In the end he raised his head and said shakily, ‘We’d better walk or this will get out of hand.’
‘Goody.’
‘Walk, woman. Walk.’
They did, for at least a couple of steps. Then he stopped and turned her in towards him and they kissed again. In spite of the cold, Bella felt as warm as toast, all yielding and open. She was really glad that Lottie had given her that sapphire kimono, she thought. What to wear in bed wasn’t a problem but it was hard to keep the magic going if you had to prowl round in cast-off clothes afterwards.
Sapphire kimono!
She hauled herself away from him with a yelp.
‘I had a bloody suitcase. Where is it? What have I done with it? Did I walk away and leave it on Waterloo Station?’
He dropped his arms and looked round. ‘No. No, I had it. Ah, it’s there.’
He sprinted back to the place where they had leaned against the wall looking out across the water. The suitcase still stood there, its handle pulled up. It looked like a small, abandoned alien, hunched and reproachful.
He dragged it back to her, bubbling with laughter.
‘Think we got a bit carried away. If we’d left the thing much longer someone would have reported it and the police would have come along and blown it up. Maybe we ought to get inside before we cause a major incident.’
‘Sounds good to me.’
He placed the suitcase in front of them and fished out his phone. ‘Ian, we’re on the South Bank. Can you pick us up by the National Theatre? Usual place.’ A pause while Ian clearly asked a question. And Richard, looking at her, answered him. ‘No. Everything’s perfect. Just perfect.’
They went to a house in a village off the M40 somewhere. Ian drove with Richard sitting beside him.
He murmured an apology about that but Bella said, ‘Just as well. Don’t know how much longer I can keep my hands off you,’ and he gave a squawk of laughter and thrust her into the back seat without ceremony.
Ian, very sensibly, pretended not to hear.
Once they were on their way, Richard swung round to talk to her. ‘This is a secret, right? Not just because of you and me. Ian’s job is to keep me safe from assassins and people who throw paint. He’s not my driver and it is not part of his duties to fix me up with bolt holes.’
Ian grinned. ‘You’re welcome.’
‘Yes, and I’m very grateful. But this is the last time.’
Bella mimed a kiss and watched with deep satisfaction the way Richard’s eyes kindled.
‘I’ll take charge of the bolt hole aspect, shall I?’ she said sweetly.
‘Probably easier,’ said Ian. ‘His Highness has credit cards in – er – pen names. But these things always get out. And, if I may make a suggestion, probably best not to make a habit of going anywhere too often. Even if the press don’t sniff it out, you can never be too careful with the general public.’
‘Thank you. I’ll bear that in mind.’
Richard looked irritated. ‘I don’t like leaving it to you.’
‘Good for you to have someone else in charge. I bet you get your own way all the time.’
But both Richard and Ian laughed noisily at this idea.
Ian said, ‘The Prince is a slave to his diary.’
‘Which reminds me,’ Richard said. ‘I’ll put a copy on a memory stick for you. It won’t change much between now and Christmas, at least.’
‘Thank you. I think. So where are we going now?’
Richard said, ‘House belonging to a friend of Ian’s who’s away. We have to be extra careful with this one. It could be traced back.’
‘How careful is extra careful? No lights? No flushing the loo in case the neighbours hear?’
Richard’s eyes danced. ‘I don’t think we have to be that self-denying. Just not answering the door will do.’
But Ian said, ‘Actually, no lights on in the front of the place would be a good idea.’
‘See?’ said Bella. ‘I’m a natural at this undercover stuff.’ And stuck her tongue out at Richard naughtily, just so she could watch his eyes kindle all over again. ‘You are so rewarding,’ she murmured, as Ian looked over his shoulder and pulled out into the fast lane on the motorway.
Richard’s expression promised revenge. She wriggled in happy anticipation.
The house was a tiny detached stone cottage next to an untidy farm entrance, off a single-track lane with high hedges. Ian drove in off the road, parked out of sight