‘I don’t know what you mean,’ I replied, looking directly into those striking eyes and keeping an innocent look on my face.

He gave the tiniest shake of his head. ‘And don’t think you can fool me with that expression either. You’re clearly nowhere near as artless as you look.’

I placed a hand on my chest and made a shocked ‘O’ with my mouth. The flicker of a smile played around his lips, which I believe I had once very drunkenly declared to be sensuous. Looking objectively, they probably still were, but it was kind of hard to look objectively at a man as beautiful as Jack Coulsdon-Hart. He moved again so that this time his lips almost brushed my ear as he whispered, ‘You don’t fool me…’ into my hair before straightening and turning back to where Persephone was trying to get his attention.

‘I’m going to get myself another drink.’

‘I’ll come with you,’ Jack said, making an attempt to escape, but Persephone was one step ahead of him. ‘I’m sure Lily won’t mind getting yours. You can’t just disappear for years on end and then not expect to be fêted at your own homecoming party.’

‘It’s not a homecoming party.’ Jack tried valiantly but his objection was resolutely dismissed, and several others joined the small throng that was now beginning to surround him, edging me out as they did so. Whether that was intentional or not, I couldn’t tell, but I could see Jack’s brow crease as it happened and his hand reached out, catching my fingers as I made a move to walk behind him and head towards the bar. I squeezed his fingers in a mixed gesture of support and reassurance. Reaching up on my tiptoes, I rested a hand on his shoulder to balance myself and whispered in his ear that I was OK. He turned his head, met my eyes and gave return squeeze of my fingers before I let go and headed off to get a drink.

11

‘Whoever left someone as beautiful as you sitting on their own deserves to lose you. They obviously can’t have heard that the prodigal son is returned and, by the looks, is back to his old tricks.’

I exchanged a look with the barmaid I’d been chatting to before inclining my head slightly towards the speaker. ‘I’m pretty sure I can handle myself against Jack.’

‘Brave words. Can I get you a drink?’

‘Just an orange juice, please. Isn’t it rather unkind to speak about your older brother in such a way?’

He turned, surprised. ‘And what makes you think I’m related?’

‘Because I know you are, Edward. I grew up in this village a long time ago.’

‘It can’t have been that long ago,’ he said smoothly, and I laughed.

‘I see the cheesy lines run in the family, although Jack’s travels have improved him on that front.’ Edward took a seat next to me, looking at me as if studying a specimen under a microscope.