Snowbound With the Notorious Rake by Sarah Mallory

she having it made up in Minehead?’
    ‘No, there is an excellent modiste in Dunster who has all the latest London pattern books. She showed me a drawing. Too many frills and flounces for my taste, but there you are, Althea says it is the latest thing. And you know Althea likes to keep up with fashion.’ He chuckled. ‘As my sister she knows she must set the standard, even at a little local gathering such as the Mersecombe Assembly!’
    Rose smiled absently, her mind wandering to more anxious matters.
    ‘I wonder if Sam is home yet,’ she murmured, almost to herself. ‘I gave him permission to go to the Woolers Farm, but told him he must come home before dark.’
    They had reached the little bridge that led across thestream to Bluebell Cottage and Magnus stood back to allow Rose to precede him.
    ‘Then I have no expectation of seeing the boy before midnight.’
    She shook her head, saying over her shoulder, ‘You know that generally he minds me very well, Magnus.’
    She had reached the cottage, but stopped as she al ways did to admire the little rosemary bush growing beside the door before she stepped into the hall.
    She allowed Magnus to take her cloak, then turned to smile at him. ‘I hear voices. You see, he is home before me.’
    Rose walked across and opened the sitting-room door, her smile freezing on her face when she found herself looking into the intensely blue eyes of Sir Lawrence Daunton.
     
    ‘Sir Lawrence!’ Magnus followed Rose into the room, his hearty tone quite at odds with the paralysing shock she was suffering. ‘Good heavens, man, what are you doing here?’
    ‘You know each other?’ asked Mrs Molland, who was standing with her arm on Sam’s shoulder and beaming at Sir Lawrence, delighted to have such a charming gentleman in her house.
    ‘Aye, ma’am. We met at the Pullens’ ball.’
    Three weeks ago! Rose put a hand on the back of a nearby chair to steady herself. He had been at Knightscote for three weeks and she had not known!
    Magnus turned to Rose, saying in a slightly aggrieved tone, ‘You may recall, my dear, that upon my persuasion Lady Pullen sent you an invitation, but you chose not to go.’
    ‘And you may recall that it fell upon a week-night and I was obliged to be up betimes to open the schoolhouse,’ Rose answered coolly. ‘If I had accompanied you, it would have meant you returning home at an unseasonably early hour and Althea would not have liked that.’
    ‘No, no, you are right there,’ he conceded, pursing his lips and looking a little thoughtful before turning back to Sir Lawrence. ‘But what brings you to Mersecombe, sir?’
    Rose was acutely conscious that Sir Lawrence’s gaze had been fixed on her, but now he shifted his attention to the questioner.
    ‘I heard about the pointer puppies for sale at Woolers Farm.’ His eyes flickered across Rose again as he moved his gaze to Sam. ‘This young man was there and helped me make my choice. Then, as it was growing dark, I asked him to show me the way back to the Ship.’
    ‘Sir Lawrence allowed me to ride on his horse with him,’ declared Sam, his eyes shining.
    ‘It was the least I could do, since you were good enough to guide me. And once we had stabled the horse I thought I should come along and explain why Sam was late…’
    ‘You—you are staying in Mersecombe?’ stuttered Rose.
    The blue eyes once more rested on her face.
    ‘Yes. I have more business here tomorrow, Mrs…’
    ‘Oh, heavens, where are my wits?’ cried MrsMolland. ‘This is my daughter, sir. Mrs Westerhill. Samuel’s mother.’
    Should she admit they had met before? Would he say anything? He was bowing, no sign of recognition in his face. Rose tried to think clearly. Perhaps it was coincidence. No. Even her befuddled brain could not believe that. He would not have forgotten her in ten months—would he?
    ‘Sir Lawrence is having first pick of the litter,’ Sam piped up. ‘Of course they are too young yet and will not be