Free Snowbound With the Notorious Rake by Sarah Mallory Page B

someone.
    Rose stifled a cowardly impulse to dive into the bushes and wait for him to go. Instead she fixed her smile and said brightly, ‘Magnus! Have you been waiting for me?’
    He swept off his hat, displaying ordered brown curls.
    ‘I had business in Minehead which took longer than anticipated, so I was too late to catch you in the schoolroom, but since I had come from the high street I knew I could not have missed you. However, if you had notappeared in the next five minutes I would have gone home.’
    If only she had walked a little further up the track! Rose chided herself for the thought and, to make up for her churlishness, tucked her hand into his arm.
    ‘Well, I am here now, so you may walk me back to Bluebell Cottage.’
    ‘Have you thought what you will wear for the Assembly?’
    ‘Good heavens, Magnus, that is weeks away! I have not given it a thought.’
    He gave a ponderous little laugh. ‘I would like to be prepared; I want to present you with a corsage to match your gown and you know how difficult it is to find flowers in the dead of winter.’
    She had a sudden unreasoning urge to announce she was going to wear the brightest, most vivid scarlet gown she could find. Instead she said, ‘How kind you are, Magnus. It will most likely be my midnight blue.’
    ‘What, are you not having a new gown? My sister Althea has ordered another, I saw it this morning. I thought it was the usual practice for all you ladies to have a new gown for every occasion.’
    ‘I am sure it is, if one has unlimited funds!’ She immediately regretted her snappish retort and squeezed his arm. ‘I beg your pardon, Magnus. I know you were only funning.’
    ‘And you know I would buy you a dozen gowns, if you would let me.’ He stopped. ‘Let us put an end to this dilly-dallying, Rose. Even without a special licence we could be wed before Christmas.’
    ‘Magnus, I have explained to you why I cannot marry you yet.’
    ‘You are concerned for young Samuel, I know that, and I understand why you cried off in the spring, but to postpone it for a whole year—’
    ‘You have been very patient, Magnus. It is only a few more months.’
    ‘Sometimes I wonder if you have changed your mind, what with the losses I suffered when the Sealark went down…’
    ‘That is unjust,’ she cried. ‘My decision to postpone the wedding was taken months before you lost the Sealark . And besides, I would never allow such a misfortune to weigh with me!’
    ‘Of course, and I beg your pardon.’ He stopped to press a kiss upon her fingers. ‘Forgive me, the whole affair is preying upon my mind—until the insurers pay out for the loss of the ship and the cargo I cannot honour my promissory notes to the crew!’ He gave a rueful smile. ‘I fear it is making me very bad company.’
    ‘Not at all, I understand your concerns. I am only thankful that more lives were not lost in the accident. But that has nothing to do with my decision that we should delay our marriage.’
    ‘Then it is solely to do with your son.’
    ‘Yes.’ Rose was relieved that he did not notice the heartbeat’s hesitation before she responded.
    He said heavily, ‘In my opinion you refine too much upon the wishes of that young man! Once we are married he will soon learn to respect me.’
    ‘But I do not want him to do so out of fear! Be patient, Magnus, please.’
    ‘Well, if you will not agree to our marriage, then at least let me help you open up the mine at Hades Cove. I am sure it is not so unprofitable as you have been led to believe.’
    She put up her hand.
    ‘My dear, we have been over this before. My late husband poured a vast amount of our money into the mine. I will not allow you to do the same.’
    ‘But once we are wed it will become my property.’
    Rose smiled up at him mischievously. ‘Ah, yes, well, then you will be master of everything and may do as you please!’ She sighed. ‘Let us not argue. Tell me instead about your sister’s new gown. Is