Page 34 of The Boathouse by the Loch (The Scottish Highlands #4)

‘Just like old times.’

Robyn turned her head and looked at David. He was smiling. He turned on his side, head resting on his elbow, and smiled at her. ‘How long have you been awake?’

Robyn was still nestled under the duvet. She’d been lying awake for some time, watching David sleep, her mind elsewhere. She turned to look at the ceiling. ‘Just a little while.’

‘Why didn’t you wake me?’

She turned on her side to face him. ‘Why would I do that? You were fast asleep.’

‘I wish you had. I don’t want to miss a second of your company now you’re back.’ He paused. ‘You are back – right? You’re not returning to London, are you?’

She gave him a reassuring smile and leaned in to kiss him. When she drew back, she noticed he seemed quiet. ‘I already said I wasn’t going back to London, if that’s what you’re worried about.’

‘Do you mean right now? Or … you know … for the foreseeable?’

Robyn sighed and sat up in bed, smoothing down the black lace nightie she’d bought from London as part of her surprise the previous evening.

Gayle had phoned her, telling her that David was staying over at Lark Lodge while she was away.

That had surprised her at first. Then Gayle had told her the reason for her call.

It wasn’t just to tell her that. David was concerned about what was going on in London.

Robyn had asked her what she’d said to David, and all Gayle had told him was what she knew: Robyn had another interior design contract.

She didn’t want to interfere in their relationship, but she’d told Robyn that because this time he couldn’t go with her, he was worried about what was going on.

Gayle told her that David suspected she was meeting up with someone from her past. Gayle hadn’t asked her outright. All she’d said was that if that were the case, she’d know, because Gayle was her best friend, and Robyn told her everything.

Robyn thought – not everything. The good thing that had come out of that conversation was that Gayle had told her she’d tried to reassure David that there was nothing going on, but then had let slip to Robyn his plan to book a fancy hotel as a surprise for when she returned.

Gayle wasn’t happy that she’d accidentally told Robyn that. But Robyn was happy.

Robyn glanced at David. The last thing she wanted was for him to spend money on a fancy hotel when she’d much rather stay at Lark Lodge for a night.

She’d told Gayle as much; that Lark Lodge was a hundred times better than any fancy five-star hotel.

And then Robyn had had the most amazing idea.

David had been expecting her home on Saturday, but Robyn had decided she’d get home the day before and surprise him.

Her new interior design commission was going well.

She’d told Gayle that too. But she didn’t want to tell Gayle everything that was going on in London.

She couldn’t. Not straight away. Not if she didn’t want to risk the life she had made for herself in Aviemore with her new friends, with David.

The only thing that wasn’t working for her was the boathouse.

She didn’t want to think about returning there.

She’d have to, though. She couldn’t stay at Lark Lodge indefinitely.

What would David think if she told him she wanted to stay there?

Would he think that she regretted moving in with him?

She did not. The boathouse was a gorgeous place to live – right on the loch, in the middle of the highland countryside, at the end of a long single-track road with very few properties, surrounded by pine forests. What was not to like?

Nothing apart from her past. Robyn was still having issues with her memory loss after her car accident. Arriving at the boathouse for the first time, before they’d moved in together, had triggered a memory that, quite ironically, she’d rather had not surfaced.

Every time she turned up at the boathouse, she remembered turning up there once before, in a car, after dark.

She didn’t know when that had been, or whose car she had been in, or who she had been with.

But she did remember feeling afraid. All she had wanted to do was run away.

That feeling was still with her every single time they arrived at the boathouse.

She wished it would go away, but it would not.

She guessed the only way for that to happen was for her memories to come back.

Then she’d know what she’d been so afraid of.

The question on her mind was what she had even been doing there.

She wouldn’t have known David. They’d only met after their car accident.

She didn’t want to tell David that the reason she’d started taking commissions in London – from wealthy home owners who had holiday homes in Aviemore but who wanted work done on their main homes – was to get away from the boathouse.

She loved her life in the Highlands, and had sworn she’d never want to leave – until they’d moved in together.

Robyn cast the duvet aside and swung her legs off the bed. She felt David catch her hand. He said, ‘Oh, don’t get up yet. Let’s have a lie-in.’

Robyn glanced over her shoulder at him. He was still holding her hand, squeezing it gently. ‘I couldn’t believe it when I walked into the bedroom last night, and you were here.’

Robyn smiled. ‘I know.’

‘We had a wonderful evening together, didn’t we?’ said David, sitting up in bed.

Robyn nodded and smiled. ‘Yes, we did. Thanks to Gayle.’

David grinned. ‘She knew all along about your little ruse, keeping it a secret that you were returning yesterday instead of today. You know, I realised in hindsight that there were little tell-tale signs yesterday when I returned from work.’

Robyn turned around on the bed and sat crossed-legged, facing David. ‘Like what?’ She was interested to know.

‘Oh, Olive for one.’

‘Olive?’

‘Yes. I caught her sniffing and whining outside the bedroom.’ David glanced towards their bedroom door. ‘Gayle grabbed her and dragged her downstairs. I did think it was a bit odd, but now I come to think of it, Olive knew.’

Robyn grinned. ‘I heard her. I really, really wanted to let her in. But I knew that if I did, she’d totally give the game away. She’d start barking with excitement, and the whole house would know I was here.’

David grinned too. ‘Yep, I can just imagine.’

‘I thought of opening the door, and giving her a quick fuss, and then sending her on her way. ’

David shook his head. ‘Nah, that would not have worked.’

‘Yes, we both know what she’s like. If I’d closed the door on her, she’d have howled. I had to keep as quiet as a mouse and hope she just went away.’ Robyn had heard Gayle taking Olive downstairs just before David opened the bedroom door.

David said, ‘I wanted to go out last night, get a takeaway, and drown my sorrows.’

Robyn didn’t have to ask what he meant by drown his sorrows.

She knew he hadn’t managed to book the fancy hotel room, which had disappointed him immensely.

But it hadn’t just been that. He’d been worried that he was losing her.

She’d come back the previous night to surprise him and reassure him that it was not the case.

He wasn’t losing her. It was just … Robyn thought about her trips to London.

Things had got complicated. Just what she was afraid of had happened – she’d discovered someone from her past. But the last thing she’d wanted to do was ruin her wonderful evening with David by bringing that up.

She said, ‘I bet you’re glad you didn’t go out last night.’

‘I am. If I’d known you were just a few feet away, hiding in the bedroom, Gayle would not have had to go to lengths to try and persuade me to stay and have dinner. The trouble was I never much liked her stew.’

Robyn wriggled her nose. ‘No, me neither. Not until last night.’

‘It was just delicious, wasn’t it?’

‘Oh, yes. I don’t know what she’s added, but she really went to town to make our evening together at Lark Lodge special, didn’t she?’

Robyn smiled, thinking back to the previous night …

They walked, hand in hand, down to the dining room.

Gayle had knocked on their door and told them to head down there when they were ready.

Robyn noticed that Olive was nowhere to be seen and guessed she was upstairs with Nick in his room.

She heard the television on in Nick’s room as they passed by, and smelled a rather lovely Chinese takeaway wafting in the hallway.

She realised that Nick must have taken it up to his room before they emerged.

She smiled. She could just imagine Olive begging for some food.

Robyn and David walked into the kitchen to a frown from Gayle. She turned around and waved a wooden spoon at them. ‘What are you doing in here?’

David quipped. ‘It’s the kitchen. We always eat in here.’

Robyn nodded in agreement. She loved Gayle’s country kitchen, with its old-fashioned, oak-fronted kitchen cupboards, Aga, and large oak table in the centre of the room.

She grown to love it when she went to live at Gayle’s after her accident on Christmas Day, when she’d had nowhere else to go and no one to turn to.

She knew she’d be forever grateful to Gayle for taking in a stranger and giving her a home just when she’d needed it.

Robyn had such fond memories of sitting at the table with Marty, Nick and Gayle’s mother, Doris – with Olive being very naughty and begging at the table. To repay Gayle for her kindness, Robyn had redecorated her house, keeping many of the original features and adding some of her own ideas.