Chapter 45

FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO Rose hated it. She hated that even after what happened that morning with Andrew, and his insufferable obstinacy, she still couldn’t stop stealing glances at him. It was late in the afternoon, and she had accompanied Penelope’s maid to pick some herbs in the garden. He happened to be at the other end of the farmyard, near the stable. It was the first time she was seeing him since that morning. She had been pissed off at first, and she had cursed him to hell and back in her mind after he made it clear he wasn’t ready to shut up about what happened. She had even lost her temper and said he could do whatever he wanted. Of course he couldn’t! If word spread and Marcus got wind of it… She knew for certain if it spread, it would evolve along the way and turn into sordid tales about how she had slept with the Beta of the Mountain Blacks. That was how gossip worked; the final tale was often miles from the truth. A realisation formed in her mind. If at all this got back to