felt so terrible for him but we had no choice.”
Daniel’s gaze lingered on Gunnar as the boy giggled when the little goat began nibbling at his hair. “You did what you had to do,” he repeated. “But you needn’t worry. I will replace the goat.”
Liselotte looked at him sharply. “I did not tell you that so that you would buy him another goat,” she said. “I simply told you that to explain why he ran straight for the goats and why he, even now, wallows in the mud with them.”
Daniel nodded, turning away from her to once again seek out the man in charge. “I know,” he said evenly. “But he seems quite happy with his little friend and after the trials the lad has been forced to endure, mayhap a goat will be just what he needs to regain his humor.”
Liselotte didn’t know what to say to that. She watched as Daniel headed over to a man he thought might be in charge. In truth, she really wasn’t sure what to say any longer to Daniel and his determined ideals. He seemed convinced that he was going to buy them the world and she wasn’t convinced she could discourage him. She’d tried, Etzel had tried, but Daniel was resolute to do what he wanted to do. He was stubborn, that one. Gallant, but stubborn. She had never in her life met anyone like him.
And she rather liked him and his determination.
It was hard to keep the smile off her face now as Daniel and the man in charge of the livery entered intense negotiations about what Daniel needed and just how much he was willing to pay. She pretended to be watching Gunnar but her senses were attuned to Daniel. He had a very congenial manner about him and rather than be firm and stern with the man who owned the livery, he engaged the man in pleasant talk about the weather, the local harvests, and eventually having the man talk about himself to the point where he knew a good deal about the man and it was as if they were friends already. Liselotte could hear them laughing.
Unable to deny her attention any longer, her gaze moved to Daniel and she watched him in animated conversation. There was something very magnetic about him, an attraction she found very hard to resist. But there was no point in dreaming about a man who would never settle down or take a wife. Even if he could, she wasn’t in his class. She had seen his reaction last night to Etzel’s proposal offer and she’d seen the man’s revulsion. At least, that’s what she thought it was and she didn’t blame him. She was sure that Daniel, from the great and powerful de Lohr family and a future earl himself, could have any lady in the entire world. A young woman living in poverty, with no fine clothing or fine education, was of no interest to him.
The smile faded from her face. She couldn’t hold out hope for what could never be. Lowering her gaze, she turned away from Daniel and the livery owner and wandered over to the edge of the livery property overlooking the avenue. While Daniel and the livery owner chatted and Gunnar still played with the goats, Liselotte watched the people on the avenue go by. The sun was higher in the sky now and the day was bright, wind still whipping about, blowing leaves down the street as everyone went about their business. It was actually a lovely day, with everything fresh and clean after the storm, and she felt much as if she’d been asleep for the past year, hidden away from the busy world. So much of the scene before her was new and exciting.
The livery was situated near the center of the commerce district and there were businesses grouped together – spices, wine, and food items were across the street, down to the left, while directly across the street were furs and cloth. Additionally, next to a very large cloth merchant was a seamstress who had all manner of loosely stitched dresses hanging from the top of her stall and in the doorway. It looked to be a thriving business with a good deal of merchandise.
It immediately had her interest. Liselotte could see
Daniel’s gaze lingered on Gunnar as the boy giggled when the little goat began nibbling at his hair. “You did what you had to do,” he repeated. “But you needn’t worry. I will replace the goat.”
Liselotte looked at him sharply. “I did not tell you that so that you would buy him another goat,” she said. “I simply told you that to explain why he ran straight for the goats and why he, even now, wallows in the mud with them.”
Daniel nodded, turning away from her to once again seek out the man in charge. “I know,” he said evenly. “But he seems quite happy with his little friend and after the trials the lad has been forced to endure, mayhap a goat will be just what he needs to regain his humor.”
Liselotte didn’t know what to say to that. She watched as Daniel headed over to a man he thought might be in charge. In truth, she really wasn’t sure what to say any longer to Daniel and his determined ideals. He seemed convinced that he was going to buy them the world and she wasn’t convinced she could discourage him. She’d tried, Etzel had tried, but Daniel was resolute to do what he wanted to do. He was stubborn, that one. Gallant, but stubborn. She had never in her life met anyone like him.
And she rather liked him and his determination.
It was hard to keep the smile off her face now as Daniel and the man in charge of the livery entered intense negotiations about what Daniel needed and just how much he was willing to pay. She pretended to be watching Gunnar but her senses were attuned to Daniel. He had a very congenial manner about him and rather than be firm and stern with the man who owned the livery, he engaged the man in pleasant talk about the weather, the local harvests, and eventually having the man talk about himself to the point where he knew a good deal about the man and it was as if they were friends already. Liselotte could hear them laughing.
Unable to deny her attention any longer, her gaze moved to Daniel and she watched him in animated conversation. There was something very magnetic about him, an attraction she found very hard to resist. But there was no point in dreaming about a man who would never settle down or take a wife. Even if he could, she wasn’t in his class. She had seen his reaction last night to Etzel’s proposal offer and she’d seen the man’s revulsion. At least, that’s what she thought it was and she didn’t blame him. She was sure that Daniel, from the great and powerful de Lohr family and a future earl himself, could have any lady in the entire world. A young woman living in poverty, with no fine clothing or fine education, was of no interest to him.
The smile faded from her face. She couldn’t hold out hope for what could never be. Lowering her gaze, she turned away from Daniel and the livery owner and wandered over to the edge of the livery property overlooking the avenue. While Daniel and the livery owner chatted and Gunnar still played with the goats, Liselotte watched the people on the avenue go by. The sun was higher in the sky now and the day was bright, wind still whipping about, blowing leaves down the street as everyone went about their business. It was actually a lovely day, with everything fresh and clean after the storm, and she felt much as if she’d been asleep for the past year, hidden away from the busy world. So much of the scene before her was new and exciting.
The livery was situated near the center of the commerce district and there were businesses grouped together – spices, wine, and food items were across the street, down to the left, while directly across the street were furs and cloth. Additionally, next to a very large cloth merchant was a seamstress who had all manner of loosely stitched dresses hanging from the top of her stall and in the doorway. It looked to be a thriving business with a good deal of merchandise.
It immediately had her interest. Liselotte could see
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