'Dis… If you mean what I think you mean by that-' her eyes flashed '-I-'

'Proving to me that you're not a rather gorgeous, exotic creature who is totally unsuited to housekeeping is what I meant,' he said gravely. 'In other words, commencing your employment with me.'

'I thought I told you that was out of the question-'

'You did. But as I'm having second thoughts, why don't you?' And he looked at her with total, bland innocence.

Davina opened and shut her mouth several times before she was able to articulate her thoughts, a process S. Warwick watched with very polite attention. Finally, she said, 'Are you inviting me to believe that it would be possible for you to prove to me that you're not one of the most arrogant, unpleasant, insulting men I have ever met? A thorough bastard,' she said gently, 'to put it even more simply?'

He laughed and said one single word. 'Yes.'

'No-'

'Oh, come now, Mrs Hastings,' he said with a sudden rather weary and irritable lift of his shoulders. 'We got off on the wrong foot, can't we just leave it at that? Do you expect an apology-is that it? If so, I apologise-'

'Don't bother-'

But he overrode her in suddenly even, clipped tones. 'Look, if you must know, there would be few men immune from the sight of you running towards them in an open jacket and a white silk blouse that was getting wet.' A wicked little glint lit his eyes as Davina glanced down hastily and dragged her jacket closed. Then he continued drily, 'It's a fact of life I suspect, but I do apologise for my-momentary lapse in good manners or whatever the hell you like to call it. The other thing is, while I may have been a bit unfair in my remarks about B-grade movies, you just don't look like a housekeeper and I would take issue with anyone who tried to tell me otherwise!' He continued, with a returning flash of irritation, 'So. Yes, I admit I let myself vent my annoyance rather brutally on what I perceived as a muck-up which is the last thing I can afford at present. You are not, however,' he said precisely, 'in any danger of being regarded as fair game in my household, I give you my word.'