He realised his guest was still speaking to him, enthusing about the accommodation he was staying in. Harry nodded encouragingly and thanked him for his thoughts. ‘I’m glad you like it. You’re in one of the executive suites; we’re hoping to attract the business clientele and offer them a different sort of stay to one they might get at other resorts.’

‘Oh, definitely. I was thinking that myself.’ The guest waffled on some more about the company he worked for and where he saw Conmere sitting within the market. All of which Harry politely listened to, although he wasn’t really taking it in. His attention had been caught by the table off to his left, where he’d noticed Steph sitting. He’d wanted to thank her properly for dealing with Sonia and had meant to earlier when he’d seen her coming out of the spa, but he’d been distracted by their banter.

Waiting for an appropriate pause in the conversation, Harry made his excuses to his guests and threaded his way through the tables, his gaze on Steph. She looked up as he approached, smiled and looked away. When he arrived at her side, he could tell she was startled by his appearance and blushed a little, which amused him.

‘Sorry to interrupt,’ he said, acknowledging the rest of the table, whose conversations ended abruptly. ‘I just wondered if I could speak to you for a moment?’

‘Me?’ said Steph.

‘If you don’t mind.’

She put down her napkin and Harry moved her chair away as she rose. ‘Am I in trouble?’ she asked as he guided her towards the bar.

‘Not at all. I just wanted to thank you for earlier with the Sonia Lomas situation.’

‘Situation? You make it sound like a military issue,’ said Steph with a smile, and then more seriously, ‘I hope she’s OK. Have you spoken to her at all?’

‘Not yet,’ admitted Harry, suddenly feeling rather guilty for not considering Sonia. ‘I’ll phone her tomorrow.’

‘Will you?’

Harry felt the weight of her gaze. Would he call Sonia tomorrow? He hadn’t planned to but he had suddenly felt compelled to say it was on his agenda. ‘I will. It’s not as black and white as you think.’

‘I don’t suppose it is,’ she replied, her tone softening. ‘Family rarely is, and before you say anything, I know she’s not strictly family but you know what I mean.’

‘You sound as if you speak from experience.’ He felt intrigued by this woman and he had to admit it was probably the first time since Elizabeth’s death that he’d been interested in a female for anything more than a passing fling or one-night stand.

She shrugged off his comment. ‘I won’t bore you with the details but yes, my mum and I struggle a bit with each other.’