‘Because she’s not only in love with my best friend, she’s in love with the idea of Irish blood running in her veins. If I gave her those documents, it would prove that she doesn’t.’

‘But you still made the dig about her not having that ancestry – and you know she doesn’t.’

‘Yeah, I know. It winds her up. I know I shouldn’t but I’ve got three sisters so it comes naturally. But I did try and,’ he glanced at me, ‘tactfully bring it up a couple of time but she just ignores me, preferring to think it’s because I’m somehow anti her having Irish descendants.’

‘Are you?’

‘No, of course not. I couldn’t care less. But at least this way she gets to hold onto the illusion that she does have those roots rather than being told flat out she doesn’t. It makes her happy to believe that, so…’ He shrugged broad shoulders before leaning one against a rough wall of the sixteenth-century pub next to the restaurant.

‘Could – and I mean no disrespect by this – but could your sister have been mistaken or missed something?’

‘Not a chance. She’s bloody good at what she does.’

‘I’m sure. As I said, I didn’t mean to imply—’

‘I know you didn’t. I’m not offended. It was a reasonable question.’

I looked back up at him and he looked back at me. ‘And now you’re trying to work out whether I’m an arse or a nice guy?’

‘Or perhaps something in between.’

He laughed, rich, deep and throaty. ‘I’m sure that, like most things, it depends who you ask.’

Something from earlier was prodding at my brain and, as much as I tried to ignore it, I couldn’t.

‘Thank you for arranging things with Peyton with regards to the flights.’

Lorcan shrugged as if he didn’t know what I was referring to, but I’d already worked out he was way brighter than he let people believe. It wasn’t just this man’s cheekbones that were sharp.

‘Shrug all you like but we both know I can’t afford a trip anywhere at the moment, even if I get to claim it back. You saw the state of my garden and I’m pretty sure you heard the water dripping from my roof in the kitchen. You can give me that innocent look, but I noticed you conveniently close the door to the stairs, presumably to mask the sound of the leak. I wasn’t sure if it was coincidence but your actions tonight show it wasn’t. I don’t like being beholden to anyone, but it would be rude of me not to thank you for making the arrangements in such a way that makes it easier on my bank account.’