‘Did I do something wrong?’ His voice sounded pained.
‘No! Oh, gosh, no! Not at all. It looks amazing. Thank you.’
‘So why are you crying?’
‘I’m not!’ I returned in a voice that sounded exactly like I was crying.
I felt Jack move closer to me. He bent down, his cheek almost touching mine as he leant forwards over my shoulder. ‘Fibber.’
A small laugh escaped, easing the tension for both of us.
Jack straightened up behind me. ‘You sure you’re OK?’
I nodded. ‘Yes. And thank you for this. I think I thought it was all lost, but you’ve shown me perhaps there’s something redeemable here after all.’
‘I like to think there’s always something redeemable, even when it looks like all hope is lost.’
I turned around to face him, forgetting my bed hair and all the rest of it for a moment. ‘Who are you and what have you done with the real Jack Coulsdon-Hart?’
Jack threw his head back and laughed. ‘I really did leave a bad impression on you, didn’t I?’
‘So long as you don’t pat me on the head this time, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.’
‘Yeeahhh,’ he said, drawing out the word. ‘I didn’t handle that very well, did I?’
‘Oh my God! You do remember! I knew you did.’
He grinned. ‘I do, much to my chagrin. I just didn’t think you’d appreciate me bringing it up in front of Felix and Poppy the other night.’
‘No, I wouldn’t have, so thank you for that at least.’ I turned back to the house. ‘I still can’t believe you patted me on the head.’
He laughed again. ‘No, neither can I. I was normally much more suave than that. You threw me.’
I gave an unladylike snort. ‘I knew it’d be my fault.’
6
‘Are you always up this early?’ I asked, accepting the mug of fresh tea Jack presented me with when I returned downstairs, having changed into something more suitable for company.
‘It varies,’ he said. ‘I think my body clock’s all out of whack at the moment. Jet lag and stuff.’
‘Stuff?’
‘Lots on my mind, I guess.’
I took a sip of my tea.
‘Spit it out,’ Jack said with a grin.
I swallowed the tea. ‘Pardon?’
‘The question, not the tea.’ He smiled. ‘You’re clearly dying to ask something, so just ask me.’
‘No. It’s none of my business.’
‘I have descended on your home, invaded your privacy with very little notice, and probably even less choice if I know Felix, so I think you’re entitled to ask a few questions.’
‘OK,’ I said, taking the chair opposite him at the table. ‘How come you left England?’
