The Stolen Princess Read Free Page A

lifted the bandbox. “It rolled away. It nearly went over the edge, but I stopped it.”
    â€œHow clever of you,” she told him shakily, starting to recover from her fright. “I don’t suppose you saw my slipper, too, did you? I dropped it somewhere.” She was shivering quite badly, Gabe saw. Cold, or reaction, or both.
    â€œI told you he was all right,” Gabe said.
    She turned on him in fury. “Don’t speak to me! If you had hurt one hair of his head with your criminally irresponsible behavior, I would—I would—” Her voice cracked and she hugged her boy convulsively.
    She took a deep, ragged breath and said shakily, “Are you drunk? I expect you are, to jump a horse over a child! The fact that my son is all right is no thanks to you and that creature!”
    â€œI’m not drunk. Had I been, I could not have reacted with such split-second—” Gabe took a deep breath and harnessed his temper. He said in a deliberately calming voice, “Look, the boy is perfectly safe and—”
    â€œSafe! You almost killed him!”
    â€œMadam, I risked my horse and myself in order not to hurt him,” he said with some asperity. “I don’t normally use small boys and women for jumping practice. He suddenly appeared from nowhere and stood stock-still, right in my path—”
    â€œWith that horrid great beast thundering toward him, he was probably too terrified to move!”
    â€œThe sensible thing to do—”
    â€œ Sensible? You expect a child to think clearly when a man is riding straight at him? He’s just a little boy!” She hugged the child again.
    â€œI was not riding at him! He was in the middle of the path—and at a time when small boys ought to be in bed. And there was not enough time to stop—”
    â€œBecause you were riding like the devil!”
    â€œQuite so. On my own land.”
    â€œI see.” She took a deep breath, making a visible effort to gather her composure. “I…I see. I gather we are trespassing. In that case I shan’t bother you any further. Good evening.”
    Gabriel frowned. The moon was still behind the clouds, but he could see her well enough to notice she was rubbing her shoulder. “You’re hurt.”
    â€œA little bruised,” she admitted.
    â€œAre you sure it’s not worse than that?”
    â€œNo, it’s not serious. The shoulder was already sore from carrying the portmanteau.”
    Gabriel looked around. “What portmanteau?”
    â€œIt’s…It must be here, somewhere. I lugged the wretched thing all the way up from the beach. It’s as heavy as lead.”
    They all looked but there was no sign of a heavy-as-lead portmanteau.
    â€œIt must be here,” she said. “It couldn’t have rolled away like the bandbox.”
    â€œAhh,” said Gabriel. He had a sinking feeling where the portmanteau was. “I think it went over the edge when you, er, fell.”
    â€œOh no!” she exclaimed. “Perhaps it didn’t fall far.” She started forward, but Gabe stopped her.
    â€œI will look,” he told her. “My nerves can’t stand any more of you perched on the edge of that drop.” He stepped forward and peered down into the gloom.
    â€œPerhaps it was further along,” she prompted.
    He moved along and his boot connected with something small. It fell, taking a light scatter of pebbles down with it. “Um, I think I found your slipper,” he told her.
    â€œThank you. Hand it to me, if you please.”
    â€œI, er, just kicked it over the edge.”
    She sighed. “Of course you did.”
    â€œI shall retrieve the portmanteau for you in the morning,” Gabe said stiffly. “The slipper may be more difficult to find.”
    â€œPray do not bother about either,” she said wearily. “The slipper was probably ruined anyway and I shall send someone to