The girl in grey was wandering aimlessly among the stables, moving from horse to horse with a strong air of melancholy as if saying good-bye to each one.

"Oh, Reginald, what am I going to do?" She said sadly, stroking the chestnut stallion's velvet nose.

"I can not get out of it at all. I must marry this man and it is Not Fair. Samantha got too marry her choice and I don't because of that ridiculous agreement. Now I'll have to go away and never see you again."

Reginald snorted and she moved down to the next stall, where a white mare was nibbling hay delicately.

Outside, the rain was pouring down from an overcast sky, echoing the dismal mood in the young woman hiding out from the storm.

"Guinevere, I'm going to miss you," she said fondly. "We had lots of good times together. I suppose Dr. what's his name won't let me have one. I've heard he's rather paranoid."

Guinevere took no notice and went on eating.

At that moment, the sound of hooves approached and presently a very damp person led his horse under the protection of the stable roof.

The girl drew back into the shadows as the stable hand took charge of the horse and talked to the man, who sounded most disgruntled about the foul weather.

"I swear, the entire heavens decided to dump on me today. I feel like a drowned rat."

He muttered to himself about bad country roads and long journeys with infernal rain and the girl smiled.

"Well, it's comforting to know I'm not the only one having a bad day."

She stepped out of her hiding place and the man whirled around, whipping off his hat while he did so. Damp locks of brown hair stuck to his disheveled head and he looked comically surprised.

"Pardon me, miss." He stammered. "I Did not see ya there. Forgive my careless tirade."

The girl smiled and adjusted her cloak around her.

"It's quite all right, sir. I too, am not finding much joy in this day, either. Thus, I fled to seek refuge in the stables."

"And what would cause such troubles for such a pretty young lady?"

"The rain for one," she sighed, sitting upon an old feed barrel. "It ruined my plans for a dramatic runaway."

The man's eyebrow rose in surprise. (He had very expressive eyebrows, she thought.)

"Runaway? From what?"

She motioned him to sit down on a nearby barrel.

"That is the main part of my troubles. I'm fleeing from marriage."

She wrinkled up a very dainty nose at that word and the man forced himself not to smile.

"Change your mind and they won't let you out of it?"

"I didn't have a choice to start with," she sighed, fiddling with the edges of her grey cloak.

"Mother and Father had it settled with their friends from my infanthood. As soon as they had a daughter, they decided that I would marry the friend's son. The McCoys have money, you understand, and so did we, which meant it was considered a very suitable match. So I grew up with a ready made husband who was far away and couldn't be bothered to actually come meet me. Every time I tried to have fun or flirt with another young man, Mother would scold me frightfully. It wasn't fair."

She pouted adorably, the man thought. Out loud he said "That does sound very frustrating."

"It was! So when I heard he FINALLY decided to show up, I decided I wouldn't be there."

Her face was set in a tone of stubborn determination and he liked her even more.

"What was your plan?" He asked in an even tone. "Roads mean robbers and danger. Horse could throw a shoe and leave you in a bind."

"My friend Gaila was going to send a carriage to meet me and I would go with her to their summer home on the coast."

"Sounds like a very clever scheme."

"Thank you," she said, looking very pleased with herself. "I trust you will not tell mother or Samantha about it?"

He nodded solemnly.

"I won't, but I also have to inform you that the roads nearby are almost impassable right now. Your friend's carriage will likely not get through today."

She slumped a bit and sighed.

"I was afraid of that. If HE shows up tonight, I'll just have to talk to him. He'll probably drone on and on about blood and gore and doctor business."

Another nose wrinkle appeared and the man smiled this time.

The girl thought it was a very nice smile. If only her betrothed husband looked as splendid as he did. She might not have wanted to run away then.

"Or he might be a gentleman and NOT talk about surgery at all." He said in a gentle tone.

"Possibly. But I won't make it easy for him," the young woman declared, pulling down her hood and revealing a messy blonde braid. "Why couldn't he fight against this arrangement or at least pay me the courtesy of visiting so I would at least know what I'm objecting to and how objectionable he is?"

The man nodded slowly, inwardly regretful of his own tardiness. What a fool he'd been, staying away from her, this captivating creature with the bright blue eyes, but he'd been as leery of a set up marriage as she was and had buried himself in studies and work to avoid the issue.

"You're quite right, miss. I have a feeling you will quickly make him regret neglecting you for so long."

"That's kind of you," she said, flashing a brief smile of her own before rising suddenly.

"It's been a pleasure to talk to you, but I must go in now. Are you coming along to pay a call on mother?"

"Not just yet," the man answered, rising with her. "I must make myself somewhat presentable. I rather resemble a ruffian at this moment. Nasty roads left me covered in mud."

He was mud-covered indeed, but a very attractive ruffian, thought the girl.

"Very well. I will see you later, good sir."

With a whirl of cloak, she turned round and left the stables, running at first and then slowing her pace as she neared the large home of the Kirk family. The man watched until she was out of sight.

The next time they encountered each other, Miss Kirk was being introduced to her fiancé, Dr. Leonard McCoy. For a moment they were both utterly speechless: Leonard because she looked stunningly beautiful in her pale blue dress, hair neatly gathered up on her head, and Miss Jamesina Kirk because she was torn between delight and embarrassment at her mysterious confidant turning out to be the very person she had intended to run from.

"Well, um, this is a surprise," she said at last, dazed by how handsome he looked in his cleaned up state. "Did you know who I was the whole time?"

"Most of it," Leonard admitted. "I just had to find out how you felt about this and was also curious as to what you were like."

"Well, did it make you regretful?" She inquired archly.

"Yep." He said, giving her a respectful, but admiring look.

Jamesina blushed.

"Is there any way I could perhaps change your mind about those secret plans of yours?" He asked quietly.

She gave what was meant to be a neutral expression, but turned out somewhat flirtatious.

"Perhaps. It will take some convincing, but you are free to start whenever you like."

He smiled back, with a highly interesting touch of a smirk involved and Jamesina decided there was a very good chance he would definitely succeed.