The Lighted Match

After a fall during a hunt, Cara and Benton stop at a farmer's cabin, where washing their hands together leads to a warning about marriage. Their talk as they ride away moves from joking affection to Cara's wish for freedom. Benton wonders about the part of her life in Europe that he has yet to understand. When Pagratide arrives, his warm greeting to Cara brings Benton's jealousy into the open.

Charles Neville Buck's romance places these personal feelings beside the ceremonies of a royal household. A later palace scene finds Cara asking the loyal toreador Manuel Blanco to go to Benton and watch over him. She gives Manuel a rose to carry a message that she struggles to express in words. The contrast between outdoor companionship and courtly formality shapes a story of affection and divided loyalties. Readers who enjoy romance built through conversation will find teasing exchanges giving way to anxious requests and solemn promises.