Free The Beautiful Stranger by Julia London Page A

with her boots sticking out from beneath her skirts. She stared back at him with a deceptively wide-eyed look of innocence that made his pulse pound with fury. He took several deep breaths in a struggle to calm his rage, but it was impossible. What in the hell did you think you were doing? he shouted.
    Something sparked in the womans eyesthey narrowed menacingly. Protecting my belongings, thats what!
    she responded hotly. And what did you think you were doing, then?
    Did it occur to you that you might simply announce that the bag was yours before firing on an unarmed man? he countered angrily, and leaned over, growling at her startled gasp when he caught her elbow and jerked her to her feet. She immediately wrenched her arm free of his hold and stumbled backward, glaring daggers at him as she carelessly adjusted her bonnet.
    That was precisely the moment Arthur noticed she was wearing black. Black. Marvelous. He had been brought down by a widow! He groaned loudly and looked away.
    You really shouldna paw through things that doona belong to you!
    That unexpected admonishment was delivered with a bit too much superiority to suit Arthur, in spite of his assailants pleasingly soft burr. He turned slowly and raked a smoldering gaze across her as she shook the dirt from her skirts with such force that he half-expected them to tear clean of the gowns bodice. I was not robbing you, madam! Trust me, if I was of a mind to rob, it should be something a bit more enticing than a filthy, old red satchel!
    She paused in the dusting of her skirt, met his angry glare, and raised it with a look of such fury that he felt a bit of a chill flit down his spine. If you didna intend to rob me, just what did you intend to do, then?
    Pardon me, but it isnt often one encounters a satchel in the middle of a deserted road! I thought it might contain some sort of clue as to its owner or destination!
    Her glower receded into a look of confusion; he could almost see the light of understanding dawn like a halo above her head. Oh, she muttered.
    Oh, indeed. Releasing a sigh of great exasperation, Arthur watched her dust the dirt from her derriere and asked reluctantly, Youve not harmed yourself, have you? Nothing broken?
    Not anything that shows, she said, eyeing him suspiciously with orbs that Arthur suddenly realized were the palest, crystalline blue he had ever seen. They were beautiful, the irises rimmed with a dark circle of gray and long, dark lashes
    You are from Edinburra, then? she asked.
    He blinked. I beg your pardon?
    Edinburra. You must be from Edinburra, she said, nodding.
    As if it wasnt perfectly obvious from whence he hailed. I am from England, he corrected her, and the little gasp and sudden flash of her brilliant smile caught him completely off guard.
    I was once acquainted with a lass from England! she exclaimed as if they were being introduced over tea, and then just as suddenlybefore he could even respondher smile faded. Holy Mother, I shot you!
    And the light above her bonnet grew even brighter. Why yes, I believe I mentioned that earlier, he drawled, following her gaze to his arm. Not a pretty sight, thatfrankly, he had forgotten it in his anger but seeing the blood that covered what was left of his coat sleeve, the pain of the torn flesh was suddenly quite vivid.
    It must be bandaged. She moved so suddenly that Arthur took an involuntary step backward. Fetching her satchel in one fell swoop, she instantly rooted around inside and extracted a white cottony thing that Arthur could not quite identify. Youll remove your coat, will you? she said, and dropped the satchel to tear the white thing apart.
    Oh no. He might have been shot by a widowed lunatic, but he really did not care to be doctored by her, too. Shaking his head, he stepped back, just beyond her reach as she advanced on him, her pale blue eyes now brimming with determination as she eyed his arm. Thank you, madam, but you have done quite enough as it is.
    You are bleeding, she