Rosie pushed herself away and got gingerly to her feet. Turning her back on him she righted the jug and dropped a dishcloth on the shelf to stop the milk from dripping down. She turned again to look down on him sprawled in a pool of milk on the floor. He waited with bated breath for her to explode, but instead she did the worst thing in the world as far as he was concerned. She laughed. She couldn’t help herself, he looked so funny. She held her sides and laughed until tears streamed down her face. Matthias wanted to die. For the ground to open up and swallow him, taking him out of her sight for ever. Rosie thought him ridiculous!

He was about to get to his feet when she bent from the waist and wiped milk from his brown hair with the end of her apron.

‘You look a sight, Preacher,’ she said chirpily.

‘I expect I do,’ he answered miserably.

‘And your face,’ she tried not to laugh again, ‘it’s a cross between guilty, nervous and afraid. Philip and David don’t look like that even when they’ve been caught out doing something really wicked.’

Matthias remained still, he liked her drying his hair. ‘I wish you’d call me Matthias, not Preacher, Rosie.’

‘It wouldn’t feel right after all these years,’ Rosie said stubbornly, rubbing at his hair. Was he getting friendly again? Well, if he was, she wasn’t going to let him build up her hopes and dash them again.

‘Please, Rosie,’ he pleaded.

He sounded so sincere she softened a little. ‘All right then, I’ll try.’ She viewed his hair, all fluffed up and giving him a boyish appearance. ‘That’s almost dry now, but I can’t do anything about your, um, breeches.’

He sprang up, wiping his hands down his shirt front. ‘It’s all right, really, I’ll bring over some milk, cream and butter from Ker-an-Mor… to make up for this waste.’

‘There’s no need,’ Rosie said, watching his hands. ‘Father won’t mind, it wasn’t done on purpose. You startled me.’

Matthias saw the direction of her eyes and dropped his hands to his sides. ‘I’m not usually so clumsy, I’m never like this around other people.’

‘Just me?’

‘Yes, unfortunately.’

‘I see, there’s something about me that turns you to jelly and makes you accident-prone.’ Rosie didn’t find that flattering and went to the stone sink to get more cloths. She started vigorously cleaning up the mess.

‘Let me help you, Rosie, it’s the least I can do.’ Matthias was unsure of her mood and thought his only hope was to keep her talking.

‘I’d rather you didn’t.’

‘I am sorry, Rosie. I hope you’re not angry with me.’

‘No, I’m not angry,’ she said, carefully picking up pieces of broken crock and putting them in her apron.