Page 82 of Wild About You

Juliet tilted her head and frowned. ‘Um, well, yes…’ she said.

I couldn’t bear the look on Jamie’s face. Like a schoolboy called out by a teacher; as though he knew things were going wrong, but he didn’t know how to fix it.

‘The earl thinks of his ancestors every day,’ I said, loudly enough to make everyone turn. Satisfied I’d got Juliet’s attention, I continued. ‘He knows he’s the custodian of something far greater than him. Stonemore is a jewel in the crown of Northumberland. It’s been a fortress, then a family home, for centuries. But now, Jamie’s in a position to ensure it’s much more than that. It can give back to the land and the people who have nourished it. What we’re doing is new, but if the first earl woke up and walked out into Stonemore’s acres, he would still recognise it. We’re taking care of the present for the sake of the future, but also to honour the past.’

Juliet had directed her mobile’s microphone towards me and was scribbling notes, smiling. After a minute we all looked at each other.

‘Yeah, what she said,’ said Jamie, and we all laughed.

‘Teamwork,’ said Juliet, making another note. ‘And I understand congratulations are in order.’ She looked up and smiled. ‘When’s the wedding?’

‘Oh.’ It was my turn to freeze; the shock of it gut-punched me. I looked at Jamie for help.

‘This isn’t…’ He paused. ‘This isn’t my fiancée.’

Jack looked up from adjusting his camera, a slow smile dawning on his face as he looked at Juliet’s stricken expression.

‘Oh…’ Juliet looked backwards and forwards between us. ‘I’msosorry. I just assumed—’

‘My fault entirely,’ said Jamie. ‘I didn’t introduce you properly. Anna is our rewilding manager at Stonemore.’

‘Pleased to meet you again,’ Juliet said with a smile. ‘But – is your fiancée here at all, Lord Roxdale? We’d love to get a picture of the two of you. Our readers would love the romantic angle.’

‘No, she’s not,’ said Jamie. And, as if to fill the resulting silence, ‘She’s not really a city person.’

‘I’d best be getting ready for this evening,’ I said, and left them to it.

As I freshened my make-up and got changed into jeans and a cotton Oxford shirt, I heard the soft click click of the camera and the perky voice of Juliet as she directed Jack. Then the door slammed as they left.

I sat on the edge of the bed. The day had taken it out of me. Being with Jamie all day had been harder than I’d imagined. Every so often, the atmosphere had crackled between us like the air before a storm, and my desire for him – a desire so strong it felt like a physical force – had come in waves. I’d had toadultvery hard to resist doing something unwise; I knew the slightest thing might tripthat hair trigger. I’d had the sense that even if I’d just brushed his hand with my own, it would have been game over for both of us. I sensed it in him too: a certain rigidity to the way he held himself, the way compliments had slipped from him as though he hardly intended to say them. The steely, just-breakable toughness of his blue eyes.

I closed my eyes against the thoughts in my head, stood up, and sprayed on some perfume.

I came out to find Jamie inspecting a slice of cold pizza he’d just extracted from the fridge. ‘This looks less than appetising. Shall we go out for dinner?’

God, that sounded good. Dinner with Jamie as opposed to coffee with Sean. I realised I’d been dreading it. ‘Sorry, I’m meeting someone.’

‘Oh, right.’ He put the pizza back and looked at his feet, seemingly to avoid my gaze. ‘I forgot, London is your natural territory, isn’t it?’

I shrugged. ‘A bit. Have a good evening.’

‘You too. Take care out there.’

I smiled. ‘There aren’t any wolves.’

‘If you aren’t back by midnight, I’ll come looking for you.’

‘Thanks, Dad.’

He smiled, but when I got to the door I turned and looked back at him. He was turned away from me, fists clenched, staring at the floor.

In the lift I checked my phone again.

TOBIASLucinda is driving me mad. MAD!s She’s in here every five minutes. She actually made Tally cry.

ANNAWhat?!

TOBIASYep. Tally’s gone home. I doubt she’ll be in tomorrow.

---