Page 45 of The Boathouse by the Loch (The Scottish Highlands #4)

Percy woofed and licked her face.

Robyn laughed. ‘I know you feel the same way about me.’ She gave him more fusses.

She whispered, ‘Now, it’s our secret. Otherwise, David might get jealous.

’ That wasn’t far from the truth. Despite what Gayle had told David, which he’d passed on to Robyn – that Percy would be just as comfortable out on long walks, and accompanying David in his boat, fishing, as he would curling up on the sofa – it had turned out that Percy had immediately chosen his person the moment Robyn and David had walked through the door of the couple who were hoping to rehome him.

Percy had darted straight over to Robyn.

And that was the way it had been ever since they’d brought Percy back to the boathouse.

Wherever Robyn was, Percy wanted to go too. He was her shadow.

Robyn threw the ball towards the water again and thought of the pitstop David had mentioned he needed to make the previous Saturday after posting her letter.

She hadn’t understood why they were stopping at some stranger’s house in Aviemore.

Had he needed to make a last-minute delivery before he had a week off?

It had turned out that it wasn’t a delivery at all, but a pick-up – potentially, Sitting in the car, David had explained that they were there to meet Percy.

He’d wanted to buy her a dog, a puppy, but then Gayle had told him about Rose and George’s friend, and a little dog called Percy who needed rehoming.

He’d showed her the photo on his phone that Gayle had sent him.

Her reaction when he’d told her all this was not what either of them had expected.

Robyn had burst into tears. Ten minutes later, they had been in the car with Percy and all his things.

He was wagging his tail and trying to climb into Robyn’s lap, licking her face and barking all at the same time.

He was so excited that he couldn’t contain himself.

Percy knew he was going to his new home.

As for Robyn, she’d sat in the back seat with him, absolutely stunned that she had a dog all of her own. All her dreams were coming true.

She found it hard to believe that it was only the Friday before that she’d returned from London and surprised David at Lark Lodge.

Now, there she was, just one week later, having had a fantastic holiday with David, and the boathouse was all prepared for the party that evening.

Party invitations had gone out earlier in the week, and everybody who’d been invited had replied to say they were coming.

The food she’d ordered online was laid out in the kitchen ready to go in the oven.

Robyn was cooking her guests a meal. They would arrive after work.

She had already baked a cake and a rhubarb crumble for dessert.

She looked up at the blue sky, with not a raincloud in sight, and sighed in relief.

She hadn’t wanted to check the weather forecast in case it was not going to be kind.

The plan was that after dinner, everyone would wander outside with a drink and watch the sunset over the loch.

That was when the party would begin. Duncan had friends who were in a traditional Scottish folk band.

The band were coming along some time after dinner.

Now, she had nothing to do but sit and throw a ball for her dog, and watch David finish off the decorations outside, while she waited until it was time to leave the boathouse and collect their very first guest from the airport. Her mum was flying home.

‘There – all done!’ David climbed down from the ladder and admired his handiwork.

The back of the boathouse, fronting the loch, was now festooned with lanterns, along with the several strings of fairy lights stretching along the jetty where David’s small rowing boat was moored.

He walked over and joined her on the grass in front of the loch.

‘You’re thinking about Judith, aren’t you? ’

Robyn glanced up at the balcony overlooking the loch, outside the lounge on the first floor.

The previous evening, she’d wandered out on to the balcony, a throw covering her shoulders, a glass of wine in hand.

She’d been standing there, looking up at the stars, and thinking of David proposing on bended knee back in June, soon after they’d moved into the boathouse together.

It was then that she’d finally realised something.

David had joined her, and before saying a word, she’d looked about her, seeing her dog asleep in basket.

She associated having a dog with being settled; with permanency.

She’d turned to David and told him what she imagined he’d been dying to hear – not because it was what he wanted her to say, and she wanted to make him happy, but because she truly meant it. ‘I’ve got exactly what I want, David.’

He’d joked, ‘A devastatingly handsome fiancé?’

She’d shaken her head, surprising him, even though he’d said it half in jest.

His gaze had fallen on Percy. ‘A dog?’

She’d shaken her head again. ‘No.’

That was when he’d frowned. ‘A bike?’

‘Uh-uh.’

David had stared at her, looking worried.

‘A home, David.’

‘The boathouse?’

She’d smiled. ‘I love this place, but of course I love it more because my devastatingly handsome fiancé, along with Percy and Lottie are here.’

‘Who’s Lottie?’

‘My bike.’

‘You named your bike?’

‘Of course. Haven’t you named yours?’

He’d laughed at that. ‘No. But I did name my sports car.’

‘Sorry about that.’

He’d taken her in his arms and said, ‘Don’t ever apologise for the accident that totalled my car. If it wasn’t for that, I would never have met you.’

Robyn frowned when she recalled that conversation.

‘What is it?’ David asked, taking her hand and following her gaze up to the balcony .

‘I was thinking of last night.’

‘You don’t regret what you said, do you, about this being home now?’

‘Of course not. It’s just … I’m scared about my memories coming back,’ she confided. She wondered if she’d done the right thing, seeing the hypnotherapist. She’d been afraid it wouldn’t work. Now she was afraid it would. ‘What if you don’t like the real me?’

‘The real you?’ David scoffed. ‘I know the real you. Whatever happened in your past, whoever you were before you came here, I know you, Robyn Parker, and I will always love you.’

Robyn bit her lower lip.

‘Robyn?’ He gently lifted her chin.

‘I wish the week hadn’t flown by.’

David grinned. ‘Well, so do I.’

What Robyn also wished was that her mum wasn’t on her way to see her.

Judith had left a message on the answerphone to say she was on her way and would be with them on Friday, giving the time her plane would land for them to collect her. Robyn had written in her letter that they would be at the airport to collect her. All they’d need to know was when.

Robyn didn’t think it was ideal, her mum arriving on the day of the party.

She wanted to spend some time with her, just the two of them, but for some reason David had insisted the party was that week – on Friday night, preferably, when he was sure everyone could make it.

Besides, he’d said she would have plenty of time to spend with Judith in the days following the party.

Robyn was thinking about that phone message.

It was the first time she’d heard her mum’s voice since …

well, she couldn’t re member. They’d been out when she’d called.

Robyn had been strangely nervous about talking to her, so she had been relieved that she’d left a message.

What would she say? How would she explain her memory loss?

Gayle had suggested that seeing her mum might trigger her memories.

But it did not bode well that, despite playing that message over and over, there was no inkling of recognition; all she heard was a stranger’s voice.