Page 32 of A Recipe for Love
And this conversation, right now, was really happening in a public place and Bella was 99 per cent sure it was about her anyway, so it was hardly eavesdropping at all. Bella took a couple of steps closer and managed to catch a few words as they drifted her way. ‘Never mentioned her before…’
‘Bet the old lady was having kittens…’ quickly followed by a, ‘Don’t talk about Veronica like that,’ from Flinty.
And then, ‘So is she after his money then?’
Bella was seconds away from giving herself away by pointing out that she had no idea Adam was about to inherit a castle when she’d agreed to marry him, when a voice much closer to her ear, stopped her. ‘Who are you and why are you staring at my mother?’
Bella spun around and all but yelped in surprise at the man standing behind her. The owner of the voice was six foot tall and almost as wide. ‘I’m Bella, and I didn’t know I was.’
‘Oh. You wouldn’t be the famous lassie from the castle?’
‘Apparently.’
He nodded. ‘So you’re staring down the local coven to try and listen in to what they’re saying about you?’
‘No.’
His face cracked into a smile.
‘Maybe,’ she conceded.
‘Eavesdroppers never hear good of themselves,’ he told her, moving past her into the stop. ‘Ma! There’s a storm coming in. I thought you might need a ride back.’
Nina patted the giant’s arm. ‘Oh. Pavel, you’re a good boy. You’ll take Netty as well?’
‘Aye.’
Bella, Flinty and Anna watch the trio depart. Anna let out an unexpected low growl. ‘I would climb that man like a tree,’ she murmured.
‘Wouldn’t most people?’ Flinty replied.
Bella didn’t respond. Muscle-bound beefcakes were well within her usual area of interest but whatever Adam had done to her senses that first night in Spain, he was still doing. Bella had walked the world alone for a very long time. Her only anchor was her nan. This was something different. This was a feeling as though something inside of her was constantly aware of him, louder when he was close, but never completely silent. She was a planet orbiting his star. No. That wasn’t it. Because whatever that thing inside her that had come alive when he touched her was, she absolutely understood that he felt it too. They were orbiting each other, unexpectedly entirely held together. Who needed a beefcake when they had an actual laird waiting for them at home?
‘I’m glad you’re going to come along to Ladies’ Group,’ Flinty commented as she pulled the Land Rover onto the road outside the shop. ‘Good to get involved in the village. Shows them things are changing.’
‘Changing?’
‘Just, well, the old laird hadn’t been able to get that involved for a while, you know?’
Bella did not know. Bella did know that for so long as she was here she might as well get involved. Who knew how long that would be? But she didn’t have to be making plans for forever to be able to enjoy the here and now. ‘What is Ladies’ Group anyway?’
‘It’s women meeting up to gossip mostly. But they organise stuff like the community hall appeal and village events and what have you.’
‘Like the WI?’
Flinty’s expression darkened. ‘Do not mention the WI.’
‘Why not?’
‘There was an incident with a Victoria sponge and a competition with the WI and the Locharron Townswomen’s Guild. Anna does not like to talk about it.’
‘Right.’
‘They’re all nice enough though. You’ll enjoy it. I’m sure.’
That sense of positivity evaporated as they arrived back at the castle and were met by a loud American-accented screeching shout from the front hall.
‘I am not going to move out. I’m Lady Lowbridge, and this is my fucking home!’
