stupid.
âWhy shouldnât you come to Broitenburg?â
âBecause I donât want to.â
âHave you ever been?â
âNo. How can I have been? Iâm not even sure where it is. Andâ¦â
âThere you are, then. Itâs the most wonderful country. Mountains. Lakes. Castles. Itâs like the Dordogne region of France, only better. Fairytale country. Tourists love us. Youâll love us.â
She was still staring at him. âI wouldnât.â
âHow do you know if you havenât tried?â
âI live in Australia,â she said carefully. âMy career is in Australia.â
âWhen I first met you,â he said thoughtfully, âyou thought I was offering you a job.â
âI would never have taken it.â
âYouâd had other overseas job offers?â
âIâm a tree surgeon,â she told him, not without a hint of pride. âIâm highly qualified.â
âDespite leaving school at fifteen?â He was watching her across the table, his eyes thoughtful. âI had a phone call this evening from the man I employed to find you. Heâs come up with a lot more detail. I know more about you now.â
She flushed, unnerved. âSâ¦so?â
âSo youâre probably the most knowledgeable tree surgeon in this country. Youâve done university courses by correspondence so you have book-learning and practical experience. Youâve even worked in Europe.â
âIâ¦â
âIn the famous gardens of France and England. You worked with the best man available. Lance Hilliardâs reputation is second to none. You talked him into taking you on for three years and at the end of it you could name your price as an international expert. Yet you came back here.â His calm eyes were probing, questioning. âBut why?â
This was so none of his business. âI love it.â
âI can see that you do. But why bury yourselfâ¦?â
âIâm not a people person.â
âI can see that, too.â He nodded, taking her objection for granted. âBut I can offer you as much isolation as you want. And as much work. If youâre prepared to use your skills at the castleâ¦â
âThe castle?â
âThe Broitenburg palace sits in hundreds of acres of cultivated woodland,â he said softly. âItâs very beautiful. The head groundsman would be delighted to have you work with him.â
She shook her head in disbelief. The situation was absurd. It was as absurd as this man was unsettling. âThis is ridiculous.â
âWhy is it ridiculous?â
âBecause Iâm staying here.â She flashed a look at the sleeping baby and then glared back at Marc. âIâm staying with Henry.â
âYou can hardly take Henry back with you into the wilderness,â he said in a voice that was oh so reasonable. Oh so persuasive⦠âSet him up in a tent at the foot of the tree youâre working on? I hardly think so.â
âIâll take a break.â
âFor a few months,â he agreed. âSure. Until your money runs out. And then?â
âThenâ¦â She bit her lip. âI can get a city job in one of the botanic gardens. I can put Henry in a crècheâ¦â
âIâll fight you on that one. The heir to the Broitenburg throne will not be placed in a crèche.â
Anger flashed out at that. How dared he? âItâs no different to being left with a nanny in Broitenburg.â
âNo. But if he was left with you in Broitenburg? Wouldnât that be much better for all of us?â
âI donât know what you mean.â
âThink about it.â Before she knew what he intended heâd taken her hands tightly within his. His hold was urgent. His eyes met hers and held, and the warmth and strength and urgency of his hold were compelling all by