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“How grateful I am that you are unarmed," his lips turned in a faint chuckle, "you look as though you wish to shoot me at this moment,” he tried his hand at humor, in order to lighten her mood. Seeing that she had no intention of changing her mood, he paused, and then in a tone, which sounded a little more sympathetic, added, "I am truly sorry about your horse. I hate to put down any good piece of horseflesh."

  Katie’s only response was a flash of fire in her green eyes. His concerned words had little effect on her. Her previous tears were now dried in misshapen streaks against her smudged face. The twisting thought of poor Shancy lying cold and still in a puddle of mud while the rain poured down on her, gripped at Katie’s stomach, and when she looked upon this handsome man, it was the only thing she could see.

  Katie was too deeply aware of her loss. Shancy had been the only living thing left that was familiar to her, and now even she was gone! How could this unfeeling stranger dare to say he was sorry in such a careless way, and think it would help the ache in her heart? He hadn't even checked to see how seriously the horse had been hurt, she fumed to herself! It could have only been a bad sprain, her frantic mind reasoned irrationally. No! This richly dressed man beside her had been in too much of a hurry to be on his way! She seethed silently to herself. He had caused the accident in the first place, and now she was at his mercy. It was a cool wonder the high and mighty aristocrat had stopped long enough, or taken the time to put her in his carriage in the first place, she thought aggravatingly.

  Katie’s scorching eyes scowled at him distastefully. Under her thick dark lashes her eyes took in his finely tailored greatcoat spotted with rain, the gold cuff links that winked out beneath his coat sleeves, and the ruffles at his wrist that were now damp and drooping. She found her eyes drawn involuntarily to his, and she tried to hold her composure as his penetrating blue stare captured and held the glimmer of her deep emerald eyes in a steady gaze.

  The stranger was taken by the emotion, behind those shimmering eyes, and wished there was something he could do to ease the pain of the unavoidable accident, but felt it was going to take more time, before the distraught woman was ready to discuss anything with him. After a moment of the awkward exchange of glances, she turned her perusal from his handsome face, and hid her own features in the shadows of the faintly lit compartment.

  As they traveled for a time in silence, she allowed her eyes to roam over the finery of the carriage she was seated in, and busied herself by peeling off her soaked and muddy gloves, then stuffing them into the pocket of her riding habit.

  Katie found herself perplexingly aware of the strong smell of damp leather and the feel of the plush carpet beneath her wet boots. Polished brass lamps dimly illuminated the carriage compartment. The wavering light was dancing the shadows of the two passengers in a ghostly waltz about their close quarters. Out of the corner of her eye, Katie caught a glimpse of an ornately braided handgrip that swung rhythmically, with the motion of the carriage, on a brass ring near her shoulder, as if keeping time with their shadow’s dance. Everything about the carriage, and the man who apparently owned it, spoke of wealth. This made Katie feel even smaller and more insignificant, in her drab and now muddy garment.

  “What of my things?” Her sudden question almost startled him, as it broke the silence, and he pulled his attention away from the window and looked at her. Though she was a disheveled sight to behold, there was something about her that seemed to grab his attention, and he tilted his head attentively towards her.

  It was not the few meager belongings, which Katie had packed that concerned her, but having lost everything else that meant anything to her, she suddenly felt frantic about her treasured music box.

  "Didn't you hear my man say he removed them from the carcass? They are safely up top,” he informed her. Instead of a look of relief in her eyes, he was only met by her aggrieved expression.

  Shancy, a carcass! Surly this man had not an ounce of feeling in him! She pulled even farther away from him, and he was once again indifferent toward her presence for a while, as he tried to determine the best approach to put her aggravation towards him at rest.

  The carriage jolted as a wheel skidded over a stone in the road and Katie impulsively grabbed out to steady herself. When she found that she was clutching the arm of the disturbing gentleman beside her, she hastily withdrew her hand and looked away.

  The feel of her hand on his wrist for that one brief second, seemed almost comforting to him, so her removal of it and her recoiling from him, peeved him. "Surely I am not that distasteful!” His lips thinned and then relaxed. His mind groped for something to put her at ease. It certainly was not his fault that her horse had stumbled and broke its leg! "When you learn to know me better, you will find I am quite harmless." He eyed her, he thought, in a kindly manner.

  "I must inform you that our acquaintance won't last long enough for me to discover anything of your character, Sir," Katie hissed. She stared straight ahead of her, avoiding his piercing eyes. “I shall be getting off your fine carriage at the very next town!"

  The woman was impossible! He cleared his voice. "I regret to inform you, young lady, that there is no town between here and my own destination. So it seems you are plagued with my company until I can arrange to get you safely to wherever it is that you were going."

  Katie’s fingers flew up to her sopping hair, realizing with dismay, what a ghastly sight she must present. She contemplated on whether she should continue with her plans of going on to Emerson Manor after all? Perhaps she should go someplace where she could change her clothes first. The thought dismally occurred to her that all of her belongings must surely be as soaked through as she was!

  Katie’s unwanted companion looked at her inquisitively. "You do have a destination don't you?" His irritatingly refined voice broke into her frantic thoughts.

  Suddenly self-conscious in the realization of her deplorable appearance, which all the while this striking, and well-dressed man had been viewing, Katie’s spirits started to fall. "Yes...Yes, of course, I do!" The stammer caught in her throat.

  The look in her eyes sent a pang through her companion, but her attitude had much to be desired, he decided. "Then what, may I ask, is it?" His placating demeanor irked her, while he could not understand her apparent dismay.

  "If you must know, it is Emerson Manor...but...I am in such disarray now, I’m not sure if I should proceed there after all."

  To Katie's further annoyance, the man roared with laughter, and she immediately assumed he was laughing at her disheveled appearance and her sorry state of affairs, which made her all the more aware of her meagerness, compared to his polished wealth. Before she could remark on his rudeness, he spoke in amusement.

  "So, it is to Emerson Manor that you ride in such a storm!” Now, he decided to entertain himself with her plight. “And what business could you possibly have there?"

  "I don't see how that could be any of your affair!" her pouting lips retorted. "But regardless of my business, just look at me! I am such a horrid shambles; they will never let me in the front door, let alone grant my request!" She longed to hide her bedraggled face from his view, but knew he had already witnessed the damage. Katie now understood his seeming amusement. She shuddered to think of what she must look like?

  The irritating man took in her self-absorbed embarrassment, with narrow eyes. It was time, he felt, to give her a lesson on her own manners! "Perhaps you are judging the Emersons too hastily, which seems to be your method of approach," he appraised. His drawn brow spoke all too clearly of his distaste at her remark. “How could they possibly turn away such a pathetic sight as yourself?" The sarcasm dripped like venom, and he had a hard time concealing his pleasure at the stricken look she shot at him.

  Katie cringed at the remark and his accusation that she was judging hastily. Along with a feeling of despair at her appearance, anger started to simmer within her as well. "Yes, and you are to blame for my pathetic appearance!" she pointed out. "If I am turned away, it will
be your fault!”

  The corners of his handsome mouth turned slightly upwards. Now he could not resist taunting the young woman. “Oh, so now you are blaming all your troubles on me, are you? However, you can just calm yourself, Miss, I am quite sure the Emersons will not turn you from their door!” He could not hold back an inward chuckle.

  Katie glared at the hated stranger and swallowed a stinging retort in an attempt to remain civil with the frustratingly handsome scoundrel of a man. Instead, she only asked in as even a tone as she could muster, “What makes you think the Emersons would be so gracious as to admit me, despite my soiled and wet appearance?”

  “Because I know the Emersons are kind and understanding.” The remark was drawled in somewhat of a condescending tone. It was time to put her in her place all together, he decided and continued. “You see, Miss, I know them rather intimately, as the Manor is my home and I am on my way there right now. Therefore, your business does concern me, and is my affair!"

  "You...You... live at Emerson Manor?" Her gasp croaked into an astonished squeak.

  The man seemed rather pleased with her flustered response. "Indeed I do. Is that so appalling to you?"

  Katie could not escape the half-amused look in his eyes, and she wished she could just disappear. Who was this absurd individual? Hopefully not anyone she would have to deal with, she groaned inwardly. She had expected to get an audience with Lord Emerson and surely, he would be an old man by now. Old enough to be this dashing looking rouge’s grandfather, Katie calculated. Maybe he was a relative of some sort, or a house guest, or...or...

  "Why do you look so dismayed?" he interrupted her confused thoughts, wanting to get to the bottom of why she was going to Emerson Manor in the first place.

  She didn’t like the amused look in his eyes. "Why should it concern you?” Her words came in an impulsive flow. “Your driver practically ran me down, you had my horse shot and then forced me into your carriage against my will, I might add, and now... you...you..." She waved her hand vaguely at a loss for words.

  "Would you rather I had left you in that puddle of mud and let you walk to Emerson Manor?" The Gentleman could barely hold back the smile that was still playing at the corners of his strong, serious mouth, and while on one hand he felt sorry for the woman, he could not help but give way to his teasing nature.

  "But just look at me! How can I possibly present myself before Lord Emerson looking like this? What would he ever think of me? Some half drowned rat asking for favors! It's bad enough that he doesn't even know me. Not to mention that I'm arriving unexpectedly in the middle of a storm, unannounced. If I appear on his doorstep in such a condition as this, the old gentleman would merely laugh at me and send me packing!"

  The illusion of somberness passed over his face, as though he was truly sympathizing with her, but then his light chuckle betrayed him as he told her blatantly, "It is true, you do have the resemblance to a half-drowned rat, but perhaps if you explained to Lord Emerson the dire striates with which you found yourself in, he would be a little understanding.” His concerned smile, changed to an accusing stare. “Something that, apparently, you are having a hard time doing with me," he rubbed in.

  Katie winced at the slight, and wondered if he was right? Was she being rude to him? “I’m sorry if I have lacked understanding,” the murmur was forced between clenched teeth. “I hope you realize how upsetting all of this has been for me though.”

  Did the woman only think of herself? He tried to compose his own touch of anger. “As well as for me,” his stern voice pointed out. “You can imagine how I must feel, having practically run you down, and now having you in my carriage ranting at me like I am the sole blame of your troubles!”

  “I was not ranting,” Katie insisted. “I was merely explaining how awful the whole situation has become.” Then in an attempt to divert the conversation she asked, “Do you know Lord Emerson well? You must, if you live at the Manor.”

  A devilish look danced in his eyes as he answered. He could barely contain his joy at her question. “I should think I know him better than most.”

  “Is... is he really a kind and understanding man, as you have implied?” she ventured, hoping the old gentleman was nothing like the man sitting beside her.

  "I have always found him so, but I’m afraid, my dear, that you have already formed an ill opinion of him, no matter what I may say.” He relished the way she was falling right into his hands!

  Katie shook her head in confusion. “How could I from an opinion of a man I have yet to meet?” she defended.

  The tall stranger pushed his back comfortably against the cushions and leveled Katie with an amused gaze. It was time, he decided, and couldn’t wait to see how she would respond. “Simply because, I am Lord Alden Emerson of Emerson Manor, Miss, and it seems you already find me to be an odious, uncaring bully, though I can’t imagine why. I can assure you, my dear, that I am, believe it or not, quite understanding, and I certainly would not pre-judge you just because some thoughtless driver practically ran you down and caused you to fall from your horse into a puddle of mud!" A grin stretched across his satisfied face, as he took in Katie’s widened eyes.

  "You! But...but..." Katie could only stare. There must be some mistake. Lord Emerson was an old man, not this ruggedly handsome rogue with those piercing blue eyes that either looked right through her, or twinkled in amusement at her discomfort! He simply couldn’t be the one she had traveled all the way from Windy Gates to see!

  "But...what?" Lord Emerson encouraged, his sharp eyes searing her. He could barely wait for her explanation.

  Katie colored. She could never say what she was actually thinking, she cautioned herself. As it was, she was sure now that he would never help her. He had already treated her as though her problems were insignificant and that she was just a bothersome stitch in his journey home. He certainly would never take the time to help her unravel her past. She realized now, how he had been toying with her all along, the moment he discovered she was on her way to Emerson Manor!

  Impulsively, she was about to respond in a disrespectful manner, and she had to bite her tongue to keep herself from spitting out an ill-fated retort to the aggravating man. Instead she gritted her teeth and murmured, "It's just that...that you are so much younger than I expected. I was expecting... someone a little... more... more..."

  "...decrepit perhaps?" He finished for her, holding back a chuckle. "Perhaps you were thinking of my father, who would have been at Emerson Manor to greet you, had he not died last year.” He paused and gazed out the window for a moment, letting the silence hang in the air, as the mention of his father’s death unexpectedly touched him.

  “I’m sorry,” Katie said softly, feeling even more foolish at tripping upon a sensitive area. “My mother spoke highly of the Emersons. It must be a terrible loss for you.”

  “Yes,” he replied in a matter of fact tone, “my father was a fine and understanding man. I always thought I had inherited those quality’s from him,” he jibbed. “As awful as you may think it to be, my dear, your dealings will have to be with me. I will attempt to not judge you too harshly. You can cease your worrying." At the mention of his father, he was suddenly somber, and realized it was time for the teasing to end.

  Could he read her face so clearly? Katie looked away somewhat ashamed of her hasty judgment, or at least of speaking it aloud.

  "You have not told me your name Miss,” he probed. It was time to discover her reasons for needing his help. “You do have a name don't you?" Lord Emerson’s voice softened a little, as though he realized that he was upsetting her.

  Katie’s eye’s flew away and darted out the window. "It's Katie." The despair in her voice deepened, and he did not miss it, as she remembered the awful things she had been saying to his face. Then she dragged her gaze back so she could level her eyes with his. Holding her chin up slightly higher than necessary she spoke with deliberate defiance in her voice. "Miss Katie Dow."

  Lord Emerson, caught
the spark in her eye, and his lips widened in a broad smile. The woman had spunk, he decided, and was eager to learn more of her. "Well now Miss Dow, let me prove to you how understanding I can be. Your appearance does not offend me in the least, and you shall certainly be permitted to enter at the front door of my humble manor. Also, I shall be very interested to discover what this favor is that you wish to ask of me.” He smiled and his eyes twinkles as he added. “And, oh yes, have no fear, I would never send a sweet little thing like you packing!" His laughter betrayed his amusement, and Katie's hopes fell deeper still, but she struggled not to let it show in her face.

  Lord Emerson could not hold his curiosity back any longer. “You say that your mother spoke highly of my family. Do we know of one another?”

  “I think not. She once worked at Emerson Manor, along with my grandmother, when she was quite young. She most likely worked for your grandfather, as I am sure she and your father were probably around the same age.”

  “Oh, then she was a servant at the Manor.” The very remark put Katie solidly in her place, and she choked back the sting it created, but Lord Emerson didn’t seem to notice the slight he inadvertently gave her.

  The carriage was slowing now, and the rain had taken pity on them by letting up a bit. "It looks as though we are arriving, Miss Dow," Lord Emerson informed his unexpected guest.

  Katie peered through the panes of the carriage windows, barely making out the shadows of two long rows of trees, which lined the drive. Then the carriage lights caught and illuminated the front entrance of what Katie realized must be Emerson Manor. The coach came to a halt, and Lord Emerson turned to his passenger, extending his hand.

  "Will you permit me the humble honor of assisting you down from the carriage Miss Dow?" He asked, bowing his head in mock exaggeration, his sarcastic mood returning once again.

  Katie frowned at his mocking gesture, but she managed to suppress her seemingly ever-present anger with the infuriating man. She knew he was finding great amusement in her discomfort of being at his mercy. His taunting manner was a blatant indication of it.