Page 50 of The Boathouse by the Loch (The Scottish Highlands #4)

Robyn smiled when she remembered Duncan telling her this.

She had been surprised to learn of those fishing trips with his sons.

David had given her the impression that growing up, it had all been about the game – ice hockey – and that all he’d done in his spare time was get taken to ice hockey practice.

But David had clearly loved those fishing trips to the old boathouse that Duncan had rented each summer.

It came with an old rowing boat that they used for fishing, and a room in the eaves which provided very basic accommodation.

They’d had to take sleeping bags and a cooking stove.

Robyn recalled that trip in the car with Duncan to the boathouse.

She’d been surprised to hear that, despite the very basic accommodation, David had obviously loved those trips so much that he’d gone ahead and bought it.

Somehow, Robyn hadn’t been able to imagine David living in an old, rundown boathouse.

And she’d been right. He’d had the place demolished and a modern, architecturally designed boathouse built in its place, with some olde-worlde charm added inside, including faux beams and exposed brickwork.

‘There – can you see it, Judith? Look, through the trees.’

Judith turned her head to look to her right, where they could just catch a glimpse of a pitched, tiled roof with a chimney. A few minutes later, they rounded a bend in the road. They could see the boathouse clearly now.

Judith remarked, ‘It doesn’t look like a boathouse. It looks like a house.’

Robyn smiled. ‘That’s exactly what I said when I first saw it.’

David glanced at Judith. ‘The back of the house fronts the loch. I’ve got a jetty and a small rowing boat.’

Robyn added, ‘There are double doors from the lounge upstairs on to a wooden balcony with fantastic views. You’ll love it.

’ Robyn felt a little bit as though she was selling the place, especially as Judith wasn’t exactly oohing and ahhing about the house.

In fact, she’d said very little on the journey.

‘You know, David proposed to me on that balcony. It was very romantic.’

‘That’s nice,’ Judith commented.

Robyn frowned. She had expected Judith to ask her if they’d set the date for her wedding and to say that she’d put the date in her diary.

They hadn’t set a date, but during her week off, Robyn had started the planning side.

When they’d stopped in Aviemore on Saturday morning to get a stamp before returning to the boathouse for their week’s holiday, David had nipped out of the post-office while she was in the queue, saying he’d meet her back at the car.

When she’d posted her letter, she’d returned to the car to find David sitting there grinning.

He’d had something in a bag on his lap. He’d been shopping.

Robyn had recognised the motif on the plastic bag.

He’d been into the local paper shop which sold newspapers, birthday cards and the like.

He’d passed her the bag, saying, ‘I thought this might come in handy.’

Robyn couldn’t believe it when she’d looked inside. It was a gorgeous wedding planner book. She’d flung her arms around him and said she couldn’t wait to get started.

Robyn would have liked to show Judith her wedding planner, and thought that perhaps her stepmum would enjoy helping her with some more planning during her stay.

Robyn frowned. She didn’t get the impression Judith would be that enthusiastic to help her.

In fact, she didn’t appear enthusiastic about anything so far.

Robyn’s shoulders slumped. She’d really thought that Judith would be happy for her.

She’d told Judith in her letter that she was engaged and had planned to show her the engagement ring when she met her at the airport.

She was still waiting for Judith to congratulate her on her engagement, and ask her more about it; how she’d met David – that sort of thing. But Judith hadn’t mentioned it at all.

As they approached the end of the drive, and David pulled up outside the boathouse, Robyn frowned. This reunion wasn’t really turning out as she had hoped.

She looked up at the boathouse as she exited the car and thought that perhaps she was being selfish.

Judith must still be getting over the shock of the revelations about Robyn’s life.

She hadn’t exactly had much of a chance for it all to sink in – that her stepdaughter was no longer at college, but was getting married instead, and was running a successful business.

Robyn got out of the car, feeling a lot more positive at the thought that she just had to give Judith time.

She still thought it was a bit unfortunate that she’d arrived on the day of the party, so they wouldn’t be spending an awful lot of time together before everyone arrived.

She looked at her watch. Gayle would be arriving soon to do Judith’s hair.

At least they could all go and sit on the balcony for a cup of coffee after she’d shown her around.

And hopefully Judith would spend the following week with them.

Robyn realised that although she’d been to two hypnotherapy sessions, and Marnie had been quite positive that she felt they were making progress, and Robyn might turn a corner soon, her memories were still evading her.

This was her opportunity to get to know her stepmum all over again.

Perhaps that wasn’t a bad thing. It didn’t sound as though they’d got on in the past. Robyn was still intent on changing that.