She was raised on a farm, and she didn't have time to grow flowers.

They raised crops so they could put food on the table. You were raised in the city, weren't you? " "We had a house in the country too, " she said. "We would go there when the heat in the city became unbearable.

" He scoffed at the notion. "Kathleen wasn't privileged, and she sure didn't have time to worry about the heat or society. She worked from dawn to dusk, no matter what the weather. She didn't have a closet full of fancy ball gowns, but what she did have was honor and courage and loyalty."

"And I don't? Is that what you're telling me, Daniel?

You said that Kathleen and I are complete opposites. She had honor, and I don't? " "I'm just saying you're different." She stared into his eyes and asked, "Did you mean to hurt me on purpose? " He didn't answer her. She looked out the window so he wouldn't see how he had wounded her with his backhanded insults. What had she done to make him think so little of her, she wondered, and why did his opinion of her matter so much?

She squeezed her eyes shut to keep from crying. If he saw a single tear, she was sure he'd think she was a weakling, and she wasn't weak, she was strong. Granted, she had never plowed a field before or planted a vegetable garden, but that didn't mean she couldn't.

Getting angry lessened the hurt. How dare he make such sweeping judgments about her.

"I'm sorry, Grace. I didn't mean to insult you." She didn't look at him when she replied. "Yes, you did."

"Damn it, you aren't going to cry, are you? " She glared at him. "No, I'm not, " she snapped.

"Just don't lie to me. You meant to hurt me, and the very least you could do is admit it."

"Fine. I meant to hurt you. Close the window, will you? It's getting cold in here."

"It's as hot as the inside of an oven, " she argued.

"Just close it." She stood up to do as he asked, then turned to him once again. "Are you getting sick? " "No, I'm not, " he muttered.

"I'm just tired."

"You were hot a few minutes ago, and now you're cold." She sat down on the bench beside him, squeezing herself in between the wall and his side. Before he could stop her, she reached up and touched his brow with the back of her hand. "You have a fever.

Daniel, I think you're getting influenza."

"Grace, go sit on your own bench and leave me alone. Please." She moved back to her seat and sat there fretting about him. "Now I understand why you're so surly.

You aren't feeling well." The train flew around another curve in the tracks, the compartment swayed back and forth, and Daniel's stomach felt as though it had just lurched out the window.

"I'm not surly, " he growled. "I said those things so you'd stay away from me. It was stupid and cruel, and I shouldn't have done it, but you need to keep your distance, Grace. That's just the way it is. Why in God's name does this train have to go so fast? " "It isn't going fast. It's slowing down, and how in heaven's name can I keep away from you? We're locked in this compartment together, and you won't let me out of your sight. What did I do to offend you so? " "Ah, hell, Grace, you haven't done anything wrong. You're just so damned pretty and sweet." She didn't know what to think. The words were flattering, but the way he'd said them made them seem like accusations of some sort. Why did the fact that he thought she was pretty and sweet anger him?

"Daniel, you aren't making any sense at all." He could feel the bile rising in his throat. He took a deep breath to try to keep his stomach from overturning. "Look, it's real simple."

"It is? " she asked quietly.

"Yes, " he growled. "I haven't wanted any woman since my wife, but lately . . . since I met you anyway, I've . . . " She waited for him to continue, then gave in and prodded him. "You what? " He figured he had about fifteen seconds, at the most, to make it to the washroom at the end of the car. He bolted for the door.

"I want you, Grace. Now do you get it? Lock the door behind me, and don't let anyone in." She was so stunned she couldn't move. He roared her name to get her to do what he wanted, then stood outside the door until he heard the bolt clicking into place.

He made it to the washroom the first time he threw up. He didn't make it all of the other times. He threw up on the floor and in the bucket the porter brought in to him. He thought he might have thrown up on Grace too, but he hoped to God he had imagined that. He did know he'd never felt this awful in his whole life. The illness drained every ounce of strength from his body. He could barely lift his head, and no matter how many blankets Grace covered-him with, he couldn't seem to get warm.

Grace fixed a bed for him. She sat with him all through the night, cradling his head in her lap, stroking his brow with cool, wet compresses, and he was sure he would have rolled over and died if she hadn't been there.

By midnight, he stopped throwing up and actually slept. She shook him awake around dawn to tell him they had reached the station and needed to change trains. He honestly didn't know how he managed to get from one compartment to the other, and he was surprised when he saw that the valises had also been transferred. Had she carried them? No, she couldn't have. She had her hands full trying to hold him up. He had been completely useless, and when he realized what an easy target she had been while they were moving from one train to the other, he got chills again.

As soon as the door was bolted behind him, he went back to sleep. He woke up with his head in Grace's lap again. She was leaning against the window, her eyes were closed, and she looked very peaceful and serene.

He tried to be quiet so he wouldn't disturb her After he washed and changed his shirt, he sat down on the bench across from her.

He noticed then that she had changed her clothes. She was wearing a white blouse with a pretty brooch at her neck and a dark blue skirt.

She'd changed her shoes too. The ones she had on now matched her skirt.

When had she had the time? he wondered, and why had she bothered?

"Good morning, Daniel. Are you feeling better today? " "Yes, I'm feeling better. Did I wake you? " "No, I wasn't asleep. I was just resting. You don't look like you feel better. Lean forward and let me touch your brow."

"Don't fuss over me, Grace. I'm fine." She was totally unaffected by his gruff manner. "Where have I heard that before? " "Heard what? "

"You kept telling me you were fine all through the night, but you weren't fine, of course. Now lean forward.

" There was a thread of iron in her command, and Daniel ended up obeying just to placate her. "You're a stubborn woman, " he muttered.

She put the back of her hand against his forehead and frowned. "I just can't tell, " she admitted. "If you have a fever, it isn't much. You mustn't eat or drink anything yet, or you'll get sick again. You're very fortunate." He leaned back against the cushions and crossed his arms over his chest. "How's that? " "You have a mild case of influenza. It could have been much worse.

Jessica was throwing up, off and on, for three days. I thought she was going to die."

"I wanted to die last night, " he admitted. "By the way, thanks for .

. you know."

"You're welcome." Curious, he asked, "Why did you change your clothes?

Did I get them all wrinkled? I must have, " he added before she could answer him. "Seems like a waste, though. No one's going to see you but me."

"It was necessary."

"Why? " She let out a little sigh. "You threw up all over me."

"Ah, Grace, I'm sorry." She laughed. "Daniel, you didn't do it on purpose."

"Did the porter help you . . . " He didn't finish the question because she was shaking her head.

"I didn't let the porter come inside the compartment because you made me promise not to let anyone in, remember? " "No, " he admitted. "I don't remember. If he didn't come in, who cleaned up the floor? " "I did." He looked miserable, and she was suddenly sorry she'd told him the truth. "Why don't we talk about something else? " "Like what? "

"The weather, " she suggested.

"You're joking."

"It was all I could think of on the spur of the moment. Would you mind if I opened the window and let some fresh air inside? " He got up and opened the window for her. The breeze felt soothing against his skin.

He sat down again and looked at her. "Do you want something to drink or eat? " "Would you be able to stomach it if I ate in front of you?