Stay Through the Night by Anne Mather

Author:Anne Mather
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises Ltd.
Published: 2006-09-20T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

ROSA didn’t quite know how to take his flippancy, but she bent and removed her low-heeled shoes, placing them just outside the door. Her jacket she took off, but folded it over her arm. Then, with a strangely fatalistic feeling, she stepped into the room.

The carpet was soft and warm after her damp shoes. She hadn’t realised how cold her feet were until she felt the warmth of the room enveloping her from head to toe. She was aware of Liam following her, and when the door closed behind him she swung round with an almost guilty feeling of relief.

‘This is a beautiful room,’ she said, needing to say something, if only to show he didn’t intimidate her. ‘The whole castle is beautiful. You’re very lucky to live here.’

‘Am I?’ Liam lifted her coat from her arm and gestured towards the sofas. ‘Well, why don’t we sit down and talk about it?’

Rosa didn’t have an answer for that, but, after watching him drop her jacket onto a chair by the door, she decided she had nothing to lose. Moving round the end of one of the creamy sofas, she perched rather nervously on the edge of the seat.

Liam came to join her, and once again she couldn’t help noticing how he dragged his left leg. But she wasn’t here to ask personal questions, she reminded herself, though her desire to keep her cool took a bit of a tumble when he chose to sit beside her.

‘Okay,’ he said, and she was forced to turn in her seat to face him, which caused her to slip a little further back on the cushions. ‘So,’ he said, ‘you’ve changed your mind?’

‘Changed my mind?’ Rosa was nonplussed.

‘About this place only being good enough for sheep and cattle,’ remarked Liam mildly, his green eyes intent on her confused face.

‘I didn’t say that.’ Rosa’s cheeks turned pink.

‘As good as. I seem to remember you asking me if it was even civilised.’

‘That was before I’d seen it,’ Rosa protested defensively. ‘Anyway, that’s not why I’m here.’

‘I didn’t think so.’ Liam leaned back, resting his right ankle across his left knee. ‘Sam told me you’d wanted to speak to me before you left on Tuesday morning.’

Rosa stiffened. ‘But you didn’t consider it important enough to get in touch with me?’ she exclaimed impulsively. ‘Even though you’re evidently much better now.’

‘Oh, I am. Much better,’ agreed Liam drily.

Rosa regarded him warily. ‘So—were you going to get in touch with me or not?’

‘Not,’ he declared softly. ‘I thought it was for the best.’

Rosa swallowed. ‘Whose best? Yours, I suppose?’

‘Mine, yes. And yours.’ Liam watched her with unwilling interest. He didn’t need this, he told himself, even as he added, ‘I don’t think we have anything more to say to one another, do you?’

‘Well, obviously I do.’ Rosa knew it would probably be wiser if she got to her feet and got out of here before she said or did something unforgivable. ‘There’s something else I want to ask you about Sophie.

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