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Thank you for helping me . It was very kind of you.”
    Phillips’ neck flushed an interesting shade of pink. He dipped his head . “It was my pleasure, Miss Hopkins . If you need help with anything else, you just let me know.”
    Ian stood in the doorway listening to Miss Hopkins and Phillips . She seemed to have wrapped Phillips sufficiently around her spoiled little finger . And t he reference to her ‘condition’ had Ian burning with rage . She was quite a clever girl to make her bargain with him while she was already carrying another man’s bastard . No wonder she was so ready to acquiesce to her father’s pleading .
    Ian wondered if p erhaps she ’d planned on pinning him as the father.
    Not bloody likely.
    “Excuse me, Phillips, but I would like a word with Miss Hopkins . . . alone . ”
    “Yes, your lordship . ” Phillips bow ed and hastily le ft the room.
    Angela blanched a little at the dark expression on Blackridge’s face . It could mean nothing but trouble, the way he was looking at her. He stalked into the room, stopping directly in front of her.
    He crossed his arms and glared at her. “Explain yourself, princess .”
    He was such a large and intensely masculine man . He exuded confidence and virility from every pore, it seemed . Angela trembled , at a loss as to why he appeared so angry . “Please, don’t blame Phillips, it wasn’t his fault . I-I asked him to help me.”
    Blackridge’s eyes were dark and serious. It was reminiscent of her father’s display of temper . Not that his face was red and he was bellowing at her, but in a much more subtle way. Blackridge held himself in check, keeping his displeasure under tight control. It frighten ed her more than her father’s anger ever did .
    Would Blackridge strike her ? She didn’t know him well enough to be sure that he wouldn’t.
    “What are you talking about?” he asked, interrupting her thoughts.
    “All of them, my lord . The – the servants, I mean . I’m the one you should punish . None of it was their fault.” She clasped her hands in front of her, fighting the urge to twist her fingers . He’d told her she was to have no assistance from anyone .
    Ian had seen how she ’ d manipulated the other servants into giving her easier work . He’d been covertly watching her throughout the morning . She’d done nothing more strenuous than lift a feather duster . B ut for her to take the blame for it was uncharacteristic of his impression of her . Why would she take full responsibility for her actions if she was such a devious person ? And why did she think he would punish his servants for coddling her ? Not only that, she’d asked to be punished in their place . She obviously had it all wrong why he was angry .
    “I’m talking about your condition . ”
    “What?”
    “ Whose bastard do you carry in your belly?”
    Angela gasped. “I-I beg your pardon ?”
    “A woman in your condition – come, now, princess, surely you know what that means?”
    “Y-you think I’m w-with child?”
    “Yes, with child, as you so delicately describe it , ” he ground out , advancing on her . He was beyond annoyed – he was livid . And she had the audacity to plead ignorance.
    She’d flinched at his outburst, t aking a cautious step backward , but h e continued to move toward her, closing the distance until only a few inches of air separated them.
    Angela could barely breathe. He was too close. Too large. Too male.
    “What’s this?” W ithout warning, he rais ed his hand to ward her face .
    S he recoiled instinctively, bringing her arm up to protect herself . But then s he quickly lowered it when she realized he wasn’t going to strike her . She was embarrassed by her cowardly action . All she could do now was stand her ground, maintain eye contact with him.
    “Where did you get this bruise?” He ran his fingertips lightly over the faded purple ar ea around her eye . When he retracted them, he rubbed them together, examin ing the residue