Free Forgotten Dreams by Eleanor Woods

him I was sure you and Mrs. Dwould be happy to look after him, since there's no one at Cartlaigne to do it."
    "Of Course," Toni said faintly. She was relieved that wasn't more serious, but she wasn't looking forward to playing nurse to Christian Barr. With her "duties" for the next few days having been for her, Toni had no choice but to stand by
    and listen as Brent and Christian discussed a common interest, passion for fishing!
     
    After being forced to listen to outlandish fish stories for several minutes as Brent eagerly acquainted Christian with each and every body of water within a fifty-mile radius of the city, Toni decided she'd had enough. "Since you guys seem to have so much to talk about, why don't I run along and let you continue this interesting conversation?" She smiled innocently at each of them, then concentrated on Christian. "I'm sure Brent won't mind driving you out to Cartlaigne." But Christian had no intention of letting her off the hook so easily. With practiced ease, he brought the conversation to a halt, apologized to Brent for disturbing him at such a late hour, and was escorting Toni to the car before she had time to do more than give a brief wave of good-bye to her cousin.
    "Are you regretting your decision already?" he asked as they began the drive back to Cartlaigne.
    Without looking directly at him, Toni could tell that he was very relaxed and that his gaze hadn't left her since they'd gotten into the car.
    "What decision is that?" she asked casually, forcing herself to concentrate on her driving rather than the disturbing presence of the man beside her.
    "The one you made this afternoon, when you so graciously asked me to let you know if there were any ... er ... repercussions from my encounter with your aunt's goat," he smoothly replied.
    "Of course not," Toni said. "After all, you were injured on our property, so it's only fair that we take full responsibility,"
    "Does that include round-the-clock nursing?"
     
    Christian asked. Toni shot him a quick, mean look. "Don't press
    your luck, Christian. But in case that becomes necessary, Mrs. D has a sister who does private duty."
    "Who the hell is Mrs. D? That's the second time I've heard her name mentioned this evening."
    "My aunt's housekeeper. She's in her early sixties, and her sister is a couple of years older." Toni threw him a wicked grin. "So please don't worry for a single minute about competent care. Mrs. Henderson is very efficient."
    "I just bet she is," he remarked acidly. "But I think,
    rather than bother Mrs. Henderson, I'd prefer a younger woman. Perhaps one with dark hair and eyes. A woman who possessess a certain propensity for making things happen. Do you have any idea where I might find such a person?"
    Toni kept her eyes glued to the road and the sharp curve they were approaching. But the minute they were on a straight stretch of highway, she was quick to
    defend herself.
    "I didn't invite you into the goat's pen," she said crossly. "As usual, you were poking your nose where it didn't belong."
    "Oh?" Christian asked softly. "Is that what I was doing the morning I stopped your fiance from belting you?"
    "Ex-fiance," Toni corrected spiritedly. "And I prefer to think he was merely bluffing."
    "Then that shows how little you know about Steven Crowell. Believe me, honey, he hadn't drawn back his hand to caress your cheek," he bluntly reminded her.
    "Shall we drop the subject? I find it difficult to believe you came all this way to discuss my relationship with Steven."
     
    "That's partly true. But what would you say if I were to tell you that I chose Natchez because I knew you would be here?"
    "I think I'd probably ask how you knew my travel plans," Toni replied with outward calm. Inwardly she was seething. Just who the hell did he think he was? And how dare he assume that, for whatever real reason there was behind his appearance next door, she would be impressed by such a ridiculous statement as he'd just made.
    "That's simple,