Page 1 of Snowy Surprises in the Highlands (Scottish Highland #5)

Bella Douglas sipped her mimosa by the twinkling Douglas fir tree – that had come to Skye all the way from her former place of employment Drumblair Castle’s plant and tree nursery, no less – and smiled as she inhaled the fresh fragrance of pine.

There was nothing to match the smell of a real tree, she decided.

It was Christmas morning, one of her favourite times to be in the house she shared with her wonderful police inspector boyfriend, Harris Donaldson, because it always had an extra-cosy glow about it during the festive season.

Harris had got up before her that morning and had gone downstairs to light the fire and put on a fresh pot of coffee before calling to her to come down.

After climbing out of bed, she had paused a moment to look out of the bedroom window and had been greeted with a Christmas-card-worthy vista.

Although there was, as yet, no snow, a heavy frost had covered the garden and trees behind their newly built home that adjoined the police station – an old, converted bothy, or farm worker’s cottage – and it had glistened in the rising sun as if a pot of silver glitter had been scattered across the ground.

An amber glow had tinged the sky, and she was reminded, once again, of how much she loved the isle she now called home.

Living on Skye was quite different from her upbringing in and around the Highland city of Inverness.

Back in her youth, she and her school friend, funnily enough also named Skye, had spent many a happy hour at Drumblair Castle, the home of their other best friend Olivia MacBain – now Lady Olivia MacLeod, since her inheritance and subsequent marriage – playing hide and seek in the many rooms and dodging each other in the vast stone corridors.

Or spying on Olivia’s older brother, Kerr, as he played an invisible guitar along with the music blaring from whichever CD he was listening to in his room.

Skye and Olivia would mock him with exaggerated facial expressions, giggling hysterically behind their hands, but not Bella.

She would swoon and pine from a distance until he heard them and slammed his door sulkily, chuntering under his breath about his stupid sister and her stupid minions.

Bella had loved Kerr MacBain from a young age, but of course he’d never noticed her – well, not until they were adults and even then it didn’t turn out how she had dreamed, in fact she had discovered him to be as horrible as the rumours had suggested.

These days, following online studies, Bella was living her dream as an interior designer on the Isle of Skye where she’d relocated to be with Harris when he was promoted, Olivia was a mum running a successful visitors’ attraction at her family seat, Drumblair Castle, and Skye lived with her partner, Ben, in Bella’s Granny Isla’s old house that they were slowly renovating in readiness for their new baby that was due to arrive in four months.

Again, she was reminded of how time flew, and things changed.

Bella missed her best friends very much, but Harris was worth the sacrifice of the distance between them.

And at least Granny Isla was only up the road near Broadford.

Isla had settled in very well to her new little home in a sheltered housing complex overlooking the water and the small uninhabited island of Pabay.

Bella saw her granny regularly and Christmas Day was no different.

Her parents and brother were over from Inverness and had insisted on staying at a hotel close to the complex, rather than ‘imposing’ on Bella and Harris, and the plan was to have a gathering at Isla’s for their usual family Christmas dinner.

Harris’s mother lived in the same complex as Isla so the tiny unit would be bursting at the seams with them all there.

‘It’ll be turkey on a tray on your lap, but it’ll be good to have you all here.

I mean I’ll put the turkey on a plate too, obvs,’ Isla had said with a wink and a giggle when discussing the plans.

Her little house didn’t have the room for a proper-sized dining table but the whole family had agreed it would be fine.

They had made it work the previous Christmas, sitting on the floor, the pouffe and the chair from Granny’s bedroom, so there was no reason this year would be different.

Once Bella and Harris had opened their gifts by the tree that morning, Harris had gone into the police station that adjoined their pretty home – the place that had been her first interior design job on the island, and of which she was incredibly proud.

He had ensured his staff had the day off to spend with their families; he was such a kind-hearted and considerate man.

It had meant he wasn’t drinking – although he rarely drank anyway – and would be on call throughout Christmas, which, in turn, had meant there were more mimosas for Bella to drink.

This had further resulted in the alcohol going straight to her head, but it was Christmas, after all.

Bella glanced down at the wonderful gifts Harris had bought for her.

The Orla Kiely handbag had been her favourite thing of all.

She inhaled a long breath and let out a contented sigh as The Waitresses sang about ‘Christmas Wrapping’ in the background, and she watched the coloured tree lights slowly fading in and out in a hypnotic wave.

She had always had a personal preference for simple white lights, but Harris had loved the coloured ones they had seen when they went shopping for decorations during their first Christmas, so she had put her metaphorical interior designer’s hat away and had relented.

Seeing his face when they’d had their grand switch on had made it all worthwhile.

‘Takes me back to my childhood,’ he’d said with a slight croak of emotion to his voice.

He’d cleared his throat and pulled Bella into his arms. ‘Thank you for agreeing to the coloured lights. I know you don’t really like them. ’

Bella had gazed up into his kind chocolate-brown eyes and melted. ‘Actually, I have to agree with you. They look lovely.’

He had lowered his face and kissed her tenderly. ‘Even if you’re fibbing, I still love you.’ He had grinned then.

But she’d meant it. ‘Honestly, Harris. I’ve always thought white lights were more classy… more tasteful, you know? But?—’

He had gasped and dramatically feigned hurt with his hand over his heart. ‘Are you saying I’m not classy?’ He had smirked teasingly.

She had giggled. ‘Let me finish, Inspector Donaldson. I was going to say but I’m seeing them through your eyes now, and I love them. But I love you more.’ She had reached up and kissed his lips softly.

‘You interior designers,’ he had said with a shake of his head and a smile. ‘So very picky.’

* * *

No emergencies had occurred, thankfully, during the morning, and even though Harris was still on call for the rest of the day, all was quiet.

By the time they were due to leave and head north to Isla’s, Harris was still dressed in his police uniform, just in case, but over the top he sported his new Christmas jumper – courtesy of Granny Isla, of course – and was ready to go.

Bella had been quite pleasantly surprised by the jumper.

Knowing the wicked sense of humour Isla was famed for, she had dreaded what would be displayed on the front when her granny had announced she was knitting them for all the men in the family.

But instead, the jumper was a Fairisle design in dark green and white.

He looked so handsome and still made her heart flutter.

Her own handmade gift from Granny Isla had been the thing to make her giggle.

She had received a medium-sized box wrapped in snowman paper and had ripped off its covering in eager anticipation.

On opening the box, she had been greeted with a blonde-haired Barbie-style doll, sporting pink lipstick and blue eyeshadow and wearing a knitted cerise ball gown that was intended as a toilet roll cover.

It was truly a sight to behold and a real blast from the past interior-design-wise.

Especially considering Bella’s impeccable taste to boot!

Bella had held it aloft and cringed through her laughter.

‘Oh, my word. It’s so tacky! I love it!’ There had been a note attached to it that stated:

My name is Cynthia and I’m to be used all year round, not just dragged oot the cupboard when your Granny visits! She’ll be watching! And I’ll be reporting back!

Love Cynthia

Bella had laughed out loud and immediately put Cynthia to work in the otherwise tastefully decorated downstairs loo, where the clash was almost painful to Bella’s sensibilities, but it simply had to be done.

* * *

Bella stood before the full-length mirror in their bedroom, smoothing down the Christmas-themed dress she’d found on Vinted.

It too was green but with red-nosed reindeer prancing all over the fabric and all manner of other woodland creatures wearing scarves and hats.

Granny Isla had insisted that they all wear something Christmassy and fun, just like every other year, and Bella couldn’t wait to see what everyone else had chosen.

‘I think you get more beautiful every day,’ Harris said as he slipped his arms around her waist from behind. He placed a tender kiss on her shoulder and rested his chin there. ‘I need to drop you off and then nip up the coast to Dunan quickly. Shouldn’t be too long though.’

Bella crumpled her brow. ‘Oh? Is everything okay? I thought there hadn’t been any issues called into the station.’

He lifted his head and shook it. ‘Oh, it’s nothing to worry about. I just promised one of the residents that I’d pop in. Neighbourhood dispute thing.’ He shrugged.