her, fanned again as he recalled her utter stupidity. When he lifted her off his horse’s back, he looked down at her and didn’t bother to cloak his anger at all. “A fine day’s work, madam. If you think that I will condone your altogether asinine behavior, you’re sadly mistaken. That you would walk out in a strange country, alone, is in itself so stupid I can scarce credit it, even from a female.”
She knew she was in the wrong, but she’d rather thought that he’d gotten over his rage at her. What had set him off again? “I think, my lord, that you’re expending a great deal too much ire on the incident.” She gave him a fat smile.
It had no discernible effect. “Incident? You’re calling this an incident? Dammit, have you thought what would have happened if your horse hadn’t so obligingly helped you? And what if I hadn’t stopped your horse?”
“But you did, Julien,” Kate said reasonably. “And if you hadn’t, certainly she would have gotten tired, sooner or later and stopped all by herself.”
“You little idiot, that isn’t the point, as you well know. I will strangle you myself if ever you again pull such a ridiculous stunt. Do you understand me?”
“It’s impossible not to understand, you are ranting so loudly.”
“Oh, the devil. Talking sensibly to you is like trying to convince a fence post to stand tall without pounding it into the ground. Go to your room and try to make yourself presentable. I will see you at dinner, in an hour.”
She walked without another word into the villa, trying in vain to hold together the gaping tear in her skirt.
“James, see to the mare. She just looks to need cleaning up, three buckets of oats, and two days of rest.” When he walked through the front door, he heard Mrs. Crayton give a scream and thought, not without some pleasure, that Kate would receive a good scold from yet another quarter.
Kate begged, cajoled, and threatened Mrs. Crayton not to inform his lordship when the woman discovered the swollen, discolored bruise on her thigh. She finally secured her reluctant agreement after assuring her mendaciously that it bothered her not at all.
For the first time, she entered the dining room not even one minute late. She was even a minute or two early. She was beginning to ache all over, as if the peasant had flailed her and not the mare with his stick.
Julien had planned to lecture her at length during dinner, but at the sight of her exhausted face, such intentions vanished. Without thinking, he took her gently in his arms, and to his surprise, she eased her arms behind his back and pressed herself against him. After a few moments he murmured softly, his chin resting against her hair, “Please forgive me for taking strips off your hide. It’s just that if something had happened to you, well, I wouldn’t have been a happy man.”
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