Andrews Brothers 02 - The Rescue by Felicia Rogers Read Free Book Online Page A

escape the view of the house before his mother or Kingsley spotted him. Otherwise his ride around the grounds might be forbidden before it began.
    “Good sir, would you mind pointing out the markers for Ravenwood?”
    The man didn’t frown or express any amount of concern as he proceeded to answer.
    Andrew tipped his hat. “Thank you.” He galloped away glad to be on his own for at least a brief moment.
    ****
    The wind ruffled her hair and stung her cheeks. Behind Farrah no alarms sounded or horsemen followed. She was perfectly alone on the hilltop, riding across Flannigan lands.
    A fence row came into focus and Farrah drew hard on the reins. For as far as the eye could see the closure ran. “Must be Ravenlowe land,” she whispered.
    Fog rolled in and settled around the horse’s hooves. Visibility diminished and she feared laming the animal. She dismounted and guided the horse to a peak. From her position she could make out the roofline of the Ravenwood house. Two tall, pointed colorful spires accentuated the corners of the rectangular building, reminding her of a cathedral in Rome. The topiary gardens sported a variety of stone statues. Gardeners slinked along the worn paths pruning dead plants.
    Farrah found a smooth boulder and sat. The cool stone permeated her wool gown and pelisse. She wrapped her arms around her middle and shivered. A shadow passed overhead. She gasped as a greatcoat settled about her shoulders.
    Tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, Farrah twisted and stared at the gentleman settling beside her. Broad in shoulder, his thick black hair settled over his brow and accentuated his coal colored eyes. His white linen shirt and cravat shone bright against his gray trousers and Wellington boots. Legs crossed at the ankles, he laid his gloved hands in his lap.
    “You’re lucky I lost my hat.”
    “Pardon?” Now her tongue released.
    “I said, you’re fortunate the wind took my hat. Otherwise I would never have seen you sitting here. Is it always this cold? And, what of the fog? I think I’ve not seen it so thick in a month of Sundays.”
    “Well, I-I—” Words completely failed her. Why was she babbling like an idiot?
    “Of course I haven’t been to Ravenwood in some time. Perhaps this is the normal way of things and I am the one remiss.”
    “The weather is common.” She had responded! Pride soared in her breast, until she noted his expression. His mouth quirked upward and he rubbed a spot between his brows as if he attempted to withhold laughter.
    “Since you understand the weather, perhaps it was unwise to go out with nothing more than a thin silk pelisse.”
    Chastisement from a complete stranger rankled. She rose to her full height, the marshy ground affected her equilibrium, and she toppled forward. The warmth of his hand encasing her arm shot a ripple of tingles along her already chilled flesh.
    How was she to express fury if he continued to rescue her?
    He patted her vacated seat and she plopped beside him with a grunt, immediately regretting her indelicate action. His only reaction was to cock a brow, but propitiously failed to comment.
    “Perhaps I should introduce myself, I am—”
    She clasped her gloved hand over his mouth and he arched his brow. “Please do not tell me your name.”
    He shrugged his shoulders and she removed her hand. How could she explain her request?
    “I suppose you have good reason for not exchanging monikers?”
    “I do.”
    He waited patiently, studying the seams of his leather gloves. She wondered what ran through his mind. Would he force the issue of exchanging names?
    ****
    Should he force the issue of exchanging names? The young mistress in his company seemed inclined to remain anonymous. Perhaps her route worked better for all concerned. In his current situation as newly arrived to a town he should be familiar with, keeping his identity a secret might behoove him.
    The lady trembled, whether from cold or fear, was unclear. Red curly hair peeked