‘I know. I was there, in the garden.’
‘Oh, Giselle,’ he sighed. They’d wasted an entire night, when they could have spent it together.
He was about to suggest they make up for lost time and ask her into the bothy, but a cheery ‘Good morning,’ made them both jump. Cal was putting something into a small boat halfway up the beach and grinning at them. ‘Going fishing,’ he explained.
The mood was broken. Rocco should return to the castle.
‘Can I see you later?’ he asked, after pretending the estate manager wasn’t there and kissing her again.
‘You know where to find me.’ She was beaming at him.
‘And you know where to findme,’ he countered, gesturing to the boathouse. ‘Although your place might be better as there are too many nosey parkers around here.’ He shot a meaningful look at Cal.
‘Nothing gets past Cal,’ she replied, slipping around him, her feet dancing on the dew-covered jetty.
Rocco caught hold of her hand, pulling her back for one more kiss. Then she was away, running across the beach, her laughter floating on the air.
He watched until she disappeared, his heart full, then he tipped his head back and gazed at the sky, the mountain, the castle…Hiscastle. For now.
Could he—?
The unformed thought was derailed by movement at one of the turret’s windows.
Beverly was gazing out of it. He wondered how long she’d been there and what she might have seen.
Chapter 20
‘Cal can show you around the estate,’ Rocco told Claire. ‘And he can answer most of the questions you might have.’ He had to free up some time to spend with Giselle before he left.He had to.
‘Do you think that’s wise?’ Claire spooned Greek yoghurt into a miniscule bowl of berries and ate a mouthful.
Rocco was having his customary strong coffee, scrambled egg and sourdough toast. ‘Why wouldn’t it be? He’s got all the facts and figures when it comes to the acreage of woodland, the annual turnover of the gift shop, and so on.’
‘Don’tyouhave that information?’
‘Yes, but I’ve got other things to do. Anyway, where do you thinkIgot it from?’
Claire frowned and dropped her spoon into the bowl with a clatter.
His mother spoke up. ‘You can use the parlour, Claire. Rocco and I can work in the little sitting room. He’s got a lot to catch up on.’
Rocco’s heart sank. There’d be no skiving off for him today; his mother would make sure of that.
Claire dabbed her lips with a napkin, leaving a scarlet imprint on the white linen. ‘In that case,’ she said, getting to her feet, ‘I may as well get started. Tell your estate manager to come to the parlour at ten o’clock.’
Rocco remained silent as she left the dining room, but as soon as she was out of earshot he said, ‘You shouldn’t have brought her; she’s busy enough without this.’
Beverly’s eyebrows rose. ‘She offered, and I think I was right to bring her, considering.’
‘Considering what?’ Was his mother implying he wasn’t capable of managing his own affairs? That this unexpected inheritance was too much for him?
Then she asked, ‘Who’s the girl?’
Rocco stilled. Ah, so shehadseen him with Giselle. He’d suspected as much. ‘Her name is Giselle.’
‘She’s local, I take it?’
‘Yes.’
