Free Stepping into the Prince's World by Marion Lennox Page B

with the way this man was smiling at her. ‘But every now and then I do sneak into one of the guest bedrooms,’ she conceded. ‘They all have fantastic views. Rocky and I read romance novels and pretend we’re who we’re not all over again. But I’m here to get my life back to normal, not indulge in fantasy.’
    â€˜You can’t stay here,’ he told her.
    She took a couple of sips of juice and thought about it. ‘I have a contract.’
    â€˜The contract doesn’t hold water. It’s unsafe to leave you here alone for six months and now the radio’s smashed.’
    â€˜I can get a new one.’
    â€˜Which could get smashed, too. When we figure out a way to evacuate me, you need to come, too.’
    â€˜I can’t just walk out.’
    â€˜I assume you can contact Don and Marigold?’
    â€˜I...yes. When I get satellite connection again.’
    â€˜Or when you get to the mainland and email or phone them. You’ve been injured. You have no reliable means of communication. Any lawyer in the land will tell you you’re within your rights to terminate your contract. And,’ he said, and grinned, ‘I happen to know a lawyer right here, right now. Don’t be a doormat, Claire Tremaine.’
    â€˜I’m not a doormat.’
    â€˜I know that,’ he told her.
    And here came that smile again. Oh, that smile...
    â€˜I had proof of that yesterday,’ he continued. ‘But for today you’re allowed to be as doormat-like as you want. And speaking of wants...would you like breakfast in bed?’
    â€˜No!’
    â€˜Just asking,’ he said, and grinned and put up his hands as in self-defence. ‘Don’t throw the porridge at me.’
    â€˜Porridge?’
    â€˜I found oats,’ he told her. ‘And maple syrup. It’s a marriage made in heaven. It’s on the stove now.’
    â€˜I thought you said you weren’t going to forage without my permission.’
    â€˜I didn’t need to forage for these guys. Like the eggs last night, they jumped right out at me. Want to share?’
    â€˜I...’ She stared at that smile, at those crinkly eyes, at that magnetic twinkle, and there was only one answer. ‘Yes, please,’ she told him. And then she added: ‘But not in bed.’
    Because breakfast in bed with this guy around... Some things seemed too dangerous to be considered.
    * * *
    The transmitter was indeed useless.
    They stood in the ruins of the radio shack and stared at the shambles and Raoul said, ‘What on earth was he thinking? He could have had half of this set up in the safety of the house.’
    â€˜But it would have been only half of this set-up.’
    Claire was dressed and breakfasted. The painkillers were working; indeed they might not be needed as much as she’d feared, for with her arm held safe in the sling the throbbing had eased to almost nothing. She’d walked outside with him to see the damage. The wind had ceased. The shack holding the radio transmitter was a splintered mess, debris covered the terracing, but the storm was over.
    â€˜He wanted to take over one of the rooms in the house,’ she told Raoul. ‘But Marigold wouldn’t have it—a nasty, messy radio transmitter in her beautiful house. So he planned to build proper housing, but of course he wanted it straight away, so he was forced to use this.’ She looked ruefully at the mess. ‘This was an old whaler’s cottage, but it’s been a long time since any whaler came near the place.’
    â€˜Or anyone else?’
    â€˜The supply boat comes once a week. They didn’t come this Monday because of the storm. I expect they’ll come next week, unless the weather’s bad. That’s why we have decent supplies.’
    â€˜Fishing boats?’ he said, without much hope, and she shook her head.
    â€˜I’ve never seen any. I see an occasional small plane,