Chapter Twenty
‘Thanks,’ Lara said, accepting the glass of red Flynn offered her. ‘For the wine and the supper.’
Flynn put the platter of cheese, biscuits and olives on the coffee table so that they could both help themselves. He was thrilled – and surprised – that she’d agreed to come over and it felt natural to offer food along with the wine.
The highwayman outfit hung on the back of the bedroom door. Back in his normal clothes, he and Lara had returned to something akin to colleagues sharing a drink.
‘It’s not much, but I had lunch at the pub earlier,’ he said.
He sat down beside her and Lara took a plate, cut herself a piece of Lancashire, and topped a cracker with it.
‘It’s perfect. I had a good lunch earlier too. I met Jazz and her family for a walk and we ate at a café afterwards.’
‘I went to the Kirkstile Inn with Harvey – the friend I met in Keswick when you were at the cinema. The ride over was great.’
‘I can imagine,’ Lara said. ‘It must be exhilarating.’
Flynn took his chance. ‘Maybe you should experience it some time.’
Her mouth was full but she shook her head firmly until she’d finished. ‘I don’t think so. I’d be petrified.’
‘It’s not that scary and I wouldn’t go fast. I’d choose a straight bit of road for your first time.’
She laughed nervously. ‘There are no straight stretches of road round here, as you well know.’
‘I’d go slowly, then.’
‘Sure you would …’ Lara said, meeting his eyes, her own filled with doubt yet also sparkling with amusement. Her face was only a foot from his, her leg just inches away. He wanted to lean in and kiss her but he was worried that it was too soon.
She glanced away and sipped her wine, the only bottle he’d had in the cottage. Fortunately, it was a decent Malbec he’d picked up on his way back from the pub along with the cheese and olives.
Lara nodded to the costume hanging off the door frame. ‘You’ll have to let me have your measurements for the coat so I can ask Tessa about the alterations.’
‘Thanks. I am very grateful for your help, even if I didn’t sound it earlier. If the coat’s an issue, I’ll just wear the rest of the outfit as it is.’
They were chatting about the work involved in organising the ball and the traditions behind it when Flynn had a message from his mum.
He glanced at it briefly, smiled, and put his phone down again.
‘Something nice?’ Lara asked.
‘It was Mum. She messages me regularly, usually with some spurious question or reason. I know why. She’s always worried that I’ve come off the bike.’
Lara smiled. ‘Were your mum and dad disappointed that you decided to move up here?’
‘A bit. I used to see them every couple of weeks. They moved to Falmouth after they sold their hotel a couple of years ago. Mum was pretty cut up, to be honest, although my dad had pointed out that Cumbria was probably safer than Mongolia. I pointed out that it wouldn’t have been on my South Asian itinerary without quite a detour. ’
‘Will you get to Cornwall for Christmas?’
‘No, it’s too far. I promised to go back in the New Year and I’ve asked them to come north in the spring. I was going to ask you about Christmas. I heard a rumour that there’s some communal Christmas dinner here for the staff.’
Lara nodded. ‘There is. I went last year and, with the Spectacular and all the events this time, I also don’t think I can go home, even if my parents weren’t going away.’
‘So will you go to it? Is it compulsory?’
She laughed. ‘No, it’s not compulsory and, yes, I will go. I should, as castle manager.’
Damn, thought Flynn. Bang went his fantasy of a cosy Christmas Day curled up by the fire with Lara.
‘What about you?’ she asked.
‘I do have an invitation from Harvey’s family, but I don’t want to let that side down either.’
‘Don’t feel obliged,’ she said, adding earnestly, ‘I mean it. You’re new. You don’t have to spend your Christmas Day with a bunch of relative strangers.’
‘I don’t consider you a stranger,’ Flynn said, realising that Lara’s presence was the only thing that made this communal dinner attractive in any way. ‘Is it in the servant’s hall?’ he asked, topping up Lara’s glass and his own.
She burst out laughing. ‘Why do you think that?’
‘I dunno. Just something I’d imagined.’ Or assumed, he thought, without any evidence. He still had a lot to learn about Ravendale. About Lara. About himself.
‘The castle doesn’t have a servants’ hall these days. The lunch is held in the Castle Café. Everyone mucks in and Henry and Fiona keep well away, apart from paying for it. It’s actually quite fun, and if last year is anything to go by, everyone gets pretty merry.’
Flynn nodded. ‘I think I ought to go to this Christmas lunch.’
‘I’ll add you to the list then,’ she said. ‘Who knows, you might even enjoy it.’