of emptinessbehind him, as Claire was slung off into the brush like a bag of flour. The horse suddenly yielded to the pull on his mouth, andshot down the path in the wrong direction, hurtling through a screen of brambles and skidding to a halt that nearly threw himonto his hindquarters in a shower of mud and dead leaves. Then he straightened out like a snake, shook his head, and trottednonchalantly over to exchange nuzzles with Roger's horse, which was standing at the edge of the spring clearing, watching themwith the same bemusement exhibited by its dismounted rider."All right there?" asked Roger, raising one eyebrow."Certainly," Jamie replied, trying to gasp for breath while keeping his dignity. "And you?""Fine.""Good." He was already swinging down from the saddle as he spoke. He flung the reins toward MacKenzie, not waiting to seewhether he caught them, and ran back toward the trail, shouting, "Claire! Where are ye?""Just here!" she called cheerfully. She emerged from the shadow of the poplars, limping slightly but looking otherwiseundamaged. "Are you all right?" she asked, cocking one eyebrow at him."Aye, fine. I'm going to shoot that horse." He gathered her in briefly, wanting to assure himself that she was in fact whole. Shewas breathing heavily, but felt reassuringly solid, and kissed him on the nose."Well, don't shoot him until we get home. I don't want to walk the last mile or so in my bare feet.""Hey! Let that alone, ye bugger!"He let go of Claire and turned to find Roger snatching a fistful of ragged-looking plants away from Gideon's questing nose.More plants--what was this mania for gathering? Claire was still panting from the accident, but leaned forward to see them,looking interested."What's that you've got, Roger?""For Bree," he said, holding them up for her inspection. "Are they the right kind?" To Jamie's jaundiced eye, they looked likethe yellowed tops of carrots gone to seed and left too long in the ground, but Clair...
