‘Yes, I have had that comment on more than one occasion, especially if the event is being held somewhere swanky.’

‘Obviously not the same people you’re pulling apart when they get in a barney.’

‘Ha! No, definitely not. I sometimes think I’m like a swan, or at least try to be. All serene and elegant on the surface and paddling madly underneath where no one sees all the mechanics at work.’

‘And from what I’ve seen so far, you definitely succeed.’

‘Thank you,’ I replied. ‘I hope you still think that once this is all over.’

‘This?’ He turned his head for the briefest moment.

‘The wedding.’

‘Oh. Yeah. Right. Sorry. I’m sure I will. And Calum can’t stop raving about you. I’ve already had four messages from him singing your praises.’

‘Aah, that’s very kind of him. He’s lovely.’ I paused for a moment, considering what I was about to say and decided just to say it. ‘I can see why you hired him.’

We rolled to a stop at a red light in a small town as two nuns crossed the road in front of us. There was something slightly surreal about the scene, and for a moment I forgot the conversation I’d begun.

‘What do you mean?’ Lorcan was studying me. ‘Hired him?’

‘Yes. As the castle’s manager.’

Lorcan was still looking at me and a car behind us beeped him, alerting us to the fact the light was now green.

‘Shit,’ he mumbled, thrust the car into first and pulled away, lifting his hand to the rear-view mirror in a signal of apology.

‘How long have you known?’ he asked.

‘Only since yesterday afternoon when you disappeared off.’

I saw him give a small headshake. ‘Calum talks way too much.’

‘He did mention that his mother says the same thing.’

This, at least, extracted a huff of laughter from him. ‘That’s a woman with a good head on her shoulders. Talks a lot of sense even though I think she despairs at times of her son having any.’

‘I think he has plenty, and clearly so do you otherwise you’d never have put him in that position. The manager of any establishment can make or break it, which you’re obviously well aware of.’

‘He’s very good at his job.’

‘So I could see. So why all the cloak and dagger stuff?’ My mind drifted back to the meal we’d had with Patrick and Peyton. ‘You even went out of your way to make sure Peyton didn’t let on. When I asked if you knew the venue well she’d been about to say that of course you did, as it was yours. You interrupted her and, lovely girl that she is, she went along with it.’

‘It just saves hassle.’

‘And what hassle, exactly, would that be?’

He looked awkward, clearly searching for a tactful reply.