Page 25 of Cloaked in Beauty

“Chaperone duties?”

Her grandmother pinned her with a knowing look. “I saw the way you blushed after shaking that man’s hand. I’m guessing your insides went all quivery, too, didn’t they?”

Letty sucked in a breath. “How did you know?”

“Sweet girl, there’s nothing new under the sun. Strong, handsome young men have been making young ladies’ knees wobble since Eve first got a look at Adam. Happened to me a time or two myself. Even before I met your grandfather.” She leaned forward and took Letty’s hand. “Attraction is a natural thing, honey, but it can lead people into trouble. Don’t let all those fluttery feelings dismantle your good sense. Mr. Carmichael strikes me as an honorable man, but even honorable men fall victim to temptation on occasion.” Her grip on Letty’s hand tightened. “Promise me you’ll bed down with Rusty every night. He’ll guard you almost as well as I would.”

“I promise. But I really don’t think there’s anything to worry about.” Mr. Carmichael had given no indication that he’d felt any kind of flutters on his part, after all. “I’m just a job to him. A package he’s been paid to deliver.”

Though a tiny part of her couldn’t help wondering what it might be like to be wanted as something more than a paycheck.

11

Philip set his jaw as he made his way back to the Hood cabin the following morning.

She’s just a job. A duty to fulfill like any other assignment.

He’d been repeating the litany to himself since yesterday. Not that it had done him any good. He’d still dreamed about her last night. Her unbound, fire-kissed hair blowing in the wind. Those hazel eyes dancing with mischief. A mysterious smile playing upon her lips.

When they’d met, he’d been more concerned with gaining her agreement than appreciating her feminine attributes. Nevertheless, his mind had absorbed all the details of her figure anyway and brought them into his awareness while his guard had been compromised by sleep. Slender yet possessing enough curves to catch a man’s eye. Petite yet agile and strong. Then there’d been the childlike dusting of freckles on her nose and cheeks. They’d highlighted her innocence and stirred protective urges that went beyond the usual sense of responsibility he experienced when tasked with guarding someone.

’Course he’d dreamed of her wolf, too. The moment he’d stretched out a hand to cup her cheek and draw her close, the beast had sprung on him—big ears pinned back, big eyes glittering with hostility, big teeth bared and ready to pierce his jugular.

He’d jerked awake, his heart pounding and his breath coming in ragged clips as he ran a hand down his neck to verify that all skin and blood vessels remained intact.

No water needed to cool his ardor after that terrifying vision.

Being alone with an attractive young woman for days on end would carry its own sets of unique challenges to be sure, but he was a professional. He’d do his job and maintain the required emotional distance.

At least she wasn’t an uppity debutante with a whiny voice to constantly grate on his nerves. Being tied to that kind of woman for an extended length of time would make him want to crawl out of his skin and find himself another occupation. He hadn’t spent much time in Letty Hood’s company, but from what he’d observed, she seemed like a reasonable woman. One who rode well, could handle the rigors of solitude, and was accustomed to fending for herself. As long as she didn’t try to strap her chair atop their bedrolls, cooking pans, and foodstuffs, they’d get along just fine.

Philip grinned at the memory of her teasing as he guided Steele up the hill that led to the Hood cabin. The pack pony he’d acquired from Mr. Johnson plodded along beside him, the lead line looped inside Philip’s right hand. The small bay was sturdy and well-trained, a must for the journey they were about to embark upon. Well worth the time he’d spent riding back to Atlanta for supplies. The livery in Queen City hadn’t had much stock to choose from, and while he could have made do with the local merchandise for setting up camp and keeping him and Letty fed, a horse not trained to pack would have been a thorn in their side. They couldn’t afford to be slowed down by a bad-tempered animal or one with a tendency to run off whenever the urge struck. Thanks to Mr. Johnson, they wouldn’t have to worry about trouble cropping up from that quarter. Which was good, seeing as how Philip needed to focus on trouble coming from everywhere else.

When the Hood cabin came into view, he found himself scanning the yard, seeking his travel companion. He didn’t spy Letty, but he did spot a pretty black mare standing outside the cabin door. She’d been saddled and laden with a pair of bulging saddlebags. Rusty rose from the sunny place he’d been lying in and gave himself a good stretch before he announced Philip’s arrival with a series of barks that would have sounded much more ferocious had Philip not just seen him yawn like a sleep-tousled adolescent boy.

Steele tossed his head and sidestepped a bit at the wolf’s approach, however.

“Easy, boy. Don’t want our new partner to spook.” Philip tightened his grip on the packhorse’s lead line.

Steele snorted once, then settled, his trust in his owner absolute. Either that, or he’d seen how unbothered Letty’s mare acted amid all the hullaballoo, and his pride wouldn’t let him show fear in front of a female.

A malady that seemed to affect Philip as well, for the moment the front door opened and Miss Hood stepped through, he forced the frown he’d been aiming at her wolf into a bland look of nonchalance.

“Rusty, come!”

The wolf stopped barking at the sound of her voice, but he hesitated to obey her command. He stared Philip down for a few seconds first. The kind of glare Philip had received from the fathers or brothers of the few girls he’d paid court to before joining the Pinkertons. It was rather eerie how human the wolf seemed in that moment.

After shooting off a canine death glare, Rusty turned and bounded back to his mistress, eagerly taking up his position at her side.

Miss Hood rewarded the little terror with a thorough rub, then instructed him to sit. He did, with all the haughtiness of a king settling onto his throne. Philip arched a brow. The alpha assertion couldn’t be much clearer. Philip might have felt the need to challenge were they not leaving the beast behind. Let Rusty rule his little corner of the forest. Philip would handle things along the trail between here and Houston.

“Good morning to you, Mr. Carmichael.” Miss Hood’s smile looked a tad forced as she took a step in his direction.

She signaled her wolf to stay with the flat of her hand, and surprisingly enough, the arrogant beast deigned to comply, proving his devotion to his lady was greater than his need to exert his dominance.

Switching his attention to a much more pleasant figure, Philip fingered the brim of his hat and gave his hostess a nod. “Miss Hood.” He glanced up at the blue sky and smiled. “Looks like the Lord blessed us with a fine day to start our journey.”

He looped the packhorse’s lead line around the saddle horn, making sure it would pull away easily should the horse decide to move. Then he dismounted and strode forward to meet his charge.