Cain eased the carriage into the traffic. "Kit is my stable boy, Dora. I brought him along to stay with the horses in case you wanted to walk in the park."

The ribbons on Dora's bonnet fluttered. "It's much too warm to walk."

Cain shrugged. Dora adjusted her parasol and settled into a silence that screamed her displeasure, but to Kit's satisfaction, Cain paid no attention.

Unlike Dora, Kit wasn't prone to sulking, and she gave in to the pleasure of the bright summer afternoon and the landmarks he continued to point out. This was the only chance she'd ever get to see New York City, and even if she had to do it with her sworn enemy, she intended to enjoy it.

"This is Central Park."

"I don't see why they call it that. Any fool can tell it's at the north edge of the city."

"New York is growing fast," Cain replied. "Right now there's mainly open land around the park. A few shanties, some farms. But it won't be long before the city takes over."

Kit was about to voice her skepticism when Dora spun in her seat and fixed her with a withering glare. The message clearly said Kit wasn't to open her mouth again.

Fixing a simpering smile on her face, Dora turned back to Cain and patted his forearm with a hand gloved in strawberry lace. "Baron, I have a most amusing story to tell you about Sugar Plum."

"Sugar who?"

"You remember. My darling little pug."

Kit made a face and leaned back in the seat. She watched the play of light as the carriage slipped along the tree-lined promenade that ran through the park. Then she found herself studying Dora's bonnet. Why would anybody wear something so silly? And why couldn't Kit keep her eyes off it?

Two women riding in a black landau passed in the other direction. Kit noticed how eagerly they gazed at Cain. Women sure did seem to make fools of themselves over him. He knew how to handle horses, she'd give him that. Still, that didn't count much with a lot of women. They were more interested in how a man looked.