Page 23 of The Boathouse by the Loch (The Scottish Highlands #4)

Gayle had set up the dining room for a romantic meal for two.

She had lit two candles on the dining room table and had put low-wattage bulbs in both the standard lamp with the large, old- fashioned flowered lampshade in the corner and in the small lamp on the bookshelves in one alcove.

She had lit the log fire. Easy chairs were placed either side of the fire for guests to sit and enjoy reading in front of the open fire after dinner.

Gayle was going to make herself scarce in case Robyn and David wanted to sit in the cosy lounge across the hall instead.

She’d put coal on the open fire in there too.

When the temperature dropped in the evenings, even in summer, it could be quite chilly in the large, old house.

Although she did wonder if she was overdoing it a bit, lighting two fires.

The rooms downstairs – the lounge, dining room and kitchen – were free for guests to use if they wished.

But tonight, with no tourists staying the night, and only Marty and Nick in residence, both of whom had been told to make themselves scarce, the guest house harked back to before it was Lark Lodge, and there had just been Gayle and her mother, Nick, Marty, and of course Robyn.

Gayle said, ‘Feels like old times.’

David was just putting the fresh towels in the bathroom and collecting the used ones. ‘What was that?’ He stepped back into the bedroom.

‘Oh, nothing.’ Gayle tried to contain her grin. ‘Here, let me take those.’ Gayle put the towels into her linen basket, along with the sheets she’d just stripped from the bed.

‘Shall I carry this downstairs?’

‘Good idea.’

David was about to take the basket out of her hands when his eyes drifted over to the bed. ‘Hey, what’s that?’

Gayle turned around, holding the linen basket in two hands.

David dived on to the bed and reached for something on the bedside table. He held up a small photo of a young boy. ‘I think he left this behind. ’

He turned over the photo. ‘Ralph. The boy’s name is Ralph.’

Gayle put the linen basket on the bed. ‘Let me see.’

David passed her the photo. ‘He said he had something he wanted to show me,’ commented David. ‘I’m wondering if it was this photo. I’m not sure why it would be, though.’

‘Ah, I recognise this.’ Gayle nodded. ‘Jake showed me this photo. He asked me if I recognised the child.’

‘Ralph.’

Gayle glanced at David. ‘Yes, according to what is written on the back of the photo.’

‘Did you recognise the boy?’

Gayle remembered the conversation. Jake had looked at her expectantly, as though she knew everyone in Aviemore, which she did not. In fact, when she’d turned the photo over, and had spotted the name Ralph, she’d asked Jake who the boy in the photo was.

‘Martha’s son.’ Gayle remembered.

‘Who?’

‘Oh, it’s a long story. A lady called Martha who lives locally is searching for her son, and Jake is trying to help. Sounds like she gave the child up for adoption. At first, I assumed he was searching for a missing child, but it turns out this photo was taken some years ago.’

‘I spotted the date on the back,’ commented David.

‘I guess he’s in his thirties now.’

‘So, he was going to ask me if I knew or had known him.’

Gayle nodded. ‘I expect so.’

‘Nope, never known a Ralph.’

Gayle said, ‘Me neither.’

David took the photo out of her hand. ‘Looks like him, though. ’

Gayle was just about to pocket the photo for when Jake returned, in case it got lost or, heaven forbid, Olive got in the room and nabbed it. She looked up sharply. ‘Huh?’

‘Jake. The kid looks just like him.’

Gayle frowned. ‘Give that here.’ This time she put on her glasses. ‘Well, I’ll be … how strange.’

Gayle studied it some more. She took off her glasses and looked at David. ‘Sometimes people fail to see what’s right in front of their noses.’

‘Or they don’t want to believe it,’ he replied sullenly.

Gayle had an idea that David was no longer talking about the photo. But was he in for a surprise very soon.

He handed the photo to Gayle. ‘I guess you’d better contact him, let him know he left this behind. Otherwise he might be searching for it.’

‘I think he’s got more important issues on his plate right now than an old photo.’

‘Woman trouble?’ David asked knowingly.

Gayle thought of Natty. She didn’t want to elaborate. ‘Yeah – that.’

David sighed heavily. ‘Well, I expect he won’t be coming back.’

‘Oh, I hope he does. He’s paid upfront for the room for the rest of the week, although I said I’d put the money towards another week if he can’t make it. But I really hope he can, and he brings the ladies with him.

‘Ladies!’ David chuckled. ‘Wow.’

‘Oh, goodness, David! It’s not what you think. It’s a colleague who works at the school where he is teacher training and her young daughter.’

‘Hmm, colleague. The trouble is that if they come here, by the time they leave they’ll undoubtedly be more than just colleagues, or friends. ’

Gayle didn’t have to ask what had made him say that. She smiled knowingly. He was talking from experience.

‘It’s once people leave. That’s the problem.’

Gayle’s smile faltered. Gayle knew he was talking about himself and Robyn.

She looked about her. It might not be The Ritz or one of the fancy local hotels, but the house had a special place in Robyn’s heart – and David’s.

She was thrilled that Robyn had returned, although she had made Robyn promise that it was only for one night.

It was not that Gayle wanted to see the back of her – not at all.

She was just afraid that if Robyn got too comfortable back at Lark Lodge, she might not want to leave.

Gayle didn’t want that. Robyn and David were a young couple with their lives to lead.

Whatever had been going on with Robyn since she’d moved into the boathouse, Gayle hoped this surprise marked the end of it.

The only thing she had to make sure of was that David didn’t go out.

‘Right – let’s get this lot downstairs, and in the wash. Then I can get that stew on.’ She dumped the wash basket in David’s hands.

‘Seriously, don’t worry about it. I’m heading out anyway.’

Gayle turned around at the bedroom door. ‘Now?’

He nodded.

‘Oh, so you don’t like my cooking?’ Gayle joked, feigning shock.

‘Oh, of course I like … love it.’

‘Good, I’m glad you’re staying.’ She turned away.

‘Do I have a choice?’ she heard David mumble to her back.

Gayle paused at the door, glancing at the photo before she slipped it into her pocket .

She was back to thinking how people so often failed to see what was right under their noses, for one reason or another. However, she thought David had hit the nail on the head when he suggested it wasn’t the case that they failed to see it, but that they didn’t want to.

‘What’s up with Olive?’ David got to the bottom of the stairs that led to the attic room and caught Olive outside his bedroom door, sniffing along the bottom of the door.

Behind David, Gayle looked over the banister and grinned.

Olive woofed.

David walked along the corridor towards her. ‘Hey, girl – what’s got into you? Ah, I know what it is. You think Robyn has come back too.’

‘Here, give me that.’

‘Don’t you want me to take it down to the kitchen?’

‘No, I’ll do that. Why don’t you freshen up for dinner.’ She caught David frowning at the door. ‘You know what? I’d rather come downstairs, if you don’t mind.’

Gayle guessed that his idea to stay at the guesthouse while Robyn was away in London hadn’t worked out how he’d expected. She guessed the room just reminded him of happier times. But then again, he hadn’t wanted to stay at the boathouse without Robyn either.

‘Do you want some help making the stew, or sorting out the room upstairs? Or—’

Gayle held up her hand. ‘No thank you.’ She motioned at the door.

David sighed. ‘Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if I freshened up after spending all day out on deliveries.’

‘Good. ’

‘At least I’ll have some company.’

They both looked at Olive. Gayle frowned.

She could just imagine that the surprise – Robyn lying seductively on the bed in a new see-through chiffon nightdress might be somewhat spoilt by a large over-exuberant Old English Sheepdog racing into the room and bounding onto the bed, giving her lots of sloppy doggy kisses.

Gayle had no idea what was going on behind that door right now. It was probably not at all what she had just imagined. But even so, Olive would definitely cause a bit of a ruckus and would get in the way of the big surprise reunion.

‘I’ll take her.’

‘No, don’t do that.’

‘I insist. I don’t want her in the bedrooms.’

David raised his eyebrows. ‘Since when?’

Gayle took hold of her collar. ‘Since now.’

She saw David’s shoulders sag in resignation. ‘All right.’ He turned to the door.

Gayle resisted the urge to hang back and witness the surprise. ‘I’ll be downstairs, getting the dinner on. It will be ready at seven.’

‘Seven! What am I going to do until then?’

Gayle was already heading for the stairs, the basket balanced in the crook of her arm, one hand on Olive’s collar, pulling the reluctant dog with her.

She whispered, ‘Dog treat.’ Olive shot forward and raced down the stairs.

Gayle whispered, ‘Clever dog.’ Olive knew where her favourite treats were, in the kitchen cupboard.

As she got to the bottom step, she heard a whoop from David. Robyn? You’re back? No way! When did you … how … was Gayle in on this? ’

Gayle paused on the bottom step and heard Robyn say, ‘Get over here.’ The next thing she heard was the bedroom door shut and the key turn in the lock.