In the Land of the Long White Cloud

eyes gleamed. “But I don’t always have to address the critter by her full name, right?”
    Gwyneira’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “You’ll have to decide on that among yourselves with Igraine,” she explained. “But the dog doesn’t put on airs at all. She answers to the name Cleo.”
    “And what do you answer to?” McKenzie asked, passing his gaze appreciatively, but not lasciviously, over Gwyneira’s figure. She shivered. After that run through the rain, she was beginning to freeze. McKenzie saw that at once. “Wait a moment, miss, I’ll grab you a shawl. It’s getting to be summer, but it’s still pretty miserable outside.”
    He reached for a waxed coat.
    “Here you go, Miss…”
    “‘Miss’ will do,” Gwyneira said. “Thank you. Now, where’s my horse?”
    Igraine and Madoc were well put up in clean stalls, but her mare stamped with impatience when Gwyneira came up to her. The slow ride that morning had not tired her, and she was burning for more action.
    “Mr. McKenzie,” Gwyneira said, “I would like to go for a ride tomorrow morning, but Mr. Warden thinks it would be improper for me to go alone. I would not like to burden anyone, but would it be possible for me to accompany you and your men on some job? Inspecting the pastures, for example? I would be happy to show you how to train the dogs. They have naturally good instincts when itcomes to sheep, but there are a few tricks to further improve what they can do.”
    McKenzie shook his head regretfully. “In principle, we’d be happy to take you up on your offer, miss. But for tomorrow we’ve already been charged with saddling two horses for your ride. Mr. Lucas will accompany you and show you the farm.” McKenzie grinned. “Surely that sounds a whole lot better than a survey ride with a few unwashed shepherds, eh?”
    Gwyn didn’t know how to reply to that—even worse, she didn’t know what she thought. Finally she pulled herself together.
    “Wonderful,” she said.

3
    L ucas Warden was a good rider, even if he lacked passion. The young gentleman sat properly and at ease in his saddle, managed the reins with confidence, and knew how to keep his horse calmly beside that of his companion in order to chat with her occasionally. To Gwyneira’s astonishment, he did not own a horse of his own, nor did he show any inclination to test the new stallion, something Gwyneira had been dying to do ever since Warden had bought the horse. So far she had been denied a ride on Madoc based on the argument that a stallion was not a lady’s horse—even though that horse was of a considerably calmer temperament than her own stubborn Igraine, if not as used to the ladies’ saddle, of course. However, Gwyneira was optimistic. The shepherds, who, due to the lack of grooms, also served as stable hands, had no concept of propriety. Hence Lucas had specifically had to ask a confused McKenzie to fit Gwyneira’s mare with the sidesaddle. For himself, he had ordered one of the farm horses, which were bigger but lighter than the cobs. Most of them seemed quite lively, but Lucas chose the calmest among them.
    “That way I can intercede if my lady has difficulties without also having to grapple with my own horse,” he explained to the bewildered McKenzie.
    Gwyneira rolled her eyes. If she really were to have difficulties, she and Igraine would already be on the horizon before Lucas’s placid gray horse had even taken a step. However, she recognized the argument from the etiquette books and so pretended to appreciate Lucas’s circumspection. The ride across Kiward Station passed rather harmoniously. Lucas chatted with Gwyneira about fox hunts and expressed his astonishment at her participation in dog competitions.
    “That seems to me a rather…ahem, unconventional occupation for a young lady,” he admonished her mildly.
    Gwyneira bit her lip slightly. Was Lucas already starting to tell her what to do? If so, she had better nip it in the bud.
    “I’m afraid you’ll have to get past that,” she said coolly. “Besides, it is also rather unconventional to pursue a marriage proposal in New Zealand. Especially when you don’t even know your future spouse.”
    “Touché.” Lucas smiled, but then became serious. “I have to admit that I did not approve of my father’s conduct at first. However, it’s difficult to arrange a suitable match here. Please don’t misunderstand me; New Zealand was not settled by crooks as Australia was but by