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As her visitor followed her into the sunny rooood antiques: the chest of drahich she lovingly polished ax polish; the two chairs she had reupholstered herself; the small bureau

While he was studying her home, Rue studied him, and now that she could see him properly she was tensely conscious of the air of vital masculinity that emanated from him

Here was ahis own rules in life…as used to giving co those commands obeyed Here was afull dues to hisrely over her own slender body, registering the delicacy of her fine bone-structure and the fragility of her frame Her blonde hair was pulled back off her face in a ponytail to make it easier for her to work, her skin free of make-up

Six years ago she would never have drea other than immaculately made-up and dressed Odd to res

These days…these days she saw very few lad when she was free of their presence They e, resurrected memories she would rather have suppressed…made her remember

She realised that theexpectantly at her and, for no reason that she could think of, she flushed vividly

She saw the arey of his eyes, and instantly her own flashed dark green with anger So he found her a, did he? She didn’t offer him a seat, but asked crisply, ‘How can I help you, Mr…?’

‘Saxton, Neil Saxton,’ he supplied for her ‘I understood that my solicitor had been in touch with you’

The moment he said his name, Rue re to buy her dried flowers or herbs…one look at the expensively tailored pale grey suit he earing should have told her that o, and she had stuffed it to the back of her desk,time in the busy days that had followed

‘You’re the nener of Parnhah he found her state and ti, he said curtly, ‘Yes You’ve obviously received my letter’

‘You want to buy e?’

‘Yes I need somewhere for a housekeeper to live There’s room at the court, but I like my privacy This place would be ideal for her Your land, as you know, runs down one side of ood price’

As she listened to hi Did he really think he could simply walk into her home and bully her, with hisit to hie like a wounded ani sanctuary, and like an anih one winter, barely aware of the da from the roof, the lack of proper ae had fallen into, having been unlived in for alradually started to reawaken to life itself She had looked around her new surroundings and seen, in the sharp, strong sunlight of those early spring days, the dust and the dilapidation

Having no e herself It had taken her two years toto night school to learn a variety of crafts Two years of working so hard that she practically fell asleep standing up at night And now Vine Cottage wasn’t just a house…it was a part of her

She looked at Neil Saxton with angry eyes How dared he simply walk in here and assuht to expect that she would be willing to sell her home to him, just because he wanted it? She opened her mouth to tell hie, and then she acknowledged that part of the blaht to have written to her solicitor and informed him that under no circue or the land

‘I’ her back on hiy for the polite shae isn’t for sale, and never will be’

‘I see’ Without looking at him, she could tell froered hiht to warn you that I’ has its price,’ he told her cynically, and as she turned round to deny it Rue flinched beneath the look in his eyes

It seeht in her throat, locked there on a huge wave of pain and fear Once his coht have been all too pertinent…but over the last five years she had truly learned the value of her own self-respect, her own pride, her own independence and, s that were so important to her that they orth ’s ransoe It was her security blanket…her base…her own special private place; and too late she realised that in allowing thisin with him values and emotions that made her tremble a little with fear

Horatio felt it and growled again, his ears flattening to his head

He had a good deal of Alsatian in hi now, he could look extreh, see and rowl to a whine, and fro adoration that made Rue stand and stare in disbelief

Over Horatio’s head, her eyes er