Page 35 of Summer in the Scottish Highlands (The Scottish Highlands #5)

Faye sat watching Natty lying there on a cushion next to Evie.

They were both reading the same book, checking with each other when they were both finished reading and ready to turn the page.

He’d referred to his childhood as slow .

Sitting there, watching Natty with a new friend, she was getting a sense of what Jake meant.

There was nothing slow about living in London – at least not for her.

It was frenetic – work, home, marking, schoolwork, bedtime, and yet more work.

There was little wonder she never relaxed or spent time with Natty, real time together, in the moment, not thinking of the endless list of things she had to do at work.

This made such a lovely change, just being present.

She looked at the other women seated around the table as they each introduced themselves.

Faye told them she was there on holiday, with her daughter and a family friend.

She did not want to specify who that was.

Especially as their friendship was no more, and he was probably already on the train back to London.

She didn’t want to think about that. Instead, she said, ‘I love the sense of community here. It’s nothing like where I’m from.’

‘I bet you wish you didn’t have to go home,’ one of them remarked.

‘Don’t be silly. Of course she wants to go home. She lives in London. Just imagine the theatres and art galleries, and all the museums to visit on those winter days. And the gorgeous public parks in the summer.’

‘If you love it so much, why didn’t you stay there? Why did you move here with your husband, hundreds of miles away?’

Faye leaned forward in her chair, interested to hear what the woman had to say to that. She’d assumed all the young mothers seated at the table had lived there all their lives.

‘Oh, do stop teasing. You know very well why, Milly. I wanted to come home and raise my children in Aviemore. I mean, just look at it. What could beat this?’

Faye glanced at Natty, who was having the time of her life – she was going to have her very first sleepover tonight.

Faye decided that she was going to make the next couple of days extra-special.

Suddenly, an odd thought occurred to her.

She regretted the remark she’d made to Jake when he’d spoken about his father and those wild camping trips they’d been on together.

The fact that he remembered them decades later, when he must have been all of four or five when they took place, meant that they must have made a lasting impression.

When he’d suggested the three of them went camping, she’d immediately rejected the idea.

Now she regretted not being open to new experiences.

Even if the thought of a night or two under canvas didn’t immediately appeal to her, she’d done other things that didn’t – like going on a bike ride – and had found she’d had the time of her life.

Faye breathed a heavy sigh, realising there was no going back on the camping idea now. I could take her myself one day , she thought. I could persuade my dad to come instead. She called Natty and Evie over to sit at the table for their drinks.

She turned to the friendly young women who’d asked her to join them.

‘I think it’s a wonderful place to raise children,’ commented Faye.

‘If I could get a teaching position here, I’d have no qualms moving.

’ Faye halted. Her mouth dropped open. Did I really say that?

She gave Natty a sideways glance. The grin on her face said she’d heard every word.

‘Can I go to the same school as Evie?’ she asked, as though the arrangements to move were already in the pipeline.

‘Oh, Natty, this is just grown-up talk.’

‘You mean we’re not moving?’

Evie said, ‘I go to the primary school in Aviemore. It’s fun. Can Natty come too in September?’

‘There are places at the school,’ one of the mothers told her.

Faye sighed. ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s not as simple as that.’

Natty said, ‘Why not?’

‘Because Mummy needs a job,’ Faye replied.

One of the young mothers, Milly, said. ‘Do you teach secondary school by any chance? My eldest is starting his second year in September, but he’s very disappointed because the headteacher is leaving. They’re taking applications.’

‘Milly, she would need to be a head, not just a secondary school teacher. Not just anyone with a teaching qualification can apply.’

‘Actually, I’ve just finished my training course to become a headteacher, so I can look for positions.’

‘Really? What a stroke of good luck. Why don’t you apply?’

‘Yes, Mummy, why don’t you apply?’

Faye hesitated. As much as she loved it there, she couldn’t move there – not without the love of her life.

All it would do would remind her of him – the man she realised she’d been in love with since she’d first set eyes on him; the new trainee teacher who had walked into her school and into her life.

Besides, there were also the practicalities, even if things had worked out with Jake.

She would need to give at least a term’s notice in her current job if she was leaving to take up another position.

And then, of course, Jake would have needed to secure a position too .

As if Natty had read her mind, she said, ‘Jake would need a job too.’

Faye’s eyebrows shot up . Oh, god, she thought. Why did she have to bring up Jake in front of all these people ?

‘Who’s Jake?’ Milly asked.

‘Natty, drink up your hot chocolate.’

Natty didn’t do as she was told. ‘Jake owns The Lake House.’

‘The Lake House?’ one of the young mother’s said in surprise, nearly choking on her drink. ‘But isn’t that the Rosses’ holiday home?’

‘Are you talking about Jake Campbell-Ross?’ Milly asked.

Natty nodded. ‘My mum and Jake are getting married, and then we’re going to live in The Lake House.’

Faye sighed heavily. It was a repeat of what had happened when they’d first walked into the café.

‘Didn’t he lose his wife here last Christmas?’

Faye would rather not answer that, although this time she was going to set the record straight. ‘Look, Natty, no one is getting married, and no one is going to live in The Lake House.’

‘That’s a shame,’ one of the mothers commented. ‘I heard it’s such a lovely house. Such a shame after what happened last Christmas that the place has been abandoned.’

‘Yeah, I heard not one member of the family has been there since, and the place is going downhill fast.’

Faye ignored those comments. She did not want to talk about The Lake House.

‘But you’re going on a date with Jake this evening,’ said Natty.

‘Does it look like we’re going on a date? You’re having a sleepover with Evie. ’

‘But I thought—’

‘There is no date.’

‘But I saw you kiss.’

‘Well, grownups do silly things that don’t mean anything.

Right now, Jake is on the train back to London.

It’s over, Natty, whatever I thought was going to happen, whatever you thought was going to happen.

Well, it’s not. And that’s that. So, you better finish up that hot chocolate so we can get going.

’ Faye sat back in her seat and folded her arms.

Everyone, even the cat, who had been circling the table, stopped dead. The silence up the table was broken by Natty bursting into tears.

She was still crying when they walked back into Mr Gillespie’s store.

‘Oh, what happened?’ said Annie. She had been pulling on her coat and was about to put the Closed sign in the window when they’d all trooped in. Mr Gillespie had left already. Annie was about to lock up the shop.

Evie had an arm around Natty’s shoulder.

‘A dose of reality, I’m afraid. Things didn’t work with me and Jake.’ She lowered her voice. ‘I was going to wait to tell her.’

Annie said, ‘I’m so sorry to hear that. But perhaps it’s for the best that she knows now, rather than prolong the inevitable.’

‘Natty, let’s collect your ribbons,’ said Evie. ‘We can make Olive look pretty. Would you like that?’

Natty wiped her runny nose with the back of her hand, and said, ‘Yes.’ Faye decided not to tell her off this time for not using a tissue.

As they all walked out of the shop, Annie said, ‘What about you? Are you okay?’

‘No, not really. ’

‘Listen, you don’t have to do the sleepover after all. I really understand if you want to cancel it.’

‘Not at all. I’m really looking forward to it. It couldn’t have come at a better time, honestly. It will keep my mind off … things.’

‘Yes, I get it. You’ll be so exhausted after those two keep you awake, no doubt nattering until the early hours, that you’ll fall into a coma until morning, with no time to ruminate.’

‘Exactly. It’s just what I need.’

As they headed to Annie’s car, she said, ‘You know, maybe things aren’t as bad as you think.’

Yes, they are , thought Faye. Annie didn’t understand.

As they got in the car, Natty was chatting happily to Evie. Faye looked at her, surprised. Although she was relieved that her daughter seemed to have bounced back remarkably quickly, she was amazed at the sudden change.

‘Are you all right, Natty?’ she asked.

‘Evie says her mum and dad argue and then they kiss and make up.’

‘Evie!’

‘Well, it’s true.’

Faye grimaced. The problem was that she and Jake weren’t in a relationship and certainly weren’t married.

And Jake had a lot of baggage. And so did she.

She was about to tell Natty that this was different, that things were a hell of a lot more complicated, and that they weren’t just going to kiss and make up.

But the innocent smile on Natty’s face stopped her in her tracks.

She would let her enjoy the journey back to Gayle’s in blissful ignorance that what Evie had told her about her mum and dad was true for Jake and her mum.

She would just give her that and wait until they arrived for her to find out the truth.

Faye turned in her seat. She was not looking forward to going through all the tears again with Natty when she found out the truth – for real this time.