Page 30 of Summer in the Scottish Highlands (The Scottish Highlands #5)

As Natty skipped ahead, Faye put her hand on Jake’s arm and drew him closer.

They were walking back to the car park after lunch in Braemar village.

Natty was carrying two small paper bags from the castle gift shop, where they’d stopped briefly before heading back to the car.

One bag contained the brand-new castle guidebook and a little gift for Gayle; the other she’d been given for her flowers.

They’d explained to the young man serving in the gift shop that she’d collected some wildflowers for her holiday journals, which they had yet to buy.

‘Did I ever tell you that you’re the kindest, most thoughtful man I have ever met?’

Jake halted, surprised by the sudden compliment. He didn’t know what to say. Instead, he planted a kiss on the back of her hand.

Jake saw Natty stop in the courtyard and turn around just at the right moment, catching Jake and her mum standing close together, her mum’s arm entwined with his – and that impromptu kiss.

Natty ran over and took Jake’s hand as they crossed the car park to the car. ‘I can’t wait to tell Gayle all about my adventure in the castle. This is the best day ever!’

Jake thought he’d heard her say that the previous day was her best day ever – or had that been the day before that? It didn’t matter. It’s been the best day ever for me too, the best week so far, thought Jake as he smiled at the little girl who together with her mother had captured his heart.

‘Will we have time to stop in Aviemore on the way back, to buy a couple of journals?’ Faye asked as she got in the car beside Jake.

He checked his watch. They’d arrived at the castle mid-morning, and after a couple of hours of visiting the castle and wandering the grounds, they’d spent an hour having lunch.

It was now two in the afternoon. ‘If we make it back to Aviemore by four, that will give you an hour or so before the shops shut.’

‘Can we go to Mr Gillespie’s store?’ Natty asked. ‘I want to see if Evie is there and tell her about the castle.’

Faye glanced over her shoulder at Natty. ‘I’m not sure if they sell journals there.’

Jake said, ‘You could try one of the gift shops in Aviemore, or Wilbur’s Bookstore.’

‘Wilbur’s Bookstore. That sounds familiar. Oh, isn’t that where—?’

‘Yes,’ Jake said curtly, cutting her off as he started the car.

He didn’t want to talk about Bonnie meeting Robyn and Eleanor at Wilbur’s Bookstore last Christmas.

Bonnie and Robyn had been the last people to speak to Eleanor before she’d arrived at the ski slopes on Christmas Day before the accident.

Faye fell silent. He glanced at her. ‘Sorry, that was rude of me.’

‘No, please don’t apologise. I shouldn’t have brought that up.’

‘Brought what up?’ Natty asked from the back seat .

Jake and Faye exchanged a glance. Faye turned in her seat. ‘Natty, why don’t you put on your headphones and listen to a story.’

‘That’s what I’m doing!’

Jake backed out of their parking space and headed out of the car park.

Faye turned to Jake. ‘What do you think happened to Robyn?’

Jake shrugged. ‘Goodness knows.’

‘Imagine all that time, since Christmas Day, when Bonnie had that car accident and lost her memories, thinking she was Robyn Parker – all because by a sheer fluke she’d borrowed Robyn’s car to drive Eleanor to the ski slopes.’

‘Yeah.’ Jake shook his head. ‘If only Bonnie had returned to Wilbur’s Bookstore,’ commented Jake, glancing at Faye. ‘Instead, she skipped town in Robyn’s car – well, almost.’

‘Yes, but that was understandable, though, wasn’t it? Fleeing from her abusive boyfriend.’

‘Of course – I’m sure anyone given the opportunity would have done the same thing. But look where that got her.’

‘Yes, the car accident, and months thinking she was someone else. But it is all very romantic, because she fell in love with David and found a life for herself here in this beautiful place, so all’s well that ends well.’

‘Not in terms of Robyn.’ Or Eleanor , thought Jake, although he couldn’t blame Bonnie for driving Eleanor to the ski slopes.

From what Bonnie had said, Robyn had been packing to leave Wilbur’s Bookstore, where she’d been working during the Christmas holidays.

Bonnie had done as Robyn had asked and driven Eleanor to the ski slopes while she packed; the favour was going to be returned when Bonnie came back to the bookstore because the plan had been that Robyn would give Bonnie a lift on the way out of town. Jake said as much to Faye.

‘I wonder where Robyn could have gone. With no car. On Christmas Day.’

‘It’s like she disappeared into thin air,’ commented Jake.

‘Exactly.’

They fell silent for a time. Jake could see Natty in his rear-view mirror with her headphones on, looking out of the car window as she listened to a story.

‘I heard that Bonnie wants to find Robyn.’

Jake glanced at Faye. He wasn’t surprised.

After all, she had stolen Robyn’s car. It sounded as though her intention had been to get as far away from Aviemore, and Logan, as she could, and then phone Wilbur’s Bookstore and let Robyn know where she could find her car.

Of course, that hadn’t happened. He wasn’t surprised that she wanted to find Robyn and make amends.

Even so, he said, ‘Where did you hear that?’

‘I got chatting to Evie’s mum, Annie, who is minding Bonnie’s outlet at Mr Gillespie’s store while she’s … away.’

Jake nodded, even though Bonnie wasn’t away. She was still at home in the boathouse.

‘Maybe if Judith tells Bonnie and David everything about her stepdaughter, they might glean a clue as to her whereabouts.’

‘Perhaps.’

Faye shot Jake a look. ‘I don’t think you hold out much hope of them tracking her down.’

‘It’s just all rather odd, if you really think about it.

Most of Robyn’s possessions were in that car, including her money – that savings book with the money left to her in her late father’s will, and all those deposited cheques from Judith that she’d sent to Robyn while she was on her travels.

She must have walked out of Wilbur’s Bookstore with not much more than the clothes on her back. ’

‘People start over.’

Jake knew all about that – he was a poster child for starting over, leaving his job as a corporate lawyer for the Ross Corporation and going into teaching.

But he had money behind him to make such a substantial change.

By the sound of it, Robyn had not taken her money with her.

And she hadn’t even told her stepmum what she was up to, although it did sound as though they were estranged.

‘What are you thinking?’ Faye asked.

Jake didn’t really want to voice his thoughts, not after such a perfect day together, and spoil the mood.

‘Jake?’

He breathed a sigh. ‘I’m thinking something happened to her.’ He glanced at Faye, expecting her to ask him what exactly he thought that could be. Of course, he had no clue. But her pensive expression suggested she felt the same way.

A few minutes silence followed, until Faye said, ‘I’m not sure I want to visit Wilbur’s Bookstore after all.’

‘I thought you wanted to buy journals. They’re likely to sell them in a bookshop.’

When he didn’t get a reply, he glanced at her. She was staring out of the side window. ‘What is it?’ There was something on her mind, he could tell.

Faye turned from the window. ‘This is going to sound really stupid …’ She paused.

‘Go on, Faye, please. I can’t imagine anything you say would be stupid.’

‘Yeah, well, I think you’ll revise that opinion.’ Faye looked over her shoulder at Natty.

‘She’s still listening to a story, so whatever it is she won’t hear it.’

Faye lowered her voice all the same. ‘It’s just that three people were in Wilbur’s Bookstore on Christmas Day, and … well … two of them had accidents, and the other one … well, god knows what happened to Robyn.’

Despite everything, Jake smiled. Faye caught him smiling. ‘See, I knew you’d think I was being silly.’

‘Seriously, Faye, the bookstore is not jinxed. Remember at the party you met Melissa and Brodie?’

‘Melissa and Brodie?’

Jake kept his eye on the road ahead. ‘Yeah, Wilbur has retired, and now Brodie, his grandson, runs the bookstore. I heard he is an aspiring writer too. Melissa, his fiancée, has a law degree and is working for a local law firm, working towards qualifying as a solicitor.’

Faye nodded, although she still didn’t appear that receptive to changing her mind about the bookshop.

‘Look, they live there. They told me they’ve moved into the flat above the shop. They haven’t had an accident – or disappeared.’

He took his eyes off the road a few times, looking her way.

‘Well, all right. I did want to buy Natty a couple of reading books, and a novel for myself. I like to read a few pages before I go to sleep.’

‘Nothing in Gayle’s study take your fancy?’ Jake quipped, knowing full well the books were self-help books.

Unsurprisingly, Faye shook her head. ‘Thinking of missing people …’ ventured Faye.

Jake frowned. He thought they’d moved on from Robyn, and what may or may not have happened to her.

‘If you want to go and visit Martha again, please don’t hold off doing that on our account. I’m sure we can figure out how to fill in a couple of hours while you’re gone.’

Jake felt terribly guilty that he had all but forgotten the old lady with dementia to whom he’d made a promise he couldn’t keep – that he would find her son.

He’d guessed she’d given her son up for adoption.

He wished he hadn’t made the promise. He wished he’d never answered a random phone call and ended up visiting an old lady living in the wing of Cedar Grove – once a stately home, and now a hospice.

But Martha and he were connected in a way. She’d known William Ross and William’s wife Grace years ago, through her brother, Ralph Delaney – known to Jake as Aubrey Jones.

‘Jake?’