dog's collar. "I'm so sorry. He's really been quite good about learning his manners, however..." She brushed a lock of hair from her flushed cheek. "However, he's very happy to see you."
Rafael couldn't help but wonder whether Hero's owner had similar sentiments, but the poke of her chipstraw bonnet hid her eyes. "Well, I am very happy to see him, too," he answered. "He looks—and feels—like he's put on a stone since last week."
A smile flickered on her lips. "That's because he eats like a horse, even if he's all dog."
"At least he no longer resembles a sewer rat." The dog's curling grey fur was surprisingly silky against his palm.
"Papa thinks he's some sort of mixed breed hunting hound—perhaps part Scottish deerhound and part long-haired pointer."
Rafael carefully extricated his hand from Hero's over exuberant embrace. "I can believe it. He has very strong jaws."
"Oh, fie, Hero! Behave yourself!" scolded Kyra. "That's a very shabby way to treat your rescuer. His Lordship's fingers are not breakfast treats."
Sitting back on his haunches, the hound flattened his ears and looked as contrite as a blissfully happy animal could manage.
"I think we may excuse his table manners for the moment," said he dryly. "Given his previous hardscrabble existence, we cannot blame him for kicking up his heels a bit."
"He does seem to have taken to country life with great enthusiasm. Papa's kennel master mixed a poultice for his hind leg and the cut is almost healed. You ought to see him frolic over the grounds." The sparkle in her eyes grew as animated as the hound's thumping tail. "Chasing rabbits, splashing after swans in the river." A low laugh. "Digging up several of the head gardener's freshly planted rose bushes."
Rafael wagged a stern finger. "We shall have to train you to obey some basic commands, amigo . A proper gentleman must master polite behavior if he wishes to be a welcome guest. Now pay attention."
Hero sat up and cocked his head.
"Come."
The dog obediently trotted over...
"You see, this will be easy. He is a very smart—"
And promptly piddled on his boot.
Kyra dissolved in a fit of giggles.
Giving a mock grimace of horror to stifle his own mirth, Rafael uttered a few choice words in Spanish at the dog, and was rewarded with a canine grin before Hero bounded away to nose around in the nearby flowerbeds. "I see we shall have to instigate a more disciplined training regimen for the beast."
"Yes," she agreed. "But for the moment, let us allow him the freedom to frolic a little. He deserves it."
He watched the gold-flecked sparkles of sunlight play along the curl of her lashes. "Yes, frolicking is important."
She didn't respond right away. For an instant it seemed as if a shadow passed over her face, but then she turned and it was gone.
"I didn't stop by this morning merely to ruin yet another item of your wardrobe." Her mouth twitched as she shot a quick glance at his befouled boot. "I—I wanted to give you this."
Rafael accepted the small paper-wrapped package.
"As payment," she added softly. "My father has always taught me that an honorable person does not delay in discharging a debt."
" You are not in my debt , "he said softly. If anything, he owed her more than he could express for helping him to climb out from the darkest depths of despair.
Kyra and chocolate. They had reminded him that life, with all its bitter pain and heartache, was still sublimely sweet.
"We agreed to exchange tokens of friendship," he added.
"Call it what you will." Her taut whisper was nearly swallowed in the breeze. "We made a bargain, and I wish to fulfill my obligation."
Friendship implied a certain degree of intimacy, and clearly she was intent on keeping a distance from men, despite the fleeting moments that drew them together. Sensing her skittishness, Rafael said nothing further—yet he couldn't help but utter a silent oath at the cad who had shattered her trust.
Shattered her innocence.
Damn. Damn. Damn.
The
Rafael couldn't help but wonder whether Hero's owner had similar sentiments, but the poke of her chipstraw bonnet hid her eyes. "Well, I am very happy to see him, too," he answered. "He looks—and feels—like he's put on a stone since last week."
A smile flickered on her lips. "That's because he eats like a horse, even if he's all dog."
"At least he no longer resembles a sewer rat." The dog's curling grey fur was surprisingly silky against his palm.
"Papa thinks he's some sort of mixed breed hunting hound—perhaps part Scottish deerhound and part long-haired pointer."
Rafael carefully extricated his hand from Hero's over exuberant embrace. "I can believe it. He has very strong jaws."
"Oh, fie, Hero! Behave yourself!" scolded Kyra. "That's a very shabby way to treat your rescuer. His Lordship's fingers are not breakfast treats."
Sitting back on his haunches, the hound flattened his ears and looked as contrite as a blissfully happy animal could manage.
"I think we may excuse his table manners for the moment," said he dryly. "Given his previous hardscrabble existence, we cannot blame him for kicking up his heels a bit."
"He does seem to have taken to country life with great enthusiasm. Papa's kennel master mixed a poultice for his hind leg and the cut is almost healed. You ought to see him frolic over the grounds." The sparkle in her eyes grew as animated as the hound's thumping tail. "Chasing rabbits, splashing after swans in the river." A low laugh. "Digging up several of the head gardener's freshly planted rose bushes."
Rafael wagged a stern finger. "We shall have to train you to obey some basic commands, amigo . A proper gentleman must master polite behavior if he wishes to be a welcome guest. Now pay attention."
Hero sat up and cocked his head.
"Come."
The dog obediently trotted over...
"You see, this will be easy. He is a very smart—"
And promptly piddled on his boot.
Kyra dissolved in a fit of giggles.
Giving a mock grimace of horror to stifle his own mirth, Rafael uttered a few choice words in Spanish at the dog, and was rewarded with a canine grin before Hero bounded away to nose around in the nearby flowerbeds. "I see we shall have to instigate a more disciplined training regimen for the beast."
"Yes," she agreed. "But for the moment, let us allow him the freedom to frolic a little. He deserves it."
He watched the gold-flecked sparkles of sunlight play along the curl of her lashes. "Yes, frolicking is important."
She didn't respond right away. For an instant it seemed as if a shadow passed over her face, but then she turned and it was gone.
"I didn't stop by this morning merely to ruin yet another item of your wardrobe." Her mouth twitched as she shot a quick glance at his befouled boot. "I—I wanted to give you this."
Rafael accepted the small paper-wrapped package.
"As payment," she added softly. "My father has always taught me that an honorable person does not delay in discharging a debt."
" You are not in my debt , "he said softly. If anything, he owed her more than he could express for helping him to climb out from the darkest depths of despair.
Kyra and chocolate. They had reminded him that life, with all its bitter pain and heartache, was still sublimely sweet.
"We agreed to exchange tokens of friendship," he added.
"Call it what you will." Her taut whisper was nearly swallowed in the breeze. "We made a bargain, and I wish to fulfill my obligation."
Friendship implied a certain degree of intimacy, and clearly she was intent on keeping a distance from men, despite the fleeting moments that drew them together. Sensing her skittishness, Rafael said nothing further—yet he couldn't help but utter a silent oath at the cad who had shattered her trust.
Shattered her innocence.
Damn. Damn. Damn.
The
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