She pulled herself together at that. ‘Good heavens, no!’

She decided on a starter of crudités, followed by veal in a cream and mushroom sauce. After that she turned with enthusiasm to the dessert trolley. Her plate was almost filled by a massive piece of the most delicious cheesecake she’d ever tasted.

When she had finished eating it, she looked up to find him staring at her.

‘You’re obviously not dieting, Megan.’

‘I don’t need to. I’m happy with the size I am.’

She thought he was criticising her until he said, ‘That makes a refreshing change. I’m sick of paying a fortune for meals women only pick at. And I’m also tired of hearing about the latest diet craze from women who’re skeletally thin already.’

That remark made him rise even higher in her estimation.

But the entente cordiale between them didn’t last. She couldn’t resist going into one of the souvenir shops because she knew how much her aunt loved little ornaments with place names on them.

‘You’re surely not going to buy that thing!’ He took it out of her hand.

She snatched it back and glared at him. ‘I most certainly am!’

‘But it’s ghastly!’

‘My aunt will love it.’

‘My aunt would throw it in the dustbin!’

Megan turned her back on him and, spine very erect, marched across to the counter and paid for the ornament. The cheek of him! Telling her what to buy. He might be gorgeous, but he was clearly arrogant as well. A good thing she’d realised what he was like. Now maybe she’d stop reacting so stupidly to him.

‘Don’t worry!’ she tossed at him as they left the shop. ‘Now the dreadful ornament is wrapped up, no one will know what I’m carrying, so you’re quite safe walking next to me.’

He stiffened and stared at her. She stared right back. She wasn’t having anyone criticising her family. They might not be rich or have very good taste, but she loved them dearly.

For the next half hour, as they strolled along the Royal Mile, they were scrupulously polite to one another. They took shelter from a brief shower, then, as they were about to cross a side road, Megan slipped and would have fallen but for Ben’s quick reactions in catching her. She found herself pressed against a firm, warm body and her heart started to pound. ‘Sorry. I’m not – not usually so clumsy.’

‘The ground is quite slippery.’

When she tried to put weight on her left foot, however, she yelped and grabbed hold of him again.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘My ankle. Could you just – wait a minute.’ She moved her left foot experimentally and gasped as pain shot through it. ‘Ouch!’

‘Is it badly hurt?’