Kitty stared at him reproachfully for a moment. Half of her urged the other half to walk away right now. And yet she couldn’t begin to imagine her life without him in it any more. And he had finally said that she was his girl! Her heart sang. He had finally said it straight out. She was his. It could only be a matter of time before he asked her to marry him – and then she wouldn’t care what happened to her career. She would be his wife and they could put all this behind them for ever.

She nodded, too full to speak, and as he hugged her and the puppy to him he grinned slyly to himself over her shoulder. Just as he had planned, she was now his to use and abuse as he liked, and what a little earner she was turning out to be already! Edward Travers had paid him generously for her favours the night before. Of course, he would have to give some of that to Ruby, that was part of their agreement. But this was only the beginning. Kitty Nightingale was like putty in his hands.

‘What the hell is that?’ Miss Fox asked a short time later when Kitty was standing in the hallway with the puppy in her arms.

Kitty giggled, more her old self again. ‘Richard bought her for me. I’m going to call her Tallulah. Isn’t she lovely?’

Miss Fox looked positively horrified. ‘But it’ll be messing and piddling all over the place,’ she groaned. ‘We’ll have to get a kennel outside for it. I can’t see Cook allowing it in her kitchen. And who will look after the dratted mucky little thing when you’re out?’

‘She will not live outside, she will stay in my room with me,’ Kitty told her forcefully. ‘And when I’m out, Maggie will keep her company.’ With that she sailed past the woman with her nose in the air and Miss Fox stifled a grin. The girl had been down in the dumps for a time now but the puppy seemed to have perked her up no end. She just hoped this Tallulah wouldn’t start chewing up everything in sight. Puppies had a habit of doing that.

Turning her attention to Richard, Miss Fox treated him to a glacial stare and he beat a hasty retreat to the drawing room to see Ruby before he left. Noticing that he had left the door slightly ajar, Foxy made towards it with the intention of closing it. However, as she reached out for the handle she saw through the crack Richard hand a wad of notes to Ruby who immediately pushed them down her cleavage, which seemed to be increasing by the day. No wonder, Miss Fox thought, the amount of food and chocolate she put away.

‘So, it all went as planned then?’ Miss Fox heard Ruby say.

‘Absolutely! Travers was thrilled with her though she took a bit of persuading.’ Richard laughed as he sank into a chair. ‘I had to resort to a touch of blackmail. But I bought her a puppy this morning so I think I’m back in favour. It will be easier next time, I’ve no doubt.’