Samuel sat in the drawing room at Shay's residence waiting for her to return. It was now ten o'clock. He had been waiting for two hours. His patience was wearing thin. She was not going to deter him. He got up and helped himself to the port that was sitting in a decanter on the sideboard. It probably belonged to Thomas.

As he lifted the glass to his mouth, someone cleared their throat. Samuel slung the port into the back of his mouth hoping it would quell any ill feelings he had. He turned to face the person, who he assumed was Shay.

"Your Grace." Albert bowed, and then stood to face the young mistress's fiancé. "I've just come in, sir, and was told of your presence. I'm so sorry you've been kept waiting." Albert had no clue what was going on. The duke looked like he wanted to kill someone. He just hoped it wasn't him.

"Where is she?" Samuel strode toward the servant, but pulled himself to a stop in the middle of the room. It wasn't this man's fault that his future wife was an obstinate vixen.

"Miss Shay has stayed at the orphanage tonight, sir. I'm sure, had she known you would be visiting, she would have returned home, Your Grace."

Samuel burst into laughter. It was either laugh or punch a wall. He was relieved the former had jumped into play. "Oh... she knew I was visiting tonight, Albert." He chuckled some more and watched a small smirk turn up the corners of Albert's mouth. "Were you aware of this?"

"Oh no, sir. I'm sorry if I seemed insolent. I meant no disrespect; it's just the little mistress made the feeblest excuse not to return to the house. I did think it was very strange."

"Oh well." Sam stepped forward and handed Albert the empty port glass. "Not much I can do about it now. I'm too tired to chase after her tonight." He tilted his head to show Albert he wasn't angry with him. "I'll say goodnight to you, Albert. If you would do me the kind service, of telling Miss Shay I was disappointed not to have seen her, and that I will not be able to visit again until I come for her at seven o'clock tomorrow night, to attend the King's Ball."

Albert bowed. "I will indeed, Your Grace. It will be an honour."

As Samuel walked back to his house in Regent Square he thought about Shay. It was now less than two weeks before their wedding. He had planned to return to Denbury Hall and Aylesbury the day after the ball, to finalise the payment on her wedding gift. He had one day to get her to spend some time with him before the ball. He could tell she was going to avoid him as much as possible. He had lied to Albert. If he had said he would visit Shay the morrow he was sure she'd once more avoid him. Samuel grinned. That woman would get the shock of her life if she thought he was going to be that easily put off.

When Albert relayed Samuel's message to Shay the next day, she couldn't help smiling. Not returning home last night had worked. Hopefully he had truly got the hint to stay away from her. She hoped he would send word that he was cancelling the marriage before the King's Ball that night. She was exhausted, because she hadn't slept well with fears that he would break the door of the orphanage down, and drag her home. She felt very relieved that he would not be paying her any more unannounced visits.

By mid-morning Shay could barely keep her eyes opened. "Sister Teresa. I'm going to go home and get some rest." Shay stifled a yawn. "I'll get Albert to drive me. I hope you don't mind, it's just that I didn't sleep very well last night."

The nun took her by the arm, and walked her down the hall. "Shay. We don't expect you to stay overnight. To be honest I'm not sure why you did. Little Daisy's cough wasn't that bad." She gave Shay a sly grin. "That wonderful young man of yours will be very happy to spend some time with you, I'm sure."

"He is not my young man, Sister. At least I don't want him to be. After last night, I'm sure he will have come to his senses, and written to Papa about withdrawing his offer to marry me." Shay blinked her tired eyes in frustration. Why could no one, but her, see him for what he really was? She was too weary to verbalise her grievances at the moment.

Shay bathed, and then crawled into bed. Cook had wanted her to eat something. She was too worn-out. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell straight to sleep.

*

Samuel followed her carriage. Once he knew she was home he returned to Regents Square and changed into a loose-fitting shirt, his qandnssi trousers and bernousse.

Omar caught him on the stairs. "What are you doing, Sammy?"

"I'm going to do a bit of break and entering." Sam grinned as he pulled the hood of his cloak over his head. "These cloths are better for the task." He shrugged at the look on Omar's face.

"It's the only way I can get Shay to see me. I'm sure she thinks I am going to change my mind about marrying her. However, she has another thing coming. I plan to put her in a situation where she will be begging me to marry her."

"Oh..." Omar held up his hands as if in defence and shook his head. "Sammy. This isn't you. You can't force yourself on her. She'll hate you. Is that what you want?"

Samuel laughed and shook his head. "That's not my plan, Omar. What sort of man do you think I am? I just want her to admit to the feelings I know I evoke in her. When she does this, she will know we are meant for each other. Her naivety in these matters, has her thinking any man can make her feel these sensations."

"Huh." Omar scoffed. "What makes you think she has experienced any such thing with you?"

"I just know, Omar." Sam beamed and twinkled his eyebrows. "Call it experience, if you want."

*

Sam stood beside the bushes near the back wall of the house. He knew which window was Shay's, and was pleased to see it opened. If he scaled the vines growing on the bricks, he would be able to crawl through it, and hopefully, land quietly on the floor. Samuel paced in thought, paused at the foot of the vines, gripped the thickest stems, and then put his shoe on the first foothold, but didn't move. "What the hell am I thinking?" he said to the wall.

Putting his foot back on the ground, Sam let go of the vines as he released a heavy breath. Pacing some more, he ran his hands through his hair as he said, "This woman is driving me to insanity." Continuing to walk backwards and forwards under Shay's window, Samuel stopped, gripped the vines again, closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against the wall before letting his imagination take a hold of him.

Shay would be lying in bed, her lips parted as she released each breath. She'd be wearing a similar night dress to the one she had on the evening he'd barged into her room. Sam imagined her hair loose and fanned out over her pillow. He pressed his palms to his eyes. No matter what she wore, or how ruffled she looked, he thought her the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

He'd had all sorts of ideas of what he was going to do when he had left his house. Now that he was here, under her window, he didn't have a clue. Samuel turned, slid to the ground and started to chuckle. "I must be going mad," he said in a shocked whisper.

He stood up and dusted off his clothes. Omar was right, this wasn't him. He wasn't some crazed stalker who broke into woman's houses. Sam chuckled some more as he imagined Shay waking to see him looming over her. There was no way in the world she'd marry him if she caught him breaking in and standing by her bed, and she'd have every right to refuse him. As he was about to leave, he heard noises coming from Shay's opened window. Samuel cocked his head. A knock on the door, and then words trailed down to him

"Miss Shay. Sister Teresa is here to see you."

More knocking, and then Shay's tired voice. "Just a minute."

Samuel pushed behind the bushes and waited to hear more. The words, "Did you open my window, Christina? I don't remember opening it, or locking the door," came to him.

Then, "You were very tired, miss. Sister Teresa is waiting for you in the drawing room." The window was pulled closed. Samuel sighed in relief. He wasn't mad, just spellbound by a woman who wouldn't give him a chance. He grinned as a new thought struck him. Surely, she couldn't refuse him in front of the nun. He straightened his cloak and made his way around the house to the front door.

What the hell are you thinking Sammy? Thank goodness you came to your senses Insert author facepalming here ;)

Photo taken from Clipart.