Page 33 of Summer in the Scottish Highlands (The Scottish Highlands #5)

Faye had just finished an illuminating conversation with Duncan about Eleanor Campbell-Ross when Natty ran over with a handful of ribbons.

Faye looked at them. ‘Oh, sweetheart! That’s a lot of ribbon.’ She turned to Duncan. ‘I insist I pay for them.’

‘Well, how about if you have some spare change, putting it in this instead.’ Duncan picked up a charity box and placed it in front of her.

The charity was in support of mountain rescue.

Apt, thought Faye, considering the conversation they’d just had.

She emptied all her spare change into the box.

She still felt she should pay for the ribbon, although she expected that Duncan would reimburse Bonnie for the cost.

‘What’s this?’ asked Natty, picking up a leaflet from a stack on the counter.

‘Ah, that’s the Aviemore ice rink. My son works there now. He coaches the younger children who are members of the junior ice hockey team and want to go on to play in the bigger league games. He also takes some of the ice-skating lessons.’

‘I didn’t realise Aviemore had its own ice rink.’ She picked up one of the leaflets. I’ve taken Natty ice-skating before at Christmas time in the courtyard of Somerset House in London.’

‘Oh, aye. I’ve heard of that. Don’t they do it every year, starting around November?’

‘Yes, that’s right.’

‘But here you can do it all year round.’ Duncan pointed at the leaflet. ‘Take a look at the photos. It’s indoors, in an alpine-themed marquee.’

‘What’s that?’ Natty asked.

Faye looked at Natty. She was pointing at the photos of children skating who were holding on to plastic penguins and polar bears.

Duncan replied, ‘Ah, those children are using the penguin and polar bear skating aids.’

Faye heard the shop door opening and the bell above the door signalling more customers.

‘I want to go ice-skating, Mummy. Can we?’

‘Of course we can. Anything you want, sweetheart.’ Faye was so pleased she’d stopped by Mr Gillespie’s store. This was just what she needed – something she and Natty could do together.

‘Do you think Jake knows how to ice-skate?’

Faye was saved from answering that question by the sound of another child’s voice shouting out, ‘Natty!’

Faye turned around to see Annie slipping off her coat as she walked towards them.

‘You’re back already,’ remarked Duncan. ‘How did Evie’s dentist check-up go?’

‘Yes, fine. No fillings, thank goodness!’

Natty was showing Evie the ribbons.

‘Oh, Annie. Just the person! I wanted to buy a couple of things I saw in the window display. ’

‘Of course, Faye. What were you after?’

‘A couple of tartan cushions and a matching throw.’

She glanced at the leaflet in Faye’s hand. ‘Oh, if you’re interested in ice-skating, and you’re after doing something really special, I’d go to the snow disco.’

‘The what?’

Duncan overheard them as they walked towards the other side of the shop. ‘Oh aye, I forgot about that.’

‘Come with us. Joe, myself and Evie are going. Are you around on Saturday night? That’s when they hold them.’

‘Yes, we leave on Monday.’ Faye didn’t want to think about Jake leaving already and staying on without him.

But she wasn’t going to cut her holiday short.

Besides, Patrick was collecting them from the train station when they arrived at Paddington.

He’d be surprised that Jake wasn’t with them, but she wasn’t going to think about that right now.

‘Great! It’s a proper disco with music, disco lights and, of course, snow!’

‘Snow – in the summer?’

‘Oh, yes. They’ve got a fantastic snow machine. We all get wet, but that’s the fun of it.’

‘Oh, it sounds amazing.’

‘Hold on. I’ll check I can get tickets.’ The girls had run ahead to the interior design side of the shop. Annie halted and got out her phone. ‘Ah, we’re in luck. There are tickets left. Hold on, I’ll quickly buy three in case they go. It’s ever so popular.’

‘Two tickets, Annie. We just need two.’

‘Oh, skating not Jake’s thing? He could always sit and have a cup of coffee and watch. That’s what Joe is going to do. He’ll appreciate the company. ’

‘No, he won’t be coming.’

Annie looked at her. ‘Everything okay?’

Faye’s lip trembled. She swallowed. She couldn’t break down and cry now. Not in front of everyone – especially Natty. She’d save that for the evening, when Natty was fast asleep, and have a good cry into her pillow instead.

‘No, not really. I think Jake is going home today.’

‘Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.’ There followed an awkward silence. Annie soon picked up that Faye wasn’t going to elaborate. ‘Look, whatever it is, I’m sure things will work out.’

Faye nodded, although she doubted that very much. Right now, she felt such a fool for taking the initiative and organising a date night with Jake.

‘I’ve got them! Two tickets for the snow disco on Saturday evening at six.’

‘I don’t suppose you could pick me and Natty up?’ Faye suddenly realised she didn’t have access to a car. Jake would be returning the hire car before he left.

‘Of course, no worries.’ They were walking over to join the girls when Annie got a text. ‘Oh, seriously!’

‘Everything all right?’ Faye asked.

‘Of all the days. My babysitter has let me down. We’ve booked a meal out this evening in Aviemore.

It’s our wedding anniversary. Joe is going to be so annoyed when he finds out.

I’d normally ask David, and I know he’d come over to babysit, but under the circumstances, spending time with Bonnie this week is his priority, so I don’t want to ask. ’

Faye glanced at Duncan. ‘What about her grandfather?’

‘Yeah, I know he’d step in, but we’re going to be out really late, and it means he’d have to drive home in the dark in his old van, down the winding lanes from where we live, and I just don’t like the thought of that. We haven’t got a spare bedroom to put him up, you see.’

Faye watched Annie scroll through her phone and ring a number. ‘Hello. Yes, I need to cancel a table reservation this evening, please.’ Annie gave her name, waiting, and then said, ‘Yeah, we’ll book another time. I’ll phone you when I’ve fixed another date.’

Faye suddenly had an idea. ‘Does she like sleepovers?’

Annie was about to slip her phone in the back pocket of her jeans. She looked at Faye. ‘Huh?’

‘What if she could come and stay the night with me and Natty at Lark Lodge? Then you could have a sleep in, and come to collect her tomorrow when you’re ready. And you’d be able to have that meal in the restaurant.’

‘Really? You’d do that?’

‘Of course. Natty will love it.’

‘But will it be okay with the other guests, having two giggling little girls, probably up until goodness knows when?’

‘Oh, we’re up in the attic. I’m sure no one will hear them.’

‘But what about you?’

‘It’ll be fun. At home, she’s asked for a friend to come over for a sleepover, but I’ve never got the time for it. This would be just perfect. I’ll just phone Gayle, though, to make sure.’

‘Oh, just the person – I was going to ring you,’ said Gayle down the phone.

Faye frowned wondering why that was.

‘I’m coming to pick you and Natty up.’

Faye’s heart lurched. She’d thought Jake might be packing up to leave, although in her heart she really hoped she was overreacting and that wasn’t the case. But now she knew. He’d probably left already. And he hadn’t even said goodbye.

‘Faye – are you still there?’

‘Yes, I am.’

‘Are you finished shopping for your journals?’

‘Oh, the journals.’ Faye didn’t fancy doing one now.

‘Oh, Mummy, I want a journal.’

‘Hold on, Natty.’ Faye nearly forgot the reason she was calling.

‘Look, I wonder if I could ask a huge favour. Annie has been let down by her babysitter, and they wanted to have a meal out this evening – it’s their wedding anniversary.

They would have called on Joe’s brother, David, to fill in but they don’t want to ask them to babysit under the circumstances.

Is it okay if Evie comes over and stays the night with me and Natty? ’

‘Hey, the more the merrier. In fact, that’ll work out perfectly this evening.’

Faye was sure it would. The interconnecting attic bedroom that Jake had vacated would be free for the girls.

‘Are you ready for me to come and collect you now?’

‘Hold on just a moment, Gayle. I’m just going to have a word with Annie.’ She looked at Annie. ‘It’s all organised. She can come.’ Faye looked at her watch. ‘How shall we organise this? Will you bring Evie a little later, or should she come back with us now and have dinner with us?’

‘Actually, that is a good idea. She’ll need her pyjamas and toothbrush, and a teddy – or two.’

‘Oh, of course.’

‘I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you choose your cushions and throw? By that time, the store will be closing. We’ll all nip back to my house to collect Evie’s things for the sleepover, then we’ll go to Lark Lodge, and I can drop you all off. Save Gayle a trip into Aviemore.’

Faye nodded. That sounded like a plan, and a perfect way of getting out of the inevitable conversation with Gayle in the car about Jake leaving. She did not want that bombshell dropped on Natty just yet, spoiling what remained of her holiday, before she had a chance to tell Natty herself.

‘Gayle, you don’t have to come and collect us. Annie will drop us at yours.’

‘Okay, great. See you soon-ish.’ She turned to Annie after she ended the call to Gayle. ‘I suggest you phone the restaurant back and get that table reservation reinstated.’

‘Oh, crumbs.’ Annie looked at her wide-eyed. ‘I’ll do that right now.’

Faye chose her cushions and throws while Annie made the call. When she got off the phone, with the table booked again, Faye said, ‘I just have to shop for a couple of journals before we leave.’

‘Well, there’s a bit of time before the shop shuts. Meet you back here at five?’

Faye nodded. ‘Natty, come on.’

‘No, I don’t want to come.’

‘But I thought you wanted to choose a journal?’

Natty looked at Evie. ‘Can Evie come too?’

‘Yes, can I come too?’

‘Is that all right, Annie?’ Faye asked.

‘Of course. If you don’t mind.’

‘Not at all.’

‘There’s a couple of nice gift shops. I’m sure you’ll pick up some journals in there, and you’ve got a bit of time to kill before I shut up shop here, I can suggest a very nice little coffee shop – it’s not far from here.

Evie likes their hot chocolates, and the coffee there is amazing.

’ Annie tried to give Faye some money for the coffee and hot chocolates.

Faye shook her head. ‘No, this is my treat. Anyway, I’m not sure we’re going to get as far as stopping for hot chocolate and coffee. I was going to visit Wilbur’s Bookstore to buy Natty some story books. I didn’t get around to buying some for the holiday.’

‘Oh, Evie has got loads. Natty can choose some when she comes round.’

Natty overheard. ‘Are we going to Evie’s house?’

Faye told her about the sleepover. As she was leaving the shop, the two girls were jumping up and down with excitement. Faye guessed she wouldn’t be getting much sleep that night.

Annie ran over before she stepped outside and gave her a hug. ‘Thank you so much, Faye.’

‘No – thank you, Annie.’ Faye realised that of all nights, a sleepover tonight would be a godsend. She would be too busy entertaining the girls and too exhausted to cry into her pillow.