“Today.To Castleton,” he answered, pleased by her enthusiasm.“If we leave now, we’ll get there in time to see the lights come on.And if we’re lucky, Peveril Castle’s illumination will be on tonight.”
Olivia did a little dance, wearing the paint on her face and apron.“The castle that glows?”
“That’s the one,” Rhys said.“And we can have dinner afterwards.”
“You girls go wash up and change.I’ll clean up here,” Cat said.
Rhys began collecting the paintbrushes.“You’re coming with us.You need to go change, too.”
*
It was ashort drive, twenty minutes through winding, frost-rimmed lanes, and the girls chattered the entire way, pointing out sheep in the fields, laughing whenever the road dipped unexpectedly.Cat sat in the passenger seat, glancing sideways every so often.Rhys looked relaxed, one hand on the wheel, the other occasionally reaching back to pat whichever daughter had leaned forward for his attention.
When they crested the last small rise, Castleton unfurled before them—golden lights strung across shopfronts, stone cottages decorated with wreaths, and above it all, perched dramatically on its hill, the silhouette of Peveril Castle.
And then, as if on cue, the lights flickered on.The ruins glowed warm against the darkening sky.
“Oh!”Cat breathed.
The girls pressed their faces to the windows.
“It’s magic,” Jillian whispered.
They parked and wandered through the village, their boots crunching lightly on the frosty pavement.Rhys kept a protective watch over the girls but walked close to Cat, her shoulder brushing his arm now and then, sending electric darts of sensation through her.
She’d never felt this kind of attraction to anyone before, not in high school, or college, or while dating in London.She met a lot of nice people—well, and some not so nice—but no one had made her feel quite so alive, or full of emotion.
Up on the castle hill, the path was steep and narrow, but lanterns had been set out along the lower stretch, casting soft pools of light on the ground.They didn’t climb all the way—Rhys laughed, acknowledging that the girls would be miserable halfway up—but they walked far enough to see the illuminated ruins from a clear vantage point.
Cat’s breath clouded on the air.“It’s beautiful,” she whispered.“This is why I chose to come to England.It’s everything I love most.”
He shot her a quick glance, and there was a glimmer of laughter in his eyes, but more than laughter, there was also warmth, and a spark of something else.It was the something else that sent a shiver racing through her, making her go hot and then cold.
Cat looked away and yet her cheeks burned and her heart was pounding and it was silly to feel so… so… aware of him, but she did.Not that she was proud of it, either.
The girls were still running, chasing each other back down the hill, and Cat was glad for the time to get her feelings under control.
“Tell me about the job,” Rhys said, as they walked back into town.
“It’s a boy’s boarding school.Very elite, quite expensive, and privileged.Their mission is to prepare young men to be the leaders for the future, via attending the top Ivy League schools in the country.”
He laughed quietly.“You don’t sound impressed.”
“They only want me for my Ancient Greek and Latin.Well, history too, but the Greek and Latin is what attracted them the most.”
“Why is that a bad thing?”
“Because I studied Greek and Latin so I could read about classical civilization without needing translation, but it’s history I want to teach, not languages all day, every day.One Latin class I could handle, but I don’t think I’d be happy at a school like that.”She turned her head to check for the girls, discovering they were on the grass almost adjacent to them running in circles, playing chase.“I’d honestly rather teach girls to be the leaders of the future than boys.”Her mouth quirked.“Not that there is anything wrong with boys.”
“Good.You’ve put my mind at ease,” he teased, stopping in front of the Peak Hotel.“I made reservations here.We’re still a little early but let’s see if they can seat us.”
The Peak Hotel’s cream and golden restaurant walls glowed, and the open hearth had a proper fire burning.They were seated not far from the hearth, at a long table with an upholstered bench against the wall and a pair of light blue painted chairs opposite.
Rhys pulled out a chair for Cat, and then sat down next to her, while the girls scrambled onto the upholstered booth, but Jillian didn’t look happy, her gaze sweeping from Cat to her father and back again.
Rhys noticed.“What’s wrong, Jilly?”he asked.
Her brow creased but she forced a shrug.“Nothing.”
