Free Just for a Night by Miranda Lee

expression carried sincere regret. ‘What a selfish bastard I am,’ he murmured. ‘Yes, of course you must be nervous—as must Rebecca. Yet here I am, consumed with my own pathetic needs. I am so sorry, Marina. For everything. Forgive me.’
    â€˜There is nothing to forgive. Things happen sometimes which have no rhyme or reason.’
    â€˜Do they? I’m not so sure. I have come to hold the view that things are written, that fate has plans for all of us.’
    She wondered if he was talking about his brother’s death, as well as his best friend’s. Did he believe he’d been fated to become the Earl of Winterborne so that he would be in a better position to take care of his best friend’s family? It was a romantic idea, but Marina held no such views on death. When you’d seen someone die of cancer it was hard to believe in anything like that.
    James shrugged off a frown and leant forward, tapping William on the shoulder. Thankfully, the chauffeur had had the radio playing and did not appear to have been listening to them.
    His head twisted round a little. ‘Yes, My Lord?’
    â€˜Let us off at the front entrance, William, then go and find a park. I will be taking Marina in to meet Rebecca and staying a while to visit. Wait for me in the foyer and I’ll find you when I come down.’
    â€˜Very well, My Lord.’ If he’d heard anything of what had gone on, he gave no indication of it.
    Marina popped out of the back seat, unaided, while James collected the overnight bag Henry had lent her from the boot. It was a snazzy little red leather number, and easily accommodated her nightwear, toiletries, plus some casual clothes.
    When James joined her on the top steps of the hospital entrance and put his hand lightly on her elbow, she automatically shot him a warning glance. He rolled his eyes but took his hand off.
    â€˜This is ridiculous,’ he muttered from beside her on their way through the huge glass doors.
    â€˜Maybe,’ she returned crisply. ‘But it’s the way it’s going to be.’
    â€˜You’re a hard woman.’
    â€˜Not at all. I have a feeling you’re spoilt where the opposite sex is concerned. Not enough women have said no to you in the past! But you’re not that irresistible, Your Lordship.’
    â€˜Oh, my God, we’re not back to that, are we?’
    â€˜We certainly are!’
    He muttered an expression under his breath which she doubted would have found favour with Henry.
    Marina almost smiled. There was something rather satisfying in taking the reins where this situation was concerned. She wasn’t a teacher for nothing. Bossiness came naturally to her where little boys were concerned, and underneath she had a feeling there was still a little boy in the Earl of Winterborne.
    Unfortunately, there was also a big boy. A very good-looking, utterly appealing and incredibly sexy big boy!
    But she wasn’t going to think about that, was she? And she wasn’t going to listen to that awful voice in her head any more, the wickedly dark one which kept telling her she could have this man if she wanted to. That she could go down to Winterborne Hall and spend every night in his bedroom, then wing her way back to Sydney with no one the wiser—least of all Lady Tiffany Ravensbrook, whom Henry had kindly informed her would be in Italy!

CHAPTER SEVEN
    T HE first thing Marina saw when James directed her towards Rebecca’s bed in the children’s ward was not the small child propped up against a mountain of pillows, but the young woman sitting on the side of the bed with a book in her hands.
    She was the most beautiful girl Marina had ever seen. Not just attractive. Not just pretty. Beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful.
    Straight, shoulder-length blonde hair. Skin like porcelain. A perfect profile. Full soft lips. A slender, fragile-looking body.
    Marina knew at once who she was.
    The girl looked up at