3-06301-6<br >M.LY PERFECT<br >O 1999 by Caroline Anderson<br >~Jbllshecl by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.<br >CHAPTER ONE<br >Tm~ village was as dark as pitch， the few streetlights<br >long since extinguished. Connie struggled for her<br >purse in the bottomless pit of her handbag and tugged<br >out a few notes for the taxi driver.<br > Got any change， love? he asked. I m a bit short<br >tonight. <br > She debated searching her bag again for loose coins<br >and dismissed the idea. The clatter of the diesel engine<br >was rattling the windows in all the houses， and any<br >minute now lights would start to come on.<br > Forget it， she told him， dredging up a weary smile.<br >， Don t worry about the change. Thank you. <br > Sure? Cheers， then， he said with a gnn， and she<br >~tched his tail lights disappear， taking the clatter with<br >it. The silence of the night settled back around her like<br >a familiar blanket， and she scooped up her luggage，<br >struggled to find her keys with her uncooperative and<br >useless hand and let herself in.<br > A wave of fur and slurping tongues assaulted her，<br >and she chuckled and sat down on the bottom step，<br >letting them get it out of their systems. The dogs<br >sniffed her plaster cast curiously， licking her numb，<br >stiff fingers with care， as if they sensed all was not<br >quite well. Good boys， she whispered. Now go and<br >lie down. <br > Their tails lashed， and she bumped and trailed up-<br >stairs with her luggage， the dogs hopefully in tow.<br > Oh， all right， then， just this once， she scolded<br ><br >