‘That’s fine with me too,’ Daniel concurred.
‘Then leave it all to me.’ With a beaming smile Carlos departed.
‘I hope that’s all right? The food is good, it’s not pretentious, and whilst Carlos isn’t averse to a little publicity he draws the line if it becomes too intrusive.’
‘Did you bring Prince Frederick here?’ Lord knew where that had come from—it hardly mattered.
‘No.’ Her hand rose to tuck a tendril of hair behind her ear, and then she reached down into her bag and pulled out a notebook and pen. ‘Give me five minutes, please, to list some questions, and then we can start.’
He watched as she bent over the notebook and started to write, took in the classical slant of her features, the glory of her hair, tinted with flecks of red and gold by the light, her small intent frown, the graceful line of her neck. Once again desire tugged at his gut, and it was a relief when a waiter appeared with sparkling wine and a bowl of glistening green and black olives.
And still she continued to write—until his limited store of patience ran out and he cleared his throat with theatrical emphasis.
Kaitlin looked up and her lips twisted in a small guilty moue. ‘Sorry. I got a bit absorbed. Let’s get started.’
Daniel pushed the olives towards her. ‘Shoot.’
‘First I need some background to this project. And an overview of our itinerary and what you want me to do.’
‘The idea is to help teens who come from abusive backgrounds, or who have been in prison, failed at school, and feel they have no future. The Cavershams aim to show them that they can stop the cycle, that they don’t have to repeat their parents’ mistakes and that their background does not have to define them. They can choose to walk away from the past, choose to leave the cycle of crime and move forward.’
‘Breaking a cycle is tough—especially when that cycle involves your family. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like there is a choice.’
‘There is always a choice. However tough. However hefty the price tag.’ He’d lost his family and it had nearly broken him, but it had been the choice he had made.
Give it a rest, Daniel.
Her green eyes were way too discerning.
‘Anyway, it’s an admirable cause. This trip is about giving them new experiences and a chance to have fun. Using the wilderness to illustrate the power of nature, give them a different environment to the one they are used to. So that’s an overview of what’s happening in the Highlands. Venice is a whole different scenario.’
‘What’s our remit there?’
‘The whole event is already organised—we will just need to double-check the details, sort out any last-minute glitches, host the ball and run the auction. Ethan and Ruby had planned to go, but they have had to change their plans.’
The Cavershams were adopting two children, a brother and a sister, and they were due to move in with them as soon as all the red tape and processes were completed.
Kaitlin nodded. ‘Cora told me—they must be over the moon.’
‘Yes.’
Try as he might he couldn’t inject his voice with any enthusiasm, and she frowned.
‘You don’t believe in adoption?’ Her perfect brows rose in a gesture that marked disapproval.
‘I do believe in adoption—and I wish the Cavershams well. But, speaking for myself, I don’t believe in parenthood.’
‘You don’t want children?’ The surprise in her voice was genuine.
‘No, I don’t.’
The idea of being a father caused him to break out in a cold sweat that had nothing to do with the late-evening sunshine that slanted through the restaurant’s open sash windows.
‘Too much responsibility.’
He’d seen what it had done to his own parents. His father had been so desperate to do his parental duty that he’d died before Daniel had even been born. Giovanni Romano had worked all hours in a bid to provide for his family, and exhaustion had caused him to fall asleep behind the wheel of a lorry—with fatal consequences.
Kaitlin watched him with eyes that combined judgement with question. ‘Children are a huge responsibility, but I believe a worthwhile one.’