Dominic murmured as he let the trap snap shut. He hoped he was telling the truth; if the injury was too severe, it might be kinder to destroy the poor beast.
Kneeling again, he used his wet handkerchief to carefully clean the damaged leg. He could sense Meriel’s amazement that the vixen allowed the handling, but he didn’t glance at her. All his attention was on the fox, whose sides heaved with distress.
After he’d washed away the crusted blood, he said with relief, “You’re in luck, old girl. No bones broken, no tendons cut.”
There was still some sluggish bleeding. If he were working on a lacerated horse or dog, he would apply salve and a bandage. He doubted that would work here, though. The vixen would probably gnaw at the bandage, possibly worsening the damage. “Follow your instincts, Madame Fox.”
The vixen bent her head and a rough tongue came out to lick the wound. After several minutes of lapping, the ooze of blood had almost stopped.
“Are you ready to go home now?” he asked softly.
Shakily the vixen got to her feet. A sharp vulpine bark sounded from the edge of the clearing. The vixen’s head shot up and her ears pricked. Then she bounded away to join her anxious mate. Though she favored the injured paw, she moved well. The dog fox gave a leap of joy before escorting his lady into the woods.
Dominic sat back on his heels, touched by the sight. “I think she’ll recover. If you know where her den is, though, you might want to leave food nearby for a few days, to help the family out until she’s in better shape.”
He looked at Meriel, still crouched a yard away. She was gazing after the foxes, wearing an expression of profound gladness.
Then her head swung around, and for the first time she looked full into his face. He caught his breath, stunned by the depths and complexity visible in her clear green eyes. He’d thought her simple, he’d thought her mad, and from the beginning, he’d believed her to be a poor, deficient creature. Now he realized how wrong he had been. Meriel’s mind might be different from the minds of normal women, but she was not simple. She was as complex as he was, perhaps more so. Like a pagan nature spirit, she knew this land, these creatures, and had been willing to defend them no matter what the risk to herself. Now, because he had helped the fox, she was permitting him a glimpse into her soul. She touched his hand briefly in an unmistakable sign of thanks. He wanted to capture that small, strong hand in his own so he could feel her warmth and strength. Instead he drew an unsteady breath. “I was glad to help, Meriel.”
The awareness between them had been transformed. Any future relationship must be as equals. Chapter 10
Even though he had become fully, unavoidably alive to her, she had not known he was a kindred spirit. Then with his words and touch and compassion he had ministered to the injured vixen. Even she had been unable to do that.
He had undeniable power. His healing work had brightened the golden energy that swirled around him. Slowly she rose to her feet. He did the same, his expression serious, gaze locked to hers. His eyes were a wondrous blue, alive with humor and intelligence. He looked not just at her, but through her. She felt a quiver of alarm that someone might come so close, know so much. Yet like the vixen, her anxiety was tempered by instinctive trust.
She had thought there was not another being in the world anything like her. Perhaps she was wrong.
After the incident with the fox, Dominic and Meriel returned to the house in companionable silence. Whatever imp had made her flee him earlier had vanished.
They ended up in the kitchen for an impromptu breakfast. Clearly Meriel’s presence was commonplace, but having a viscount, even a fraudulent one, sent the cook and her assistants into spasms. It was one thing for a lord to order a picnic basket, quite another for him to sit down at a scrubbed pine table and enjoy eggs and toast
Kneeling again, he used his wet handkerchief to carefully clean the damaged leg. He could sense Meriel’s amazement that the vixen allowed the handling, but he didn’t glance at her. All his attention was on the fox, whose sides heaved with distress.
After he’d washed away the crusted blood, he said with relief, “You’re in luck, old girl. No bones broken, no tendons cut.”
There was still some sluggish bleeding. If he were working on a lacerated horse or dog, he would apply salve and a bandage. He doubted that would work here, though. The vixen would probably gnaw at the bandage, possibly worsening the damage. “Follow your instincts, Madame Fox.”
The vixen bent her head and a rough tongue came out to lick the wound. After several minutes of lapping, the ooze of blood had almost stopped.
“Are you ready to go home now?” he asked softly.
Shakily the vixen got to her feet. A sharp vulpine bark sounded from the edge of the clearing. The vixen’s head shot up and her ears pricked. Then she bounded away to join her anxious mate. Though she favored the injured paw, she moved well. The dog fox gave a leap of joy before escorting his lady into the woods.
Dominic sat back on his heels, touched by the sight. “I think she’ll recover. If you know where her den is, though, you might want to leave food nearby for a few days, to help the family out until she’s in better shape.”
He looked at Meriel, still crouched a yard away. She was gazing after the foxes, wearing an expression of profound gladness.
Then her head swung around, and for the first time she looked full into his face. He caught his breath, stunned by the depths and complexity visible in her clear green eyes. He’d thought her simple, he’d thought her mad, and from the beginning, he’d believed her to be a poor, deficient creature. Now he realized how wrong he had been. Meriel’s mind might be different from the minds of normal women, but she was not simple. She was as complex as he was, perhaps more so. Like a pagan nature spirit, she knew this land, these creatures, and had been willing to defend them no matter what the risk to herself. Now, because he had helped the fox, she was permitting him a glimpse into her soul. She touched his hand briefly in an unmistakable sign of thanks. He wanted to capture that small, strong hand in his own so he could feel her warmth and strength. Instead he drew an unsteady breath. “I was glad to help, Meriel.”
The awareness between them had been transformed. Any future relationship must be as equals. Chapter 10
Even though he had become fully, unavoidably alive to her, she had not known he was a kindred spirit. Then with his words and touch and compassion he had ministered to the injured vixen. Even she had been unable to do that.
He had undeniable power. His healing work had brightened the golden energy that swirled around him. Slowly she rose to her feet. He did the same, his expression serious, gaze locked to hers. His eyes were a wondrous blue, alive with humor and intelligence. He looked not just at her, but through her. She felt a quiver of alarm that someone might come so close, know so much. Yet like the vixen, her anxiety was tempered by instinctive trust.
She had thought there was not another being in the world anything like her. Perhaps she was wrong.
After the incident with the fox, Dominic and Meriel returned to the house in companionable silence. Whatever imp had made her flee him earlier had vanished.
They ended up in the kitchen for an impromptu breakfast. Clearly Meriel’s presence was commonplace, but having a viscount, even a fraudulent one, sent the cook and her assistants into spasms. It was one thing for a lord to order a picnic basket, quite another for him to sit down at a scrubbed pine table and enjoy eggs and toast
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