But Suzette wasn’t like that. Daniel knew without a doubt that she too would roll up her own sleeves and do what was required if the need should arise. The very fact that she had been willing to sacrifice herself to avoid scandal for the rest of her family said as much. She had stepped forward to take up the chore herself rather than even considering that Lisa too could marry and claim her dower to aid in the endeavor.

Daniel was pretty sure he needn’t fear her dragging him to every social event of the season either. Suzette had already told him she preferred the quiet and beauty of the countryside to the crowded, polluted city. As for fashion and jewels, while her clothes were well made and she always looked nice, they were not exactly the height of fashion in London society, but she didn’t seem to care any more about that than she did for what people thought of her blunt speech. Oddly enough, the very fact that she didn’t seem to care about the material things made him want to shower her with them.

Daniel smiled wryly at the thought and then glanced around with a start as a sharp crack sounded. It seemed to be coming from the woods on his right and he slowed his mount, his eyes searching the trees as he recognized that he was on the edge of his property. They’d had trouble with poachers, he’d been told, though there had been no sign of them during the six months he’d been here before setting sail for America. But now he wondered if that was what he was hearing: poachers going after the wildlife. He would have to mention it to—

The thought died in his head as another crack sounded and something slammed into his back on his right side. It felt as if someone had just kicked him. It knocked the breath right out of him and nearly sent him tumbling from his horse. Throwing himself forward, he lay flat on his mount and kicked his heels, urging it to speed up again until the beast was going at an all-out run. Another crack sounded, but Daniel didn’t feel anything this time, and simply concentrated on holding on to the reins of his horse. His fingers seemed to be weakening and his breathing was labored. For one moment he feared a punctured lung, but a deep breath reassured him that wasn’t the case. Shock, then, he decided.

And maybe blood loss. Daniel added the grim thought as he felt trails of warm liquid tickling their way down his side. It was damned good he was so close to home, or he might not have made it, he thought grimly, but wondered when the lightheadedness hit him a moment later if he would after all.

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven