Page 36 of Summer in the Scottish Highlands (The Scottish Highlands #5)

As soon as Gayle opened the door and greeted them, Natty said, ‘Where’s Jake?’

‘He’s gone—’

‘See, Natty. What did I tell you?’ Faye sighed. ‘He’s gone back to London without us.’

Natty’s bottom lip started to quiver. ‘It’s not true!’ She shoved passed Gayle and ran down the hallway to the kitchen.

‘Of course it’s not true,’ Gayle called after her.

Natty emerged from the kitchen and ran back down the hallway.

Evie said, ‘Where are you going?’

Natty suddenly bolted up the stairs, calling out, ‘Jake! Jake!’

Faye watched Evie follow Natty up the stairs. Faye didn’t have to ask Natty what she was doing. She was going up to Jake’s bedroom. A moment later, she heard two pairs of feet running down the stairs.

‘He’s not in his bedroom!’ exclaimed Natty.

Faye sighed again. ‘When are you going to get the message that he’s not here?’

‘But his clothes are still in the wardrobe, and his phone is charging on the bedside table.’

Faye creased her brow. ‘Huh?’

Gayle said, ‘Isn’t anyone listening to me?’ She turned to Faye. ‘I don’t know what you’re on about, saying Jake has gone to London. I can assure you he hasn’t.’

Faye was still convinced he had, despite Natty saying his clothes and mobile were still there. Perhaps he hadn’t been able to get a train that day and had needed to postpone the trip back until the next day.

‘There’s a little surprise awaiting you,’ Gayle said to Natty.

Natty jumped up and down. ‘See, Mummy. I told you!’

Faye folded her arms. ‘What do you mean – I told you ?’

‘That Jake came back here after he dropped us in Aviemore because he had a surprise for us.’

‘It’s true,’ said Gayle, grinning.

Faye turned to Gayle. ‘What do you mean – a surprise?’

‘Ah, now that would be telling …’

Faye would much rather she did tell. She was not in the mood for surprises, and certainly not one from Jake.

‘Marty!’ Gayle called out. ‘Can you do the honours?’

‘Do what?’

Marty emerged from the lounge. ‘Ah, I thought you’d never arrive back. You were ages .’

‘Evie has come for a sleepover. Annie has just dropped us off, but we had to go to Annie’s house first to collect some things for Evie.

’ Faye was standing there holding Evie’s overnight bag.

Jake hadn’t vacated his room yet, which meant the girls would not be sleeping next door.

There were only two single beds in her room.

She hoped Gayle had a put-you-up bed. She asked Gayle.

‘No need. Now, Marty did you find what I asked for? ’

‘Will this do?’ Marty asked, producing a black tie from behind his back.

‘That will do nicely.’

Faye looked at the tie, wondering what on earth was going on. She didn’t bother asking. Instead, she said, ‘The three of us haven’t had dinner, so obviously I hope it’s okay to join you this evening.’

Gayle didn’t answer. Instead, she walked over to Marty and took the tie. She walked up to Faye. ‘Now, let’s just put this on.’

Faye looked at her wide-eyed. ‘Pardon me?’

‘It’s part of the surprise.’

‘Are you saying I have to wear a tie?’

‘Oh, dear me no. Well, not in the normal sense.’

Faye frowned. It had been a long day. ‘Look, Gayle. I just want to take Evie’s things up to the bedroom.’

Gayle took Evie’s bag out of Faye’s hand and gave it to Evie. She then knelt and whispered something in Natty’s ear.

Natty shouted, ‘For real?’ She turned on her heel and ran upstairs.

‘What on earth …?’ said Faye.

‘Now, Faye, I want you to put on this blindfold.’ She held up the tie.

‘What?’

‘Just humour me.’

Faye really was too tired for games. But she was too tired to argue either. As Gayle put on the blindfold, she heard Natty thundering back down the stairs.

‘Right, we’re all set,’ said Gayle.

‘For what?’ Faye asked, feeling foolish standing there with a tie around her head.

‘For the surprise,’ said Gayle, chuckling.

‘It’d better be good,’ Faye mumbled under her breath as Gayle led her down the hallway. She suddenly felt a wet nose on her hand. ‘Olive, is that you?’

Olive whined.

Well, at least I’m not the only one who thinks this is all really weird , Faye thought. Next she heard the key in the lock and the back door opening.

‘Are we going outside?’

A moment later, holding Gayle’s hand, she could feel grass underfoot and knew they were in the back garden. It was a warm summer evening. She could hear birds chirping and could smell freshly mowed grass.

Gayle took tentative steps forward.

‘Nearly there,’ said Gayle reassuringly.

‘Nearly where?’ Faye said, frowning, wondering what all the song and dance was about. ‘Can’t you just tell me what the big surprise is?’ In that instant the blindfold was off, and Faye stood there, wide-eyed, while the girls did a happy dance in delight.

In front of her were two tents. They weren’t just any tents; they were old-fashioned cream-coloured pitched-roofed style canvas tents, the like of which she’d only ever seen in old movies or photos of English men from another era travelling abroad.

The flaps were tied back, revealing two camp beds with sleeping bags in each tent.

Natty and Evie ran into one of the tents. Evie had her overnight bag and started to unpack. Natty had a bag too. Now Faye knew what she’d run upstairs all excited about while Faye was being blindfolded.

Faye just stood there, dumbfounded. She didn’t know what had surprised her the most – the two old tents, all set up at an angle next to each other, with fairy lights hanging across both, or the small camp table for two outside of one of the tents, complete with two chairs, place mats, knives and forks, and a bottle of wine, already uncorked, with two wine glasses.

But the biggest surprise of all was Jake, who was pulling out a camp chair and motioning for Faye to join him at the table.

‘Well, I’ll leave you two lovebirds,’ said Faye. ‘Natty, Evie,’ she called. You’re coming with me.’

‘But we want to play in the tent,’ Natty whined.

‘And you will. You’ll have all night to spend in your tent. But you’re hungry, aren’t you?’

They both nodded.

‘We’re going to eat in the kitchen with Marty and Nick.’

Olive came running across the lawn, straight up to the table.

‘Oh no you don’t.’ Gayle grabbed Olive too. ‘Right, let’s go.’

‘Can we go back to the tent after dinner?’

‘Of course you can. When Faye and Jake have finished their dinner.’

‘All right,’ said Natty.

Before they returned to the house, Natty ran up to Jake and threw her arms around him. ‘I love you. You’re the best.’

Jake put his arms around Natty. ‘And I love you too.’

‘I knew Mummy was wrong.’

‘Wrong about what?’

‘That you were leaving us.’ Natty wiped tears from her eyes.

Jake knelt and took Natty’s shoulders. ‘I’d never do that. Not in a million years. Not for anything in the world. You know that – right?’

Faye saw Jake lift his eyes and look straight at her while Natty was nodding. Jake stood. ‘ Now, off you go.’

Natty looked at the table for two, and grinned. ‘Are you and Mummy having a date?’

‘I hope so,’ said Jake looking sheepishly at Faye as Natty ran off to join Gayle, Evie and Olive.