Page 37 of Snowy Surprises in the Highlands (Scottish Highland #5)

‘Probably a scam. Just ignore it,’ Bella said.

She glanced at her watch to see it was two o’clock and stood from the sofa.

‘I reckon it must be five o’clock somewhere so I’ll pour us some sherry, shall I?

You can’t not drink sherry today of all days.

Will you join me, seeing as it’s a special occasion?

’ She walked over and grabbed the bottle off the top of the bookcase.

‘What occasion is that?’ he asked, a little distracted.

‘Tree decorating day, obviously .’ She picked up a couple of glasses from the dresser. ‘I think if you look it up in your police manuals you’ll find it’s the law to drink sherry on tree day,’ she said with a giggle.

Harris leaned forward. ‘This email… It’s from Alba’s husband.’ He lifted his chin. His mouth was downturned, and his eyes filled with sadness.

Bella was a little confused. ‘Why is he emailing you?’

He swallowed and whispered, ‘She… she passed away.’

Bella placed the bottle and glasses down again and walked over to sit beside him. ‘Oh, Harris. I’m so sorry.’

He shook his head. ‘I can’t believe it. I…

I didn’t think it would happen so soon. I mean, yes, she said she wasn’t sure how long she had left but…

’ Bella tried to put her arms around him, but he stood quickly and placed his phone on the table as if he couldn’t bear to touch it any more.

‘Sorry but… it’s a lot to process… she was my age…

I… I just need to be alone for a bit,’ he said and left the room.

Bella watched his retreating form and felt powerless to help. She could see the email had been left open on the screen of his phone and picked it up.

Hello Harris,

My name is Bryn Morgan. You were friends with my wife, Alba.

I understand you were close, and she told me to contact you in the event of her passing, so I’m afraid this is the main reason for my email.

I’m sorry to inform you that she died five days ago, peacefully and in her sleep, with me and her mum by her side.

It’s been a very difficult time these past few months.

Seeing a loved one suffering so much is not something I would wish on anyone, and it almost makes falling in love something I wish I had avoided, because I’m not sure what I will do now she is no longer here.

My life revolved around her you see. And now I’m left with nothing but memories.

She left a padded envelope for you and asked that it be sent on to you when she passed away. I have no clue what’s in it and so, I’m writing to ask for your postal address in order that I can carry out her wishes.

I’m aware she told you that I had abandoned her after her terminal diagnosis, I have now seen the emails between you both, but I’d like you to know that it wasn’t the truth.

So far from it, in fact. I never left her side and never would have.

It was the illness talking. She was very confused in her final months, you see, and was struggling to understand what reality was, often hallucinating due to the medication, and lashing out in fear and anger, which of course I don’t blame her for. She fought hard to keep her life.

She always spoke very highly of you and the love you had once shared, and while some men would be jealous of the high esteem in which she held you, I simply see you as a very important part of her past that, in a way, led her to me. Please know that I adored my wife and miss her terribly.

Alba told me you are soon to be married yourself.

My sincere congratulations. My advice to you is hold onto your loved ones, Harris, and make every single moment count because it can all be snatched away so cruelly when you least expect it, and the memories you have are all you are left with to cling to, to keep a connection.

I will await your reply.

Regards,

Bryn

Bella stood to follow Harris, she needed to hold him and tell him she was there for him. But as she approached the kitchen door, she heard his motorbike revving outside and then the sound of it pulling off the forecourt of the police station as he drove away.

* * *

A little while later, Bella was still awaiting his return and concern was niggling at her all over again.

She didn’t want to make this about her, but his reaction had spooked her once more.

Should she be worried? Was he rethinking marrying her now because he was scared that if he ever found himself in the same situation as Bryn it would hurt too much?

Had he decided that it was too big a risk?

Had Bryn’s words been the final coup de grace that had taken away her chance at happiness?

Harris had told her when he first found out about Alba’s illness that he was scared of losing her.

How could she make him see that she had no intention of leaving him?

Not by choice, anyway. And that their love was absolutely worth the risk.

She needed a distraction and decided to take Bertie for a walk.

The air was frigid and there was already a layer of frost covering the cars and causing the ground to twinkle.

The village was looking pretty festive already.

A huge tree had been placed on the green by the village hall complete with white lights and hollow aluminium baubles in gold and silver, and lights had been strewn around the inlet of water that Glentorrin arced around.

The water beneath was quite calm apart from a light ripple on the surface and Bella shivered as she remembered Jules telling her the story of when she jumped in to save Chewie, who had fallen into the water, all before the railings had been installed. She was very brave, Bella thought.

Flickering coloured lights adorned the windows of Morag and Caitlin’s shops and a small tree with lights sat in a pot outside the Lifeboat House Museum, too, and somewhere in the distance she could hear Nat King Cole singing ‘The Christmas Song’.

She inhaled lungfuls of the icy sea air and breathed out a cloud of fog as she watched a seagull picking at some pastry that had no doubt been dropped by someone leaving the bakery.

As she stood there taking in the festive scene before her, and as if she had manifested her by simply thinking, Jules appeared from the direction of the lane that led to her house.

She wore a red coat and a bobble hat that was pulled down to cover her ears.

Chewie trotted happily beside her, glancing up every so often as if to say thank you for his walk. Jules waved and made her way over.

When they reached the railings, Chewie immediately jumped down on his front two legs with his bottom in the air and gave a playful growl, as Bertie bounced around him excitedly, yipping his joy at seeing his friend.

‘Hey! How are you doing? The countdown’s on! Not long now, eh? Are you excited or terrified?’ Jules asked, grinning.

‘Oh, you know… A bit of both.’ She was very much aware of how deflated she sounded.

‘Is everything okay? You look a little down.’

Bella sighed. ‘I’ll be fine. I won’t bore you with my woes.’

Jules tilted her head. ‘Don’t be daft. What are friends for? Come and have a seat for a while.’ She nodded to the bench situated by the railings of the inlet. ‘I’ve got time to spare.’

They sat on the bench and as Bertie and Chewie jumped on, and chewed at, each other, Bella explained the situation she found herself in.

‘Oh, honey. I’m so sorry for Harris. But the thing is life is full of loves and losses.

You can’t avoid it unless you live in a cave all by yourself and speak to no one, but what kind of life would that be?

Harris adores you and he would be so miserable without you, and I’m pretty sure he knows that.

I think this reaction will just be the shock of losing someone he once loved. ’

‘I’m sure you’re right. I’m just worried, because as we get closer to the wedding I think I’m waiting for something to go wrong. I have in the back of my mind that he’ll be thinking about backing out because of what he read in that email.’

‘I’m sure he isn’t thinking that at all.

We’ve all seen how he looks at you, Bells.

’ She paused for a moment and then continued, ‘I look back at my marriage to Laurie and ask myself if I’d known he was going to die would I have done anything to avoid falling for him and the truth is – no, I wouldn’t.

Because loving him made me who I am today.

Losing him was horrendous, of course, and I was determined not to fall in love again because the pain was so bad, but then I met Reid, and I couldn’t help myself.

Yes, it crossed my mind that I could lose him in the same way I lost Laurie, but there’s also the chance we’ll have a long happy life together and that made me want to be with him even more.

To make every second count and to make as many wonderful memories as possible, taking every day as it comes.

Just give Harris time, honey. It’s a lot to process and it does sort of make you question a lot of things when someone your age dies.

He’ll come home and everything will be fine. I somehow just know it.’

Bella smiled, grateful for her friendship and for sharing the experience of her own loss. ‘Thanks, Jules. I really appreciate that.’

Jules placed a hand on her arm. ‘Anytime. I mean it. And if you need to talk again just drop me a message and we can go for a drink or something. You don’t have to suffer in silence.’

Bella smiled. ‘Likewise, if ever you need an ear or a shoulder.’

Jules stood and with a warm smile said, ‘Thanks, honey. I’d better get this dog walked before he eats Bertie.’

They both laughed as they glanced down at the dogs whose ears were now matted and slimy. ‘I think someone needs a bath now,’ Bella said, scrunching her nose.

* * *

A little while later, Bella was sitting at the kitchen table going through photos on her phone that she had snapped of them decorating the tree earlier, before the mood had drastically changed, when Granny Isla’s face popped up requesting a WhatsApp video call.

‘Hi, dearie. What are you up to today on your day off?’ she asked.

‘We’ve been decorating the Christmas tree, hang on and I’ll show you.’ She walked through to the lounge and turned the camera around.

‘Ooh, that’s vera pretty, hen. You’ll have to watch Bertie doesn’t try to eat the baubles like he does with everything else. Where’s Harris? I thought he was off today too.’

Bella decided not to worry her. ‘Oh, he’s fine. He’s just gone to Portree to pick up a parcel. I’m hoping he picks up a Chinese takeaway while he’s there because I haven’t a clue what we’ll have for tea if not.’ She forced a laugh.

‘How are the wedding plans coming along, bella Bella?’ Tam asked as he took a seat beside Isla.

‘We’re pretty much sorted now, Tam. Just waiting for the big day to arrive.’ If it actually does. Oh, stop it, Bella. You’re such a pessimistic cow.

Oblivious to her inner monologue, Tam continued, ‘And is Harris excited about his nuptials?’

Isla whacked his arm. ‘Tam! What sort of a question is that? You cannae ask about another man’s nuptials out of the blue like that. It’s vera personal.’

Tam frowned. ‘Why not? It’s his wedding too.’

As if Bella somehow wouldn’t hear her, Isla whispered, ‘Aye, but you can’t ask about a thing like that . His nuptials are his business.’

Tam’s brow furrowed. ‘Aye and Bella’s, too, so what’s the issue?’

Isla glanced at the camera and through a forced smile where she barely moved her lips, and again as if Bella wouldn’t hear, she said , à la ventriloquist’s dummy, ‘It’s just a very private thing to ask a young lady about her betrothed, Tam. That’s all I’m saying. It’s inappropriate.’

Bella pursed her lips, holding in her laughter. ‘Granny, exactly what do you think nuptials are?’

Isla patted her hair and pursed her lips. She raised her eyebrows and leaned forward, closer to the camera. ‘Well, if you don’t know maybe you shouldn’t be marrying a man that’s got them, hen,’ she said in a theatrical whisper.

Tam turned to her and patted her arm. ‘Isla dearie, nuptials is just another way of saying wedding .’

Isla’s eyebrows raised, and then crumpled, then raised again as she simultaneously opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish. ‘Aye… I know that,’ she said.

But clearly she didn’t.