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'How did you come into it in the first place?' he inquired coolly. 'Are you a friend of my sister?'
She flushed. 'Well, no. I…I was the other driver.'
His glance assessed her, suddenly sharp with interest. 'The other driver? Expound, if you please.'
'I braked because a dog ran out into the road in front of me, and your sister's car ran into the back of mine.' She flung the words at him hotly, angry because she was embarrassed.
'And so your Good Samaritan act was, in fact, a cover for guilt?' he finished for her drily. 'You have a nerve, giving me those scornful, accusing looks!'
Her cheeks were burning. There was some justice in his remark, after all. 'I admit I offered to look after the children because I felt guilty about having been the unwitting cause of their mother's accident,' she said in a low voice. 'But I hope I would have wanted to help even if I hadn't been involved like that! I would certainly not turn away three children who needed help, especially…' She broke off, biting her lip.
'Especially if they wer
e your sister's children?' He gave her a hard smile. 'I lead a busy life, Miss Leigh. I'm totally occupied already. Without a housekeeper, how do you suggest I care for the children? They barely know me. The youngest is only three, the eldest only seven. I can't leave them alone in the house at night if I'm called out on an emergency, nor is it practical to take them with me. Before you start building me up as a selfish ogre, try considering the practical difficulties.'
'You could…' she began, but he cut her off crisply.
'Find another housekeeper? I've been trying all day, to no avail. People don't want to live in isolated places, especially if there are young children to look after.'
'I was going to say you could try me,' she said when he ended.
He did a double-take, his grey eyes filling with incredulity. 'You? You'd be prepared to run this house?' Then his glance narrowed, hardening. 'Oh, no. No, thank you. Out of the question.'
'I'm perfectly capable of looking after the children,' she said indignantly.
'That was not what I meant,' he said.
'Then…?'
His eyebrows rose. 'Surely you can't be so unsophisticated? This is a quiet, country district. Everyone knows everybody's business. Do you imagine your arrival went unnoticed? Even though it's pitch dark out there the village will be aware that a car has arrived at my house, that there were children and a young woman in it…they'll believe you're my sister until tomorrow morning, and then the tongues will begin to wag. They'll have us in bed together by tomorrow night, and on the point of marriage before the week's out. They love to gossip, and since they have so little to gossip about they make the most of what they get.'
She was bright pink, flustered and angry. 'How ridiculous!'
He began to laugh, and she glared at him. 'What's so funny?' she demanded.
'Your face,' he said, his own expression totally changed by a fierce amusement.
'I think you would be weak-minded if you allowed village gossip to stop you looking after your sister's children,' she said tartly. 'But as you're so sensitive, I'll take them to a hotel tomorrow. That is, if you can put up with us under your roof for one night? Or will your reputation be ruined by such reckless behaviour?'
He gave her a long, hard look. 'Quite a little shrew, aren't you? Of course you'll stay here tonight. And you will certainly not take the children to a hotel tomorrow. I'll have to try to find someone. What do you do for a living?' he asked, with polite rather than eager curiosity.
'I'm an artist,' she said.
His smile expressed cynical disbelief, and she felt her dislike for him growing.
'I illustrate books and magazines,' she said tartly. 'That's why I'm in Dorset. I'm doing some illustrations for an American edition of Thomas Hardy, and as this is Hardy's part of the world, I came down here to get the feel of the country.'
His eyes dwelt on her hands. 'I noticed what slender fingers you had,' he said.
She was surprised and flushed. He grimaced. 'I'm a vet,' he said, defensively. 'It's my job to be observant.'
Emma got up and began to wash up the china they had used. He yawned, stretching, his whole body visibly weary.
'Leave that until morning. I'm off to bed. Have you found all you need upstairs? Hangers, a hot water bottle?'
'Yes, thank you,' she said politely. She returned the kitchen to its previous state of tidiness before following him upstairs. She disliked coming down in the morning to an untidy kitchen. It began the day on a wrong note.
On the landing she met Ross coming out of Robin's room, smiling to himself. He grinned at her, shamefaced. 'Just checking…'
