Free Winterset by Candace Camp

blandly, his eyebrows slightly raised.
    “All right,” Anna agreed, knowing that she sounded ungracious, but she could not help it. She dreaded the thought of being in such close physical proximity to Reed Moreland.
    Without comment, Reed helped her up onto the horse, then mounted behind her. He took up the reins, and his arms closed around Anna. She was suddenly surrounded by his heat, his scent, breathtakingly familiar and yet so long absent. Anna could not control the shiver that ran through her as he dug his heels into his steed and they set off through the night.

Chapter Four
    A nna sat stiffly, afraid to relax against Reed, incredibly aware of his body only inches from hers, his arms around her. It was impossible, with the movements of the horse, to keep from brushing against him, and every time she did so, her skin flamed at the touch. She gritted her teeth, telling herself she was being ridiculous. His closeness should not affect her so much. Yet no matter how much she told herself that, her words could make little headway against the sensations rampaging through her.
    They said nothing, the silence between them almost as awkward as their proximity. The twins chattered away about their adventure, and Rafe threw in a comment or a question now and then, leaving Anna and Reed alone on their island of silence. Anna closed her eyes, trying desperately to think of something to say, anything to distract her from the only thing that was in her mind, which was the feel of his iron-hard arm against her back or the occasional brush of his thigh against hers as the horse moved.
    It was a distinct relief when at last they reached Winterset and Reed swung down from the horse, reaching up to lift her from the saddle. Their faces were only inches apart for a moment as he swung her down, and their eyes locked. His were a dark, mysterious gray in the dim light of dusk, and Anna felt, for a strange, weak moment, as if she could simply sink into their depths and be lost forever.
    Then she was on her feet again, and she took a quick step backward, trying to suppress her inward trembling. Tongue-tied, she turned away, and at that moment the front door was flung open and a tall, red-haired woman swept out into the small courtyard.
    “There you are!” Her strong voice held a mixture of relief, exasperation and amusement, and she shook her head as she strode toward them. “You two will be the death of me!”
    She wrapped an arm around each of the twins and hugged them to her, then stood and scowled down at them. “Where have you been? You don’t even know the countryside!”
    The woman looked up, her gaze sweeping across the others, and for the first time she noticed Anna, standing beside Reed.
    “Oh! I am sorry. I did not know anyone else was here.” She started toward Anna.
    “This is my sister, Lady Kyria,” Reed told Anna. “Kyria, allow me to introduce Miss Anna Holcomb, who, I am happy to say, was looking out for Con and Alex.”
    “My lady,” Anna greeted her.
    Lady Kyria reached out and took her hand, smiling. “You have, no doubt, rescued Con and Alex from some frightful thing—for that is always the way with them,” she went on, tucking her arm through Anna’s and steering her toward the front door. “Do come in and have supper with us and let me thank you properly.”
    “Oh, no, I couldn’t—” Anna began. “I am sure that my brother is expecting me, and—”
    “Your brother is that charming young man who was here earlier?” Kyria asked. “Such a nice gentleman. We’ll send one of the footmen over with a note explaining that you are going to dine with us. I am sure he will understand.”
    “But I—I am not dressed for dinner,” Anna pointed out, blushing a little, as she gestured down at her plain dress, which she now noticed was not only dirty and stained, but had also somehow acquired a tear near the hem, so that a piece of it trailed behind her, filthy and ragged.
    “We do not care about