As if to confirm his thoughts, she pushed her hair from her face, succeeding only in shoving the lily pad to a more prominent position on the top of her head, then said in an ungracious tone, “I suppose I should thank you.”

“I suppose you should,” he replied. After all, he’d lost his slippers, and his new coat lay in the damp grass. “You should also inquire as to whether I’m injured. You left a footprint on my neck.”

She bit her lip, though it appeared as if she were more amused than sorry. “I don’t know what came over me—I rarely frighten.”

“Hm. You didn’t happen to climb trees when you were a child, did you? You have quite a grip for a gently bred lady.”

Color again bloomed in her cheeks, contrasting with her red hair and the cream of her skin. Anthony thought he’d never seen a more beautiful woman.

She sniffed. “No, I did not climb trees as a child. I did, however, excel in scaling the trellis outside my window in an attempt to be near the barn at all times. I like to ride and my father was adamant that it should not interfere with my studies.”

“Ran from the governess, did you?”

She grinned, her teeth flashing whitely. “Like a hoyden. But it was worth it. I’d have done anything to be with my horse, Princess. She was a beauty.”

“And yet you refuse to ride with me. I begin to feel slighted.”

“Only because it would be unbecoming for me to be seen about the countryside with my employer.”

“Ungrateful brat.”

“I am not ungrateful, Greyley. In fact, I am fully aware of what I owe you for this morning’s efforts. Thank you for coming to my rescue.”

“Don’t think about it. Some aspects were quite pleasing.” Like the way her thigh had been so delightfully close to his mouth. The thought sent a pang of heat to his nether regions, and he was damned glad they were in full view of the house, or he might have been tempted to do something about it, to hell with propriety.

“If there is anything I can do to repay you, I hope you will not hesitate to ask.”

“You can thank me by going for a ride with me tomorrow morning.” He wanted her alone and in his arms, he realized with sudden clarity. Not that he was searching for a dalliance. Good God, he hoped to be married in three months.

But still…his gaze slid slowly over Anna. Her wet gown clung lovingly to every curve, making him think of a dozen reasons that he might want to reconsider his “no dalliance” rule.

She was a sight indeed—tall and slender, with generous breasts and rounded hips that made his groin tighten. Better yet were the long legs he could see clearly outlined by the white muslin—the length and curve of those legs far exceeding even his active imagination. By Zeus, but she was a woman made for passion.