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Unless—perhaps it was only Jeffries, anxious to press her further, certain she would succumb…She turned to question the maid on the gentleman’s identity, but the girl had already gone back downstairs.
    Annabella ran to check her appearance in the mirror and gave a silent sigh. The dress of ruby red looked black in the dark little rooms of the St Auby townhouse, and even Annabella could see the patches where the material had faded and worn. Today she had tied her hair up in a long plait, despairing of ever being able to achieve the simple elegance of the modes she saw in the old copies of The Fashions of London and Paris , which were passed on by one of Lady St Auby’s friends. Still, she had kept him waiting long enough. Her heart beating faster, Annabella made her way down the narrow stair.
    Sir William Weston was waiting in the drawing-room, his height making him appear to dominate the poky, low-ceilinged chamber. Today he was wearing a coat of navy blue superfine which appeared almost stark in its simplicity, but again, it had the simple refinement of a master’s cut. He wore buff pantaloons and Hessians, both of which were elegant without being dandified, and his white cravat was once again arranged in complicated folds. He looked, Annabella thought dazedly, rather too disturbingly attractive. And when he smiled at her…
    He crossed the room in two strides and took her hand in his. ‘Mrs St Auby! What a pleasure to see you again, ma’am! I hope that last evening has not tired you too much?’
    ‘Thank you, sir, I am quite well,’ Annabella said, smiling a little at the thought that she might not be robust enough to survive a ball. No doubt the young ladies Sir William knew would be exhausted with the effort. But then, they could stay in bed until midday and would not be required to be up at first light to scour the scullery…
    ‘Then I wondered if you would care to join me for a drive in the country? It is a perfect day for it and my curricle is outside. We could stop for tea at Mundell Hall on the way back.’
    It sounded a tempting plan, and Annabella soon found herself donning her pelisse and going out to the curricle. Even had it not been Sir William who was inviting her, the simple pleasure of escaping from the dark house would have been enough.
    She paused to admire the matched bays which Sir William had in his team, for they were prime horse-flesh and suggested that he was a notable whip. The curricle, with its elegantly expensive lines, was creating quite a stir. Annabella noticed with interest that Sir William had chosen not to bring a groom and that a street urchin was eagerly holding the horses’ reins for love rather than the coin Sir William now flicked to him as they set off.
    ‘You are clearly knowledgeable about horses, ma’am,’ Sir William commented when they had negotiated the busy streets of the town and were tooling along in the open country. ‘Do you ride?’
    ‘Oh, I used to!’ As soon as she was out in the open air and feeling the warm sun and cooling breeze, Annabella remembered with a pang of nostalgia how she had enjoyed her rides about her father’s estate. ‘I rodea great deal before my marriage,’ she said, ‘and Sir Frederick used to keep a fine stable before the expense became prohibitive. I must confess that it is a luxury I miss!’
    Sir William smiled at her enthusiasm. ‘Perhaps we could go riding next time,’ he said pleasantly, and the words echoed in Annabella’s head: Next time…
    So he planned to seek her out again, did he? A delicious little smile curved her lips at the thought. Having her company sought by so attractive a man was a new experience for her and one which was entirely delightful. She watched his hands, skilful on the reins, and repressed a little shiver.
    ‘Did you enjoy the ball last night?’ Sir William enquired neutrally, after a slight pause.
    ‘Well, yes…I suppose so…’ Annabella’s reply sounded less certain than she had