announced.
“I’m glad we are of like mind.”
“Therefore I expect you to show me a modicum of respect.”
“And I would desire the same.”
She smiled.
He gave her the same unflappable stare that had once placated his admiral.
And she turned quickly away, stroking the stallion’s nose and blushing furiously. “Furthermore, I’ve been thinking that Mister Lord simply will not do. It is far too ordinary, and not indicative of the great miracles I believe you are capable of performing with regard to healing animals. Therefore, I shall call you ‘doctor’ instead. Yes, doctor . Besides, if I go one hundred miles having to address you as ‘Mr. Lord’ I shall wear out my tongue!”
“That would be a blessing,” he murmured, picking up his trunk and shoving it under the seat of the chaise so she wouldn’t see the twinkle in his eye.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I mean, that would be an unusual form of ad dressing —” he looked up and gave an innocent grin—“me.”
“Oh. I thought you said something else.”
“I would never insult my lady so.”
“I should hope not. So, do you like your new title, Doctor Lord?”
“You flatter me, Lady Ariadne, but veterinarians are not regarded as doctors.”
“Indeed they are not. But you are my veterinarian and if I want to consider you a doctor, I will.” Her eyes sparkling, happy that she’d gotten the upper hand in at least something, she put her hands on her hips and made a small circle around him, immensely pleased with herself and reminding him of a happy queen who’d just raised one of her subjects to the peerage. “Besides, you rather look like a doctor, especially when you wear your spectacles, as you were doing yesterday when you saved that poor dog. By the way, where are they? You haven’t forgotten them now, have you?”
“No,” Colin said, his concentration swinging from her to the task at hand as he picked up the shafts of the chaise and brought the vehicle directly up behind the horse. The big animal stiffened and turned, regarding him warily. Already, the dark eyes were rolling, the ears back, the nostrils flaring with trepidation. The horse was no idiot, and obviously suspected what was to be asked of him. Colin tossed a blanket into the chaise. They’d be damned lucky if they weren’t all killed.
“Good. You rather look like a University graduate, all brainy and highborn with them on . . . I do hope you shall wear them often for me, just so I’m reminded that I have indeed purchased myself a veterinarian worthy of my stallion. I mean, at twelve thousand pounds you had better be worthy!”
“Perhaps next time you should shop around for a bargain,” he said drolly, as he directed her to back the horse into the shafts.
“Are you sporting with me, sir?”
“Me, sport with you?” He widened his eyes and gave her his most innocent smile as he fastened the traces. “I would not dream of it. You are far too important a personage to make sport of, and I would be less than a gentleman if I were to insult you so.”
“Good.” She raised her chin and regarded him with a cool hauteur that was effectively destroyed by the mischief in her eye. “Because I would take great offense, I think, if you were to make sport of me without my knowing. That would be unforgivably rude and impertinent behavior on your part.”
“Oh, yes. Unforgivably.”
They stared at each other, both trying not to grin. Then her chin came down a notch, and he saw the helpless sparkle in her eye, the deviltry in her expression.
“So, are you going to wear your spectacles or not?”
“I wear them for reading.”
“You weren’t reading when I saw you in them.”
“I wear them during surgery, too. Or, for anything that requires strict attention to detail. Or when I’m tired. Or when—”
“Surgery!” She clapped a hand across her chest and went a bit green. “Do you mean . . . cutting things?”
“Not ‘things.’ Flesh. Skin.
“I’m glad we are of like mind.”
“Therefore I expect you to show me a modicum of respect.”
“And I would desire the same.”
She smiled.
He gave her the same unflappable stare that had once placated his admiral.
And she turned quickly away, stroking the stallion’s nose and blushing furiously. “Furthermore, I’ve been thinking that Mister Lord simply will not do. It is far too ordinary, and not indicative of the great miracles I believe you are capable of performing with regard to healing animals. Therefore, I shall call you ‘doctor’ instead. Yes, doctor . Besides, if I go one hundred miles having to address you as ‘Mr. Lord’ I shall wear out my tongue!”
“That would be a blessing,” he murmured, picking up his trunk and shoving it under the seat of the chaise so she wouldn’t see the twinkle in his eye.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I mean, that would be an unusual form of ad dressing —” he looked up and gave an innocent grin—“me.”
“Oh. I thought you said something else.”
“I would never insult my lady so.”
“I should hope not. So, do you like your new title, Doctor Lord?”
“You flatter me, Lady Ariadne, but veterinarians are not regarded as doctors.”
“Indeed they are not. But you are my veterinarian and if I want to consider you a doctor, I will.” Her eyes sparkling, happy that she’d gotten the upper hand in at least something, she put her hands on her hips and made a small circle around him, immensely pleased with herself and reminding him of a happy queen who’d just raised one of her subjects to the peerage. “Besides, you rather look like a doctor, especially when you wear your spectacles, as you were doing yesterday when you saved that poor dog. By the way, where are they? You haven’t forgotten them now, have you?”
“No,” Colin said, his concentration swinging from her to the task at hand as he picked up the shafts of the chaise and brought the vehicle directly up behind the horse. The big animal stiffened and turned, regarding him warily. Already, the dark eyes were rolling, the ears back, the nostrils flaring with trepidation. The horse was no idiot, and obviously suspected what was to be asked of him. Colin tossed a blanket into the chaise. They’d be damned lucky if they weren’t all killed.
“Good. You rather look like a University graduate, all brainy and highborn with them on . . . I do hope you shall wear them often for me, just so I’m reminded that I have indeed purchased myself a veterinarian worthy of my stallion. I mean, at twelve thousand pounds you had better be worthy!”
“Perhaps next time you should shop around for a bargain,” he said drolly, as he directed her to back the horse into the shafts.
“Are you sporting with me, sir?”
“Me, sport with you?” He widened his eyes and gave her his most innocent smile as he fastened the traces. “I would not dream of it. You are far too important a personage to make sport of, and I would be less than a gentleman if I were to insult you so.”
“Good.” She raised her chin and regarded him with a cool hauteur that was effectively destroyed by the mischief in her eye. “Because I would take great offense, I think, if you were to make sport of me without my knowing. That would be unforgivably rude and impertinent behavior on your part.”
“Oh, yes. Unforgivably.”
They stared at each other, both trying not to grin. Then her chin came down a notch, and he saw the helpless sparkle in her eye, the deviltry in her expression.
“So, are you going to wear your spectacles or not?”
“I wear them for reading.”
“You weren’t reading when I saw you in them.”
“I wear them during surgery, too. Or, for anything that requires strict attention to detail. Or when I’m tired. Or when—”
“Surgery!” She clapped a hand across her chest and went a bit green. “Do you mean . . . cutting things?”
“Not ‘things.’ Flesh. Skin.
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