The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble Page B

stretched out. She held his attention until he recovered himself.
    “I can get it down,” he said before he could help himself. He wouldn’t miss seeing what this was all about. “Let me get climbing hooks and a rope.”
    “You can climb a tree that high?”
    “I worked every summer of my youth here at the camp. My father thought it important I learned to work. I was a tree topper.” He liked the shock on her face. There was more to him than met the eye as well.
    After he fetched the equipment and rejoined them, he pointed to the path. “Lead on, ladies.”
    Olivia’s color was still high when she turned and walked back the way she’d come. Katie shot him a quick glance and smiled. There was sympathy in her eyes and he wasn’t quite sure where it had come from. Or why.
    Lifting her skirts, Olivia kept her head down and her gaze on the ground. She stumbled over a tree root. Her foot slipped toward the ravine. She screamed and threw out her hands but missed the branch that hung low.
    Harrison leaped toward her, but Nealy dived past him. The dog latched onto her skirt. Harrison heard the cloth rip, but it held until he could seize her hand and pull her back to the path.
    Her chest heaved as she fought for breath. She glanced past him to Nealy. “The dog saved me.”
    “He’s trained to save,” he said, putting his arm around her. He led her to a tree trunk. “Rest here a minute.”
    Katie rushed back to where he stood over Lady Devonworth. “Is she all right?”
    “I nearly went over the edge.” The lady swatted at a fly with a shaking hand. “Nealy grabbed me.”
    “Good boy,” Katie crooned, rubbing the dog’s ears. “See, a dog isn’t so bad. Not all dogs are like the one that bit you, my dear. Pat him. He won’t hurt you.”
    Nealy turned his dark eyes on the lady, and Harrison saw her shudder. He didn’t think she would touch the dog, but she reached out her hand. Nealy took a step closer and pushed his long nose against her hand. She snatched her hand back, then moved it to his ears. She gave him a perfunctory pat. He wagged his tail.
    She smiled. “I think that means he likes me.”
    “He likes everybody,” Harrison said. “Are you strong enough to proceed?”
    She nodded, and he helped her up. “Let me go first,” he said when they reached a narrow path that led down. “I can assist you both.” When she stood aside, he brushed past her and clambered down the incline, then turned and extended his hand. Her gloves were looking a bit worse for the wear. “I hope this creature is worth the loss of your gloves,” he said. “I doubt your maid can remove the stains.”
    “I have others,” she said, clutching his hand as she half slid, half stepped down the path.
    They stood toe to toe, and he saw gold flecks in her dark eyes. Her breath was as sweet as the scent of the camellia blooming along the path. He should step away, but he stood frozen with her hand in his.
    She pulled her hand free. “You need to help Katie.”
    “Of course.” His face burned as she moved past him. He assisted Katie down the slope. “We are heading to the falls?” he asked her.
    “We are. Addie stayed behind so Edward and Gideon could swim.”
    “We’re not far now.”
    He let the women go ahead of him while he tried to figure out why he was acting such a fool. Was he so discomfited because she had a title? He’d never been one to take note of such inconsequential things. There was something different about Lady Devonworth.
    He quickened his step to catch up with the ladies. The roar of the falls sifted through the trees, and he heard the dog bark and a child giggle. Nearly there. He reached the ladies and together they entered the clearing where Addie sat beside the lake. Edward splashed and swam with Gideon while she looked on. Nealy barked and ran past them to join the fun.
    “We’re back,” Katie called.
    Addie scrambled to her feet and hurried toward them with a smile. “That kitten is nearly