Month: December 2025

Chapter Ten Lycos’s expression was shuttered. His adrenaline levels were slightly raised, but not from excitement. The very reverse. He knew exactly what mental state he was entering as he walked with Arielle at his side into the grand townhouse, windows lit up for the party already underway, in an elegant terrace off the Place

Chapter Nine Arielle gazed at the city of Paris from the topmost viewing platform of the Eiffel Tower, Lycos beside her, his arm around her waist. It was only one of the many sights of the city she’d seen with him. Some she had already known from childhood visits with her mother, but even those she

Chapter Eight Lycos was looking at his phone, a slight frown on his face. Out of nowhere a sliver of unease coursed through Arielle. She paused in the act of beating fresh eggs, gathered that very hour from her obliging hens, ready to make a breakfast omelette. A late breakfast, for passion had overcome them before

Chapter Seven Why had she taken Lycos’s hand like that? The question hung for a moment in Arielle’s thoughts, then she let it go. What did reasons matter? She had done it without thinking. It seemed right to do. Natural. His hand was warm. Warm and strong. Meshing with hers. Uniting them. Which was strange, illogical,

Chapter Six The powerful note of the engine dropped to a smooth purr as Lycos steadied his speed along the highway. Arielle felt herself sink back into the deep, low-set passenger seat. They were making for the old, walled, medieval town of Saint-Clément, popular with tourists in this part of Provence. Lycos said he wanted to

Chapter Five Arielle woke. Her bedroom was full of sunshine. She hadn’t drawn the curtains the night before, performing the minimum of bedtime ministrations, barely getting into her nightgown before sinking down on to her bed and drawing the bedclothes over her. Exhaustion had overcome her. Emotional exhaustion from the cataclysmic events of the day and,

Chapter Four Arielle finished the washing up and wondered what to do next. Her mind was still blank. A strange air of dissociation seemed to be possessing her. A kind of preternatural calm. Maybe it was some kind of aftershock. She stared blankly out of the kitchen window recalling her juddering reaction earlier when she’d been

Chapter Three Lycos saw her face pale. ‘You won it from Gerald?’ ‘Yes. He was angry that I’d won every game and he stupidly let his anger get the better of him. Then he played badly, recklessly, which is always a sign of stupidity.’ Lycos didn’t bother to hide the contempt in his voice. ‘And I took advantage

Chapter Two Arielle heard his words. Heard them but could not comprehend them. Could not bear to. Oh, dear God, had it happened then, was Gerald finally carrying out his threat? She felt faintness drumming in her ears. Her vision blurred. Her body swayed and folded. She heard the man mutter an oath, in a

Chapter One Earlier that day Arielle stood from where she had been crouched deadheading the vivid, vermillion geraniums. They grew in terracotta pots lining the low wall that separated the wide paved terrace in front of the house from the garden beyond. The garden itself was rich with Provençal beauty, from the glossy dark leaves of