Stopping at the top of the bank, Dora laid him down so his head was pillowed on a thick patch of weeds and inspected him more thoroughly. He’d been through some travail, that was certain–a deep gash on his forehead might account for his fainting. She could see him still breathing, so he hadn’t inhaled any of the water. She’d best try to wake him for the afternoon shadows were lengthening alarmingly.

She gently poked his hip with the toe of her boot to no avail.

Well, as he was still breathing, he surely wasn’t dead. His well-muscled chest rose and fell rhythmically. Fascinated, she gazed at that wide swath revealed by the largest tear in his shirt, a generous sprinkling of hairs the color of flame spreading across the expanse.

A sigh escaped Dora’s lips. She should find a way to get back on her horse and leave now, while the man was insensible because if he woke now and asked for her assistance again, she’d have no choice but to render him aid–it simply wasn’t within her power to abandon anyone who needed her help.

And a little more for good measure…

She darted glances around the field, suddenly afraid the soldiers would appear and find both her and their fugitive. But the landscape was silent save for birdsong and the rustle of the breeze in the trees. Giving herself a shake, Dora peeled off her leather riding gloves, grasped her handkerchief, dunked it in the water, and pressed it to the man’s face. It seemed to have no effect on him, but she could feel the prickly stubble of his beard through the scrap of linen.

Chills shot up her hand, the hairs on her arm standing on edge. Who would have thought that brush of whiskers against the pad of her thumb would be as…erotic as any kiss she’d ever experienced? Not that she’d had many, mind you, only one or two from Tristan. And while they had been quite pleasurable, the feeling this man’s rough skin evoked in he was quite wild in comparison.

She jerked her hand away. The water seemed to have no effect any way. She must find a way to rouse the man for now she required she required the stranger’s help as much as he needed hers. There was no way for her to remount Gretchen without help, so she had to come up with some way to wake him up and soon. Thrusting the sodden handkerchief into the pocket of her habit, her hand brushed something hard and cold.

Her smelling salts. She grasped the vial, blue glass covered in silver filigree, and popped the top. Bending down, she took a breath and held it, then thrust the bottle under the man’s nose.

With a gasp, he sat up and grabbed her wrist tightly. “Dinna do that again, lassie, or I’ll not be responsible for what happens to your nasty potion.” His eyes, as sky blue as her riding habit, narrowed. “Will you help me up, lass?”

Almost a Countess  is available for the pre-order price of $2.99 on Amazon, Smashwords,  B & N, Kobo, and Applebooks.

Also released, A Solitary Ride is the first chapter of Almost a Countess, book two of Captivating Countesses. It’s free on Smashwords and .99 on Amazon.

The man was heavy as the big rocks that lay around him and her first grip slid free. Frantic, she put both hands under his shoulder and grunted as she tried again. This time her force was so great that he flipped neatly over, his head hitting the mud at the bottom of the stream. Her balance now off, Dora tilted backwards, lost her footing completely and sat down hard in the swiftly flowing water.

Exasperated, she regarded the still figure, clad in a dirty linen shirt, bright red kilt, and black boots. The kilt declared him Scottish without a doubt and common sense said he was also the escaped prisoner. She was in a peck of trouble, no matter what she did, but she jolly well couldn’t let the man drown in her stream. Not when she could easily pull him out–even when he’d already been so much trouble.

Cold water had seeped through all the layers of her riding habit, making her shiver. With some effort, she got to her feet, mentally cursing the unconscious man who slumbered on, oblivious to her wet misery.

And a little more for good measure…

Not only was her backside frigid and damp but her favorite riding habit was undoubtedly ruined as well.

She hauled herself over to the stranger, peering at him to make sure he was still breathing, before grabbing his shoulders again and dragging him out of the water. A surprisingly handsome man, although she supposed a prisoner or thief or whatever he’d been arrested for could be as handsome as a gentleman in a ballroom.

His dripping wet hair was likely a dark auburn when dry, a bit long and shaggy but not unpleasing to the eye. His nose was straight, his chin pointed, his stubbled jaw, though slack now, looked as though it could be quite firm if he wished. His physique was magnificent—through the tears in his shirt she could see his muscles were firm. Indeed, as she was clasping his shoulders at the moment she could attest to their sinewy strength. His legs, on display beneath his kilt, were also well-muscled. By her assessment, he was much more attractive than most of the gentlemen she’d danced with in London last fall.

The most perplexing thing, however, was his apparent youth. Despite the dirt and grime he looked no more than twenty, little older than herself. What could he have done to cause his arrest?

Almost a Countess  is available for the pre-order price of $2.99 on Amazon, Smashwords,  B & N, Kobo, and Applebooks.

Also released, A Solitary Ride is the first chapter of Almost a Countess, book two of Captivating Countesses. It’s free on Smashwords and .99 on Amazon.

With a gasp, Dora hauled back on the reins so hard Gretchen reared up, her hooves dancing in the air before the man’s face.

“Whoa, easy.” He put his hand up to ward off the horse, but otherwise looked unafraid. He rose to his knees, then tried to stand and as he did so, he lurched to the right, gave a strangled cry, and toppled back down the embankment.

When he did not reappear, Dora urged the skittish horse forward; she leaned over Grethen’s shoulder, peering at the stream.

The stranger lay prone, his face in the gently flowing stream, not moving.

“Dear God.” Dora unhooked her knee from the sidesaddle’s pommel and slid to the ground. Keeping hold of the reins, she ran to the edge of the embankment, but the man still had not moved. Lord, had he drowned that quickly?

And a little more for good measure…

Reluctantly she dropped the reins—hopefully Gretchen wouldn’t stray far—then looked for a place not too steep to climb down. It would do neither of them any good if she broke her leg in the tangled weeds coming to his rescue.

She glanced toward him again. “Sir? Are you all right?”

No answer.

“Bloody hell.” It had been her brother’s favorite oath, at least the one she heard most often and she now relished saying it whenever she could. But only when she was alone.

Picking a likely place, she slithered down the overgrown bank, and ran to the man, slipping precariously on the stones that lined the streambed. Splashing toward him she prayed she wasn’t too late. His face was right down in the water, but turned to the side, so at least his nose allowed him to breathe. She slid to a stop next to him, grasped his shoulder, and heaved.

Almost a Countess  is available for the pre-order price of $2.99 on Amazon, Smashwords,  B & N, Kobo, and Applebooks.

Just released, A Solitary Ride is the first chapter of Almost a Countess, book two of Captivating Countesses. It’s free on Smashwords and .99 on Amazon.

She hadn’t thought about it in the months since she’d come to Yorkshire–the countryside had been calm, even boring all summer long. With so few servants to attend to the tasks of the estate, she’d begun riding out in the mornings alone either for the sheer pleasure of the ride or, as with today’s outing, to care for her father’s tenants or the people in the village. Seldom had she ever seen another soul, save the ones she visited or occasionally a man and his sons working in the fields. It had seemed perfectly safe for her to go about by herself.

Now she had never felt so alone.

Steering Gretchen under the trees, Dora started her mount to walking beside a small creek, where the air was appreciably cooler. Gazing about again, Dora breathed a small sigh of relief–there was nothing and no one stirring. The trees provided some cover and Gretchen could follow the stream for the next two miles for it would lead straight to the lane that fronted the manor house.

Though she hated to admit it, from now on she must take Alfred with her when she rode. Today’s scare had taught her that much.

And a little more for good measure…

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than Gretchen neighed and shied away from the creek bed.

“Whoa, girl.” Dora controlled the frightened horse with sure hands on the reins. “What was it? A snake?” She glanced down, but could see nothing alarming save a splash of red flowers against the near bank. “Are you afraid of roses now, my dear?” Grinning, Dora looked closer. They weren’t flowers though. What she’d taken for red blooms on closer inspection was some kind of red fabric. She peered at it and cocked her head. What on earth was it?

Gretchen danced toward it and the fabric moved.

Dora gasped as the brown grass beside the “roses” stirred, then rose up, becoming the head of a man, his face streaked with mud and blood. He blinked then stared into her eyes. “Please, lass, can you help me?”

Almost a Countess  is available for the pre-order price of $2.99 on Amazon, Smashwords,  B & N, Kobo, and Applebooks.

Just released, A Solitary Ride is the first chapter of Almost a Countess, book two of Captivating Countesses. It’s free on Smashwords and .99 on Amazon.

When they reached the grassy verge at the edge of the field that marked the farthest point of Mr. Hawkins’s tenancy, Dora pulled Gretchen down to a jog, then to a walk. She was as winded as the animal she rode. Unaware she’d been panting the whole time since leaving the farmhouse, Dora gulped in huge lungfuls of air. “Good girl, Gretchen.” She leaned down to pat the horse’s sweaty neck. “I think it’s best if we head for that stand of trees just ahead and let us both catch their breaths in the shade.”

The short walk calmed Dora a measure. She’d no business allowing Mr. Hawkins to alarm her so badly. Should she happen upon the soldiers riding about searching for the prisoner they would likely question her to see if she’d seen the man and since she hadn’t, they’d allow her to continue on her way. Surely there would be an officer with the troop who would make certain his men acted honorably toward her.

And a little more for good measure…

She should have asked Mr. Hawkins if there had been a captain or lieutenant among the soldiers. A trickle of dread made its way down her spine. A young woman was never supposed to ride without escort of some sort. At the very least a groom, although what Alfred alone could do against a group of five men didn’t bear thinking about.

Almost a Countess  is available for the pre-order price of $2.99 on Amazon, Smashwords,  B & N, Kobo, and Applebooks.

Just released, A Solitary Ride is the first chapter of Almost a Countess, book two of Captivating Countesses. It’s free on Smashwords and .99 on Amazon.