Christmas at His Command Read Free

twisted your ankle,’ the hateful voice said flatly at the side of her.
    She ignored it, along with the urge to burst into tears as waves of self-pity made themselves known.
    â€˜Get in.’ This time the touch of raw impatience was very obvious, but again Marigold ignored him, struggling on, her face set resolutely ahead.
    â€˜Miss Jones, I think I ought to point out that you are extremely lucky I had an appointment elsewhere today which necessitated my leaving this morning. There is absolutely no chance of anyone else using this road and the cottage is at least another mile. Need I say more?’ he added condescendingly.
    â€˜Get lost,’ she bit out through gritted teeth.
    There was a moment’s pause and then his voice drawled, with disparaging amusement, ‘Out of the two of us I would say that’s a more likely occurrence for you. Get in the car, Miss Jones, and let’s cut out the drama. It might be unpleasant for you to be told the truth for once, but you are old enough, and I’m sure tough enough, to survive.’
    â€˜I would rather freeze to death than accept a lift from you.’ She turned for just an instant to meet the silver-grey eyes and her face spoke for itself.
    â€˜Now you are being ridiculous.’
    â€˜Well, that’s just one more thing you can add to my list of crimes, then, isn’t it?’ she returned tartly.
    â€˜Get in the car.’
    At this point Marigold so far forgot herself as to come out with an expletive she had never used in her life before. He thought he could order her about, tell her what to do after he had spoken to her the way he had? OK, so he might think she was Emma, and Marigold had to admit she didn’t know all the ins and outs of this matter, but he had known she was asking for help and that she was hurt, and he had just left her standing in the snowwhile he’d given her a lecture on family responsibility. Nothing, but nothing would induce her to accept any form of assistance from this arrogant swine.
    â€˜Don’t force me to make you get into the car, Miss Jones.’
    â€˜You think you could?’ she spat derisively.
    â€˜Oh, yes.’ It was cool and even and more than a little menacing, but the rage caused by his previous misplaced contempt and male arrogance was still hot enough to keep Marigold walking on, her head held high under its covering of wet plastic and the bottom of the cagoule flapping round her knees.
    If he laid one finger on her, just one, he’d get a darn sight more than he’d bargained for, Marigold promised herself with silent fury as the vehicle drew level with her once again.
    â€˜Your grandmother was a woman in a million.’
    Marigold ignored him completely.
    â€˜For her sake I don’t intend to leave the only child of her son to freeze out here, even if it is exactly what you deserve.’
    â€˜How dare you?’ She glared at him again, her eyes narrowed and shooting blue sparks but her lips were bloodless with the pain she was trying to conceal and her face was as white as a sheet. He stared at her for a second, the piercing eyes taking everything in, and then he sighed irritably before springing out of the vehicle with an abruptness which took Marigold by surprise. One moment she was standing glowering at him, the next she found herself whisked right off her feet as he lifted her up into his arms as though she weighed nothing at all.
    â€˜What on earth do you think you’re playing at? Putme down this instant!’ she hissed furiously, struggling violently as she pushed at the solid male chest.
    â€˜Keep still,’ he muttered exasperatedly, striding round the vehicle and depositing her in the passenger seat none too gently. She immediately tried to scramble out again, catching her injured foot as she did so and crying out with pain before she could check the yelp.
    â€˜Miss Jones, I have a length of rope in the back and I warn you I will have