‘I think I do,’ she said reflectively. ‘Is that odd?’
‘You’re a romantic,’ he said on a note of discovery. ‘Who’d have guessed?’
‘No,’ she said, revolted. ‘Practical twenty-first-century woman, me.’
And started telling him about her new job. He laughed at the idea of her being paid a Pig’s Premium because the boss was so vile.
She shrugged. ‘I can handle him.’
‘I don’t doubt it.’
‘Well, I’ve handled worse. And if I stuck the island for ten months, I can manage Dentist Hell. At least there’s a going home time when I can see friends and read books.’
‘The island was real hell, then?’
‘Not all of it. But I went because I was sort of stuck on the guy who was running it and he turned out to be—’
‘A pig?’
She thought about Francis, noble and disorganised and just a bit too sure of his charm.
‘No not a pig. But, well, shallow. You know? With an enormous appetite for being waited on, preferably well-larded with breathless admiration. I got tired of saying, “Francis, you’re so clever.”’
He winced. ‘Poor guy.’
‘Not poor guy at all,’ said Bella robustly. ‘He keeps sending me texts saying he can understand why I’ve had a crisis. But when I come to my senses I’m welcome back, and anyway he will always be there for me.’
‘There’s something wrong with that?’ said Richard cautiously
Bella was scornful. ‘It’s code for, “Come back and sort out the files.” I told you, Francis is high-maintenance. Never logged any data himself since the day he found he could get his devoted students to do it for him.’
‘Ah.’
‘What?’
‘You’re very clear-sighted, aren’t you? Not quite so much a dyed-in-the-wool romantic as I thought.’
‘I told you, I’m not romantic.’
‘Wanna bet?’
But Bella backed away from that one. This might be the most relaxed first date she had ever been on, but there was a look in his eyes that was not relaxed at all. And if there was one thing an unromantic, sensible woman did not want to do, it was mess up her life by falling for an unavailable man. And they didn’t come much more unavailable than the heir to the throne.
She said lightly, ‘You’d lose your money. Don’t forget, I lived on a tropical island – and counted fish.’
‘There is that.’ He leaned forward. ‘So what next for you? I assume Frankenstein the Dentist is only a – er – stop gap.’
Bella was drinking Rioja at the time and nearly choked. ‘That is a very bad pun,’ she said reproachfully, when she got her breath back.
He looked wounded. ‘I thought it was rather good for the spur of the moment.’
‘Well, maybe,’ she allowed. ‘And, yes, I’m looking for a proper job, too. But that will take time.’
‘What sort of job? Something adventurous?’
She sighed. ‘I think I’m off adventure. I like being clean too much. And keeping in touch with people. My father will drum me out of the Greenwood family.’
‘Really? Why?’
‘He’s an explorer. Arctic wastes, deserts, Mongol plains. As long as it’s remote, uncomfortable and deserted, he’s in seventh heaven. His mother, my Granny Georgia, is an ecologist, who keeps popping off up the Amazon to save the rain forest.’
Richard was not interested in Georgia, though. He sat bolt upright. ‘Greenwood? You’re not H. T. Greenwood’s daughter?’
‘Yes,’ said Bella sadly.
Hitherto Richard had seemed quite perfect. But she had seen that look before on the keen-eyed groupies who came to her father’s lectures. Who would have thought the Prince of Wales was a fan of old Finn’s?
‘He’s an inspiration,’ said Richard in hushed tones, confirming it.
Bella sighed, torn between pride, loyalty, and a bedrock desire not to lie to this man. ‘Hector Toby Greenwood. Known as Phineas, because he ran away and went round the world when he was supposed to be at school. Yes, that’s the Daddy. He has his moments.’
Richard studied her for a moment. And then he surprised her. ‘Hard act to live up to?’
She felt warmed. ‘Yes, that’s it exactly. My brother Neill refused to try. Told everyone he was a homebody and wanted to teach. Finn never argued, to be fair. Never tried to talk him out of it, not even when he said he didn’t want an exciting gap year travelling, just wanted to get on with his life.’
‘So you were the one left carrying the Greenwood banner?’
Bella was struck by this. ‘I’ve never thought of it like that. You could be right.’
‘I know I’m right. Welcome to the club.’
But Bella was still thinking about the Greenwood inheritance. ‘Do you know, I