Page 53 of A Recipe for Love
‘Whyever are you going there?’ Veronica was incredulous at news of Adam and Bella’s plan.
‘Just to see,’ Adam explained.
‘I heard that they charge four pounds for a cup of tea,’ Darcy added in a tone of wonder. ‘Tea. Not even coffee. Hot brown water and milk.’ She shook her head. ‘British people,’ she muttered.
‘I do need you here. There are things that have to be…’ Veronica started.
Adam shook his head. ‘When we get back,’ he insisted.
They headed out to the Land Rover. ‘Can I drive? Like, would I be insured?’ asked Bella.
He nodded. ‘I think so. And what is there for you to crash into except sheep? And they’re our sheep.’
‘I won’t hit a sheep.’
‘You might.’ He shrugged. ‘They can be really stupid sometimes.’
‘Hey. Those sheep love me.’
He grinned. ‘No comment. You can drive if you want to.’
She considered the narrow, practically vertical road up to the bridge and the weird clunking noise the Land Rover made every time Flinty changed gear. ‘You’re all right. So long as you know that I could.’
‘Never doubted it.’ He started the engine at the third attempt. ‘I hate this car.’
Bella was finally getting used enough to the jolting, rocking drive from the castle to the village to be able to look out of the window ‘It’s beautiful here.’
Adam nodded. ‘I know.’ He shrugged as he drove. ‘It’s my normal, though.’
‘Growing up in a castle is not normal.’
‘It’s hardly a castle.’
‘It’s got turrets.’
He grinned. ‘Only quite small ones.’
‘And there’s a… in the arch to the courtyard.’
‘What?’
‘The drop-down iron gatey thing.’
‘Portcullis.’
‘Yeah. My nan’s flat did not have a portcullis.’
‘It’s broken. If you close it down, you can’t open it up again.’
‘Oh well, hardly weird and posh at all.’
He laughed. ‘OK, so it’s not a completely ordinary childhood.’
‘Did you go to boarding school?’ Suddenly the range of differences between them was opening up in front of Bella’s eyes.
‘Not until secondary school.’
‘So eleven? You got sent away at eleven?’
