Free Sealed With a Kiss by Rachael Lucas

there was the fleeting exchange of glances between Emma and her mother on the journey to Scotland
when she’d mentioned staying for at least six months, if not more.
    She put down her glass, resolute now. For once she was going to prove them wrong.
    ‘I’ve brought your dinner through here.’ Jean appeared in the doorway. ‘I thought Kate would be more comfortable in the sitting room.’
    Jean trundled in, pushing an ancient hostess trolley. It must have been in the family for generations. Kate wondered if Roderick had all his meals delivered by his stern-faced housekeeper
rolling them into the sitting room, where he sat reading
The Shooting Times
, or whatever lairds read. Emma would have been giggling; it was just as well Kate had left her phone upstairs,
or she’d have had to sneak a photograph. The whole thing was so far removed from reality.
    ‘Join us, Jean?’ He had picked up a folder and was scanning some figures, a distracted expression on his face. It wasn’t quite a command, but Kate felt that the tone suggested
he was used to people doing his bidding.
    ‘No, I won’t, thanks, Roddy. Hector will be wondering where I’ve got to.’
    She set out plates heaped with shepherd’s pie on the low oak table, giving Kate small comfort in the shape of a conciliatory smile. She wasn’t even staying? Kate gave a small
sigh.
    ‘It’s something easy for you to eat with one arm.’
    Roderick looked up at Jean from his paperwork.
    ‘Now, I’ve laid Kate’s things in the green bedroom. I want her off to bed early, and I’ll be in first thing to make sure she’s all right.’
    It was like being back with her mother. Kate caught Roderick’s eye. Was that a hint of a twinkle there? He raised his eyebrows at her in mock-admonishment.
    ‘Don’t you worry. I’ll have her off to bed as soon as she’s finished dinner.’ He stood up, dismissing his two dogs, which slunk off to their beds by the fire.
    ‘See that she is. I don’t want you young ones sitting up all night talking. Kate needs her rest.’ Leaning over, Jean stroked the puppy, patted Kate on the knee and then
straightened up. ‘I’ll see you in the morning.’
    ‘Yes, ma’am.’ Roderick shooed her out of the room gently, with Jean chuntering slightly as she headed for the door.
    Kate couldn’t quite catch what was said as they disappeared into the hall, but felt relieved to be off the hook when she heard the front door slam and the key turn in the lock.
    Roderick pulled the door shut and, without speaking, lifted the sleeping Willow from Kate’s knee, putting her on the rug beside the fire. He placed a cushion behind Kate’s back
carefully, and set a wooden tray on her knee, complete with china plate and heavy silver cutlery, shaking out a linen napkin and laying it in her lap. His silence was unnerving. Kate was locked in
a gigantic, quite possibly haunted house with a man she didn’t know and only a sleeping spaniel puppy for protection. This place must have at least fifteen bedrooms, almost all of them
uninhabited. It was seriously spooky, she thought, looking out of the window. It was pitch-black outside.
    The whisky had dulled the ache in her shoulder, but left her incapable of small talk. She’d always struggled for the right thing to say in situations like this. She felt quite
overawed.
    ‘Um . . . ’
    ‘So . . .’
    ‘You go first.’
    ‘Lovely dinner,’ said Kate desperately. She’d managed to scoop up a mouthful, but was too uncomfortable to eat, convinced that if she did so, she’d make one of those
loud, gulpy swallowing noises, or choke.
    Roderick had already half-finished his meal. He looked up from his plate and fixed her with dark brown eyes, his expression serious.
    ‘I don’t make a habit of scooping up stray girls and bringing them home to my lair, if that’s what you’re wondering.’
    He seemed pretty convincing.
    ‘That’s a relief!’ She pulled a wry face, before trying some of the dinner. It