The Devil's Own Luck (Once a Spy) by Diana Douglas Read Free Book Online Page A

activity and sitting here felt very odd. His intention had been to relax a week or two before heading out to Devon and allowing his life to be forever changed. He had accepted his fate, but whether or not he could be happy with it was yet to be seen. He shut his eyes against the brightness of the sun glinting off the surface of the water.
    The air was still, but he heard a rustling across the stream. Behind him, Hudson, who was loosely tethered to a tree, nickered. His eyes opened as Cecelia emerged from the stand of willows that grew thickly on both sides of the stream. He actually stopped breathing for a moment. He had thought her lovely before but sitting atop the gleaming chestnut mare she was magnificent. Her face was shadowed beneath her bonnet but at this moment her face was not what gave her grace and presence. It was in the set of her shoulders and the way she sat her horse. She moved fluidly with the animal as if they were one. He would be hard-pressed to think of another woman who was so at ease with horseflesh.
    “Hallo, there,” she called out.
    Rand tilted back the brim of his hat. “Hallo, yourself. What are you doing here?”
    “Riding.” He could hear the laughter in her voice. “What are you doing?”
    “Fishing.”
    “So I see. Caught anything?”
    “Nothing worth keeping. Are you planning to cross or shall we continue shouting at one other across the water?”
    “I was waiting for an invitation. That side of the stream does belongs to you,” she pointed out. “Thank you. I believe I’ll cross.” She urged her mare into the water.
    Rand stared at her in disbelief. “Use the bridge for God’s sake! I don’t know how deep the water is along here.”
    “I do,” she answered gaily. “I don’t want to take the time to take the bridge.”
    “It wouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to ride down to the bridge.
    “Don’t fuss. We cross here all the time. Penny loves it.”
    Rand had to admit that the spirited animal seemed to enjoy the water. Though he suspected Cecelia was enjoying their trek across the stream even more. Midway across when the water reached the animal’s belly, she shrieked with laughter as she lifted the skirt of her riding habit a few inches to keep it from getting wet. He held his breath until the water grew shallow again. She reached the bank and slid off the saddle before he could help her down. Still laughing, she shook the water off her skirts and led the mare to a branch where she tethered her, leaving enough slack to allow her to graze. “That was fun! For a moment I thought I might have to swim.”
    “Didn’t you know how deep it was? You said you crossed here all the time.”
    “Not at precisely this point,” she admitted. “And not since it last rained.”
    He wanted to shake her. “You little ninny! You could have drowned.”
    “Nonsense. I’m an excellent swimmer. You know that. I’ve been swimming since I was five. Now, why such ill luck with your fishing? What are you using for bait?”
    “Never mind that. Where’s your escort?”
    “I don’t have one.” She sat down on a stump set in the middle of a patch of wildflowers and smiled at him. “I’m allowed to ride without an escort as long as I don’t venture past the orchard. Eugene wasn’t very happy about it but it’s Papa’s rule, not his.”
    “This is well past the orchard, brat.”
    “Oh? Is it?” She painted an innocent expression on her face and took stock of her surroundings. “Oh, my. I didn’t realize. I must have lost my bearings.”
    He snorted. “You’re an abominable liar. If you must fabricate, try not to contradict yourself up every time you open your mouth.”
    “It isn’t very kind of you to mention my mistakes,” she replied. “A gentleman wouldn’t do so.”
    “As you’ve been so