market, but considering her intense greed for attention, one could hardly expect a less flamboyant arrival.
Claudia gave Erienne a derisive sneer as she joined them and, without otherwise acknowledging her presence, turned to Christopher.
"I'm so delighted to see you still in Mawbry, Christopher," she warbled. "I was afraid I would miss meeting you again."
"My business in Mawbry is not finished yet, and the way it looks, I might be here for some time yet." He drew a quick, challenging glare from Erienne and grinned lazily in the face of it.
Claudia saw the exchange and seethed to think that the other woman shared some secret with the Yankee. Thinking of a way to lead the man away, Qaudia swept a hand about to indicate the inn. "During the fair, the innkeeper usually lays out a feast worthy of a king. I was wondering if you would care to sup with me?" She didn't wait for a denial but gave the sheriff a coy smile. "And of course you will accompany us, Allan."
"I shall be delighted." The sheriff gallantly turned to Erienne with an invitation. "Would you care to join us?"
The urge to kick Allan's shins had to be suppressed, and it was all Claudia could do to keep her glare off him and on Erienne. Beneath the shelter of her wide-brimmed hat, Claudia's eyes narrowed menacingly until the other could not miss the bold threat.
"I... can't." Erienne watched a smug smile grow on the woman's lips and wished she could wipe it away with a different reply, but she had not the coin to spare. Letting the woman believe she was being successful in frightening her off, however, was a bitter rue for her pride to swallow. "I really must be getting back. My family will be waiting for me."
"But your brother is at the inn now," Allan pointed out. "You must join us."
"No ... no, really I can't." As the men waited expectantly for some plausible excuse, Erienne admitted with an embarrassed shrug, "I fear I am without coin."
Christopher quickly dismissed the problem. "I shall be more than happy to bear the expense, Miss Fleming." As she shot him an angry look, his eyes gleamed their challenge, daring her to accept. "Please allow me."
Claudia was wise enough to know that she would be painted in a less than generous light if she protested aloud. She tried the glare again, silently demanding Erienne take the hint, and did not fathom that it was her glower that really settled the matter for the other woman.
"Thank you," Erienne murmured, coming to a firm decision. "I should like to join you very much."
Both men stepped forward to offer their arms, turning Claudia's surprise into outrage. The woman straightened indignantly but was totally reconciled when Erienne pointedly ignored Christopher's arm and slipped her hand through Allan's.
Erienne was not at all certain she wanted Farrell to see her in Christopher's company and was almost relieved to find him absent from the common room until she remembered Molly coming to the Yankee's room to serve him pleasure. Chewing her lip, she looked wonderingly toward the stairs, afraid that the woman was doing a like service for Farrell.
Erienne became aware that Christopher was watching her, and when her eyes came around to meet his, the depths of the North Sea could not have been colder than those eyes of blue-violet. She expected a mocking leer. Instead his smile bore a trace of compassion. Yet the idea that he could be pitying her or any of her family infuriated her. Mutely fuming, she slid into the chair Allan held for her.
Christopher assisted Claudia into the seat on the other side of him, and Erienne grew extremely vexed when he took for himself the one next to her own. To be within close proximity of the man was agonizingly distasteful to her past, present, and no doubt future state of mind.
In the manner of one accustomed to taking authority, Christopher ordered food to be set before them and a light wine poured for the ladies. He tossed down payment, and Allan seemed content to let him have the
Claudia gave Erienne a derisive sneer as she joined them and, without otherwise acknowledging her presence, turned to Christopher.
"I'm so delighted to see you still in Mawbry, Christopher," she warbled. "I was afraid I would miss meeting you again."
"My business in Mawbry is not finished yet, and the way it looks, I might be here for some time yet." He drew a quick, challenging glare from Erienne and grinned lazily in the face of it.
Claudia saw the exchange and seethed to think that the other woman shared some secret with the Yankee. Thinking of a way to lead the man away, Qaudia swept a hand about to indicate the inn. "During the fair, the innkeeper usually lays out a feast worthy of a king. I was wondering if you would care to sup with me?" She didn't wait for a denial but gave the sheriff a coy smile. "And of course you will accompany us, Allan."
"I shall be delighted." The sheriff gallantly turned to Erienne with an invitation. "Would you care to join us?"
The urge to kick Allan's shins had to be suppressed, and it was all Claudia could do to keep her glare off him and on Erienne. Beneath the shelter of her wide-brimmed hat, Claudia's eyes narrowed menacingly until the other could not miss the bold threat.
"I... can't." Erienne watched a smug smile grow on the woman's lips and wished she could wipe it away with a different reply, but she had not the coin to spare. Letting the woman believe she was being successful in frightening her off, however, was a bitter rue for her pride to swallow. "I really must be getting back. My family will be waiting for me."
"But your brother is at the inn now," Allan pointed out. "You must join us."
"No ... no, really I can't." As the men waited expectantly for some plausible excuse, Erienne admitted with an embarrassed shrug, "I fear I am without coin."
Christopher quickly dismissed the problem. "I shall be more than happy to bear the expense, Miss Fleming." As she shot him an angry look, his eyes gleamed their challenge, daring her to accept. "Please allow me."
Claudia was wise enough to know that she would be painted in a less than generous light if she protested aloud. She tried the glare again, silently demanding Erienne take the hint, and did not fathom that it was her glower that really settled the matter for the other woman.
"Thank you," Erienne murmured, coming to a firm decision. "I should like to join you very much."
Both men stepped forward to offer their arms, turning Claudia's surprise into outrage. The woman straightened indignantly but was totally reconciled when Erienne pointedly ignored Christopher's arm and slipped her hand through Allan's.
Erienne was not at all certain she wanted Farrell to see her in Christopher's company and was almost relieved to find him absent from the common room until she remembered Molly coming to the Yankee's room to serve him pleasure. Chewing her lip, she looked wonderingly toward the stairs, afraid that the woman was doing a like service for Farrell.
Erienne became aware that Christopher was watching her, and when her eyes came around to meet his, the depths of the North Sea could not have been colder than those eyes of blue-violet. She expected a mocking leer. Instead his smile bore a trace of compassion. Yet the idea that he could be pitying her or any of her family infuriated her. Mutely fuming, she slid into the chair Allan held for her.
Christopher assisted Claudia into the seat on the other side of him, and Erienne grew extremely vexed when he took for himself the one next to her own. To be within close proximity of the man was agonizingly distasteful to her past, present, and no doubt future state of mind.
In the manner of one accustomed to taking authority, Christopher ordered food to be set before them and a light wine poured for the ladies. He tossed down payment, and Allan seemed content to let him have the
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