As she expected, Sebastian was in the paddock, rubbing Eros down. Dismounted, he looked no less magnificent, no less mystical. Energy and life vibrated from him. The excitement of the ride was still on his face, in his eyes. The strength of it was in the rippling muscles of his back and forearms as he cooled down his mount.

Mel thought that if she touched him now her fingers would burn.

“Nice day for a ride, I guess.”

Sebastian looked over Eros’s withers and smiled. “Most are. I’m sorry I didn’t greet you, but I hate to stop Eros when he has his head.”

“It’s all right.” She was glad he hadn’t. Mel was dead certain she wouldn’t have managed more than a stutter if he’d spoken to her astride that horse. “I just stopped by to see if you had a few minutes to clear things up.”

“I think I could find some time for you.” He patted the stallion’s left flank, and then, resting the horse’s knee on his thigh, began to clean the hoof. “You’ve seen Rose?”

“Yes, I’ve just come from there. She said you’d been by. You brought David a sailboat.”

Sebastian glanced up, then moved to the next hoof. “I thought it might help ease some of his confusion to have something familiar from those weeks he was away.”

“It was very … kind.”

He straightened, then moved on to the front leg. “I have my moments.”

On more solid ground now, Mel braced a boot on the lowest rung of the fence. “Rose said you wouldn’t take a fee.”

“I believe I pointed out before that I don’t need the money.”

“I’m aware of that.” Mel leaned on the fence, running her fingers down Eros’s neck. Nothing magical there, she assured herself. Just a magnificent beast in his prime. Much like his master. “I did some checking. You have your fingers in a lot of pies, Donovan.”

“That’s one way of putting it.”

“I guess it’s easier to make money when you’ve got a bundle behind you to start with.”

He examined the last hoof. “I suppose. And it would follow it would be easier to lose money under the same conditions.”

“You got me there.” She tilted her head as he straightened again. “That business in Chicago. It was rough.”

She saw the change in his face and was sorry for it. This wasn’t something he took lightly or brushed off in a matter of days. “It was difficult, yes. Failure is.”

“But you helped them find him. Stop him.”

“Five lives lost isn’t what I term a success.” He gave Eros a slap on the rump to send him trotting off. “Why don’t you come inside while I clean up?”

“Sebastian.”