Page 75 of Kathryn

“I know who she is and where she lives.” He looked down at the child, who gazed up at him, placidly chewing on her finger and clearly not afraid.

Katie smiled at the little girl. “Susan, this is the Duke of—”

But Susan dropped a creditable curtsey. “Good day, Your Gwace.”

Katie should not have been surprised; after all, Susan’s father must be Dulverton’s tenant.

“You should not be out here alone,” Dulverton said crisply. “I will speak to your brothers.”

Susan nodded solemnly and then pointed to Robin.

“No, you will ride with me.” He turned to Katie. “It would be too difficult for you to ride with her on that saddle. “Let me help you up.”

“I thought I’d lead Robin with her on his back.”

“It is too far to walk.” His big hands closed around Katie’s waist, and he lifted her into the saddle with ease, making her feel like a waif—when she most certainly was not—before turning to the little girl. “Come here, Susan.”

The child went to him eagerly and chortled happily when he lifted her into the saddle. Only after he’d swung up behind her did Katie realize they might be father and daughter. Not just their pale hair and light eyes, but also their strong, almost blunt, features.

Bemused, she stole glimpses at the pair, more and more uneasy. By the time a small cottage came into view, Katie was feeling grim.

Outside the house a woman was talking to two boys. Judging by the way she was waving her finger at them they were getting a scolding.

All three turned at the sound of the horses.

“Susan!” the woman cried out, running toward them.

Susan laughed with delight and waved. “I’m widing! I’m widing!”

The duke dismounted before lifting down the little girl, who ran to her mother and was swiftly caught in a crushing embrace. “You had me worried half to death!”

Susan’s lower lip once again shoved out, the glory of the horse ride forgotten. “Davy and Bobby weft me, Mama.”

“I know they did, dearest.” The woman wrenched her gaze from her child, her cheeks flushing a fetching cherry red when she turned to the duke. She hastily lowered Susan and dipped a low curtsey.

“Thank you for bringing her back, Your Grace.”

Dulverton ignored her thanks and turned a glare on the two boys, who hastily doffed their caps. “Did you abandon your sister by Mr. Roman’s pasture?”

The older one—perhaps ten or eleven—cut a nervous glance at his mother before nodded. “Aye, Your Grace. But she was followin’ us even though we told her not to.”

“That’s as may be, but her safety should always be your first concern. Mr. Roman’s bull is in that field and Susan might have wandered into it.”

Both boys suddenly looked horrified, as did their mother.

“Do not leave her alone like that again,” Dulverton chided.

“Aye, Your Grace.”

“Thank you, Your Grace,” the woman said again, nervously pushing back a silky lock of dark blonde hair that had come loose. Her gaze slid to Katie.

Dulverton either did not see her curious look or chose to ignore it.

When it became clear that her husband would make no introduction Katie said, “How do you do?” She had aimed for amusingly wry but landed somewhere between confrontational and arrogant.

The other woman looked startled but dropped a curtsey. “Anna Wilson, Your Grace. Would—would you care for some cider, Your Graces?” Mrs. Wilson asked, cutting a look between the two of them.

“Not today,” Dulverton said curtly.