Page 46 of The Trouble with Anna

“Julian, is that you? We thought you’d be halfway to Bristol by now.”

“What do you want?”

“Such a bear this morning!” She yawned and it turned into a wide, happy smile. “Congratulations again! Hasn’t it all worked out marvelously?”

“Marvelously?” Julian’s head ached so badly that it threatened to explode. “Yes, how marvelous that the next Countess Ramsay is a woman more comfortable with horses than people, who prickles up at the smallest thing and spends half her time yelling at me. How thrilled I am not to choose my own wife!”

Charlotte went white and began frantically shaking her head, but it was the suck of breath from behind her that caught Julian’s attention. He saw a flare of dark green and then the sound of footsteps as someone ran pell-mell down the hall.

Julian’s lungs seized and his heart stopped pumping, but his brain worked all too well.

Dark green, the color of Anna’s favorite riding habit.

No, no, NO!

“Anna!” Julian broke into a run. “For god’s sake, Anna, wait!”

She didn’t stop and he didn’t expect her to. He tore down the corridor and around the turn, reaching the back terrace as she raced down the stairs into the garden, her head a dark pearl below him.

“Anna, goddamn it, wait!” he shouted as she sprinted across the lawn.

He pounded after her, but she reached the little wooden door in the brick wall and was through to the mews behind the Dowager’s townhouse.

“Anna! Stop!”

She was fast but he was faster. She made it halfway to thestables before his hand caught her wrist and he pulled her to a grinding halt.

“What?” she shot at him. “Did you have something else to add to your list? Prickly, yelling—did you miss one? Do go on! Though I must warn you, I value your words very little now I know you’re aliar.”

“I’m a fool! I don’t know what I said. I’ve been an idiot ever since I met you.”

“Oh! So I’m to doubt the evidence of my own ears? I’m to trust you?” The broken sound she made stabbed him. “I tried that just last night. Unhand me!”

She twisted her arm viciously, but he held firm.

“You must listen!”

“I should have listened to my own doubts! I should never have believed you when you said—” Her voice cracked. “I can’t stand that I was foolish enough to think we could befriends.”

“You’ll be my wife!”

Her eyes jerked to his. “I wouldn’t have you if you were the last man alive. Let me go!”

His grip tightened. “You’re not fit to ride in this state.”

“I saidlet me go!”

He didn’t notice the crop she was carrying until it came down across his hand. Anna shot away and ran for Sally, held saddled and ready by a stableboy whose eyes were as big as wheels of cheese.

Even as Julian lunged for the reins, she was up in the saddle and off, a dark arrow flying away from him.

“Anna!” he bellowed. “Damn it!”

Julian turned to the stableboy, who dropped his gaze at once. “Get me a mount!”

“M-my lord?” the stableboy managed.

“I want a horse, blast it!”

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