One Summer At The Castle. Jules Bennett
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of dark red silk coiled seductively on the shoulders of her jacket, and he was tempted to pick one up and allow it to curl about his fingers.
But he refused to go there. The end result of such an action was not one he wanted to explore, however appealing his own satisfaction might be. Besides, although he was fairly sure she’d been a willing recipient of his attentions earlier in the week, once she’d seen the ugly scars that marred his body she’d probably run as fast as Kayla had done.
Rosa, meanwhile, hearing the sudden hoarseness of his breathing, decided that Sam hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d told her Liam had had a cold. He sounded as if he was struggling for breath, and she felt ashamed for doubting him.
They reached the top of the stairs at last, and Liam went ahead along the narrow landing. They passed several doors, including the library and the dining hall that Rosa remembered from her previous visit, and stopped before a door at the end of the hall.
It opened into a large living room. Because of the lowering skies, lamps had been lit on tables and cabinets, several tall uplighters adding illumination to a room that was both beautiful and homely.
A pair of plush suede sofas flanked the carved façade of the fireplace, and bookshelves filled with novels and magazines filled the space beneath the long windows. Raw silk curtains, in the same warm caramel colour as the sofas, were drawn back to display the fury of the storm outside, but Rosa guessed that in fine weather the view would be breathtaking.
Underfoot, a huge Turkish rug in shades of blue and green complemented the heavy-textured wall coverings, which reminded her they were in a castle, not a millionaire’s mansion. Though the distinction escaped her.
‘Go ahead,’ said Liam, stepping back to allow her to enter, and Rosa hesitated.
‘My shoes are damp,’ she murmured, glancing down, and Liam arched sardonic brows.
‘I can see that,’ he said with a shrug. ‘So take them off.’
‘You don’t mind?’
‘Why would I mind?’ Liam queried mockingly. ‘Take off anything you like.’ He paused, aware that she was looking at him warily now, before adding smoothly, ‘Your jacket? It’s wet, too.’
ROSA didn’t quite know how to take his flippancy, but she bent and removed her low-heeled shoes, placing them just outside the door. Her jacket she took off, but folded it over her arm. Then, with a strangely fatalistic feeling, she stepped into the room.
The carpet was soft and warm after her damp shoes. She hadn’t realised how cold her feet were until she felt the warmth of the room enveloping her from head to toe. She was aware of Liam following her, and when the door closed behind him she swung round with an almost guilty feeling of relief.
‘This is a beautiful room,’ she said, needing to say something, if only to show he didn’t intimidate her. ‘The whole castle is beautiful. You’re very lucky to live here.’
‘Am I?’ Liam lifted her coat from her arm and gestured towards the sofas. ‘Well, why don’t we sit down and talk about it?’
Rosa didn’t have an answer for that, but, after watching him drop her jacket onto a chair by the door, she decided she had nothing to lose. Moving round the end of one of the creamy sofas, she perched rather nervously on the edge of the seat.
Liam came to join her, and once again she couldn’t help noticing how he dragged his left leg. But she wasn’t here to ask personal questions, she reminded herself, though her desire to keep her cool took a bit of a tumble when he chose to sit beside her.
‘Okay,’ he said, and she was forced to turn in her seat to face him, which caused her to slip a little further back on the cushions. ‘So,’ he said, ‘you’ve changed your mind?’
‘Changed my mind?’ Rosa was nonplussed.
‘About this place only being good enough for sheep and cattle,’ remarked Liam mildly, his green eyes intent on her confused face.
‘I didn’t say that.’ Rosa’s cheeks turned pink.
‘As good as. I seem to remember you asking me if it was even civilised.’
‘That was before I’d seen it,’ Rosa protested defensively. ‘Anyway, that’s not why I’m here.’
‘I didn’t think so.’ Liam leaned back, resting his right ankle across his left knee. ‘Sam told me you’d wanted to speak to me before you left on Tuesday morning.’
Rosa stiffened. ‘But you didn’t consider it important enough to get in touch with me?’ she exclaimed impulsively. ‘Even though you’re evidently much better now.’
‘Oh, I am. Much better,’ agreed Liam drily.
Rosa regarded him warily. ‘So—were you going to get in touch with me or not?’
‘Not,’ he declared softly. ‘I thought it was for the best.’
Rosa swallowed. ‘Whose best? Yours, I suppose?’
‘Mine, yes. And yours.’ Liam watched her with unwilling interest. He didn’t need this, he told himself, even as he added, ‘I don’t think we have anything more to say to one another, do you?’
‘Well, obviously I do.’ Rosa knew it would probably be wiser if she got to her feet and got out of here before she said or did something unforgivable. ‘There’s something else I want to ask you about Sophie.’
Her sister!
Liam only just prevented himself from using a word that wasn’t acceptable in mixed company. But hadn’t they dealt with her sister’s disappearance to distraction already? He didn’t even know the girl, but he disliked her intensely.
Dropping his foot to the floor, he leant forward, allowing his hands to hang free between his spread thighs. Then, in a controlled voice, he said, ‘What about her?’
Rosa moistened dry lips. ‘I—forgot to ask you if it was possible that a film was being made in another part of the Highlands.’
Liam turned his head to give her an incredulous look. ‘Well, sure,’ he said. ‘People are always making films in this part of the world. So what? You think now that your sister might really have hooked up with a guy from a film production?’
‘It’s possible.’ Despite the disbelieving look in Liam’s eyes, Rosa knew a twinge of optimism. ‘And I think you might have told me about the probabilities of these other productions.’
‘Say what?’ Liam was indignant. ‘What the hell do they have to do with me?’
‘Well, they’re your books, aren’t—?’
‘Whoa!’ Liam halted her there. ‘You think I’m talking about an alternative production of one of my books?’
‘Well, aren’t you?’
‘Hell, no.’ Liam gave an exasperated snort. ‘I was talking about films generally. For God’s sake, if I’d thought they were making a film of one of mine elsewhere in the Highlands, don’t you think I’d have told you?’
Rosa’s shoulders sagged. ‘So they’re not?’
‘No.’
‘You’re sure?’
Liam gave a half-laugh. ‘Well, let’s put it this way, I’ve signed no contracts.’
‘You mean they haven’t paid you?’
‘If you want to put it like that.’
Rosa gave a heavy sigh. ‘What other way is there? I’m sorry I’ve wasted your time.’
‘Hey,