‘So how did you leave things?’ I took a step back. ‘Sorry. This is none of my business, I really shouldn’t be asking. I told you I was too nosy for my own good.’

‘I prefer to see it as interested,’ he teased, the green eyes sparkling with amusement. ‘And I like you asking. I like talking to you. You don’t judge. You just listen. I didn’t realise how much I needed that.’ He gave me a brief smile, with the tiniest hint of embarrassment about it. I imagined it was quite hard for someone like Jack to admit that he needed anything, so I appreciated his words twice as much. ‘You take a seat at the table, and I’ll bring this over. There’s a bottle of white wine in the fridge if you want to grab it on your way past.’

I did so, picking up a couple of glasses as well. ‘Ooh, swanky stuff!’ I said, looking at the label as I walked to the table.

‘Well, we don’t want word getting around that the eldest son of an earl only brings cheap plonk for dinner.’

‘Oh, no. That would never do. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to let everyone know that you only ever provide top-drawer choices.’

‘If you would be so kind,’ he said, a mischievous smile playing on dangerously sexy lips, ‘at your next social function.’

‘I do have rather a lot of them, as you know.’

‘I do indeed, and I’m glad to be able to have this opportunity to steal your company this evening.’

‘We are old friends. It would be rude of me if I didn’t find a slot somewhere in my heady social calendar for you.’

His eyes twinkled with laughter as he sat down, placing my dish before me as he did so.

‘Lentil and Mediterranean vegetable lasagne. I hope you like it. Bon appetit.’

‘Oh, crikey, now you’re speaking foreign too. I’m not sure my simple education can keep up with Eton and Cambridge.’

He pulled a face that told me not to be a smart-arse.

‘Wow, that’s delicious,’ I said, holding my hand up in front of me as I spoke through a mouthful of food.

The warmth of his smile radiated around me and he appeared genuinely pleased at the compliment. There also seemed a little surprise in his expression, and I wondered how long it had been since he felt he’d received a genuine compliment. That made me a little sad on his behalf, but the smile was there now and something within made me want to ensure it stayed there for a while longer.

‘What are you thinking about?’ he asked, taking a sip of the wine and watching me over the rim of the glass. ‘You look very pensive.’

‘Do I?’

‘You do.’

‘Nothing, really. I was just thinking how nice this is.’

‘The dinner?’

‘All of it. The dinner, the company, and I was hoping that you feel relaxed here.’

His eyes were down now as he took another sip, but he nodded in response. ‘I do,’ he said, now concentrating on loading his fork for the next mouthful. ‘How far did you walk in the end?’