‘That doesn’t mean she’ll want to leave us.’
‘What’s wrong?’
He turned his head to regard her. ‘That’s the kind of question I’m supposed to ask you, I think.’
‘Yeah. Right.’ She resumed studying the sky.
‘Anyway, I am planning on setting the baby tyrant up in her own establishment in the grounds. A tiny castle with knights and servants and possibly serfs in the fields. When you actually learn something, you could advise me on medieval protocols for such things.’
‘I could. She’d like that. She could summon you when she requires your attendance.’
‘I was hoping she might knight me again.’
‘Sir Aleksey? It doesn’t have the same ring.’
‘No, I have been given that impression by everyone. Some people can’t even be bothered to remember my name, it seems. I played my Nikolas-part too well perhaps.’
‘It’s not that he’s not bothered—Ben just sees you as you see me.’
‘What! I sincerely hope not.’
She laughed and rolled her eyes. ‘He still thinks of you as Nikolas because that prevents him having to worry about you changing too much. You still think of me as ten-year-old Emilia for the same reason. Do you see?’
‘No.’
She patted his arm. ‘Don’t worry. I think we’re both doing pretty well to change those misapprehensions.
* * *
Chapter Seventeen
He received his first report from Harry at the end of the week as promised. He was still asleep in bed when his phone rang. It was such an unusual occurrence that it took him a while to come around sufficiently to find it and answer it. Ben’s half of the bed was empty, which was slightly worrying, and he was confused about this as he swiped the green icon.
‘Hello?’
‘Ah, good day, Mr Rider-Mikkelsen. Is this a convenient moment for you?’
Aleksey had found his watch by this time and discovered it was half-eleven so replied a little more intelligently (and contritely), ‘Absolutely. I have just returned from a ride. How are things?’
‘Oh, we’ve had a simply wonderful week. So much to do. I think we’ll have a superb crop next year. All is well with the house, and we have seen neither hide nor hair of the wee keeper of the lamp.’
‘Would you know? He doesn’t come out of the lighthouse, as far as I can tell.’
‘Ah, well, I send the little chap in and he sniffs around for me. He’s says it’s not been disturbed.’
‘Huh. Well, I think we might be coming back in a couple of days. Michael and his partner, Tim, as well.’
‘Oh, splendid. We’ll raise the flag: Lord of Light Island in residence.’
He wasn’t sure, as with Ben’s suggestion about the portcullis, whether he was the butt of some family-wide joke, which Harry had now been pulled into. But if that were so, they didn’t know him as well as they thought. He might just do both: have a medieval gatehouse and flag-raising ceremonies. Before he could reply either way, Harry added, slightly less cheerily, ‘Do you remember, son, we spoke about privacy?’
‘I do. What’s happened?’
‘Nothing to concern yourself over, I’m sure. But when the Snodders and I were out fishing the other day there was another boat doing a slow circuit of the island. They possibly didn’t realise we had come from there as we’d been out since dawn, and they appeared a few hours later. It’s very possible they were only sightseers, but I suspect you will be glad to know anyway.’
‘What sort of boat was it?’
‘It was a Hewscraft pro V single-engine, with a hard top and extended transom. Nippy little thing.’
