‘Divn’t be daft. We’re doing this as a favour for that poor Gaelic teacher. She looks so lonely sitting at that bar staring at her laptop all hours of the day,’ Cheryl replied.
‘Let’s hope it works,’ whispered Jillian, just as Gene emerged from the kitchen to take the newcomers’ orders.
‘So, you’re, um, you’re staying then?’ Cheryl asked, a little too loudly and self-consciously.
‘Maybe for a day or two longer,’ Beatrice nodded.
She pretended not to see the amused glances between the two women. Beatrice gulped the last of her coffee, looked at her watch and made her excuses to leave. There was still so much to do and the wonderful feeling of being useful again made her almost lightheaded. Even if it didn’t work, she had to try. Kitty had been so kind to her, and Gene’s heartache resonated so deeply with her own sense of abandonment and loss. At that moment all her focus was concentrated on bringing the pair together. The resultant excitement felt like a shot of anaesthetic temporarily numbing her own pain.
Chapter Twelve
Surprising Gene
The sun was setting over the bay as Beatrice made her way along the seafront, coming to a stop beside the smart holiday cottages that had once upon a time been the schoolmaster’s house and salting lofts.
Scanning the street she caught sight of a few holidaymakers returning from sunny seal-spotting daytrips or a long day’s hiking in the hills on the other side of the bay.
After a few moments, Seth cycled past with his wrapped fish supper in the basket on the front of his bike. Beatrice watched him pass silently and he gave her a knowing wink. She heard the brakes squeak as he came up alongside the pavement at the entrance to the jetty, and stepped off his bike, rummaging in his pocket for a large key which he worked in the lock of a rusty fuse box beneath the signs advertising his family’s boat trips and informing visitors of the high and low tide times. The waves were gently lapping towards the sea wall. Soon the sand would be covered again and the jetty bounded by water. Seth looked around at Beatrice, flashed a quick thumbs-up and turned another key inside the box.
It had been a hot hour’s work stringing the glass bulbs along the jetty with Seth that afternoon, never sure if they would be spotted by a curious Kitty or Gene. As the lights blazed into life now, shining in the mellow early evening light, Beatrice was fully satisfied their efforts had been worth it. Clapping her hands gleefully, she beamed her gratitude at Seth as he locked the box and cycled off to eat his supper at home, a smile of satisfaction curling beneath his grey whiskers.
Surprised to find her heart was pounding, she scanned the street again and checked her watch. Five to eight. She took a deep breath and leaned back against the cool stone of the cottage wall behind her.
That was when she felt the hand grasping her own. Stifling a gasp, she turned and found Atholl Fergusson standing in the half light in the narrow passageway between the cottages and holding a finger to his pursing lips, his eyes smiling. She looked down at his hand enclosing her fingers, and Atholl, suddenly ruffled, released her.
The panicked look in his eyes told her of his sudden regret and embarrassment at touching her, and the realisation that she minded him letting her go burned in her chest and made her blush. It felt all the worse to hear him stumbling over his words in his haste to move on from the moment’s awkwardness.
‘I’m sorry, I uh… I’m sorry. She’s on her way down now, in a bonny red dress, no less.’
Overlooking his apology in the hope he could be spared further embarrassment, she tried to squeeze some hope and excitement into her voice. ‘And Gene?’
‘No, he’s just opted for a suit.’
‘We’re in so much trouble if they aren’t up for this.’
‘Hey, did my brother help send you into the path of careering cattle or didn’t he?’
‘Good point. I shouldn’t be helping either of you!’ She watched him smile at her remark. ‘Have you got the wine?’
Atholl produced the bottle from the bag by his feet. ‘Vintage champagne to sweeten him up.’
‘It’s not Gene I’m worrying about now. Oh God, here she is.’
Kitty Wake drifted along the seafront in a sixties-inspired dress, her red hair tied up in a smooth ponytail and bouncing as she walked. ‘Beautiful,’ said Beatrice to no one in particular.
‘I’ll be off then,’ Atholl whispered, withdrawing into the shade once more.
‘You’re not staying to help?’
‘I’ve the starters to bring. And no, Gene’ll take it better if he thinks it’s just you scheming, at first, at least.’
And with an emphatic thumbs-up and a mouthed, ‘You’ll be fine,’ he was gone.
Beatrice smoothed down the white linen apron she was wearing and stepped out into the street to meet her new friend. At least, she hoped they’d still be friends after this.
‘What do you reckon?’ Atholl whispered.
‘I feel a bit weird watching. We should go in.’
