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‘What do you mean?’

‘Oh, well, it was a pretty similar situation, I think. He met a girl, she got pregnant, and they had the baby, but it wasn’t love. At least, I don’t think it could have been. She only stuck around until the little one was one or two, then decided it wasn’t what she wanted to do and left them both.’

Bex remembered Duncan mentioning it to her now, back when he had first been helping her in the study. Lorna was right. It really did feel like a case of history repeating itself. Not that she knew the ins and outs of the previous situation, but it seemed unlikely love could have been involved if the mother could walk away so early on in their baby’s life.

‘I can’t imagine how tough that must have been, for his grandfather or his mother.’

‘Right?’ Lorna agreed. ‘Duncan’s ma didn’t ever talk about it that much, but why would she? No one would ever want to talk about the fact that their mother walked out on them. I mean, dads – people sometimes get that, which is totally freaking wrong, because you know, 50 per cent DNA, but whatever. Still, the whole thing was a massive scandal, and they hadn’t got married either. I think that’s why Fergus let them stay in the house all this time. He hates stuff like scandal – wanted to shelter them from it.’

There was no denying Duncan’s family didn’t seem to have a lot of luck when it came to relationships. But the story sparked a different thought in Bex’s mind. If the woman Duncan’s grandad had got pregnant was someone he had only just met, then that couldn’t be the woman in the photograph, could it? So maybe that was the one Fergus mentioned falling in love with. The one who had died before he got a chance to propose to her. And if her theory about them falling in love with the same person had been correct, then maybe Duncan’s grandfather had only had a baby with his grandmother to try to push the loss of his true love out of his mind?

‘Well, so what’s your plan now?’ Lorna asked, interrupting Bex’s stream of romantic hypothesising. ‘Avoid my brother, I take it?’

‘Yeah. I think I’m going to stay a couple more days, get some bits sorted and then head back to London and work there for a bit.’

‘I thought you were here for months?’

‘I was, and I’ll have to come back, but I could just do with a bit of a break from it.’

Lorna let out a long sigh. ‘I know we haven’t spent that much time together yet, but we’ll still miss you. You haven’t even come along to one of our Stitch and Bitch nights yet.’

‘Stitch and Bitch nights?’

‘Yeah… although Eilidh’s the only one who really stitches. I just do the “bitch” part, and mostly about Katty. We’re having one next Tuesday, and I really wanted you to come.’

‘Maybe schedule one for when I’m back next time?’

‘Okay, I can do that.’ Lorna flashed her another smile. She was one of those people who just resonated warmth, and she wasn’t alone in wishing they could have spent a bit more time together. Yet before Bex could say as much, Lorna was on her feet. ‘Now, I guess I should put your food order into the kitchen, shouldn’t I?’ she said. ‘You must be starving. And don’t worry about paying. This one is going on my brother’s tab. It’s the least he owes you.’

51

Two hours later, Bex was opening the door to the castle, her stomach full, but the feeling of heaviness was coming from far more than just the weight of food. Even though it was now late afternoon and Fergus had given her the day off, she wanted to head into the study and sort through a few more things. See if it really was possible to get things packed away so she could work at home for at least a couple of weeks.

During the walk back, Duncan had tried to call her several times, but each time she had sent him to voicemail. Whatever he wanted to say to her, it wasn’t going to make things easier. A clean break, the way she was trying to do, would be best in the long run, yet as she stepped inside the hallway to the castle, a surge of adrenaline swept through her. Fergus was talking to someone. Was it Duncan? And if it was, what the hell was she going to say to him? She could hardly tell him to leave when he had as much right to be there as she did.

She strained to hear who the laird was talking to, only to realise that it was only Fergus’s voice she could hear. He was on the phone.

As she walked into the hallway, she saw him still standing there, with his mobile pressed against his ear. She couldn’t help but feel surprised. She’d assumed he had a mobile phone, given how he’d mentioned ringing his sister a couple of times, but she’d never actually seen him use it. Unable to quench her sense of curiosity, she peered around into the drawing room to find Fergus standing with his hands on his hips, a deep scowl on his face.

‘No, I’ve got to go. Aye, whatever. Aye, I hear you, lad. No. No. Yes, love to your ma too.’ A moment later, he hung up and let out a long sigh. ‘You might as well come in, rather than haverin’ out there,’ he said, raising his voice so Bex was in no doubt he was talking to her. Sheepishly, she slunk into the room.

‘Everything all right?’ she asked.

‘Oh aye, just my nephew Kieron wanting another shoot here, sorting out dates in December. Why does it need sorting out now? He has free rein of the place; it’s not like I’m holding any great balls or galas.’

‘Would be nice, though,’ Bex said absentmindedly. ‘You know, a ball, when you’ve got all this space for it here.’

‘Don’t you start; you sound like him. And we have balls – we have Burns Night, and we have a ball at Christmas. Twice a year – that’s plenty, as far as I’m concerned.’

A pang of sadness struck Bex. It would’ve been lovely to be here for one of those balls, she thought – to see everybody dressed up in their finery. To see Duncan dressed up in his kilt, a tartan that perfectly picked out the colour in his eyes. A shirt tight enough to outline the curve of his shoulder muscles and the strength of his back. She caught herself.No, don’t do that.It was better this way. Better that she got going as soon as possible.

‘Well, I was going to come looking for you anyway,’ Fergus said. ‘Young Duncan came around asking after you.’

‘Did he?’ Bex tried to sound neutral, but she felt her jaw clench.

‘Aye, he left a note.’

‘Oh.’