Then his dark eyes met hers and she felt as if the whole room whirled around her and the ceiling fell down on her head and she knew that she was looking at the Duke and he was looking at her.
For a moment they both stood as if they were turned to stone.
Then as the Duke closed the door behind him and walked slowly towards her, Sacha gave a gasp and in a voice that did not sound like her own she stammered,
“I – think you have – made a – mistake and come to the – wrong place. This is the Vicarage – not Langstone Hall.”
“I am aware of that.”
His voice was deep, but Sacha felt that he had not recognised her despite the fact that he was gazing at her penetratingly and she imagined with curiosity.
Her heart was thumping in her breast, her lips felt dry and it was very hard to speak, but so
