What happened next became a bone of contention between them. She always said he winked at her. He swore she’d winked at him first. She said no way! It was a trick of the light and he had windmills in his head. They never did settle it.

Then Barton put his foot down, and they left her behind.

‘Did you see that?’ Leo asked. ‘She winked at me. Barton? Barton!’

‘OK, OK, I was just resting my eyes for a moment. But maybe you’d better talk to me-you know, just-sort of-’

‘Just sort of keep you awake. Well, I’m not sure that overtaking has left us any better off.’ Leo said, observing the pick-up truck that was now just ahead of them, and which was being driven erratically, swerving from lane to lane. Barton swung right, meaning to overtake again, but the truck swung at the same moment, blocking him so that he had to fall back. He tried once more and the truck swung out a second time, and then slowed abruptly.

‘Barton!’ Leo said urgently, for his friend hadn’t reacted.

At last Barton’s reflexes seemed to kick in. It was too late to slow down. Only a halt would avoid a collision now and he slammed on the brakes, stopping just in time.

The van behind them wasn’t so lucky. From out of sight came a squeal of brakes, then a thump, a shudder that went right through the car, and finally a howl of rage and anguish.

The truck that had caused the trouble sped on its way, the driver oblivious. The two men leapt out and ran behind to inspect the damage. The sight that met their eyes appalled them.

There was an ugly dent in the back of Barton’s pride and joy, which exactly mirrored one in the front of the van. At the rear of the van things were even worse. The sudden braking had caused the horse trailer to slew sideways and crash against the vehicle with a force that had dented them both. The trailer had half overturned and was leaning drunkenly against the van, while inside, the terrified animal was lashing out, completing the demolition. Leo could see flying hooves appearing through the widening holes, then retreating for more kicks.

The young woman with red hair was struggling to get the trailer upright, an impossible task, but she went at it with frantic strength.

‘Don’t do that,’ Leo yelled. ‘You’ll get hurt.’

She turned on him. ‘Stay out of it!’ Her forehead was bleeding.

‘You’re hurt,’ he said. ‘Let me help-’

‘I said stay out of it. Haven’t you done enough?’

‘Hey, I wasn’t driving, and anyway it wasn’t our-’

‘What do I care which of you was driving? You’re all the same. You rush around in your flash cars as though you owned the road, and you could have killed Elliot.’

‘Elliot?’

Another crash from inside the trailer answered his question. The next moment the door had given way and the horse, hooves flailing, leapt out and into the road. Leo and the young woman raced for his head, but he evaded them both and galloped away, straight across the highway. Without a second’s hesitation she tore after him, dodging the oncoming traffic.

‘Crazy woman!’ Leo said violently, and took off after her.

More squeals, braking, curses, frustrated drivers bawling graphic descriptions of how they would like to alter Leo’s personal attributes. He ignored them and sprinted madly after her.

Barton scratched his head, muttered, ‘Crazy as each other,’ and got out his mobile phone.

Luckily for his two pursuers Elliot was slightly hurt and unable to go fast. Unluckily for them he was determined not to be caught. What he couldn’t manage in speed he made up for in cunning, turning this way and that until he vanished into a clump of trees.

‘You go that way,’ Leo roared, ‘I’ll go this way, and between us we’ll head him off.’

But their best efforts were unable to persuade the horse. Selena nearly succeeded, calling his name so that he paused and looked back. But then he was off again, managing to dart between them and heading back the way he’d come.

‘Oh, no!’ Leo breathed. ‘Not the highway.’

In a frighteningly short space of time the traffic was in sight again. Appalled at what he could imagine happening, Leo put on a burst of speed, commanding his long legs to do their stuff. They obliged and he just made it, seizing the bridle with two yards to spare.

Elliot eyed him warily, but with Leo’s first soothing words something seemed to come over him. He’d never heard the words before, for they were Italian, but Leo had the voice of a man who loved horses, speaking a universal language of affection. Elliot’s shivering abated and he stood still, nervous and confused, but willing to trust.

Selena noticed all this subconsciously while she covered the last few yards, and the easy conquering of her beloved Elliot did nothing to improve her temper. Nor did the expert way this man was examining the animal’s fetlocks, running gentle hands over them and finally saying, ‘I don’t think it’s more serious than a slight strain, but a vet will confirm it.’

A vet’s bill, when she was already scraping the bottom of her financial barrel. Lest he suspect that she was verging on despair she turned away, brushing a hand fiercely across her eyes. When she turned back anger and accusation were in place like a visor.

‘More than a slight strain,’ she echoed bitterly. ‘There needn’t have been any strain if you hadn’t braked so suddenly.’

‘Excuse me, I didn’t do anything because I wasn’t driving,’ Leo said, breathing hard after his exertions. ‘That was my friend, and it wasn’t his fault either. Try blaming the guy who slowed in front of us. Not that you can do that because he’s long gone, but if there’s any fairness in the world-hell, what would you know about fairness?’

‘I know about my injured horse and my damaged van. I know they got that way because I had to slam on my brakes at the last minute-’

‘Ah, yes, your brakes. I’d be very interested to see your brakes. I’ll bet they’d really prove interesting.’

‘So now you’re trying to put the blame on me!’

‘I’m just-’

‘That’s the oldest scam in the book and you should be ashamed to try it.’

‘I-’

‘I know your sort. You think “woman alone”, must be helpless. Let’s try it on, see if she scares easy.’

‘It never crossed my mind that you scared easy,’ Leo retorted with perfect truth. ‘As for helpless, I’ve seen man-eating tigers who were more helpless.’

Barton had crossed the road and caught up with them.

‘Hold on a minute, Leo-’

Leo was normally the most easygoing of men, but he had a Latin temper that could flare impressively when it got going. It was going now.

‘We’re here aren’t we? So blame us. We’re just convenient scapegoats and-and-’ As always when his English failed him he fell back on his native language and for the next minute words poured out of him in an unstoppable stream.

‘Darn it, Leo!’ Barton roared at last. ‘Will you stop being so excitable and-and Italian?’

‘I just wanted to say what I feel,’ Leo said.

‘Well, you did that. So why don’t we all calm down and get acquainted?’

He turned to the young woman and introduced himself in his easygoing way.

‘Barton Hanworth, Four-Ten Ranch, just outside Stephenville, about five miles ahead.’

‘Selena Gates. On my way to Stephenville.’

‘Fine. We can get your-er-vehicle seen to when we’re there, and a vet for your horse.’

Selena tore her hair. ‘But how are we going to get there? Fly?’

‘Nope. I just made a call and help is on its way now. While we’re waiting for things to get sorted out you’ll stay with us a day or so.’

‘I will?’

‘Where else?’ he asked genially. ‘If I landed you in this fix, it’s for me to get you out.’

Selena shot a suspicious look at Leo. ‘But he says it wasn’t your fault.’

‘Well, I may have reacted just a little too late,’ Barton conceded, unable to meet Leo’s eye. ‘Fact is, if I’d slowed sooner-well anyway, you don’t want to take any notice of what my friend here says.’ He leaned towards her conspiratorially. ‘He’s a foreigner-talks funny.’

‘Thanks Barton,’ Leo grinned.

He was still giving most of his attention to Elliot, stroking the horse’s nose and murmuring in a way that the animal seemed to find calming. Selena watched him, saying nothing, seeing everything.

Whatever orders Barton had given must have been to the point, because in a short time things started happening. A truck appeared, drawing a slant-load gooseneck trailer, bearing the logo of the Four-Ten Ranch, and large enough for three horses.

Gently Selena led Elliot up the ramp. He was clearly limping now.

‘There’ll be a vet and a doctor waiting when we get home,’ Barton said. ‘Now, you get in the car with us, and we’ll be off.’

‘Thanks but I’ll stay with Elliot,’ she said.

Barton frowned. ‘It’s against the law for you to do that. Oh, what the hell?’ he retreated, seeing her stubborn expression. ‘It’s only five miles.’

‘I have to stay with Elliot,’ Selena explained. ‘He’ll be nervous in a new place without me. What about my van?’

‘Don’t you worry, that’s being attached now,’ Barton assured her.

‘Elliot doesn’t like going too fast,’ she said quickly.

‘I’ll make sure the driver knows that. Leo, you coming?’

‘No, I think I’ll stay here,’ he said.

‘I don’t need any help with Elliot,’ Selena said quickly.

‘It’s not Elliot I’m thinking of. You took a nasty bump on the head, and you shouldn’t be on your own.’

‘I’m all right.’

Leo climbed into the trailer and stood, arms folded, looking stubborn.

‘We can start the journey and get Elliot to a vet, or we can stand here talking until you give in. It’s up to you.’

He pulled the door closed as he spoke. Selena glared but didn’t argue further. She even allowed him to help her settle Elliot in one of the stalls.

She was angry with him, without being quite sure why. She knew he hadn’t been driving, and Barton Hanworth, who had been driving, was making handsome amends. But her nerves were jangled, she’d had the fright of her life, and all her agitation seemed to be homing in on this man who had the nerve to order her about, and was now talking to her in much the same soothing voice he’d used to calm Elliot. Crime of crimes!

‘We’ll be there soon,’ he said. ‘You can get some proper treatment.’

‘I don’t need mollycoddling,’ she said through gritted teeth.

‘Well, I would if I’d had a crash like you did.’

‘I guess some of us are just tougher than others,’ she said grumpily.

He left it there. She looked ill and he reckoned she was entitled to her bad temper. When she turned away to Elliot he watched, observing with wonder how she’d switched from bawling him out to being gentle and tender with the animal.

He was a quarter horse, not beautiful but solid and showing signs of a hard life. From the way she rested her cheek against his nose it was clear that he was perfect in her eyes.

At first glance she too wasn’t beautiful, except for her eyes which were large and green. Her skin had the peachy glow of health and outdoor living, and her face looked as though it might be engagingly mischievous at a better time. Also Leo’s observant eyes had noticed her movements with pleasure. She was as slim as a lathe, not elegant but tough and wiry, yet she moved with the instinctive grace of a dancer.

He tried to see her marvellous eyes again, without being obvious about it. With eyes like that a woman didn’t need anything else. They did it all for her.

‘My name’s Leo Calvani,’ he said, offering his hand.

She took it, and he immediately sensed the strength he’d guessed was there. He tightened his fingers a little, seeking to know more, but she withdrew her hand at once, having left it in his for no more than the minimum that courtesy demanded.

They started to move, slowly as Selena had insisted. After a few minutes he realised that she was studying him with curiosity. Not erotic curiosity, as he was used to. Or romantic fascination, which also came his way satisfyingly often.

Just curiosity. As though maybe he wasn’t as bad as she’d first thought, and she was prepared to make allowances.

But no more than that.

CHAPTER TWO

THE Four-Ten Ranch was ten thousand acres of prime land, populated by five thousand head of cattle, two hundred horses, fifty employees and a family of six.

Selena knew she was in the presence of very serious money when she climbed stiffly out of the horse trailer and saw the stables where Barton kept his prize horse-flesh. She knew humans who lived worse.

Everything moved like clockwork. As she walked in, leading Elliot, a man was pulling open the door of a large, comfortable stall. A vet was already there. So was a doctor, who would have drawn her aside, but Leo Calvani forestalled him with the quiet words, ‘Let her attend the horse first. She won’t settle down until she’s seen him OK.’