Caroline (4 page)

Alec's eyebrow rose even higher. Tempted though he was to join her, he moved farther downstream. Then he pulled off his own shirt and leaned over the bank to splash his face and chest, and fill his canteen. As he returned to the woods, Caro was bent over, her back to him, scrubbing her sudsy head.

Soon, as she was rinsing the last of the soap away, Ivan appeared on the bank holding a clean towel in his mouth. Caro took it gratefully, laughing to herself. After dressing, she wrapped the towel around her long hair and ran barefoot through the leaves back to their camp. As they breakfasted on berries, cornbread, and hot coffee, Caro brushed her hair, letting the long, soft curls dry in the sunlight. Leaning back on his forearm in the brittle leaves, Alec watched her over his coffee.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful your hair is?"

She looked up in surprise. "Is it?"

"Yes, and you should be proud of its natural beauty. Do you know what women of style are doing to their hair? It's a crime against everything female. They wire it into tall nests and smother it in powder. Lord knows how many rodents and birds make their homes in women's coiffures these days." He sat up and leaned toward her, his black brows drawn together in a frown. "You must never ruin your hair that way. You may be out of fashion, but you will be the loveliest woman in Philadelphia."

Something in his serious tone made her incline her head and smile. "I suppose, Mr. Beauvisage, that you intend to manage my life from now on?" Her eyes were sparkling with mischief as she jumped to her feet. Alec's eyebrow was raised again and he rose leisurely to stand before her. One side of his mouth curved up; Caro stared back at him boldly.

"My dear," he said slowly, "Come here." Catching the hem of her shirt, he drew her near.

And then she was enfolded in his arms and he tipped her chin up, his eyes piercing. "Yes, I'll manage your life for the foreseeable future. And I flatter myself that you shall enjoy it." His mouth was on hers then, firm, compelling, and searching. As his tongue parted her lips, Caro felt a shivering sensation that spread over her entire body. Her heart was pounding wildly and she was shocked to find herself kissing him back, her lips warm. Then his mouth was on her neck, his beard soft yet ticklish, and her skin burned beneath his lips. His face was in her hair as he inhaled its heady scent and he kissed the base of her neck and the soft, sweet, first curve of her breast. Gasping, Caro could not imagine what had happened to her body, for every nerve was on fire under his ardent touch.

Alec reached to the neckline of her smock, longing to remove it. When his lips neared the fragrant valley between her breasts he felt the frantic thump of her heart.

Suddenly he was aware of what he was doing and he felt his hardness and insistence subside along with the tide of his passion. Grasping her arms, he pushed himself away and looked into her face. In it, Alec saw open desire: yearning eyes, cheeks flushed deep rose, and soft lips looking well kissed. Yet, he also saw an innocence so obvious that it jolted him. Caro seemed to be discovering the sensuous feelings in her body for the first time. In that moment, Alec felt certain she was not married to anyone and had probably never even been kissed before now, let alone by an incorrigible rake.

He stepped back, raked a hand through his hair, and let out a low whistle. Caro sat down hard in the leaves and pressed trembling fingers to her cheeks.

"Oh dear," she murmured, and Alec was amazed to see her eyes pool with tears. Quickly he bent down next to her and touched her face.

"Caro, forgive me. I told you I was no gentleman—you should have slapped me at once!" As her blush deepened, Alec realized how shocked she must have been by her own body's response. "Look," he smiled, "I promise to
try
to behave properly. I really am not in the habit of ravishing young maidens. Can we be friends again? Would you like to slap me now?"

He saw the tension leave her face. She raised her chin, laughing in spite of herself, and slapped him right across the cheek as hard as she could. Ruefully, Alec arched a brow as he watched her stand up and begin gathering her things together. Ivan slowly walked over to nuzzle his nose against Alec's head.

"Ivan," he murmured thoughtfully, "I have a feeling that life from now on will be extremely interesting. Do you agree?"

The stallion threw back his head and whinnied happily, a gesture that reminded Caro of his master.

Now, as they rode along in the October sunshine, she felt euphoric. She pondered only briefly their physical encounter, for the memory of it made her uncomfortable. She was a little bothered, too, about the changeableness of her feelings. All day she had fluctuated between embarrassed shyness and impulsive mischievousness. Somehow she sensed that Alec was to blame, but wasn't sure why or how. He had been quiet during the morning's ride, but was still congenial when he spoke. Caro decided that to a man of the world like Alec, one little kiss would mean nothing. She only wished she could dismiss it from her mind as easily.

Fortunately, the October scenery offered temporary diversion. The mountains surrounding them were actually irregular, mounded hills which seemed to run on into infinity. Chestnut, red and white oak, rock maple, black cherry, ash, and yellow birch trees mingled closely, offering a beautiful variety of colors. Through the morning, Caro had glimpsed dozens of different animals and birds, including a moose, a mink, and a flock of heron. The pigeons overhead flew so close together that they virtually blocked out the sun that shone through the trees, and Alec laughingly assured her that there was always an ample supply of food available to them.

Presently, Ivan trotted out of the woods into a sprawling open field covered with fall wild flowers and tall grasses. Immediately, Caro noticed the cream-colored, well-built horse, wearing a bridle and saddle, that stood grazing in the middle of the meadow. Alec whistled softly and murmured:

"Am I to believe that God really does answer prayers?"

Ivan let out a joyful whinny of greeting while closing the distance between them and the other horse. The mare looked up from her meal as they approached and neighed with pure delight. Her expressive brown eyes were full of recognition, and she nuzzled against Caro affectionately.

"Alec, I am certain that I know this horse!"

"Yes, and I am certain that this horse knows you,
cherie
," he affirmed ironically, swinging down from Ivan's back to check the other animal for injury. "She seems fine. Something must have spooked her at the time of your fall and she probably lost her way."

Caro decided to call her Molly. Meanwhile, a smitten Ivan was openly attempting to woo the pretty mare. However she feigned disinterest and Alec and Caro could not resist laughing at the black stallion's antics.

They ate lunch there in the meadow while the horses frolicked in the grass. Alec secured Caro's things to Molly's saddle, then helped her up.

That afternoon they covered a good distance, but Caro missed Alec's arms around her. She missed his masculine scent and she missed watching the play of his strong hand on the reins. At the same time, being in control of her own horse made her more mischievous than ever. Every time they reached a straight length of trail she gave Molly her head and the two of them would disappear from view. More than once, Caro circled Molly back through the trees to surprise him. At first, Alec was tolerant and amused by these antics, then he grew faintly irritated. But, by the end of the afternoon he found himself letting Ivan charge along with Molly. Caro's eyes would flash with excitement and her cheeks colored as they raced side by side.

The sun was low behind the trees, shading the woods with rosy light, when Alec caught up to them and signaled for Caro to stop. She followed him into a clearing, watching as he dismounted.

"What are you doing?"

"I hate to put an end to your playtime but it's nearly dark and I am hungry. And I daresay your horse is the most tired of us all. I begin to understand her reasons for trying to elude you yesterday!"

Caro hopped down beside him, her face burning. In her outrage, the teasing note in Alec's voice was lost on her.

"That is an abominable thing to say! Just because I have been trying to have some fun you needn't scold me! All day long you have been raising that horrid eyebrow and giving me disapproving looks. Well, I truly resent your attitude, sir, and I am beginning to believe that you are nothing but an ill-tempered
old
man!"

By this time, Caro was breathing hard. She had her hands clenched as if to strike him, and Alec offered helpfully:

"Would you care to hit me again? I can take it, you know. I'm in excellent condition for a man my age."

He smiled at her so winningly that Caro felt all her anger melt away. Tears stung her eyes and she blinked them back furiously. Softening, Alec reached out and folded her into his arms. She wept for a moment against his warm chest and immediately felt better.

Tipping up her chin, he smiled into her shining eyes. "It's all right, you know. I think I understand you better than you believe."

"You do?"

"I suspect that you have been doing and saying things today that have been pent up for a long time. And, although I hate to admit it, your antics have been a refreshing change."

"Change from what?"

He disengaged from her and casually began to unsaddle Ivan as he talked. "You have no idea what the women are like that I know. Spontaneity and naturalness are dead—now replaced by all the proper virtues. Females have become laughably predictable, for each lives in mortal fear of doing something different!" He grinned at her, then shrugged his shoulders. "Believe me, society is exceedingly tedious. I suppose that's why I spend so little time in it."

Caro smiled back at him and began to unsaddle Molly, humming under her breath.

* * *

Alec shot four plump pigeons for dinner and Caro gathered blueberries and cranberries in her tricorn hat. They roasted the pigeons on a spit and she thought food had never smelled so appetizing. Darkness had fallen quickly, and except for her acute hunger, Caro felt strangely at peace. She watched Alec turn the spit, which he had built skillfully out of fallen tree branches. When the pigeons were done, she ate her portion greedily with her hands, trying to ignore his amused gaze.

Finally she demanded sternly, "Must you always have to look at me as though I were a hugely amusing jest?"

Alec laughed. "I wouldn't say you are an amusement, but rather an enjoyment. It has been a long time since I've seen a girl with your looks behave just as she pleases." He paused, then added ironically, "That is, outside of my own family."

Caro waited until she had finished her meat before asking Alec what he meant. Stretching full out in the cushion of leaves, he crossed his arms behind his head and chuckled softly to himself.

"Of course, you'll meet them all soon enough, but I suppose it's only fair to warn you. Not that they're bad people, just a trifle mad!"

"Like you?" She inquired innocently.

"Ha! Yes, like me. Perhaps it's all that French and Russian blood mixed together, but I can't help feeling it's simply due to the combination of Maman and Father. When I told you the story of my parents I neglected to describe their four other offspring. I have one older sister, Danielle, who seems to be the only sane person in the family—a quality which has served to rather set her apart, I'm afraid. Then there is Nicholai, who is twenty-two and full of the devil. He has been cutting a wide swath through Philadelphia since the war ended, breaking hearts at every turn." Alec grinned affectionately. "Natalya is only seventeen, and just returned from two years of schooling in France. I have a room for her at my house that she uses when my parents are away. She seems to prefer staying with me to Danielle's house, and I can hardly blame her! You'll like her. She's rather like you—guileless, emotional, and in love with life.

"Katya is the baby; she was eight her last birthday. She was quite a surprise for everyone, for Maman was well past forty at the time of her birth. She's a delightful child, though, and quite precocious due to her extensive travels. Usually she accompanies my parents wherever they go, and speaks fluent Russian and French."

"Your family sounds quite wonderful."

"There is one more member, my father's mother. Believe it or not, she is eighty and just this year came over from France with Natalya to live in Philadelphia. She has her own little house and is completely independent. A remarkable woman! Danielle is named for Grandmere."

"Two of you have Russian names, and two are French," Caro observed.

"Quite true. We grew up strongly influenced by both cultures. I can't help feeling that only in America could a family like ours live so happily."

Caro smiled dreamily. "I only hope they'll like me. Are you certain your parents won't mind my living with them? We really must find my own family soon, for I hate to impose on yours this way. And I wonder..." She paused and gazed into the distance. "I wonder where I came from, and if my home was as happy as yours is?"

Alec propped himself up on a forearm and studied her intently.

"You mustn't be concerned about imposing on my family. My mother could have invented both maternal instinct and hospitality, she is so well endowed with both. I know my family will welcome you and in no time at all you will be one of them. I want you to leave your past and the people in it to me. Don't doubt that I shall discover where you came from, nor that I shall take care of you in the meantime. Do we understand one another?"