possibility that didn’t particularly excite him.
He reached for the bottle again and took a long swallow. He was just sober enough to realize he didn’t have any business riding into Richmond alone. He’d either fall off his horse or make easy prey for any outlaws that might be about. He’d go in the carriage, get Ebner to take the reins.
With a yawn, he got up, stretched, and was about to ring for Ebner to have his bath drawn, when he heard a hesitant knock on the door. “Mastah,” Ebner called softly, “I’m sorry to bother you, but you got company.”
Ryan shook his head, which felt a bit cobwebby. He wasn’t expecting anyone, and people knew better than to call without being invited. “Who the hell is it?” he barked, tone a bit slurred from drink. “Get rid of them and get my bath ready.”
“She says her name is Mrs. Tremayne.”
He quickly went to open the door, sure he’d heard wrong. “Erin’s mother? Are you sure about that?”
“Yes,he’s quite sure,” Arlene stated crisply, as she breezed by Ebner and on into the room. She wasn’t about to be put off, and when he’d instructed her to wait in the front parlor, she had stubbornly followed after him.
Ebner nervously began to explain how he’d asked her to wait, but Ryan waved him away. “Just get me some strong coffee. Tea for the lady.” Closing the door, he wished he hadn’t drunk the afternoon away so he could think, speak, clearly. “Mrs. Tremayne,” he greeted thickly. He held out his hand, slightly swaying. “An unexpected pleasure—”
“Unexpected?” She raised an eyebrow. She was carefully removing her gloves, one finger at a time. Her gaze flicked over him critically. He was disheveled, wearing wrinkled trousers, a shirt with the tail hanging out. No shoes. His hair hadn’t been combed, and he hadn’t shaved. With an intimidating air, she said, “I would say so. I’d hate to think this is the way you normally receive guests.”
He didn’t like the way she was looking at him and instinctively began to stuff his shirt into his trousers and to glance about for his shoes. “Forgive me for saying so,” he couldn’t resist, “but you seem to make a habit of appearing unexpectedly, Mrs. Tremayne. Had you been an invited guest, you’d have certainly found me appropriately dressed. Sit, please.” He gestured to the leather sofa. “And tell me why I’m honored with this visit.”
“Honor?” Again she responded with sarcasm. “An interesting choice of words, Mr. Youngblood, since I’m here to discuss that very matter concerning my daughter.” She sat down primly on the edge of the sofa, keeping her back rigid, stiff, striving to appear imperious.
For an instant, Ryan could only stare at her, bewildered, trying to figure out amid the damn buzzing in his head what the hell she was talking about. He lowered himself into his chair before tersely responding, “I think you’d better explain that remark.”
“Certainly. You see, Mr. Youngblood, the matter of honor is what brings me here. You’ve sullied my daughter’s by attempting to seduce her.”
“Seduce?” He half rose out of his chair, eyes widening.
She regarded him coolly, motioned for him to sit back down, waited for him to do so before continuing, “I’m a witness to that shocking scene yesterday, when you met my daughter down near the grist house. I saw you try to get her intoxicated. I saw you trying to force yourself on her. And I saw her fight you off and run away.”
Arlene paused, wanting to give him time to absorb everything she’d just said, before concluding, “I’m sure we can resolve this amiably, with a minimum of embarrassment to both families.”
Again, Ryan gave his head a vicious shake, wondered what the hell was going on. “Now wait a minute,” he said. “If you were there, then you should know I wasn’t forcing Erin to do anything. I have no idea why she got upset all of a sudden, because she was sure acting like she
He reached for the bottle again and took a long swallow. He was just sober enough to realize he didn’t have any business riding into Richmond alone. He’d either fall off his horse or make easy prey for any outlaws that might be about. He’d go in the carriage, get Ebner to take the reins.
With a yawn, he got up, stretched, and was about to ring for Ebner to have his bath drawn, when he heard a hesitant knock on the door. “Mastah,” Ebner called softly, “I’m sorry to bother you, but you got company.”
Ryan shook his head, which felt a bit cobwebby. He wasn’t expecting anyone, and people knew better than to call without being invited. “Who the hell is it?” he barked, tone a bit slurred from drink. “Get rid of them and get my bath ready.”
“She says her name is Mrs. Tremayne.”
He quickly went to open the door, sure he’d heard wrong. “Erin’s mother? Are you sure about that?”
“Yes,he’s quite sure,” Arlene stated crisply, as she breezed by Ebner and on into the room. She wasn’t about to be put off, and when he’d instructed her to wait in the front parlor, she had stubbornly followed after him.
Ebner nervously began to explain how he’d asked her to wait, but Ryan waved him away. “Just get me some strong coffee. Tea for the lady.” Closing the door, he wished he hadn’t drunk the afternoon away so he could think, speak, clearly. “Mrs. Tremayne,” he greeted thickly. He held out his hand, slightly swaying. “An unexpected pleasure—”
“Unexpected?” She raised an eyebrow. She was carefully removing her gloves, one finger at a time. Her gaze flicked over him critically. He was disheveled, wearing wrinkled trousers, a shirt with the tail hanging out. No shoes. His hair hadn’t been combed, and he hadn’t shaved. With an intimidating air, she said, “I would say so. I’d hate to think this is the way you normally receive guests.”
He didn’t like the way she was looking at him and instinctively began to stuff his shirt into his trousers and to glance about for his shoes. “Forgive me for saying so,” he couldn’t resist, “but you seem to make a habit of appearing unexpectedly, Mrs. Tremayne. Had you been an invited guest, you’d have certainly found me appropriately dressed. Sit, please.” He gestured to the leather sofa. “And tell me why I’m honored with this visit.”
“Honor?” Again she responded with sarcasm. “An interesting choice of words, Mr. Youngblood, since I’m here to discuss that very matter concerning my daughter.” She sat down primly on the edge of the sofa, keeping her back rigid, stiff, striving to appear imperious.
For an instant, Ryan could only stare at her, bewildered, trying to figure out amid the damn buzzing in his head what the hell she was talking about. He lowered himself into his chair before tersely responding, “I think you’d better explain that remark.”
“Certainly. You see, Mr. Youngblood, the matter of honor is what brings me here. You’ve sullied my daughter’s by attempting to seduce her.”
“Seduce?” He half rose out of his chair, eyes widening.
She regarded him coolly, motioned for him to sit back down, waited for him to do so before continuing, “I’m a witness to that shocking scene yesterday, when you met my daughter down near the grist house. I saw you try to get her intoxicated. I saw you trying to force yourself on her. And I saw her fight you off and run away.”
Arlene paused, wanting to give him time to absorb everything she’d just said, before concluding, “I’m sure we can resolve this amiably, with a minimum of embarrassment to both families.”
Again, Ryan gave his head a vicious shake, wondered what the hell was going on. “Now wait a minute,” he said. “If you were there, then you should know I wasn’t forcing Erin to do anything. I have no idea why she got upset all of a sudden, because she was sure acting like she
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