Rescued by the Brooding Tycoon / Fixed Up with Mr. Right?: Rescued by the Brooding Tycoon / Fixed Up with Mr. Right?

‘Then I’d better have my supper quickly,’ he said, leading her to the table.

Kate gave them a strange look and departed, making Harriet say in a quivering voice, trying not to laugh, ‘She thinks we’re both potty.’

‘She’s very observant.’

For a few moments they didn’t speak, concentrating on the food, which was Kate’s best, plain but delicious. Harriet wondered how it tasted to Darius, who must be used to more sophisticated fare, but he seemed happy to devour every mouthful.

‘If I had “enemy” thoughts, so did you,’ she observed. ‘When you came upon us in the garden of the pub you seemed to hate me.’

She thought he wasn’t going to reply, but then he nodded.

‘I did. I heard you talking about how I looked on the beach, “standing there like a king come into his birthright” according to you.’

‘That’ll teach me to jump to conclusions,’ she sighed. ‘You weren’t really feeling anything like that, were you?’

‘No, I was feeling what a glorious place it was. It took me completely by surprise and I just stood there, stunned, trying to believe such beauty existed.’

‘That was what I sensed when I first saw you,’ she admitted. ‘It was only later that I thought—oh, dear, I’m sorry. I guess I got it all wrong.’

‘We both got a lot of things wrong, but this is the moment when we put it all behind us and become friends.’

‘Friends …’ She considered the word for a moment before saying, ‘I must warn you, friends claim the right to ask each other questions.’

‘Fire away.’

‘Why did you go out to sea at all? It was madness.’

‘I needed to see the wind farm, and learn all I could.’

‘But surely you did an in-depth investigation before you bought the island?’ Something in his wry expression made her say, ‘You did, surely?’

‘The first I heard about it was when Kate told me.’

She stared. ‘I can’t believe a smart operator like you bought this place without checking every detail first.’

He shrugged.

‘You didn’t?’ she breathed. ‘But why?’

‘Perhaps I’m not quite as smart as I like people to think. Look, if I tell you, you’ve got to promise not to breathe a word to another soul.’

‘I promise.’

‘Seriously. Swear it on what you hold most dear.’

‘I swear it on Phantom’s life,’ she said, holding up her hand. ‘Now, tell, tell! The curiosity’s driving me crazy.’

‘I didn’t buy Herringdean. Rancing owed me money, couldn’t pay it, so he assigned the place to me, sent me the papers and vanished.’

‘What?’

‘My lawyer says everything’s in order, I’m the legal owner. But I had no chance to study the place, negotiate, refuse the deal, anything. Whatever I learn about the island comes as a surprise. My “investigation” consisted of looking Herringdean up online. What I found wasn’t informative—fishing, beautiful countryside, but no mention of a wind farm.’

‘Probably because it had only just got under way and they hadn’t updated the site,’ she mused.

‘Exactly. So you see I’ve approached everything like a dimwit. All right, all right,’ he added as she choked with laughter. ‘Have your fun.’

‘I’m sorry,’ she gasped. ‘I didn’t mean to but—he fooled you—’

‘Yes, he fooled me,’ Darius said, managing to be faintly amused through his chagrin. ‘And I’ll tell you something else. Before he left, he got a lot of the bigger tenants to pay him several months’ rent in advance, then he pocketed the money and ran. So it’ll be a while before they pay me anything.’

He knew he was crazy to have told her such damaging things. If she betrayed his trust she could make him look like an idiot all over the island.

But she wouldn’t betray him. Instinctively, he knew that he was safe with her.

Harriet was making confused gestures, trying to get her head around what she’d just heard.

‘But the papers always say—you know, the mighty entrepreneur, all that stuff—’

‘Been checking up on me, huh?’ he said wryly.

‘Of course. Be fair. Since you control our lives, I had to find out what I could.’

‘Control your lives? Oh, sure, it looks like it. I arrive knowing nothing, nearly die finding out, get snatched from the jaws of death by you and the others. Some control! So I suppose you know all there is to know about me?’

Harriet shook her head. ‘Only basics. Your father is Amos Falcon—the Amos Falcon. Empire builder, financial mogul—all right, all right.’ She backed off hastily, seeing his expression. ‘And you have lots of brothers. It must be nice coming from a large family. I’m an only child and it can be lonely.’

‘So can being in a large family,’ Darius said.

‘Really? I can’t imagine that. Tell me more.’

But suddenly his mouth closed in a firm line. It was as though something had brought him to the edge of a cliff, Harriet thought, and he’d backed away in alarm. She could almost see him retreating further and further.

‘What is it?’ she asked.

He rose and walked away to the window. She had a strange feeling that he was trying to put a distance between them, as though she was some kind of threat. After a moment’s hesitation she followed him and laid a tentative hand on his arm.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘Of course it’s none of my business. I’m always sticking my nose into other people’s affairs. Just ignore me.’

With anyone else he would have seized this offer with relief, but with her things were mysteriously different. In his mind he saw again the defining moment of their relationship, the moment when she had reached out to him, offering rescue, offering life. The moment had passed, yet it lived in him still and, he guessed, would always do so.

The need to accept her friendship, trust it, rely on it, was so strong that it sent warning signals. Nothing would ever be the same again. But there was no turning back now.

‘I don’t think I’ll ignore you,’ he said softly, taking her hand. ‘You’re not a woman that’s easy to ignore.’

‘I’ll just vanish if you like.’

‘No,’ he said, his hand tightening on hers so suddenly that she gasped. ‘Stay. I want you to stay.’