canopy flowed down from the ceiling to rest on the four-poster. His mother had imported it from Paris. He remembered her boasting about it to one of her friends. It had belonged to a queen. That had been his mother, she had always been fascinated by royalty.
The weight of long-suppressed memories was beginning to crush his self-restraint. He needed to get out of this castle now...before he lost his mind.
‘I told you not to come in here,’ he growled, watching as her eyes went wide. ‘Get down from the damned chair. There are no rats.’
Dara lowered one foot to the floor, still anxiously scanning the perimeter of the dark room.
‘There were at least three of them. They scurried off when I dropped my clipboard...’ she said, her knuckles white as chalk as she held up the makeshift shield.
‘I don’t give a damn about rats. The place is likely infested with all kinds of vermin.’
He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to ignore the memories threatening to engulf him. Lifeless brown eyes, staring into nothing...
‘I will need to make sure that all the rooms have been cleared before we can consult the restoration contractor,’ she rambled on beside him, unaware of his inner turmoil. ‘Leo, are you even listening to me? We need to note all the details—’
She stepped closer and he turned to her without warning.
‘Just stop with your details for once and get the hell out of this room.’ His voice was harsh and he watched her eyes widen with shock.
‘Leo... I’m sorry if I’ve said something to bother you.’
‘I’m fine,’ he gritted. ‘I need to go find the housekeeper. You can finish the rest of the tour by yourself.’
He turned on his heel and strode from the room. It took all his strength not to run as if he was being chased by the ghosts that plagued his memory.
He should never have come back to this place. It made him feel things he’d vowed never to feel again. But it wasn’t Dara’s fault that he was on edge, and he made a mental note to make it up to her once he’d got his temper under control.
* * *
After three hours spent cataloguing every room of the castello Dara needed a shower. Badly. Out of the entire estate only three bedrooms were kept open and maintained, along with the kitchen, one of the dining rooms and a downstairs salon. Every other room was closed up, its furniture sheathed in ghostly white dust covers.
Still, it was rather magical, being the only person wandering around a place filled with so much character. Leo had left the castle entirely, leaving a message with the housekeeper to tell her that they would be having dinner at six. His desertion didn’t faze her. She’d enjoyed her time alone with her work. The thought of all of the possibilities that this place held made her giddy as she chose a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and set about having a hot shower to wash off all the dust.
Weddings could be held here in any season, she mused as she towel-dried her hair into soft waves at the gilt dressing table by the bed. Outdoor summer ceremonies overlooking the cliffs...candlelit winter feasts in the ballroom. She really did adore her job, and she knew she could make this castello beautiful again—bring it back to life. Not only would she be known for planning the wedding of the year, but she would also have exclusive rights to one of the most sought-after venues in the country.
Once she had dressed, in a simple black wrap dress and her trusty heels, she made her way down to the dining room for dinner.
Leo stood at the fireplace, stepping forward as she entered the room.
‘Glad to see you’ve returned.’ She breezed past him, determined not to show how his continued coldness was affecting her.
Leo helped her into one of the chairs at the end of a ridiculously long banquet table. ‘I hope you’re hungry? Maria has outdone herself.’
Their place settings were side by side—much more convenient than having to shout across the room to one another along the length of the table.
‘This is quite intimate for a simple meal.’ She poured herself a glass of wine, noticing that each of the antique candelabra had been lit around the room. The overall effect was beautiful, and strangely romantic. ‘All we’re missing is a violinist and I’d feel like a real aristocrat,’ she joked.
‘I’ll make a note of that.’ He smiled as Maria began serving an array of delicately prepared seafood.
The smell of lemon-drizzled prawns filled the air, to be followed by pesce spada and oven-roasted vegetables. Swordfish was her personal favourite since moving to Sicily.
They spoke of Dara’s thoughts on the renovations, and Leo listened intently to her excited plans. By the time the housekeeper cleared their plates Dara’s hunger had been well and truly satisfied.
Leo finished off his glass of wine, thanking Maria for her service and refusing dessert. They were both in favour of allowing the older woman to go home for the night after such a spectacular meal.
Leo sat forward in his seat once they were alone, his green eyes darker than usual in the muted lighting. ‘I wanted to apologise for my behaviour, Dara.’
‘You have no need to apologise for anything. We are both entitled to change our minds.’
‘Is that what you think happened?’ He shook his head. ‘Dara, look at me. I haven’t changed my mind about anything. Not one bit. I just felt I had coerced you into this. Had been heavy-handed.’
She felt something lift inside her, knowing he hadn’t rejected her. Not that it made his treatment of her any less harsh. ‘I’m a grown woman who can make her own choices, you know. I wouldn’t have been willing to—you know...if it wasn’t something I wanted.’
Leo laughed. ‘It seems I’ve made a complete mess of this.’
He held her gaze for a moment before standing up.
‘I want to show you the beach before it gets dark—would you walk with me?’
Dara hesitated, looking down at her shoes. ‘It’s October...’
‘We can take ten minutes to enjoy the sunset—you won’t freeze. Don’t deny yourself the little pleasures in life. It’s not always about the bigger picture.’
Dara followed Leo through the kitchens and down some stone steps at the back of the castle. The courtyard was growing darker by the minute as they traversed the gardens towards the cliff face.
Leo removed his shoes, leaving them at the top of the stone steps. He turned back to her, looking to where she stood poised on the top step.
‘Come on, do something spontaneous for once.’
‘I’m not as rigid as you seem to believe I am,’ she said, and slid off her delicate heels.
Dara took his arm as they descended the stone steps to the beach below the cliffs. She felt slight terror at the height, but Leo gripped her hand tight until they set foot on the sand.
‘My
