The American Bride - By Karla Darcy Page 0,38

to convince his governess. "You could follow everything and tell me if I forget anything."

"Yes, I can see how that might work," she agreed.

In recompense for Richard's labor Cara suggested that he might like to name the colt. It had taken several days of frowning concentration before the boy was contented with a name.

"Do you think Loki would be a suitable name?" Richard asked. He rushed on before Cara could offer an opinion. "I got the idea when you were reading that Norse book. It's the name of the god of mischief. I thought it might be a good name yesterday when he butted you in the stomach."

"I see nothing funny about that incident, you loathsome child. A true gentleman would refrain from mentioning it." Cara failed to control the twitching of her lips and joined Richard as he burst into laughter.

So Loki had been named and from then on Richard took over the grooming chores while Cara lounged in the doorway or wandered through the stables talking to the other horses. After discussing possible choices she and Glum had picked out a sweet-tempered hunter for Richard's first ride. With any luck the boy could be coaxed to accompany Cara at the end of the week.

But with a sinking heart Cara acknowledged that if she gained the time to help Richard she might yet lose everything.

Chapter Seven

Laying the book down on the bench, Cara stretched her arms up over her head, easing the strain of muscles across her shoulders. She yawned, letting her eyes roam over the garden. Having eaten more than usual at lunch she was paying the price with a sluggishness that seeped into her bones. Her eyes followed the path of a bee, dipping from flower to flower but even that activity failed to rouse her out of the sun-induced lethargy into which she had fallen. Sighing she leaned against the cool marble back of the bench.

After only two weeks at Weathersfield, she felt as though she had spent a lifetime in its sheltered atmosphere. It was true that many of her days were fraught with indecision and the possible danger of exposure. On the whole, however, she had never felt as contented as she did now. For months in America and then on the voyage across the Atlantic she had been distraught by the death of her father and by the incredibility of her marriage to Julian. But looking back to her first days at the Hall she could see that she had felt welcome from the beginning. Her days had been full of the children and then more and more her thoughts had been taken up with Julian.

Cara's eyes flew open as a shiver coursed through her body.

Just thinking about the man could disorient her. Cara had admitted that she loved him but the passion engendered by his presence in her thoughts or in person were a source of confusion. Generally ruled by her common sense, the loss of control when confronted by Julian was a new and uncomfortable sensation. She remembered how she had viewed her friends who were in the early stages of a love affair. Since she had met Julian her emotions had been turned upside down, leaving her feeling graceless and schoolgirlish. Cara wished for the simpler emotion of anger that Julian had filled her with instead of the breathless, heart-stopping whirl she had been in of late.

Glancing at the watch pinned to her bodice she cocked her head, listening for the sounds of the children. She picked up the poetry book and stuffed it into the capacious pockets of her blue gabardine dress. Smoothing her scarf, she checked for stray strands of hair and finding some, tucked them under its edge. Then strolling through the garden she headed for the wilder woods around the lake.

"Belin! Richard!" Cara smiled wondering if the children were hiding, laying in wait to leap out and scare her.

Leaving the manicured paths in the garden she entered the woods. She stood still letting her eyes get used to the dimmer light after the glaring sunshine of the garden. Then walking along the path she called again for the children. Perspiration broke out on her forehead as the path wound uphill. Rounding a slight crest she saw Belin's tiny figure running toward her. Cara's heart gave a frightened lurch at the tears on the child's face and she hurried to meet the little girl.

"What is it, Belin?" Cara asked anxiously as the child stumbled against her.

"Come. Oh,