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to take
off his saddle, but Arthur was there first.  As his fingers grazed hers, she
jumped back as if stung.
    “Please, allow me,” he said with a grin.  “Think of it as
earning my share of the meal you had the foresight to pack.  And to think that
all I have to do for half a chunk of cheese and some dried-out bread is to
curry both our horses.”
    “Perhaps this will dissuade you from continuing on the
journey.”
    “What kind of man would I be if I let a little work and starvation
take me from your side?” asked Arthur, as he saw to the animals.  “Do you only
have the one apple?  Our horses deserve the treat, even if I do not.”
    “I brought food for the horses,” said Vanessa, as she cut an
apple in two and handed one half to Arthur.  “They are most deserving, after
all.”
    “And I am not?”
    “I did not say that, my lord.”
    “Nor did you deny it, Miss Gans.  At least if I am to be
found wanting it is in favor of two warriors such as these.”
    Arthur watched Vanessa feed the apple to Merlin with one hand
as she stroked his neck with the other.  Normally unfriendly to anyone other
than Arthur, Merlin was quite literally eating out of her hand and nudging her
gently with his head.  Arthur was of a mind to tell his animal to stop being so
fresh when he remembered he needed to keep his distance from the delectable
Vanessa.
    With that in mind, Arthur scouted the best place to sleep
for the night, preferably far from temptation.  It had been many a year since
he’d slept out of doors as a child, and even then it had been on a soft bed
roll and within walking distance of the manor.  If he recalled correctly, the
meal had been served by footmen.  On a table.  With proper linens and china. 
He wasn’t looking forward to sleeping on the ground, but he wasn’t about to admit
that to Vanessa.  He did have some pride, even if it was being steadfastly
eroded.
    She approached him carrying her saddlebag.  “Where is your
blanket?” she asked.
    “In the comfort of a well-tended house.”
    “You cannot tell me you came on the journey this
ill-prepared.”
     “Guilty as charged,” said Arthur.  “When I discovered you
had gone – after promising to wait for me, I might add – I was more concerned
about your welfare than I was about the contents of my saddlebag.  In hindsight,
I now believe an extra ten minutes of preparation might have been in order,
particularly since you have proven yourself so capable, although not
particularly good at keeping your word.  But even if I had taken the extra time
to pack carefully, I confess I probably would not have thought to bring a
blanket because I had not anticipated sleeping under the stars.”
    “Then perhaps you’ll be turning back?” she asked sweetly.
    If only he could.  But not only would he have to stay to
protect her, he was determined to make the best of the situation, if only
because she was so set on proving he was naught but a pampered aristocrat.   “On
the contrary, now that I’ve grown used to the idea, I’m quite looking forward
to a night out of doors, breathing the fresh country air.  Perhaps I shall make
sleeping outside a habit when I return to London and bring it into fashion.”
    She looked at him with skepticism, proving she was just as
good a judge of character as she claimed.  “And what will you do without a
blanket?”
    Arthur was not looking forward to being without one.  But he
also didn’t want to think about what it would be like to share hers. 
“Kellingtons are tough.  I shall be fine without one.”
    “You’ll freeze without one.  The night air can be quite cold
this time of year.”
    “I’m touched that you would be so concerned for me.”
    “The concern is for my schedule, my lord.  If you come down
with the ague, I will lose valuable time as I deposit you with a surgeon,
provided we can even find one.”
    He had to smile at her steadfast determination to keep to her
blasted schedule.