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.He'd been so gentle, so careful withher.Never before had he opened his heart so to a woman.Only to have ithanded back to him.Well, he hoped she found some weak-kneed spineless lout she couldboss around.And if he discovered she had, he would cheerfully kill theman with his own two hands.He heard the sound of a horse approach and swore.If those two littlepests had come to disrupt his solitude, he would send them packing soonenough.Taking up his line, he stood, feet planted, and prepared to roarhis nephews back to the house.But it was Alanna who came riding out of the woods.She was comingfast, a bit too fast for Ian's peace of mind.Beneath the jaunty bonnet shewore her hair had come loose so that it streamed behind her, a midnightflag.A few feet away, she reined the horse.Even at the distance, Iancould see her eyes were a brilliant and glowing blue.The mare, wellused to reckless women riders, behaved prettily.When he got his breath back, Ian shot her a killing look."Well, you'vemanaged to scare away all the fish for ten miles.Don't you have bettersense than to ride through unfamiliar ground at that speed?"It wasn't the greeting she'd hope for."The horse knew the way wellenough." She sat, waiting for him to help her dismount.When he merelystood, glaring, she swore and struggled down herself."You've changedlittle, MacGregor.Your manners are as foul as ever.""You came all the way to Virginia to tell me so?"She fixed the mare's reins to a nearby branch before she whirled on him."I came at your aunt's kind invitation.If I had known you wereanywhere in the territory, I wouldn't have come.Seeing you is the onlything that has spoiled my trip, for in truth, I'll never understand how aman such as yourself could possibly be related to such a fine family.Itwould be my fondest wish if you would " She caught herself, blew outa breath and struggled to remember the resolve she had worked on allthrough the night."I didn't come here to fight with you.""God help me if that had been your intention, then." He turned back topick up his line."You got yourself off the horse, Mrs.Flynn.I imagineyou can get yourself back on and ride.""I will speak with you," she insisted."Already you've said more than I wish to hear." And if he stood lookingat her another moment, he would crawl."Now mount and ride beforeyou push me too far.""Ian, I only want to ""Damn you to hell and back again." He threw down the line."What righthave you to come here? To stand here and make me suffer? If I hadmurdered you before I left I'd be a happy man today.You let me thinkyou cared for me, that what happened between us meant something toyou, when all you wanted was a toss in the hay."Every ounce of color fled from her cheeks, then rushed back again inflaming fury."How dare you? How dare you speak so to me?" She wason him like a wildcat, all nails and teeth."I'll kill you for that,MacGregor, as God is my witness."He grabbed wherever he could to protect himself, lost his balance andtumbled backward with her into the river.The dunking didn't stop her.She swung, spit and scratched even as heslid on the slippery bottom and took her under with him."Hold, woman, for pity's sake.You'll drown us both." Because he waschoking, coughing up water and trying to keep her from sinking underagain, he didn't see the blow coming until his ears were already ringing."By God, if you were a man!""Don't let that stop you, you bloody badger." She swung again, missedand fell facedown in the river.Cursing all the way, he dragged her onto the bank, where they both laydrenched and breathless."As soon as I've the strength to stand, I'll kill her," he said to the sky."I hate you," she told him after she'd coughed up river water."I curse theday you were born.And I curse the day I let you put your filthy hands onme." She managed to sit up and drag the ruined bonnet out of her eyes.Damn her for being beautiful even wet and raging.His voice was frigidwhen he spoke.A dangerous sign."You asked me to put them on you, asI recall, madam.""Aye, that I did, to my disgust." She threw the bonnet at him." 'Tis apity the roll in the hay wasn't more memorable.""Oh?" She was too busy wringing out her hair to note the reckless lightin his eyes."Wasn't it now?""No, it wasn't.In fact, I'd forgotten all about it until you mentioned it."With what dignity she still had in her possession, she started to rise [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]