‘Don’t tell me you’re here to resurrect Gabe and Melvyn’s idea about us working together.’
He shook his head. ‘No, I’m out of the picture on that project; they’re looking for another writer who might tempt you to take up their offer.’
Her agent had told her much the same. ‘I’m sorry if my decision to leave so suddenly made things difficult for you,’ she said.
‘Don’t give it another thought. It was my fault for rubbing you up the wrong way.’
‘So what is your confession?’
‘Well, it’s kinda weird, and you have to promise not to laugh, but I have a thing for English women; it’s the accent. It makes me do crazy and improbable things.’
She worked hard to keep her face from breaking into a smile. ‘Is that so?’ she said. ‘And how many English women have you known who have had this effect on you?’
‘Do you really want to know?’
‘Why else would I have asked?’
‘You might not like the answer.’
‘That’s not a reason to avoid asking the question in the first place.’
‘In that case I have no choice but to risk it. You see, it’s just the one English woman, and the one English accent that drives me nuts. It’s yours.’
Determined to keep her expression as neutral as she could, she said, ‘How interesting. I wonder why that is?’
‘I was hoping you’d put me straight, because I’m damned if I know why. I’m in uncharted territory here; I’m all at sea.’
‘You don’t strike me as a man all at sea,’ she remarked. ‘Far from it.’
‘I hide it well. But then I hide so many things. As you pointed out to me that day when I behaved so badly.’
‘We all hide things,’ she said, thinking of Matteo’s letters.
‘Even you?’
‘Oh yes. I have plenty of things I’d sooner not reveal.’
‘Bad things?’
‘Bad enough.’
For a few minutes neither of them spoke. Romily put down her glass and went to put another log on the fire. After nudging it into place with the poker, and seeing Red’s empty glass on the table next to hers, she offered him a refill.
He shook his head. ‘No thanks. I’ve cut back. I go through phases when I drink far too much.’
‘Is there a reason for that?’ She was surprised at his admission.
‘There’s a reason for everything.’
She sat down again, and once more tucked her legs beneath her.
His arm trailing along the back of the sofa, he said, ‘Can we rewind to that moment when I said you had the most bewitching eyes?’
She turned so that she was facing him square on. ‘Is that because you want to make a seductive move on me?’
‘Would it be wholly unwelcome if I did?’
‘What do you have in mind?’
