Thanks for all the reviews. Sorry I have been so long in updating. Not sure how I like this chapter but feedback would be greatly apprieciated.

Chapter 4

As he pulled his head away from her ear, he quickly scanned the room to make sure no one had noticed him. Turning his attention back to his lovely partner, Michael smiled when he noticed Mary's cheeks were bright red. Catching her gaze, he was met with her flashing eyes that he noticed lite up when she was angry. Puzzled as to why she would feel that way towards him all of sudden, he asked, "Have I done something to offend you Mary?"

"Do you know how to act and behave as a proper gentleman?" she retorted with a question of her own.

Tapping a finger under his chin he thought for a moment about all the lessons his mother and father had installed in him in his youth. "Let me think. A proper gentleman does not act out of the bounds of propriety, he asks ladies to dance when they do not have a partner, a proper gentleman does not compromise woman," he listed off a few and then turned his gaze back down to her. "Have I done any of those Miss Mary, because I do not recall compromising you." He knew this conversation was not fit for them to be having, but this little lady always knew how to bring out the improper side of him.

Meeting his gaze head on, Mary stated, "Fordyce's Sermons says, a proper gentleman….."

Quickly grabbing her wrist, Michael cut Mary's words off and pulled her along behind him towards a quiet place in the corner. Once he had stopped, he turned to speak, but she was already yanking her hand away from him. "Why did you pull me from the dance?"

Running a hand down his face, he wondered the same thing, but he was not about ready to hear her quote that dribble of a book. "Why do you read that?" he asked as he lowered his hand, watching her face cloud up in confusion. "Fordyce Sermons?"

"It is about how a young lady should behave in company and act within the bounds of propriety."

"Miss Mary that book is nothing but dribble. You could be expanding you knowledge about other subjects, instead of reading that book. What happened to the young girl who always read novels, but hid them from her parents?" he asked softly, chuckling quietly when he watched her eyes go wide in disbelief.

"How….how do you know about that, Mr. Lucas?" she hissed and quickly glanced around. No one knew that she read dime novels.

He knew that he was the only one who knew and even he was not supposed to know. It was their little secret now. Whenever they played together at each other's estates with their siblings, he noticed that the book she brought with always seemed to be thicker that it should. Michael was peeking over her shoulder one afternoon and found her reading one.

"I have my ways, Miss Mary." Shrugging his shoulders, he glanced back at the couples dancing. "Unfortunately I cannot disclose how I know. Shall we join the other couples?" he asked and turned back to gaze at her, but she was gone. Where could she have gotten to in such a short time?

While his attention was on something other than her, Mary quickly tucked away and made her way to the other end of the ballroom. Why did that man always know how to bring out the worst in her? Why was he paying such attentions to her when there were prettier ladies to converse with? She did not know what kind of games he was playing, but she was not liking any of it. Letting out a sigh, Mary thought back to his question about them playing match maker for her sisters. She supposed that she could help if it meant the future happiness of her two elder sisters.

Turning around quickly, to make her way back to Mr. Lucas, her foot caught on her dress and she felt herself begin to fall. Now, I am going to embarrass myself in front of all of Meryton. Bracing herself for the impact, Mary soon felt a pair of hands grip her shoulders and catch her. Steadying her on her feet, she looked up into the concern glance of Michael Lucas.

"Must I always come to your rescue, Miss Mary?" he chuckled, but she read the concern for her in his eyes.

Brushing her hands down her dress, Mary glanced back up at him and looked pointedly at her shoulders, where his hands still rested. Quickly removing them, she frowned when a faint blush appeared on his cheeks. "When, Mr. Lucas was the last time you came to my rescue?" she asked raising a brow.

"I recall there was a time when we were children. I believe you were fourteen and your sisters and you wanted to take Mr. Bennet's horses out for a little ride. Jane has just finished up her riding lessons and wanted to show her siblings how to ride. Everything was going fine until it was your turn. I was just riding into your yard to speak with your father, when the horse you were on spooked and took off galloping down the road with you hanging on for your life. Naturally, I had to ride after you and bring you to safety." He explained, but quickly kicked himself when he saw her skin get pale. "Miss Mary?"

Mary was reliving that day in her head as he kept talking. That was the day that she thought she was going to die, but he had saved her. She had been so scared that the horse would throw her. Feeling her body gently sway back and forth, she realized with a start that Michael was shaking her. Lifting her head up to look at him, she whispered, "Yes?"

"Are you alright? You seemed to be lost for a while?"

"That story brought back some scary memories."

Taking her hand, he settled it on to this arm, and started walking with her around the outside of the ballroom. She knew that it would be better to pull away and hide herself in the corner like most assemblies, but something held her in place. No one had ever been this considerate towards her. They walked silently side by side, occasionally greeted neighbors and friends they knew.

"Do you still ride, Miss Mary?" Michael asked after a few minutes of silence, pulling Mary out of her thoughts.

Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she found him staring straight ahead. "I do."

"Really?" he asked surprised by her answer. After the wild ride she had when she was fourteen, he would have thought she would be too terrified to get back in the saddle.

Chuckling at the surprise in her voice, she answered, "After you helped me down from Daisy, I decided that I was not going to let fear keep me from riding. They may be big and powerful beasts, but there is something exhilarating about feeling the wild in your hair and the animal move beneath you. They are gentle animals if you treat them kindly."

"Does your father own a horse you are able to ride?"

"Sadly, no. I can only ride one of the plow horses and that is seldom since they are always needed for the fields."

Glancing down at her, he wondered if his father had an extra horse he could borrow and take Mary riding when he came to call again.