Read Fenella J. Miller for Free Online Page A

been? Have you lost your senses, woman? What possessed you to take my daughter out in a blizzard?’
    Cassie’s hands stilled, but her heart thumped wildly. She glanced up at Amanda’s face and saw the fear in it. Some instinct made her grin and a wink immodestly. Slowly she stood up and as she did so she whispered in Amanda’s ear. ‘Now I’m for it, what bad luck, Mr Anderson arriving just as we were having so much fun together.’
     She felt the rigid shoulders under her hands relax. Quickly she pushed the little girl towards Molly and her maid, taking the hint, took the child away, leaving Cassie to turn and face the glowering man.
    ‘We were in no danger, Mr Anderson, the snow did not start until we were in the shelter of the woods. Your daughter does not have nearly enough exercise and a walk to the village whatever the weather is good for her.’ She risked raising her eyes as she finished her sentence. She wished she hadn’t.
    ‘I wish to speak to you in my study. Be there in five minutes.’ He raked her with an icy stare then vanished leaving her flustered and unsure of herself. She ran up the back stairs and into her rooms where Molly was waiting.
    ‘I have to change, I have to be in the study in five minutes. I’m in for a bear garden jaw, that’s for sure. I cannot understand why Mr Anderson is so enraged. We would hardly have come to any harm even if we had been stuck in the snow. A few strongmen could soon have rescued us before anything untoward occurred.’
    ‘The hem of your gown is mired, miss, if you take off your boots and things, I’ll fetch you a clean one. If we’re quick, I reckon you can be changed and still back downstairs in a minute or two.’
    Cassie hesitated outside the study door before knocking. She suspected that Amanda’s fear had been for her, not for herself. Did the girl think she would be dismissed for taking her down to the village? She heard the barked command to enter and pushed open the door, determined not to show any nervousness. She had done nothing wrong, her charge had been in no danger, and her employer had given her full responsibility for his daughter’s upbringing.
    He was standing, one elbow on the mantelshelf, his ankles crossed, his face no longer angry but not friendly either. Cassie curtsied politely and waited, marooned in the middle of the carpet, to be given leave to sit.
    Slowly he pushed himself upright and gestured at an upright mahogany chair on one side of the fire. Gratefully she settled herself and waited for the tirade to begin. She heard him sigh as he settled himself on the padded sofa.
    ‘I must apologise for raising my voice, I was anxious about Amanda, and fear that I overreacted.’
    ‘You have no need to apologise to me, sir, I am your employee, you may speak to me as you please.’
    She saw a flicker of humour cross his face. ‘Good God! Are you telling me you’re not offended by my behaviour? You’re not going to run away?’
    Cassie smiled at him. ‘No sir, I am not. I’m merely telling you that you don’t have to apologise.’
    This time he laughed and the harsh lines of his face softened making him look younger, more approachable, almost handsome. ‘Well, I’m glad we’ve got that settled. I may be as uncivil as I wish, and you shall be suitably offended – that seems remarkably straightforward. I wish all my other dealings were so simple.’
    Cassie felt herself warming towards him, he was a man of contradictions, but obviously loved his daughter, perhaps too much – so why did he abandon her so readily and leave her in the charge of a virtual stranger?
    He stretched out his long booted legs stared down at them, lost in private thoughts. This gave Cassie the opportunity to examine him more closely. His features were not regular enough to be called handsome, but when he smiled he was definitely attractive. She thought he was about three and thirty, perhaps a little more, it was hard to tell as the hard plains of his