He had never felt such a primitive urgency to possess a woman, but this woman with her fey beauty and slanting green eyes had surely cast a spell on him, he thought self-derisively.
‘In the woods at the edge of the field.’ Feeling desperately guilty that she had forgotten about the injured dog during those moments when she had been in Cesario’s arms, Beth turned and started to run. She had only gone a short distance when he came alongside her, sitting astride his horse.
‘Give me your hand,’ he ordered. Reaching down, he ignored her shocked gasp and lifted her up onto the saddle in front of him as easily as if she weighed nothing. ‘Show me where to go.’
Beth disliked heights, and a cautious glance over the horse’s head revealed that the ground was a long way down.
‘You’re safe. I won’t let you fall.’ Cesario’s deep voice sounded close to her ear. And, strangely, she did feel safe with her back pressed against his chest and his arms on either side of her as he flicked the reins and urged the horse into a gallop.
CHAPTER SIX
‘D O YOU think you can force the trap open with something—maybe a stick or tree branch?’ Beth asked Cesario anxiously as he knelt by the injured dog.
‘It should release if I step on the spring mechanism,’ he told her, after studying the contraption for a few minutes. ‘I imagine a shepherd has had a problem with foxes worrying his sheep and has set traps to try and protect his flock. Move away. An injured animal can behave unpredictably and the dog might turn on you.’
She looked into the dog’s pained eyes. ‘I don’t think he’ll bite me,’ she said softly. As she knelt down she heard a ripping sound, and gave a rueful sigh when she saw that her skirt had snagged on a bramble. ‘Oh, well—like all my clothes it only cost a few pounds from a charity shop.’
‘I imagine the dress you were wearing last night cost considerably more than a few pounds,’ Cesario said dryly.
‘Actually, no. That dress is my best bargain find, and I was pleased that the money I paid for it went to a charity supporting multiple sclerosis sufferers, because my mother had the illness for many years and eventually lost her life to it.’
With her eyes focused on the dog, Beth did not see the intent glance Cesario gave her. He stepped on the springand the trap jaws shot apart, releasing its victim. ‘Careful,’ he warned, when she immediately lifted the dog up, but the animal was clearly grateful to be free and lay quiet and utterly trusting in Beth’s arms.
‘Its leg is cut,’ she noted worriedly, seeing blood on the dog.
‘A flesh wound.’ Cesario gave the animal a cursory inspection. ‘Set it down and I expect it will find its way back to its owner.’
He frowned when Beth turned her almond-shaped eyes on him and gave him a look that seemed to imply he was as callous as a mass-murderer.
‘I’m not going to abandon the poor creature—although I suspect its owner might have done,’ she said regretfully. ‘It looks half starved.’
‘ It is a he.’ Cesario studied the dog’s matted coat. ‘And he’s certainly not the most attractive dog I’ve ever seen.’
‘Just because he isn’t beautiful is no reason not to give him a home,’ Beth said fiercely, thinking of all the times she had been disappointed not to have been chosen by foster parents when she had lived in the children’s home. ‘Please can we take him back to the castle? I’m sure Filomena will allow him to stay in the kitchens—at least until his leg is healed. I’ll pay for his food.’
Cesario muttered a curse beneath his breath and strode over to his horse. For all her elfin fragility Beth was incredibly determined—and deeply compassionate, he brooded as he watched her tenderly stroke the ugly dog.
‘We need to get out of the rain before we drown,’ he growled. Not giving her the chance to argue, he put his hands on her waist and lifted her and the dog up onto the saddle. She
‘In the woods at the edge of the field.’ Feeling desperately guilty that she had forgotten about the injured dog during those moments when she had been in Cesario’s arms, Beth turned and started to run. She had only gone a short distance when he came alongside her, sitting astride his horse.
‘Give me your hand,’ he ordered. Reaching down, he ignored her shocked gasp and lifted her up onto the saddle in front of him as easily as if she weighed nothing. ‘Show me where to go.’
Beth disliked heights, and a cautious glance over the horse’s head revealed that the ground was a long way down.
‘You’re safe. I won’t let you fall.’ Cesario’s deep voice sounded close to her ear. And, strangely, she did feel safe with her back pressed against his chest and his arms on either side of her as he flicked the reins and urged the horse into a gallop.
CHAPTER SIX
‘D O YOU think you can force the trap open with something—maybe a stick or tree branch?’ Beth asked Cesario anxiously as he knelt by the injured dog.
‘It should release if I step on the spring mechanism,’ he told her, after studying the contraption for a few minutes. ‘I imagine a shepherd has had a problem with foxes worrying his sheep and has set traps to try and protect his flock. Move away. An injured animal can behave unpredictably and the dog might turn on you.’
She looked into the dog’s pained eyes. ‘I don’t think he’ll bite me,’ she said softly. As she knelt down she heard a ripping sound, and gave a rueful sigh when she saw that her skirt had snagged on a bramble. ‘Oh, well—like all my clothes it only cost a few pounds from a charity shop.’
‘I imagine the dress you were wearing last night cost considerably more than a few pounds,’ Cesario said dryly.
‘Actually, no. That dress is my best bargain find, and I was pleased that the money I paid for it went to a charity supporting multiple sclerosis sufferers, because my mother had the illness for many years and eventually lost her life to it.’
With her eyes focused on the dog, Beth did not see the intent glance Cesario gave her. He stepped on the springand the trap jaws shot apart, releasing its victim. ‘Careful,’ he warned, when she immediately lifted the dog up, but the animal was clearly grateful to be free and lay quiet and utterly trusting in Beth’s arms.
‘Its leg is cut,’ she noted worriedly, seeing blood on the dog.
‘A flesh wound.’ Cesario gave the animal a cursory inspection. ‘Set it down and I expect it will find its way back to its owner.’
He frowned when Beth turned her almond-shaped eyes on him and gave him a look that seemed to imply he was as callous as a mass-murderer.
‘I’m not going to abandon the poor creature—although I suspect its owner might have done,’ she said regretfully. ‘It looks half starved.’
‘ It is a he.’ Cesario studied the dog’s matted coat. ‘And he’s certainly not the most attractive dog I’ve ever seen.’
‘Just because he isn’t beautiful is no reason not to give him a home,’ Beth said fiercely, thinking of all the times she had been disappointed not to have been chosen by foster parents when she had lived in the children’s home. ‘Please can we take him back to the castle? I’m sure Filomena will allow him to stay in the kitchens—at least until his leg is healed. I’ll pay for his food.’
Cesario muttered a curse beneath his breath and strode over to his horse. For all her elfin fragility Beth was incredibly determined—and deeply compassionate, he brooded as he watched her tenderly stroke the ugly dog.
‘We need to get out of the rain before we drown,’ he growled. Not giving her the chance to argue, he put his hands on her waist and lifted her and the dog up onto the saddle. She
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