‘There’s a great deal about Mhairi’s affairs that I don’t know.’
‘I expect it’s a lot to take in, but don’t worry, Cal knows what he’s doing. He’ll keep the place going until you’re ready to take up the reins.’
‘I’m not here to take up the reins. I’m here to assess the estate with a view to putting it on the market.’
‘You’resellingit?’
‘What else am I supposed to do with it? I have no use for a castle in the backend of nowhere, no matter how pretty the scenery. But someone will. There’ll be an American or two who’ll fancy themselves the lord of their very own Scottish estate.’
Giselle inhaled sharply and her navy eyes widened in dismay. ‘But… but… what about the craft centre?’ she stuttered.
‘I’ll have to have a good look over the books with my accountant, but I highly doubt the estate will be sold as a going concern. I mean, if you were buying this as a Scottish holiday home, your own slice of Highland heaven, you wouldn’t want a bunch of tourists traipsing over it, would you?’
She was shaking her head in disbelief.
‘Don’t look at me like that,’ he said. ‘It makes perfect sense to sell it.’
‘To you maybe. But not to me.’ And with that, she whirled around and darted up the jetty.
Then she was gone, leaving him to find his own way back.
He stared after her, irritably, and it took him a while to realise that his ire had been joined by an equal measure of desire and intrigue.
His brief stay here could well be an interesting one.
Chapter 5
Giselle tore up the lane and dashed into the castle, only slowing when she entered the great hall. There were even more people here now than there had been fifteen minutes ago, and it took her a moment to locate Avril. Her friend had a glass in one hand and a plate in the other and was talking to Jinny.
‘Psst!’ Giselle hissed in Avril’s ear.
Startled, Avril jumped, almost spilt her drink and had to do some nifty handwork with the plate to prevent the canapes from tumbling to the floor. She stared at her. ‘Are you OK?’
‘No,’ Giselle said. She took the glass and the plate out of Avril’s hands and put them on a nearby table. ‘Come on.’
‘Where are we going?’
‘My studio.’
‘Why?’
‘I’ll tell you when we get there. We’ll go out the side door. I don’t want to risk bumping intohim.’
‘Rocco Moore?’
‘Shh!’
Avril lowered her voice. ‘What’s he done?’
‘Nothing yet. It’s what he’saboutto do.’ Giselle grabbed her friend’s hand and towed her out of the room towards the kitchen. The castle was a rabbit warren, but both knew their way around it, Avril better than Giselle.
Once outside, they skirted around the castle’s eastern wall, Giselle bringing them to a halt as she peered around a corner.
There was no sign of Rocco, but the route to her studio was across the car park. Easily spottable. But there was no choice. She didn’t feel safe in the castle, knowing he could appear at any moment. After all, the place belonged to him now, and he’d have every right to go delving into rooms. Even the guest bedrooms, since there weren’t any guests at the moment, not with Mhairi’s funeral taking place. And although the ladies’ loos should be safe enough, Giselle didn’t want to risk being overheard.
There was nothing for it: they’d have to make a run for it.
‘One, two, three, go!’ Giselle cried, tugging Avril into the open.
