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get a woman, didn’t I? Well, I did try, and not one of them was willing to come or even send a maid to help the girl!’
    ‘What?’ Marcus was aghast. ‘Why not?’
    Ellerbeck looked self-conscious. ‘Er…they seemed to feel that your reputation…’
    White hot fury seared through Marcus. His usually cold eyes were blazing with rage and his big frame was absolutely rigid. If this were the case, it made his plans for Meg’s future very dangerous. If he settled money on her, then it would be whispered that she had been his mistress. She would be a social pariah. In his estimation she had suffered enough through Samuel Langley’s irresponsibility without another member of the family completing the job. He would have to think of something else.
    All he said was, ‘Charming that they would then leave a sick girl to my care.’
    It was not the first time he had been confronted with the hypocrisy of society in general and women in particular. He did not doubt that if he appeared socially and showed the slightest interest in any of the eligible females, that he would be courted and toadied to glory. None of them would have cared a rap for his reputation did they but think his fortune and title were going to embellish one of their daughters.
    They would not care if he had ruined Meg Fellowes in fact or merely compromised her technically. Meg’s reputation would be mud while he was still a matrimonial prize.
     
    He was still seething on and off and wondering exactly what he should do about it when Agnes Barlow appeared the following morning to remove him fromhis position as nurse. Although she looked far from well, she ejected him from the room unceremoniously, muttering that things were come to a pretty pass if a young lady was expected to have a gentleman to nurse her.
    ‘Not but what the doctor was sayin’ you was very good to Miss Meg an’ she ought to be grateful you was here! But what I say is, the less she knows about it the better. Now get along with you, lad…me lord…an’ have your breakfast. Farmer Bates’s girl Nellie ain’t much, but she can cook ham an’ eggs!’
    From which Marcus gathered that, despite her disapproval of the necessity that had put him in charge of the sickroom, Mrs Barlow was far from disapproving of him personally. He definitely hoped the Barlows were going to agree to stay on under his management. Naturally if they wanted to be pensioned off, he would do so, but he rather thought that it would be preferable to have two such loyal and intelligent servants remain here.

Chapter Three
    M iss Marguerite Fellowes was very puzzled when she awoke later that morning. Not only was the room warm, but she felt very much better. She felt so much better that she was ready to be curious about the tall and handsome stranger who had been in attendance while she was so sick. A very elegant stranger at that. And so kind.
    Except for the Barlows and, of course, the Vicar and Dr Ellerbeck, Miss Fellowes couldn’t think of anyone who was kind to her. And that reminded her…had someone called Dr Ellerbeck? She hoped it was just a dream that he had been to see her, because she couldn’t imagine how she was going to pay him. Frowning, she tried to remember properly. She was sure he had been…yes…she recalled him introducing Marc to her, saying he was a friend.
    Expectantly she looked around for Marc. And found Agnes sitting in the armchair, turning the heel of a sock. Conscious of a feeling of crushing disappointment, Meg realised that Marc must have just been a dream, a fever-induced vision compounded of her deepest romantic fancies. And she had certainly had some peculiar fancies while she was ill. But to think a gentleman had nursed her! She might have known it was a dream. As if any gentleman, let alone one as handsome as that, would ever be so kind to Meg Fellowes. No, only an imaginary man could possibly have held her so safely and soothed her so tenderly.
    He had fed her too, she suddenly