Page 117 of Modern Romance December 2025 5-8

Amy pictured the castle as she had arrived, the square twin towers that had loomed over the iconic edifice. ‘So we’re in the tower now?’

‘Yes, both towers, along with the defensive wall, were here before the rest came along in the mid-fourteenth century. They are no longer separate but part of the house itself.’

‘Your family have lived here all that time?’

‘We came along in the fifteenth century.’

‘Almost newbies then.’

He might have smiled at her quip but he was too far ahead to tell and she was almost skipping to keep up.

‘The castle transformed over the years into a fortified mansion rather than a castle; there is one floor above us.’

‘How many floors are there?’

‘Seven. This floor links with the wing above the library.’

She blinked, finding it impossible to visualise the layout. ‘It looked pretty much like a castle to me. Do the other staff have accommodation here?’ she said, lowering her voice as they walked down a wide, shallow flight of stairs and entered a hallway. They passed by several doors. A few of the deep windows to her right were open and she could hear the sound of the sea, her nose twitching as she inhaled the salty tang in the warm breeze that was underlaid with the mingled scents of cypress and thyme.

‘There are converted outbuildings, stable blocks,’ he explained, not slowing his stride. ‘But most live in the village, a few commute from town.’

Her weariness outweighed her curiosity so she resisted the temptation to ask for more details, but decided that she would find out about the village as it would mean less interaction with Leo. Because after that scene in the kitchen, which she had barely escaped with her mind intact, it was clear that even a distant glimpse of him was not going to be good for her equilibrium. Though she was clinging to the very realistic hope that he wouldn’t be here often.

Wanting to plaster herself against him while simultaneously wanting to push him away was making her head ache. Just looking at him made the rest of her ache. His antagonism hurt, but the small snatches of conversation that came close to the easy intimacy they had once shared were even more painful reminders of what she’d lost.

She half tripped, steadied herself and bit her lip, determined not to ask him to slow down even though she was virtually skipping now to keep up with his long stride. A more considerate man might have made allowances for the disparity in their leg lengths, she decided, nursing her resentment.

‘Here we are.’

He had stopped outside a double door, the only door in this section of the hallway that she could see. With any luck, this meant she would be less likely to bump into any guests; she already knew that twenty were staying the night after the dinner.

‘Thanks.’ She stood, waiting for him to move. ‘I just hope I will be able to find my way to the kitchen in the morning.’ She kept the doubt out of her voice to keep things light.

‘You won’t be needed in the kitchen in the morning.’ He watched her stick her little rounded chin out and sighed. The image he carried of a soft helpless creature who needed someone to make her decisions for her was fast vanishing.

Who was he kidding? It had already gone, and he was feeling quite nostalgic for it. Despising her had made it easier to keep any lingering sexual attraction that remained from their youthful fling at bay.

Obviously, Leo no longer mistook the high voltage sparks that flew between them for love. The wild hunger they both still felt might be nothing more than chemistry, but it was still an obstacle—certainly to a good night’s sleep. But it went both ways, and he had no qualms about using it against her—using it to his own advantage.

‘I will be needed.’

His jaw clenched and her expression suggested she took pleasure from contradicting him.

‘It’sbreakfast!I am sure the rest of the army down there can cope without your guidance.’

‘Do I tell you how to do…whatever it is you do? The morning isn’t just breakfast, it’s deliveries and menus and prep,’ she enumerated, mocking his ignorance.

Though it turned out he wasn’t as clueless as she had imagined when he said, ‘Deliveries aren’t really an issue as almost everything is produced in-house, so to speak. You can literally walk around the kitchen gardens and select your fresh produce. Our herds are all organic free range, and even most of the wine is produced here, or it will be. You asked what I do, and the winery is my pet project at the moment.’

She looked impressed, which gave him a feeling of smug satisfaction.

‘Andyourmorning will involve meeting my grandfather,’ he added, pausing to watch her eyes widen in predictable shock, probably dismay too.

If she knew his grandfather it would definitely be dismay. He could have made an excuse when the old man had announced he wanted to meet this new chef and possibly steal her from Leo, on whom good food was wasted, but Leo had decided that the demand fitted well into his plan to make Amy’s life uncomfortable.

So far, he’d not had the success he had anticipated in that regard; he’d been overconfident. Amy had responded to every challenge and the kiss that should have unsettled her hadn’t done so either!

‘But…’