decided it was time for him to interfere. Grace's face was turning


pink, and he figured she was embarrassed.




"I don't think the lady wantsţ" "Sold, " Grace blurted out. "For ten


dollars." Lionel quickly paid her. She tucked the money into her


pocket, told Winifred she hoped she enjoyed the hat, and then bid them


good-bye.




"Shouldn't we go to the stables now? " she asked Daniel.




From the glint in her eyes, Daniel knew she was determined to get her


way. "You're in no condition to ride a horse. You should sit inside a


coach and try to rest."




"I don't need to rest." He still felt compelled to argue with her for


several more minutes before giving in.




In the back of his mind, he kept thinking that if they took the


shortcuts and didn't follow the winding roads, they could possibly


reach the train station in time to board the late afternoon train. If


they didn't make it in time, the next train wouldn't come through until


the following morning.




He stood there, hesitating, as he studied her. Her hair was down


around the sides of her face, and he gently lifted a silky strand away


to look at the bruise near her temple. It didn't look as bad as it had


last night.




His fingers trailed down the side of her face. "Are you sure, Grace?




" She gently removed his hand. "I'm sure." He was staring intently at


her, and she thought he might be looking for a sign of weakness from


her. She straightened her shoulders, smiled, and suggested once again


that they get going.




"Is there time for me to stop by the wagon? I must get another hat, "


she explained. "A lady should never appear in public without her head


covered. It just isn't done."




"Then why did you sell the one you had? " "Daniel, it was ten whole


dollars." He grinned. "It took you by surprise, didn't it? " "Not


really, " she admitted. "It's the third hat I've sold since I arrived,


and I didn't even try, " she added. "The poor ladies here don't have


the shops we have in London.




They must order through the catalog, but quite often what they think


they're buying and what they get are two different things. It can be


very disappointing."




"I'm sure it can be, " he said dryly.




She laughed. "Hats are important to ladies, but not to men. Isn't


that right? " "Come on then, " he said. "The wagon was moved to the


stable. You can get another hat out of your boxes there." He took


hold of her arm and tried to go out the front door. She pulled away.




"It would be rude to leave without saying good-bye to Jessica and


Rebecca."




"They've already left. Jessica went with Cole yesterday to take Caleb


to a friend's house, and Rebecca left with Marshal Cooper.




You'll see them again in Red Arrow, " he explained as he picked up her


valise, grabbed hold of her arm, and headed out the doorway again.




"Are we going to run to the stables? " He immediately slowed down.




Once they were outside, his full attention was directed on the


street.




"Do you think we'll be able to catch up with Jessica or Rebecca? "


"No."




"It would have been nice to sit with them on the train."




"Even if we took the same train, I wouldn't let you sit with them."




"Why not? " "I'll explain later, " he hedged.




She pulled her arm away from him. "Daniel, it's rude to look away when


you're speaking to someone." He smiled over the censure in her


voice.




She sounded like a teacher explaining simple manners to a little boy.




"Grace, I'm trying to make sure no one takes a shot at you, but if you


would rather I looked at you . . . " "No, no, I would rather you watch


the street. Do you think there's someone waiting to shoot me? "


"Besides me? " "That isn't funny." They arrived at the stable a


moment later. The wagon was in the back, and Grace went through the


crates until she had found three more hats to take with her. She


stuffed two inside her valise and kept the third one with her. Daniel


made her stand away from the door while he went to ready his horse.




The owner, a short, squat man with a thick neck and a round belly, came


forward to introduce himself. He had a sincere smile and smelled of


horses. "My name's Harry, and I'd shake your hand, Miss, but it's real


dirty. Can I be of assistance? " She smiled at the eager young man.




"Yes, you may be of assistance, " she replied.




"The lady needs a sound horse, " Daniel called out. He was saddling


his own horse, a beautiful gray stallion with a surprisingly calm


disposition, but he was also keeping a watchful eye on Grace.




She looked completely out of place. "Pink fluff, " he whispered. The


woman belonged in a fancy parlor, dressed the way she was in that


ridiculously feminine hat and those impractical leather slippers.




Harry sure did like her though. The man had a rapturous look on his


face and kept trying to edge closer to her. Probably because she


smelled so good, Daniel thought, but he didn't care what Harry's reason


was. He wanted him to back away.




"How about getting the lady a horse, Harry? " Daniel called out, his


tone just as sharp as he intended.




"Your husband sounds a might possessive, " Harry whispered before


turning to Daniel. "I'll fix your woman up with the best I got." A


few minutes later, Harry came strutting forward leading a swaybacked


gelding that Grace suspected had lost all of his teeth. The poor thing


was obviously on his last legs.




She took one look at the sorry beast and politely declined. "No, thank


you." Harry rubbed his jowls while he considered which of the other


horses to show her. "I only just inherited this stable from my


brother, and I'm not familiar with his stock, " he said. "But I recall


one pretty little mare. You're gonna like her just fine, " he promised


as he turned and hurried away. "I guess you could say I was saving the


best for last." Grace politely but firmly declined the pretty little


mare too.




"What's the matter with this one? " Harry wanted to know.




"She simply won't do, " Grace replied. "She should be put out to


pasture. With such spindly legs she wouldn't have enough stamina for a


trip down the street. May I have a look at the other horses? " Harry


got his back up. "No, you may not. You stay right here, and I'll


fetch the best I got and bring him out to you." Grace didn't think it


was a good idea to remind Harry that he had already brought out the


"best" of the lot. She patiently waited, and when he showed her yet


another swaybacked horse, she shook her head.




Harry threw his hands up in defeat. "Go ahead and look, ma'am. I'll


let you have whatever you think you want." It only took her a couple


of minutes to find a sound horse. She was a fiesty mare Harry had


hidden in one of the rear stalls.




Harry immediately tried to talk her out of her choice. "I'll grant


you, she's sound, but she's mean, " he explained. "You don't want the


lady riding her, " he told Daniel.




"Grace? " "Yes, Daniel? " "Can you handle her? " "Yes, I can. "


"Well, now, she will get you where you want to go, " Harry agreed.




"But . . . " Grace reached up with her gloved hand and patted the


animal. "Oh, she's lovely. She'll do just fine. What's her name? "


"Damnation." Grace's eyes widened. "Harry, if you don't wish to sell


her to me, simply say so. Cursing isn't necessary."




"I wasn't cursing. That's her name, " he insisted. "The owner that


sold her to me told me her name after the bargain was struck. I'm


telling you plain and simple. Her name's Damnation."




"That won't do, " Grace announced. "I'll call her Daisy." Harry


rolled his eyes. "I don't think you understand, ma'am. You can call


her anything you want, but she'll only answer to Damnation. Do you


still want to take her? " "Yes, please. Daniel, isn't she lovely? "


Daniel was trying not to laugh. When Harry had told them the name of


the horse, Grace's cheeks had turned as pink as her blouse. She


thought Damnation was lovely, and he agreed just to get going.




After accepting the money from Daniel for the horse and saddle, Harry


began to have second thoughts.




"Are you certain your wife can handle such a mean-spirited animal? "


"He's sure, " Grace answered before Daniel could speak.




Harry gave up. "I'll fetch you a riding crop then. You're going to


need it with this hell-raiser."




"No, thank you, " Grace said.




"I'm telling you, she won't do what you want unless you lash her.




You're going to need the riding crop." The argument would have


escalated if Daniel hadn't stepped in. Harry, he decided, was in the


wrong line of work. The man was afraid to get near the horse. Daniel


quickly saddled the mare and led her out to Grace.




Harry was pleading with Grace now. She wouldn't accept the crop, even


when he told her he'd give it to her for free.




"It's time to get going, " Daniel announced. He tied her valise behind


the saddle and then lifted her up so that he could adjust the


stirrups.




She felt as light as a handful of feathers. He couldn't hide his smile


when she put her straw hat back on her head. White ribbons trailed


down her back. He thought she looked as though she was about to go for