Unknown by Unknown Page B

feel quite guilty.’
    His face creased into a smile. I'm not wasting my day. I had to come out and check on the feed situation here, and on the river. We’ve had a wonderful year climate- wise, abundant growth. The cattle love foraging out here and there’s tons of feed. They’ll be fine here for perhaps a month yet, which means I can make an extra paddock or two of hay, in case of a severe winter.’
    ‘That relieves my mind.’
    ‘I should have been gallant and protested a day in your company could never be considered wasted.’
    ‘I prefer honesty,’ Serenity told him crisply.
    He chuckled. ‘Well, I can be honest and say I am enjoying your company, and I can be honest and say the time has not been wasted, because I am also assessing your value as a future employee.’
    ‘And are you impressed by my potential?’ she demanded with a hint of sarcasm.
    ‘Without a doubt, more and more each minute.’
    ‘Huh!’ Serenity had it on the tip of her tongue to say she was not going to stay under any circumstances, but she was still wavering, and decided to keep her options open.
    ‘Taking on new staff out here is always a risk. Some people love the isolation, others loathe it. Then I have some young single chaps here and a flirtatious female could work havoc with my production schedule.’
    ‘How do you know I’m not a flirtatious female?’ she asked smartly.
    'I trust my own judgment implicitly in these matters.’ He was laughing again.
    ‘And what does that mean?’
    ‘Well, you’re in love, engaged to, and planning to marry John. That’s a big factor. You haven’t tried to flirt with me, that’s an even bigger factor. I find you a very cool number indeed, Miss Serenity James.’
    ‘You’re just not my type,’ Serenity informed him casually.
    ‘You don’t have to flatter me just to get the job. I think my young male staff will be safe with you . . .’
    ‘What an insult!’ She was indignant. ‘Safe indeed. How would you know? Just because you feel you are the quintessence of eligibility, and I find you Sacking in appeal, you think I would not find anyone else attractive. There’s no logic in that assumption.’
    ‘I’ll risk it,’ he assured her cheerfully, not at all put out.
    For the past hour Serenity had been trying to find a reason for her attitude towards him. If she could sort it out then maybe she could stay for a few weeks. When she thought of Sarah Tarrant’s house she longed to stay; when she thought of riding this country most days, she longed to stay; and when she thought about Hudson Grey, she wanted to leave immediately.
    How ridiculous! She shouldn’t be frightened of him. Well, she wasn’t exactly frightened, nervous perhaps? She had virtually no experience of men, and something told her that he was dangerous. But she couldn’t see how he could be any threat to her. He thought she was engaged, getting married in six weeks even, and he said he wouldn’t make a pass at her. He said that he didn’t want complications in his life, that he was planning to marry soon himself. So why was she being such a ninny- hammer?
    She had a God-given chance to stay here and get to meet all the people of the district. It was more than she had dreamed of originally, and she was dithering.
    Because of Hudson Grey! That’s why she was angry. Because she didn’t trust him . . . and worse than that, she didn’t trust herself. When he was arrogant and conceited it was a breeze to ignore him or take him down a peg or two, but when he had spoken about his mother and father and showed his open affection for them, then he was dangerous. And when he talked about Sarah Tarrant she saw beyond the smooth sophisticated surface to someone sensitive, and as vulnerable to hurt as she was.
    She didn’t want to see that side of him. She didn’t want to know him any better than she did at this moment. If she ever saw inside the pain and bitterness that was locked within him because of his girl’s death,