Page 34 of Summer in the Scottish Highlands (The Scottish Highlands #5)

‘Is this the place?’ Faye asked Evie.

‘Yes. This is where me and Mummy come for a hot chocolate.’

Faye stepped inside the café. Unfortunately, it was extremely small, with a handful of tables that were already taken.

‘Can I help you?’ asked a young man, briefly looking up. He was in the middle of cleaning a table right by the door for a couple who had just arrived.

‘No, it’s okay. We were just leaving.’

‘Did you want something to eat or drink?’

‘Yes, hot chocolate and coffee.’

‘We have a small garden area at the back if you’d like to sit there. It’s a beautiful day – you can make the most of the sunshine.’

Evie tugged on Faye’s arm. ‘That’s where me and Mummy sit – in the garden.’

‘Oh, okay.’ Faye looked at the young man. ‘Lead the way.’

‘I’ll show you,’ said Evie.

The young man looked at Evie. ‘Hey, Evie. I didn’t see you there. How’s things?’

‘Great. This is Natty, my new friend. We’re having a sleepover tonight at Lark Lodge.’

‘That sounds amazing. Say hi to Gayle for me.’

‘I will.’

Faye’s head bobbed from Evie to the young man as she listened to this exchange, although she didn’t know why she was acting all surprised. Evie obviously went in there a lot with her mother. Even so, she couldn’t get over how friendly people were. She said to the young man, ‘You know Gayle?’

‘Oh, yeah. Gayle’s father was my family’s GP for years and years. He was such a lovely man. I remember when I was a child, he’d come and do home visits whatever the weather. We were all so pleased to hear that his old place wasn’t being sold and that Gayle had turned into a guesthouse.’

Faye nodded. ‘It’s a lovely place. I’m staying there this week.

I just wish there had been vacancies after then because I might have stayed on.

’ Faye was a bit surprised she’d come out with that, especially considering that Jake wouldn’t be with them.

But there was no denying the fact that, just like Natty, she loved it there.

She had surprised herself in finding that she wanted to stay on.

‘That’s okay, Mum,’ said Natty. ‘We’re going to stay at The Lake House.’

The young man immediately stopped cleaning the table. ‘The Lake House? But isn’t that the Rosses’ holiday home?’ His eyes went wide. ‘Who are you? Are you a Ross?’

The café had gone noticeably quiet all of a sudden. Faye glanced sheepishly around and found that everyone’s eyes were on her. She needed to put a stop to the conversation. She opened her mouth to say something, when Natty got there first.

‘Jake owns The Lake House.’

‘Jake Campbell-Ross?’

Natty nodded. ‘My mum and Jake are getting married. ’

‘Natty!’ Faye wanted to the ground to swallow her up. She shook her head. ‘Look, ignore her. I don’t know where she got that idea from.’

‘But it’s true. I saw you kissing.’

‘Right, come on.’ She took Natty’s hand. ‘Did you say the garden is this way?’

The young man nodded dumbly, staring after her.

Faye could hear the chatter of voices and the mention of Jake’s name. Fortunately, the garden seating area was quiet. The garden was compact, with an assortment of different coloured bistro tables and chairs in varying pastel shades. They were colourful and vibrant. Each had a little parasol.

The garden was enclosed by a high brick wall, with colourful clematis creeper and pots of summer flowers, making it feel more like someone’s private garden than a café.

Evie took Natty’s hand. ‘Come on, let’s sit in there.’

Faye watched Evie lead Natty over to a small summerhouse in the corner, painted in pastel blue.

The double doors were open, and inside Faye could see lots of colourful cushions on a rug, along with a shelf of small toys and books.

They quickly made themselves at home, both lying on their stomachs with a book between them.

There were three other small children in there – toddlers playing with toys while their mothers sat with hot drinks. Faye could smell the rich aroma of coffee wafting from their table.

‘How lovely,’ Faye commented as the waiter returned with a menu. She hoped he didn’t mention Jake Campbell-Ross or The Lake House. ‘I like the cosy summerhouse filled with books and toys,’ she said pointing.

‘Yes, it’s very popular with our younger visitors.

We get a lot of young mothers and toddlers come in when their older children are at school for a catch-up and a natter,’ he continued.

‘The cosy corner keeps the little ones entertained while the mums have a bit of time to relax and to enjoy their drinks together.’

Faye thought it was a shame that this outside space wasn’t open in winter too. She said as much.

‘It’s open all year round. We have a marquee we put up in the colder months, along with a patio heater and glow lights.

Mums often stop by here straight after the school run.

It’s quite magical. Don’t forget, it gets quite dark in this part of the world, so by half-past three, when school’s out in the winter, it’s already getting dark. ’

‘Can I have my hot chocolate in here?’ Natty asked, looking at the waiter.

‘I’m afraid hot drinks aren’t allowed in the summerhouse.’

Faye looked at the toddlers sitting with the toy cars and understood why hot drinks weren’t allowed in there. ‘That’s all right, Natty. When the drinks arrive, you can both sit with me and keep me company for a bit.’

‘That sounds like a good plan,’ said the waiter. Before he left the garden with their order, he paused. ‘If you’re very good, you might find our resident tiger comes to join you.’

Faye’s eyes went wide. ‘Did you just say a resident tiger?’

Evie sniggered into her hand.

‘Oh, yes.’ He winked at Evie, and added, ‘But you have to be on your best behaviour, otherwise she might bite.’

‘I know,’ said Evie.

Faye stared after the waiter and then turned her attention to Evie. He couldn’t be serious – surely. But who knew what surprises were in store. Her whole holiday had been one long, lovely surprise – until that day, when she and Jake had rowed.

‘What does resident mean?’ Natty asked, not at all concerned by the mention of a tiger.

‘It means they live here.’

‘A tiger lives here?’ Natty looked at Evie, so did Faye.

She just sat there smiling and nodding her head. ‘You’ll see.’

‘Evie, is your mum busy working in the shop?’ one of the young mothers seated at another table asked.

‘Yes. This is my new friend, Natty, and her mum, Faye.’

‘Would you like to come and join us?’

Faye looked over at the other table with the four young women seated around it. She glanced around the small garden and realised one of them must have been talking to her. ‘I’m sorry – what?’

‘Come join us. It’s no fun sitting alone.’

Faye didn’t mind sitting alone if it meant she wouldn’t get the third degree.

She was wondering if one of them had been inside when they’d first walked in and had overheard what Natty had said, and whether they were now under the impression that Faye and Jake were getting married.

She’d have some explaining to do when they returned to Gayle’s house and Jake was nowhere to be seen.

Unfortunately, Faye thought it rude to decline the invitation to join the four young women at the table.

Everyone there knew everyone else. She went to join them with a question on her lips.

She took her seat and said, ‘I have to ask – this is going to sound so silly, but is there a resident tiger?’

All the young women surprised her by nodding their heads. ‘She’s over there – look.’

There was a hushed silence. Faye could hear purring before she saw a very large ginger cat with vivid, stripy markings. ‘Thank goodness it’s just a cat,’ she said .

‘Oh, she isn’t just any cat,’ said the waiter, depositing two tall glasses of hot chocolate and a cup of coffee on the table. ‘That’s Tyger.’

Faye watched the cat sit beside the book and paw at it when they tried to turn the page.

Evie said, ‘Hello, Tyger,’ and gave her a scratch behind the ear.

Natty tentatively stroked the cat.

Evie said, ‘It’s all right, she doesn’t really bite.’

Faye grinned. ‘You weren’t joking when you said you have a resident tiger.’

‘She can put on the charm when she wants to, especially with food around, so we do have to ask for everyone not to be tempted to share any food with her. Tyger is on a diet.’

‘Oh, dear.’

‘Yeah, she’s spoiled rotten. We could just take her home out of harm’s way, but everyone loves her, and a lot of people come here and enjoy stroking the cat while they have a cup of coffee or lunch.’

Suddenly, Tyger ran out of the hut and pounced on the table, surprising Faye.

She hadn’t surprised anyone else on that table. The waiter said, ‘Tyger, I’ve got nothing to eat on this tray, only drinks.’

Tyger sniffed one of the hot chocolates.

‘Oh no you don’t.’ He lifted her off the table, as he said to Faye, ‘That’s why we’ve got the sign …’ he pointed.

Faye smiled at the sign: Don’t Feed the Tyger.

Faye looked around the table. She didn’t remember this sort of thing when she had been a young mother in London.

There just hadn’t been a sense of community.

The only time she’d had a sense of that had been through Natty’s school or her own school.

But outside of work, it was difficult to make friends or even have time for friends.

What had Jake said about his childhood there?