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CHAPTER ONE

'It's all veryin a way'

Hazel sla all the clothes she had placed in there onlyabout it!' she declared crossly I’ve been ordered home, that's all'

'Yes, but what a horaphs you showed us when you first came over here—it's a fantastic place How you could ever move over here and live in this tiny apartment,' Linda indicated the two rooms that had been Hazel's ho in that beautiful ine I knoouldn't do it'

'You ht if Rafe happened to own thethat she had all her luggage ready to leave for the airport

Linda's eyes becahed 'There's romance just in the nauardian!'

'He isn't uardian! I'm nearly twenty-one, Linda, not two years old Rafe just happens to have looked afterbut a bully,' Hazel said fiercely 'He has no right to order irl!'

'You don't have to go, honey,' Linda pointed out

Hazel looked sceptical Linda obviously didn't know her cousin Rafe or she wouldn't have made such a statement When Rafe issued an order everyone juo He only allowed me to come to the States at all on condition that I returned after three years, just until my twenty-first birthday'

Linda looked a in a house like that I bet this cousin of yours is so like the local lord of the manor, isn't he?'

Hazel thought of Rafe's arrogant bearing and the respect and loyalty hich the local people in his Cornwall horeed slowly, 'I suppose you could say that'

'You've never talked much about your family, Hazel, but ays knew you were a set apart frolish that is' She leant back in the chair 'What made you come to the States?'

Hazel shrugged 'I wanted to leave Savage House and anywhere in England didn't seee influence I've had a lovely time over here, Jonathan's been perfect to work for And everyone has been so friendly I've really loved it here, and I don't want to go home,' she finished miserably

Linda laughed 'I don't think Jonathan being perfect to work for and everyone being friendly are the reasons you don't want to leave I think Jonathan's son Joshto do with that'

'Well' Hazel blushed prettily 'We were just starting to get to know each other It isn't long since Jonathan introduced us'

Linda frowned 'Maybe it's as well you're leaving He doesn't improve on better acquaintance I've never liked hi he can be, but I've never gotten over the callous way he let Sandra down They were engaged, you know'

'Yes, he told me'

'I bet he did—his side of it' Linda looked at her wrist-watch 'We'd better get you to the airport, it's getting late'

'You really don't like Josh, do you?' Hazel frowned

Linda shrugged 'As Jonathan's nurse I've had longer than you to observe Josh I've seen him in action plenty of times Believe me, if he hadn't been in Europe the last couple of years you'd have got to know a lot more about him too That pleasant coe Oh, I don't want to talk about him any et what I just said'

Their goodbyes at the airport were hurried; Hazel's thoughts were now fir tied tremendously At least, she hoped she had, or this time away had been a complete waste of time

Her arrival in the States had been nothing like her departure of just now Then Rafe had acco to his estate in Cornwall, the acres of land he owned and lorded it over The head of the faed and dominated every member of his household with a firmness that only Hazel had ever seeument That had been a lot of the trouble between them, the way she had always fired his temper

She doubted it would be any different now Their arguments had been almost unbearable before she had left, in fact that had been part of the reason she had wanted to go to Aly Rafe had offered no resistance In fact, it had been he whoaccepted he had accoht and stayed a few days toto be happy there