Secrets Read Free Page B

and she was sensible enough to realize it. He lifted her into the saddle. To her surprise, he did not leap up behind her. Instead, he led the horse forward.
    Regina quickly became distressed. She had not thought that he would walk. His narrow-toed boots looked very uncomfortable. And it was unbearably hot. While she did not know the time of day, she guessed it was mid-afternoon and that it would be hours before the sun even began to set. “How far is the town?”
    â€œTen, twelve miles.”
    She was aghast.
    And he was resolute. He led the horse, his strides long and lithe, the muscles playing in his back, clearly visible beneath his thin, damp shirt, for he had removed his vest.
    â€œMr. Delanza,” she said immediately, unable to call him by his first name. He turned slightly to look at her without stopping. “Please. I can’t let you walk. It’s much too far.”
    He squinted at her. “You—a fine lady—are inviting me to share that saddle with you?”
    â€œYou have saved my life.”
    â€œYou’re exaggerating a bit, don’t you think?”
    â€œNo.” She shook her head vehemently. “I am grateful. I can’t ride if you’re walking. Not such a distance. Please.” Her color had deepened but she did not care. She meant every word she had said. He had rescued her; undoubtedly he had saved her life. She could not repay him with callous insensitivity. He was all she had and she was acutely aware of it. A feeling of dependency was blossoming and becoming urgent. And she was even more grateful now for his interest in her sensibilities. He did not appear to be the kind of man who would be sensitive to a lady’s distress, yet he obviously was.
    He studied her with his too-sharp gaze before making a decision and jumping into the saddle behind her.Regina’s instant pleasure vanished at the feel of him behind her. She had not really considered the intimacy of such a position, and briefly, she was stunned by it. Abruptly she told herself that she did not care and that under these circumstances, rules were made to be broken. Yet she could feel the tension in his body, a tension as great as hers. Because he was a gentleman regardless of his appearance, he would ignore it—as she would. And she did not regret offering to share his mount with him. It seemed the least she could do after all that he had done.
    They rode in silence. Regina was consumed with thoughts of her dilemma and peripherally aware that he was involved in his own brooding. The seed of panic in her breast, which had abated slightly, took its hint from the silence and rose up quickly to fill the void. It soon verged on fresh hysteria. No matter how often she told herself that she was Elizabeth Sinclair and that all would soon be well, the vacuum of ignorance she existed in unraveled the web of optimism she tried to spin. She had to regain her memory—she had to. How could she continue like this? She knew nothing about herself or her family, nothing about the train robbery which had brought her to these dire straits.
    â€œTry and relax,” he said gruffly. “Let it go for now.”
    She gripped the pommel, wondering at his sensitivity, his words a welcome distraction. She must remain calm and sensible whenever these bouts of hysteria threatened. Abruptly she shifted in the saddle so she could peer up at his face. “Please tell me what happened. Tell me about the train robbery. And tell me about James.”
    He was silent for a long moment, and Regina thought he wasn’t going to speak. When he did, his tone was matter-of-fact. “You were on your way to Miramar, to your wedding. My brother Edward and I were sent by Rick to meet you at Templeton. The train arrived late—without you on it. We learned from the other passengers that you jumped off of the train during the robbery. My brother rode back to Miramar to tell Rick whathappened. I set out to find you.