As soon as that’s over the Natural History Society arrives. Thelma breezes in now, a buff cardboard folder tucked under her arm.
‘Carly?’ Her voice cuts though the stillness.
‘Thelma, hi!’
‘That bird-calls directory hasn’t come in, has it?’
She’s been asking this for weeks. ‘I’m sorry, no. It looked like it was available on the system but it hasn’t turned up. I have chased it,’ I add.
She frowns. ‘Disappointing.’
‘It is, yes,’ I say. ‘I’m sorry.’ In fact today I’m more concerned with tracking down at least some of the items on Lyla’s shopping list. Which seems ridiculous as they’re hardly essential to life.
I head out anyway, skipping the lunchtime beach walk for scouring the supermarket alone, and coming up with precisely nothing. By the time I’m back at the library, Prish is sorting through a pile of new acquisitions on a table by the kitchen hatch. ‘No luck?’ she says.
‘Nope, nothing. I’ll have to order the stuff online, I think.’
She raises a brow. ‘Couldn’t Lyla do that?’
I shrug. ‘I guess so.’ I pause. ‘You know, I have no idea what Lyla does for an income. I’m starting to think the copywriting business isn’t the runaway success she’s led her mum to believe.’
‘Well, she’ll have plenty of other stuff to think about in a few weeks,’ Prish reminds me. ‘How long is it now?’
‘Only a month,’ I reply.
She pulls a wry expression. ‘And how long is she planning to stay with you?’
I can’t help laughing, because I know what she’s implying. Who else is going to end up living at Kilmory Cottage? I keep expecting Bella to announce that she’s moving back home too. She’d be welcome of course. But how would I fit everyone in? ‘Who knows?’ I say now. ‘No one tells me anything—’ I stop as a figure catches my eye, strolling into the library. ‘Oliver, hi!’
‘Hi.’ He beams. ‘I was hoping you’d be in today.’
I catch Prish looking at us expectantly. ‘Oliver, this is Prish. Prish, Oliver is Lyla’s uncle …’
‘Hi, Oliver.’ She smiles brightly, and then I beckon him away and indicate the group installed around the big table.
‘Natural History Society,’ I whisper. I pull a fearful expression and he grins.
‘They do look intimidating.’ We watch as Thelma addresses the group, her strident tones cutting through the building.I want to stress that submissions for the newsletter must be on topic …
‘Would you like to see our natural history section?’ I ask.
Oliver hesitates then says, ‘I really just wanted to say hi. I’m taking Lyla out for a coffee later. Eddie too, if he wants to come. You’re welcome too, but I assume you’re busy—’
‘Yes, I’m here till five-thirty. But how long are you in the area for?’
‘A few days,’ he replies. ‘Thought I’d take a trip over to Arran sometime. Seems crazy not to when the ferry’s so close …’
‘If you’d like to do that tomorrow, I’m free,’ I say without thinking. Perhaps he’d rather explore the island with Lyla, or alone?
‘That’d be great.’ He looks genuinely pleased. ‘If you’re sure I wouldn’t be taking up your weekend?’
‘Not at all,’ I say, briefly thinking: is this actually okay? What if Frank comes back and thinks it’s weird? But then he won’t, will he? All this time I’ve been waiting and hoping and he still hasn’t come home. ‘Arran’s so beautiful,’ I add. ‘I’m sure you’ll love it.’
Oliver grins. ‘I’m looking forward to it already,’ he says.
Chapter Forty-four
And so next day, while Dad is eating his egg and toast, Oliver arrives and off we go. As the ferry leaves the mainland, he tells me how he spent his fiftieth birthday last week, taking up the floor of Suki’s bathroom. ‘That doesn’t sound like the right way to mark your half-decade,’ I suggest.
