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He was flirting, she was alleam in his eyes

Tess got to her feet with as ing to her skirts, and assumed her best housekeeper’s expression ‘You wanted me?’ she enquired

Alex’s gaze seemed somehow heavier, warle she was seeing him from now she was on her feet

It was aat Brooks’s tonight and I will be out to dinner at Lord Hawthorne’s toht’ He flashed her his rapid, wicked s of dissipation and sociability before Christmas descends like a pall on London’

‘It is still only the thirteenth’ What is he going to say when he sees what I have planned for Christmas?

‘I know, but everyone will start leaving for the country by the fifteenth, if they have not already gone’ He turned to leave, then glanced back over his shoulder ‘I’ve got a carpenter to make a proper cradle for Daisy He’ll deliver it tomorrow’

‘Oh, thank you’ Tess started forward, to touch his hand, kiss his cheek, then stopped as the realisation of what she was doing hit her No, it isn’t fair, don’t entleman She turned the movement into a clap of her hands ‘That’s wonderful—an old drawer isn’t really deep enough to keep out the draughts’

He sain as the sound of his footsteps across the hall faded away It had taken thoughtfulness to notice theabout it It had involved hi an effort, personal effort, when he could have easily ignored a servant’s child as so that was not his concern ‘There’s hope for you yet, Lord Weybourn’

The sound of the key in the latch froze Tess on top of the ladder Around her in the hall both footreens

‘Oh, my God, it’s only seven o’clock, he’s not due back for hours’ Phipps clutched the foot of the ladder,lantern with both hands The bunch ofto fix fell on to MacDonald’s head, Phipps burst into laughter and Dorcas gave a small shriek

The front door swung open slowly to reveal Lord Weybourn standing on his own front step, fog swirling around hie wreath tied with scarlet ribbons in the other ‘This just fell off,’ he said ‘I caught it It appears to consist entirely of holly Exceedingly prickly holly’

‘I knew I should have used wire, not string, to hold it to the knocker Sorry, my lord’ MacDonald tossed the mistletoe to Phipps and strode forward to take the wreath ‘Ow Oh, bug—I mean, ouch’