Page 9 of Witchbane

Not daring to risk either of them slipping up and saying my name, I shook my head. ‘I can manage, but thank you.’ I gave an apologetic smile. ‘And I’m sorry for snapping. It’s been a tiresome day in one way or another.’

‘That’s fine,’ Clarice said. ‘We understand.’

Aggie came back with the things I’d asked for. ‘Here’s a damp cloth to clean the wound before you apply the yarrow.’

Carrying the yarrow and cloths, I hurried down the lane to tend to Theo. He was standing and leaning against his horse, one arm around the horse’s neck and the undamaged side of his face against the black fur, talking to him so quietly I couldn’t hear what he was saying.

‘Here we are,’ I said.

He stepped away from the horse. I looked up at him. ‘You’re quite a bit taller than me,’ I said, stating the obvious. ‘You’re going to have to lean back against the bank so I can get close enough to be able to clean and dress your wound.’

He didn’t argue and did as I asked. It was only then that I realised how close I needed to be to tend to him. I hesitated for a few seconds.

‘If you’re worried about hurting me, I assure you I’m tougher than I look,’ he said, his voice gentle.

I was relieved he mistook my reaction for concern and I resisted replying that he looked very tough indeed. ‘I’m sure you’re very brave,’ I said with a hint of sarcasm to hide my discomfort.

He laughed. ‘Sometimes I’m not as brave as I’d like.’

His eyes held a meaning I didn’t quite understand and I wondered if he was referring to me in some way. I pushed the thought from my mind and, moving slightly closer to him, removed his hand from his head. I grimaced. The cut was deeper than I had thought.

‘I’ll do my best with what I have.’ I leant nearer to him and carefully cleaned away the dirt from his cut. I felt his heartbeat against my arm and, shocked that I had been resting on him, moved back slightly. ‘Um, sorry.’

‘Don’t apologise,’ he said through clenched teeth. ‘Do whatever you need to do.’

When I saw he wasn’t offended by my closeness, I took the crushed yarrow and carefully packed it against his wound. Holding it there with one hand, I took the wadding Aggie had given to me with the linen strip and placed it over the yarrow with my other hand, then draped the end of the strip near the damaged skin. ‘Please can you hold that?’ I asked, taking his hand and resting it lightly on the linen so that I had both hands free to bind his head properly.

‘You can let go now,’ I said, continuing to wrap the linen around his head.

He took his hand away and it was a few seconds before I became aware that it was resting on the small of my back. The heat of his hand felt comforting and I didn’t ask him to move it, wanting to enjoy his touch while I had an excuse to do so.

Unable to make the task last any longer, I secured the end of the linen strip and went to move back. His hand didn’t drop away. I lowered my eyes to meet his and he stared at me for a few seconds. It was as if time had paused. His eyes moved down to my lips. Surprised by the intensity of the attraction between us, I opened my mouth to speak but couldn’t find the words I needed.

Neither of us moved. I felt one of his hands on the back of my head while his other arm tightened around my waist. The next moment I was in his arms, pressed against him, my lips on his in a kiss.

I couldn’t think of anything but the sensation of his mouth on mine and my body pressed up against his muscular chest. It was exciting and intoxicating standing between his slightly bent legs. When I responded and kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his neck, he held me closer to him, a quiet groan escaping his lips. I didn’t want our kiss to end.

His lips moved back from mine until they were barely touching. ‘Please tell me your name,’ he whispered.

His question reminded me who he was to me. I couldn’t believe I had allowed myself to be swept away by him. My breath quickened. What was wrong with me? Flattening my hands against his chest, I pushed back. He let go reluctantly, hurt blazing from his eyes.

‘Please, I only wish to know you.’

I didn’t dare speak, mortified by what I had done and on the verge of angry tears. I ran past him, up the lane, hoping he wouldn’t be ungentlemanly enough to follow me.

I’ve let myself down, I thought, crying as I ran the rest of the way home. Not only myself but my mother too. What kind of daughter was I to give in to a handsome face so easily? I was a fool. I had no intention of allowing myself to do that again.

Chapter Five

THEO

It had been a month since my accident and my kiss with the mysterious girl with the turquoise eyes. I touched the scar on my forehead that she had tended to so expertly. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, or dreaming of her gentle touch and how her lips against mine had ruined me for any other woman.

Not only had she helped me, she had saved my precious horse from injury. Even if she didn’t want anything to do with me, I wished I could thank her, but to be able to do that, I needed to know who she was. I had asked around but no one was willing to admit to knowing her. What was it about that girl that made people want to protect her and keep her identity from me?

After she had run off I had led Warrior up to the cottage in Crack Ankle Lane to thank the woman, Clarice, for providing the things my saviour had needed to dress my wound. I asked her the girl’s name. Defiant, despite the fear I saw in her eyes, she obviously had little intention of revealing the girl’s identity to me.

Somehow, despite my visits to Stanthorpe, I was yet to come across her again, and instead of getting over my feelings for her, I was all the more frustrated at not finding her. Today I was on my way there again, but taking a detour through the pretty but run-down village of Thistlebury to deliver a message to my father, who had meetings with several people in the village.