A Knight in Central Park(46)

“Neat-freak would have been on her list,” Alexandra said with a laugh.

Joe frowned.

Alexandra’s smile faded. “I am certain she meant no harm.”

“I’m sure she didn’t,” he answered dryly. “What else did Shelly say about me? Never mind, I don’t think I want to know.”

But it was too late, Alexandra was already repeating the long list of character flaws Shelly had mentioned: stubborn, pigheaded, impatient... The list went on and on.

Joe let it go, figuring it might be best if Alexandra thought the worst of him. They could never be together, and he needed to make that clear.





Chapter Thirteen



To the dull mind all nature is leaden. To the illuminated mind the whole world burns and sparkles with light.

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

The sun was nearly setting by the time they set up camp. They sat on the rocky bank of a winding river. The panorama took on a life of its own. Joe had never hiked through a forest, never once went fishing. But here he was in a vast land of greenery: trees, lush plants, mosses, and shrubs.

The day had been long and the beauty before him no longer held his attention. The insides of his thighs felt tender and raw. He could hardly move after riding all day, and the tightness of his breeches wasn’t helping matters.

Joe splashed cold water onto his face. His stomach grumbled. Hoping for a ration of dried beef he’d seen in Alexandra’s pack, he frowned when she handed him a live caterpillar and a stick. He eyed the wriggling insect. “What is this for?”

“Bait,” she said.

He watched the creature crawl over his open palm. Then he glanced at the sharp end of the stick where the poor critter was to go, reminding himself that caterpillars could be troublesome, ruining entire fields of vegetation. It deserved to die.

Alexandra chuckled.

“I don’t care about this cute little bristly-haired caterpillar, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“I was thinking nothing of the sort,” she said much too cheerfully. She leaned casually against a rock and waited, her fishing stick already baited and in the water.

Somehow Joe managed. He plopped the long willowy stick into the water. He even whistled in an attempt to show Alexandra he could handle his first day in the woods. Truthfully, he’d never been so uncomfortable in his life. His lips were cracked and dry. Every muscle was sore. He rubbed his palm over the day-old bristle that was already making his jaw itch. “Now what?”

“We wait for an eel to take the bait,” she told him.

“Very funny. So, what are we really fishing for, salmon?”

“Have you never tasted eel?”

“No and I don’t ever plan to.” He gestured toward her saddle pack. “Didn’t I see some dried beef in your bag?”

“Aye, but we must save it for a day when the river is not so close at hand. Mayhap you should have broken your fast with the rest of us this morn.”

“I wasn’t hungry. Now I am.” An adventure, he told himself. Think of this trip as an adventure. His colleagues would undoubtedly give up a year’s salary to have such an opportunity. And he would gladly give up a year’s salary to give it to them. He took a steadying breath. If he had known she was telling the truth about the magical stones, he would have brought his laptop and plenty of batteries. He closed his eyes, tried to relax. It was no use.

How, he wondered, did Alexandra manage to always look so calm? And how the hell did she move about in that long tattered dress and skirt of hers. He liked it better when she left her hair hanging loose, but at the moment, most of her curly red hair was tucked under a loose hood. “Why aren’t you married?” he found himself asking.

She arched a brow.

“If we’re going to spend the next few weeks together, we might as well get everything out in the open, don’t you think?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Exactly what did Grandfather tell you?”

Joe swatted at a mosquito. “Mostly your grandfather tried to convince me of my being The Chosen One.”

“Oh,” she said, appearing relieved.

“And then he told me how you’ve been waiting for me, your husband, to come and claim you.”

“He did not,” she said, her eyes widening in horror.

“He did. In fact, your brother said the very same thing.”

She looked back to the river.