Page 47 of A Recipe for Love
Flinty marched over.
‘I can manage.’
Flinty’s hands wrapped around the bowl. ‘I usually do it in the pan. I add a bit of black pepper.’
Bella didn’t let go. ‘I don’t mind. I was going to show her how.’
‘No need for that. I know how she prefers it.’
Not being the type to back down from a scrap was one of the many things that had got Bella in trouble throughout her slightly chequered school days.Take a breath, her nan had always told her. Bella took a breath. It was just soup.
‘Flinty does know how I like things,’ Veronica added.
‘OK.’ Bella smiled brightly. ‘I’ll let you get on then.’ She stepped away from the contested soup.
‘Did this one tell you about her bright idea?’ Flinty asked.
Bella winced. She’d been hoping that the village might move its social and community life into the castle without Veronica noticing. ‘I just suggested that some of the groups from the village could meet here, while their hall is closed.’
Veronica’s lips pursed.
‘And I said I thought that was a great idea. Good to have some life here. Good for Adam. Good for Darcy,’ Flinty pointed out.
‘Well if it’s only for the short term, and they don’t get in the way.’
‘Of course they won’t.’ Bella leapt on the grudging agreement, and quickly changed the subject before Veronica could come up with objections. ‘I thought you weren’t a lunch person.’
‘The laird has disappeared off somewhere so I thought I’d get some sustenance so we can get back to it whenever he deigns to reappear.’
‘I’m sure he’ll turn up.’
Where would Adam be hiding out? It turned out he wasn’t so much hiding as skulking. As soon as Bella made it out into the courtyard, he broke cover. ‘Bel! Sorry. I thought it might be my grandmother.’
‘So you were hiding?’
‘Just taking a break. She’s been trying to talk me through the figures for last year’s lamb sales all morning.’
‘Not your thing?’
He shook his head. ‘I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it. What are you doing? Wasn’t it the village ladies’ mafia meet-up this morning?’
‘It was tea and biscuits.’
He raised an eyebrow.
‘No horses’ heads were deposited in beds. I’m at a bit of a loose end now though.’
His expression tightened. ‘Sorry. I’ve been a bit preoccupied, haven’t I?’
‘I understand. Is there anything I can help with?’
He shook his head. ‘I just need to get my head around it all.’
Bella raised her arms around his neck. ‘Well I shouldn’t distract you then.’
He pulled her to him. ‘I would love you to distract me.’ He stopped. ‘But I do really need to…’ He glanced back towards the estate office doorway in the far corner of the courtyard.
‘It’s fine. Veronica’s in the kitchen having soup. You’ve got time.’
