He looked so fragile, she’d thought the two of them would fall to the floor. Tall and thin, dressed all in black, including his felt hat, it surprised her at how solid he felt, how strong.

His fingers bit into her shoulders as he grabbed her. She fought to free herself and heard him swear as he righted her, holding her away from him, staring into her face.

Dulcie stared back, flinching at what she saw under the soft brim of his beat-up hat—a gaunt face stretched over hard angles and startling dark eyes that shone with something so black it was like falling into a bottomless pit.

She jerked back, repelled by the man, and found her voice. “What are you doing in my house?”

“Your house?” The sound of him surprised her as much as the sight of him. A rasp of a voice, well-deep and just as cold.

“My house,” she repeated, screwing up her courage. “You’re trespassing and you know what they do to trespassers up here.”

His laugh was hollow, the shine in his eyes hypnotic.

“Get out!” she ordered, her voice spiraling with her fear. “Get out or I’m going to call the police.”

His smile showed shockingly uniform white teeth and for a moment she glimpsed what he must have looked like when he was younger.

Her breath caught. As she staggered backward, she threw her hand up as if to ward him off. His hand shot out, brushed her sleeve. Her scream was a shrill cry of raw terror.

“Dulcie? Dulcie!” Russell burst through the front door, stopping short as she shoved past a tall, thin man dressed all in black and ran into his arms.

Russell held her to him and demanded of the man, “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m afraid I frightened her,” the man said in a raspy, deep voice that Russell recognized at once. The man turned to face him, giving a slight courtly bow without removing his hat. “Finnegan Amherst, at your service. And you are...?”

“Russell Corbett.”

“Ah, the rancher who called requesting my talents. I have already begun my work.”

So he had shown up. “I hope you aren’t planning to make rain inside this ranch house,” Russell snapped.

The rainmaker chuckled, a sound like dead, rustling leaves.

He could still feel Dulcie trembling and knew how much it took to scare this woman. What had this man done to her?

“Again, I am sorry if I frightened you, miss.” He tipped his hat to Dulcie. “I’ve set up across the creek. The same place I did last time with much success.” His gaze raked over Dulcie, making her shiver again before he left them, closing the door behind him.

“Are you all right?” Russell asked, looking into Dulcie’s brown eyes. His fingers brushed back her hair.