Laura woke early and went downstairs,
intending to blow off the morning ride. The idea didn't hold the
attraction that it had now that Harry wasn't going to be able
to join her. But her father and Daniel told her to go on and then
join them for breakfast, so Laura changed into blue jeans and
a shirt and headed toward the stable.
As she approached the paddock beside the stable, she saw two horses
saddled and waiting. Hearing sounds inside, she went to the door
and called, "Hello?" thinking it was the groom. When
there was no response, she turned back to the horse she had chosen
the previous day.
"Hello, girl," she said. The animal nuzzled her hand
again. "I wish I had remembered to bring you a carrot,"
Laura was saying, only to have her voice fade as someone handed
her an orange vegetable. "Thank you," she told the groom,
giving her attention to the animal as it ground the carrot between
its teeth. "There was no need to saddle two horses,"
she said.
"Surely you're not suggesting that we ride double, Laura,"
Harry teased.
Laura whilred, eyes wide as she saw Harry standing before her.
"Harry?" She threw her arms around him until she remembered
that he had been hurt. "Oh, I'm sorry- Should you be out
of bed? A broken rib-"
He smiled, but she could still see the pain in his eyes. "Not
broken. Severely bruised. I'm still trussed up like a Christmas
package, but I'll live."
"You don't have to go with me," Laura said, watching
him lead her horse to a mounting block. "I mean -"
He held out his hand to help her up. "Laura, I promised to
go riding with you this morning. I won't break that promise."
Laura hesitated. "Then make me another promise."
"What?"
"You promise to let me know if you start hurting so we can
come back here."
He touched her face with the back of his hand. "I promise.
Now, up you go."
She saw him wince as he mounted his own horse. "Does Mr.
Chalmers know that you're doing this?" she asked. "He
didn't mention it-"
Harry relaxed - until the horse moved. "Daniel's not my keeper,
Laura. He has no say in what I do or what I don't do. Are you
ready?"
**********
Mitchell was checking the measurements of the study window when
he saw the two riders set out. At the desk, Daniel noticed that
he was looking outside. "What's wrong?"
"I thought you told me that Harry was going to spend most
of the day recovering from his injuries. In bed?"
"He told me that he felt much better - it was I who suggested
that he stay in bed for the day and rest."
"Well," Mitchell said, nodding toward the open window,
" he obviously decided NOT to take your suggestion."
Daniel joined him in time to see Laura and Harry turn the corner
that would take them to the glade, and shrugged. "He DID
promise Laura that he would ride with her this morning. Apparently
keeping that promise was more important to him that I realized."
Mitchell looked thoughtful. "Maybe TOO important." He
measured once again and wrote something down.
Daniel's sigh was loud in the quiet room. "Mitchell, you
can trust Harry. I seriously doubt that he will do anything to
harm your daughter. I think he's become rather fond of her- in
spite of himself."
Mitchell grinned, nodding. "Laura tends to have that effect
on people. I hope you're right about trusting Harry, Daniel. If
anything were to happen to Laura-"
Daniel placed a sympathetic hand on the man's shoulder as he looked
in the direction the young people had gone. "I understand,
Mitchell. Believe me, I understand."
**********
Harry shifted slowly and painfully in the saddle as he watched
Laura, fully aware that he was going to pay dearly for this ride.
He considered suggesting to her that they start back, but the
words never left his lips as she smiled. "This is a wonderful
place, Harry," she sighed. "You're lucky to have grown
up here."
"Who says I did?" he asked, forcing himself to relax,
to ignore the pain in his bruised muscles. "Daniel only bought
this place a couple of years ago."
"Where did he live before that?" Laura asked.
"He had a flat in town."
"How long have you known him?"
Harry was beginning to feel as if he were being interrogated.
"Around ten years, I suppose."
"What about your parents?"
Harry's blue eyes lifted to the tree tops, but Laura saw a flash
of quickly suppressed anger. "Still full of questions, I
see."
Laura grinned at him. "I told you last night, I'm a curious
person."
"You know what they say about curiousity."
"I'm willing to risk it," she said. "Okay. So you
don't want to discuss your parents. Then you can give me that
explaination you promised me last night." When he frowned
in confusion, she prompted, "About what you and Mr. Chalmers
do for a living."
"I'm sure your father told you-"
Laura swung a leg over the horse's neck and slid to the ground
as she spoke. "He gave me some story about your being in
'investments and acquisitions', whatever THAT is."
Harry looked down at her thoughtfully before slowly dismounting
himself. "Sounds good to me."
"But not terribly accurate, I bet," Laura pointed out.
Seeing his questioning look, she said, "Flynn's accusation.
He said that he had taken a 'fall' ofr Mr. Chalmers and that he
wanted more money because of it."
"That's something you really have to discuss with Daniel,"
Harry told her.
Laura tightened the girth of her saddle, then turned to look at
him. "It's either this or you tell me about your parents,"
she said.
Harry sighed. "Not much TOO tell," he told her, shrugging,
instantly regretting the movement. "As far as I know, my
mother is dead and I've no idea WHO or WHERE my father is."
Laura saw the anger in those blue eyes, but refused to back down.
"So you're an orphan?"
"I thought that was what I just said." GOD, WHY COULDN'T
SHE JUST LEAVE IT ALONE? he wondered to himself. She was like
a terrier with a bone, refusing to give up.
"You didn't meet Mr. Chalmers until you were around ten.
Where did you live before that?"
Harry didn't like dwelling on his past. There were too many dark
memories there. "Here and there," he answered shortly,
turning toward his horse and wincing. "Let's start back."
Laura turned and watched as Harry tried to gather himself enough
to get into the saddle again. Seeing his grimace of pain, she
said, "Why don't we just walk? It's not that far, and it's
a lovely day-"
His glance was grateful as they fell into step leading their horses.
"Excellent idea."
Laura was silent for several minutes before finally saying, "I'm
sorry if my questions upset you, Harry."
"I'm just not used to talking about my past," he tried
to explain.
"Can I ask ONE more question?"
Harry smiled, laughter in his blue eyes now. "You just don't
give up, do you? Ask. But I won't promise an answer."
"What's your last name?"
"I've no idea," Harry admitted honestly in that soft,
quiet voice. "And Harry is just a name that Daniel hung on
me to give him something to call me other than 'Hey, you'."
"So you're a man without a name, without a family,"
Laura mused. "It must be very lonely for you sometimes."
"Sometimes," Harry agreed. He looked thoughtful. "But
I have Daniel. And my friends."
"Friends aren't family," Laura pointed out.
Harry switched the reins to his other hand and dropped his free
arm around Laura's shoulders. "After breakfast, I'll introduce
you to a few of my 'friends'," Harry promised.
To Be Continued-----