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‘She’s arriving shortly from Bath.’
‘Kev’s business trip to China going well?’
‘Yes, I believe so.’
‘Jolly good, jolly good. Has Estelle shown you what we’ve set up?’
‘Not yet. I just arrived.’
Arthur turned to his daughter. ‘Come along, darling! Chop-chop! The buggers’ll be here in a jiffy.’
Estelle’s face tightened. ‘Dad, everything’s in hand.’ She stepped down the rest of the stairs, her body wobbling as her foot reached the floor.
James’s hand shot out towards her. ‘Your ankle?’
‘It’s fine,’ she ground out. ‘I’m wearing ballet pumps tonight.’
He extended his elbow. ‘Indulge me?’
Without meeting his gaze, she looped her arm through his and led him into the main body of the manor.
James matched her pace, revelling in the feeling of her body next to his, the intoxicating scent of her, the sense of victory that she was choosing to touch him rather than punch him.
‘We’ll meet the councillors out front and bring them into the largest drawing room,’ she began. ‘I’ll give a short speech about what we want to achieve with the festival and you can add whatever you want. We’ve set up a map and other presentations for them to see how it’s going to work. I’ve also printed out a proposal for each of them to take away with them, the one I emailed you a couple of days ago.’
‘It was great.’
She led him into a room full of immaculately laid round tables, with a buffet at one end and a baby grand piano at the other.
‘Most people have RSVP’d, but not all, so we’ve got a buffet and people can sit where they like. You and I will split up and move between the tables, answering any questions. Willow and Connor are providing music whilst they eat. When Perry brings out the coffee and chocolates, Mom’s going to read some Shakespeare sonnets and Leo’s begged to do Hamlet’s soliloquy.’
‘Isn’t that a bit dark?’
She finally met his eyes. ‘It’ll stir their souls. He’s actually a very good actor even though he knows it.’
He smiled, and a rush of warmth filled his chest as she smiled back. The heat very quickly made its way south, and his gaze flicked to her mouth.
She turned, pulling him out of the room.
‘Then Libby’s going to run a short Regency dancing workshop in the ballroom. After that, we’ll have some more music and maybe some people will stay a bit longer.’
‘Sounds perfect,’ he said, his voice low.
Estelle pushed open the door to the ballroom, and they entered. The space was empty and quiet, and they stood together in silence. Once again, Estelle’s scent drifted towards his nostrils like a siren call.
‘I love that perfume on you,’ he said without thinking.
She stiffened. ‘I, er, have a confession to make.’
‘You do?’
Her focus was firmly on the parquet floor beneath their feet. ‘It doesn’t belong to me. I stole it from Elyse.’
Huh? ‘No, you didn’t.’
‘I did. She’d left it in the office toilets. I tried it, loved it, and started wearing it.’
Pride and happiness filled his chest. ‘Estelle…’
