"It's not a fairytale cottage. It's a regular cottage," he protests with a good-natured smile on his face. After growing up in the convenes of the family estate, James couldn't wait to get away the moment he could. He had purposefully designed his house to be comfortable and modest compared to Thornton Estates sprawling luxury and coldness. It felt like a home. Whereas this, the estate just felt like his father's way of controlling them.

Speaking of his father, he spots William watching him and Davin curiously from the corner. "Don't be alarmed when my father tries to speak with you," he says. "I can see him lurking now. Just waiting to pounce."