Page 6 of No Going Back

A silent curse broke the spell that in a fraction of a second had overwhelmed him. Liz was dead, and this woman looked nothing like her anyway, beyond a superficial similarity in gait. Even so, as she approached, Guy experienced an unexpected stirring of genuine interest in her.

“Good morning. Welcome to Remington Grange. My name’s Madeleine Scott. I’m the events manager for the hotel. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Edwards.”

Guy watched the woman shake hands with Ros. Captivated by the alluring combination of smoke and honey in her voice, he was barely aware of his niece explaining the reason for his presence in place of her fiancé.

Like other members of the hotel’s front-of-house staff, Ms. Scott was immaculately turned out. The tailored suit projected a corporate image, but somehow managed to enhance her trim femininity without compromising her aura of professionalism. Although her hair was gathered in a neat bun at her nape, a few carefree strands softened the severity of the style. What snagged his attention, though, and had done at first sight, was her smile. She held him captive and wouldn’t let go.

Not that he had any interest in escaping.

Her features held the serene confidence of maturity rather than the bold brashness of youth. Guy was thoroughly enchanted. Transfixed by her warmth and the glowing smile reflected in her eyes, almost against his will, he flicked a look at her hands to check for rings.

He had no business checking for rings.

He especially had no business being so relieved by their absence. Besides, lack of a ring was no indication of marital status—not everyone was as stubbornly traditional as him.

When Ms. Scott turned to him, the bland expression he’d perfected for dealing with obsequious civil servants and obnoxious politicians alike evaporated like mist in the sun. In its place was the most genuine smile he’d given a stranger in a long time.

To his surprise, hers faltered—only a little, and anyone less observant would most likely have missed it, but it didn’t escape him. Nor did he miss the minute and frankly puzzling tremor in her handshake. “Sir Guy.”

“Please—call me Guy,” he replied, following Ros’ lead. There were occasions when protocol demanded the title, others where it was useful to ease the way. This was neither, so he wasn’t about to stand on ceremony.

With his words, her smile regained its radiance. “Guy it is, in which case, you must call me Maddie.” She shifted her gaze to take in both of them once again. “My apologies, but the planner who was due to meet you has been called away on a family emergency. I can reschedule your appointment, but I’d hate you to have a wasted journey. I’m more than happy to give you a tour of our event spaces and facilities, and talk you through what we can offer for your special day.”

Guy liked the way her attention switched solely to Ros as she finished speaking. His attention remained on Maddie.

For once, he was more than happy to play the part of spear carrier. Apart from anything else, it afforded him the opportunity to divide his concentration between his surroundings and the delectable rear view of Maddie Scott. His niece knew her own mind on most things, and Guy doubted this would be any different, now she’d seemingly recovered from that uncharacteristic hesitation in the car.

Besides, as a mere male, he was likely to be as much use as a chocolate teapot when it came to the finer details. Ros had pretty much made the same point to Simon before he left for his trip to Brussels.

“Leave everything to me. All you have to do on the day is get dressed and show up. I’ll arrange everything. Deal?”

To give him his due, Simon had protested, but Ros had always been a dominant character, even before she’d come to live with Guy. It was a character trait he’d been keen to reinforce when he assumed responsibility for her care and upbringing. So Guy tagged along, content to listen to the picture Ros was painting of her dream wedding, and watch Maddie as she made notes on her tablet. There was something rather charming about the way her glasses repeatedly slid down her nose and she kept pushing them back into place.

The hotel’s decor and ambiance justified every one of the five stars it had been awarded, as did the staff. Their quiet professionalism impressed Guy, but his attention belonged to Maddie. Listening to her paint a picture of how they could decorate one of the rooms for the celebration, he found his interest in her transforming into a soul-deep fascination that demanded to know more about her.

“Those are all the function rooms and banqueting suites we have available. If you’d like to join me in my office for tea or coffee, I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have. I also have some brochures and leaflets you can take away.”

“That would be lovely. Guy?”

“Fine by me. Thank you, Maddie.”

The truth was, it was more than fine. It meant he’d get to take a closer look at the spellbinding Ms. Scott.

That thought evaporated the moment he set foot in her office. Functional and feminine, it was designed to make any visitors feel at home. What slammed into Guy, though, was something that, to most people, would be no more than a minor feature—the floral arrangement sitting on the wide windowsill.

He wasn’t much of a gardener, but identifying the mystery blooms wasn’t the issue—it was the colours.

Purple, lilac and cream—all Liz’s favourites. The memory sliced through him with surgical precision.

“Guy? Are you all right?”

Though Ros only whispered the words, they were enough to break the mesmeric influence of the flowers. He responded with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “Sorry. I’m fine, thanks. Where were we?”

“Maddie’s putting together an information pack.”

Mention of her name was enough to direct his attention back to her. She moved around the office with the ease of familiarity, gathering up various leaflets to slot into a promotional folder. She had good taste in coffee too, although the rich, dark brew was no match for Guy’s fascination with the woman who’d provided it.

“Thank you for the tour and all the information. The hotel is stunning, and my favourite out of the ones we’ve visited so far.”