“Any of it.” She shook her head slowly. “Let me start again. I propose you move into your own suite of rooms here at the castle. A space to sleep, a space to dress, a space for you to relax after work. A space that also happens to be close to mine should the desire arise to spend more time together.”

She pursed her lips to keep from reacting rashly, but she didn’t hate the idea. The sexy daughter of a duke had offered her a taste of castle living while allowing her to maintain her autonomy and privacy. What was to hate about that?

“And it makes sense from a work perspective,” Vic continued. “The plan provides you with a retreat between takes to quickly change or adjust your elaborate wardrobe without having to go all the way back to costuming.”

“And it would offer an amazing opportunity to stay in character or study up on what it feels like to truly inhabit a castle.”

“Which makes it easy to explain as artistic integrity to anyone who questions.”

Sophia eased back onto the bed. “Why does everything you say always sound reasonable?”

“When your very existence functions like mine, you get a lot of practice making the absurd feel logical. Trust me, in the grand scheme of modern nobility, you staying here during filming barely ranks on the scale of absurdities I navigate daily.”

Sophia laughed, both at Vic’s skill for self-deprecation, and the entire situation she’d managed to land herself in. “Okay, let’s do it.”

“Good. I’ll have your rooms prepared first thing in the morning and inform the staff that you’re to be treated as a distinguished guest with all the associated privileges.”

“I do like the sound of that, but what will the servants think?”

Vic chuckled. “They’ll likely find you more suited to the role than I.”

Sophia shook her head.

“I’m serious. I’m much too informal for their tastes, and I lack the command that should be requisite in my position. Perhaps you’ll teach me a few things in your new role, because you, my dear, were born to rule.”

“There’s no need to lay it on so thick. I already agreed to stay.”

“You wound my honour, but I want to be a good hostess, so I’ll refrain from further flattery. What’s more, in the interest of chivalry, I’ll adjourn to the settee in my dressing room and allow you to sleep in peace.”

With another quick kiss she rose, but before she even made it to the door, Sophia sat up again. “Hey Vic?”

She turned and stared, so stunning and attentive. “Yes?”

“Sleep and peace are both overrated. Come back to bed.”

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight