More Than Willing by Laura Landon Page B

Murdock and Fletcher walked back through the stable. When he reached the front he stared at the charred wood near the entrance. “Whoever is behind this isn’t done.”

Chapter Six
    Gray slid to the ground from atop the sorrel he’d used to ride to the King’s Crown and gripped onto the saddle when his legs gave out from beneath him. Bloody hell but Geordie Briars could hold his liquor. It had been a long time since Gray found someone who could out -drink him like the owner of the King’s Crown could.
    He held his grip while the big snowflakes slapped him in the face and the earth rolled beneath his feet. He wanted to close his eyes but he’d found out long ago that closing your eyes only made everything spin faster. Instead, he opened his mouth and took in a huge gulp of fresh, cold air, then slowly released it. At least he’d had the two-hour ride home to sober up. Not that it would make any difference tomorrow when he had to work a long day with a head that felt like it wanted to split open.
    When the stable yard stopped bucking beneath him, he released his hold on the horse’s saddle and led the mare through the stable doors.
    “Is that you, Mr. Delaney?”
    Gray spun around and grabbed the top rung of the stall to hold himself steady. “Sure is, Frankie. It’s me. Has there been any trouble?”
    “No. Everything’s quiet.”
    “Good.”
    “Do you want me to take care of your horse for ya?”
    “No, I can manage. Although in the morning I’m going to wish I hadn’t stayed out so late.”
    “Been all the way to the village, Mr. Delaney? Or just as far as the Roaring Lion?”
    Frankie’s last question was said with more than a little humor. The Roaring Lion was a favorite place for the workers to go on a day off. The fact that the proprietor, Mr. Chalmers, had six pretty daughters who all served ale on the busier nights made the establishment even more popular.
    “I bet it was one of the Chalmers lasses that kept you occupied so late.”
    “Not me, Frankie. I gave up women a long time ago.”
    Frankie laughed. “You can’t make me believe that. Was it Dorie who was working tonight?”
    “I can’t tell you. I’m afraid I can’t tell one sister from the other.”
    Gray lit a lantern and hooked it to the nail on one of the upright beams, then led his mare into an empty stall. The lantern didn’t put off a great deal of light, but enough for what he needed. He could bed down a horse with his eyes closed.
    “Oh, you’d know if it was Dorie,” the lad said leaning one shoulder against the wall. “She has the darkest brown eyes of anyone in the world.”
    Gray smiled. They couldn’t be as dark as Maggie Bradford’s. Or as beautiful. In fact, since he’d seen Maggie Bradford, no one was comparable. Not even the saucy little serving girl at the King’s Crown, who’d practically thrown herself at him tonight. There was a time when he would have accepted what she offered without a second thought. But he’d found that since he’d met Maggie Bradford he wasn’t as interested as he’d once been.
    Gray stopped before he lifted the saddle from his horse’s back. The fact that even the most enticing woman wasn’t able to stir his blood was a condition he’d have to evaluate when he was a little more sober. He was sure there was a much more acceptable solution than the one that wanted to pop into his head now. It must be the liquor that played such disagreeable tricks.
    “Well, if you don’t need me. ” Frankie pushed himself away from the wall. “I’d best get back to watching the brewery yard. Mr. Murdock says some kegs have come up missing and he wants us to keep an eye out for whoever took ’em. That’s what I’m doing walkin’ around at this time a night.”
    “Good job, lad,” Gray said as he lifted his saddle from his horse. “Keep your eyes sharp and let someone know if you hear or see anything.”
    “Sure will,” Frankie said and left the stable.
    When Gray was alone, he