In Search of the Past (Stacey and Shane Mcleod, #2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

iron fence.  The gate was locked, so all they could do was look. They were about to leave when a snazzy sports car pulled up to the gate and opened it by remote control.  Behind the wheel was a good looking blond headed guy. He pulled in and stopped. He and Shane looked at each other as if they wanted to duel.  Stacey ignored their dark looks and rode over to the car, leaned over and put her hand out and said, “Hello, my name is Stacey Scott.”
    Good looking perched himself upon the back of his seat, shook Stacey’s hand and introduced himself as Rory Wakefield. “A pleasure to meet you, Stacey,” he said, with a smile and an unmistakable gleam in his eyes.
    “This is my friend, Doctor McLeod,” Stacey said as she introduced him.
    Rory gave Shane another one of those dark looks and said with a nod, “McLeod.” 
    Shane with a nod said, “Wakefield.” But no hand shake, Stacey noticed, from either one.
    Stacey was smiling and telling Rory about their quest at the newspaper and asked if it would be possible to speak with lord Wakefield. 
    “I’m so sorry, my uncle is still in Leeds and he won’t be here until Friday evening.” 
    “Do you think I might be able to see him then?” Stacey asked.
    “I’m not sure. I think he’s going directly back to Leeds on Saturday morning,” Rory said.  As an after thought, he gave Stacey a big smile and asked, “Would you like to see the house?”
    “Why, yes. I believe I would,” Stacey said. 
    Rory pulled on ahead in the car.  Shane gave Stacey a odd look. “You can wait here if you’d rather not go up,” Stacey said.
    Shane moved his horse ahead and said, “Not bloody likely. I presume you’re aware he’s chatting you up.” 
    “Yes, I know,” Stacey said. “I’ve been flirted with before, believe it or not.”
    Rory was waiting when they arrived. “The place is a bit of a mess,” he said. “The servants are getting it ready for a small party on Friday night.  Would you like to come? I’m sure my uncle could find time for you then. You too, McLeod.”
    “That would be nice,” Stacey said. “Thank you very much.”
    As Rory was showing them around, he was holding Stacey’s arm and asking questions about Texas.  Of course, he’d been to New York many times, but never farther west.  “I say, if all the girls in Texas are as pretty as you, I’ll have to make it a point to visit.”
    “I feel sure you won’t be disappointed,” Stacey assured him with a smile. She thanked Rory for the tour and told him that they would see him on Friday night.  As Rory was turning back to the house, Stacey asked, “Oh, by the way, will we be able to take a short cut through the back property?” 
    “Yes, I believe so,” Rory said. “However, there’s no road, just trails.” 
    “That’ll be fine,” Stacey assured him.
    “Are you sure we won’t get lost?” Shane asked as they rode through the forest.
    “We’ll see,” Stacey said. This is weird, Stacey thought; I feel like I know this trail like the back of my hand. I can just about imagine what Doctor McLeod is thinking, but I can’t think about that now. I have a mystery to solve and not much time to do it.
    The trail was too narrow for two horses so they rode single file. There was no chance for talking and it was getting dark amongst all the tall trees.  Shane was glad he’d been intuitive enough to call his aunt from the manor house to let them know they were okay and might be late. He hoped they didn’t get lost. Then again, after he thought about it maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.
    Finally, he could stand it no longer and shouted, “Miss Scott, how do you know if we’re traveling in the right direction?” 
    Stacey pulled her horse to a stop, turned part way in the saddle and said, “I have a map in my head.” Then she turned back, touched her heels to the horse and rode on.
    Shane wondered as he rode on behind her, what was it about her that intrigued