Lily is serving lunch to a handful of guests in the hotel restaurant. The dining room is cooler than outside because the castle’s thick walls lower the temperature, but her clothes still feel tight and uncomfortable. There’s no sign of Liam Trewin, allowing her to serve each table without his intense stare tracking her movements. Time passes quickly as she hurries back and forth, but her thoughts drift beyond the castle’s walls. It’s a relief when the guests finish their desserts. She can speak to Tom Polkerris at last. Lily hovers outside his office, rehearsing what to say before summoning enough courage to knock.
When Polkerris’s voice calls her inside, the manager looks flustered, shutting down his computer before she can see his work. His calm only returns when he rises to his feet, his expression concerned. Lily picks up the scent of his expensive aftershave when he walks towards her.
‘Are you okay, Lily?’
‘Fine thanks, sir, but I need a day’s leave.’
He looks surprised. ‘You’re not due any holiday yet. Is work tiring you?’
Anxiety makes her palms sting with pins and needles. ‘My brother needs my help.’
‘Causing trouble again, is he?’
Her gaze drops to the floor. The island is so small, secrets can’t be hidden. ‘He’s been struggling all year.’
‘You don’t have to explain.’ Polkerris’s voice is gentler than before. ‘How many days are you talking about?’
‘Until Thursday night, please.’
‘Rhianna won’t be happy, but you’ve got my permission. Can you stay here till this evening and come back for kitchen duty on Friday morning? If the ferries are running again we’ll have a full house.’
Lily beams at him. ‘I’ll be here for the early shift, sir.’
‘It’s sweet that you want to help your brother, when others have written him off. It shows your kindness.’ Polkerris takes a step closer, his gaze searching her face. ‘I’ve been thinking about you, Lily.’
‘Sorry?’
‘Why didn’t I choose someone caring, like you?’ He touches a fingertip to her jaw, his gaze tracing the outline of her lips. ‘You’d better go, before I do something stupid.’
Polkerris’s behaviour leaves Lily confused. Despite the crush she’s had on him all year, she could never break up someone’s marriage, and why would he bother with her when his wife’s so beautiful? She pushes his words to the back of her mind. The girl hurries back to her duties, wishing she could leave immediately. She knows her brother is trying to find Sabine’s killer, and she wants to help so she can sleep peacefully again, without bad dreams.