An Ideal Companion

An Ideal Companion
ANNE ASHLEY

HER QUIET WORLD OVERTURNEDWhen an unseasonable snowstorm brings an assortmentof stranded travellers to Lady Beatrice Lindley’s door, companion Miss Ruth Harrington welcomes them in, flustered though she is by the towering presence of Colonel Hugo Prentiss. But the next morning Ruth’s quiet existence on the moor is shattered – LadyBeatrice is dead!Convinced there’s more to her employer’s demise than meets the eye, Ruth seeks the one man who can help her uncover the truth – the enigmatic Colonel. But, in a world where nothing is what it seems, can Ruth and Hugo come to put their trust in each other?

Ruth was about to demand the gentleman’s name when the person in question strolled boldly into the room, taking her completely by surprise in much the same way as she had done to him the previous day.

‘Why, Colonel Prentiss! This is an unexpected pleasure!’

‘A pleasure, I sincerely hope, Miss Harrington. But not unexpected, I trust? Surely you didn’t imagine I would permit you to embark on your quest unaccompanied? What a very poor opinion you must hold of me if you did!’

Although nothing could have been further from the truth, Ruth could scarce own as much without seeming forward, or causing a deal of embarrassment to herself. Moreover, she wasn’t altogether sure she had understood him correctly. So she merely asked, ‘Did I understand you to say that it is your intention to accompany me to London, sir?’

A love of history, coupled with little desire to return to clerical work after raising two sons, prompted ANNE ASHLEY to attempt writing romantic fiction. When not working on a new story she can more often than not be found—weather permitting!—pottering in her cottage garden. Other interests include reading, and a real passion for live theatre. She also very much enjoys relaxing on warm summer afternoons with her husband, watching the Somerset team playing cricket.

Previous novels by the same author:

A NOBLE MAN* (#ulink_9b41ac9e-2e3a-5fcb-8f3a-427b51e086af)

LORD EXMOUTH’S INTENTIONS* (#ulink_9b41ac9e-2e3a-5fcb-8f3a-427b51e086af)

THE RELUCTANT MARCHIONESS

TAVERN WENCH

BELOVED VIRAGO

LORD HAWKRIDGE’S SECRET

BETRAYED AND BETROTHED

A LADY OF RARE QUALITY

LADY GWENDOLEN INVESTIGATES

THE TRANSFORMATION OF MISS ASHWORTH

MISS IN A MAN’S WORLD

THE VISCOUNT’S SCANDALOUS RETURN

HIS MAKESHIFT WIFE

* (#ulink_f4f1e736-055b-5b58-a38b-71044eb5c87b)part of the Regency mini-series

The Steepwood Scandal

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An Ideal Companion

Anne Ashley

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

ISBN: 978-1-472-04391-7

AN IDEAL COMPANION

© 2014 Anne Ashley

Published in Great Britain 2014

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited

Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2018-07-18

Contents

Chapter One (#u958f51db-998e-567d-9a24-aeff4edb79ca)

Chapter Two (#ub263480f-2844-5ba1-9830-856e8bea13e8)

Chapter Three (#ucefd5eb2-7e6e-588f-9602-78c10624a2cb)

Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)