‘In a castle? In Scotland? With no relatives? Hell, yes,’ said Jason. ‘Besides, I hadn’t done my Christmas shopping.’
‘Jason!’ cried Fliss, outraged. ‘You’re so useless.’
‘What? I don’t know what girls like. What did you buy your brothers?’
Fliss smirked. ‘Beer and football shirts. Easy.’
Izzy smiled to herself. In her cache of stocking fillers, she had just the perfect gifts for both Jason and Fliss. She was going to enjoy seeing everyone open their stockings.
Duncan stomped in. ‘Any soup, lass? Those bluidy women are going to be the death of me.’
‘I’ll get you some, Duncan,’ said Fliss, wiping her hands on her apron. ‘I made some this morning. It’s French onion.’ Fliss had taken a bit of a shine to the old man and within minutes was fussing round him, setting out a bowl of piping hot soup and a couple of freshly made poppy-seed-dusted rolls.
‘How’s the treasure hunting going?’ asked Izzy, as she expertly rolled out the pastry under Jason’s supervision. She was preparing the venison wellington for the following day and he’d made a mushroom paté, which she was waiting to cool before she spread it on the pastry along with a layer of prosciutto to wrap around the joint of venison that Jason was currently searing in a large frying pan.
‘Gah!’ Duncan filled his mouth with a spoonful of soup. ‘They’ve been banging and tapping in every room. They’re not going to find anything. I reckon Bill sold them long ago. He always said he kent where they were. If he still had them, he’d a left them to you for the upkeep of this place. He was no stupid.’
‘At least it’s keeping them out of trouble,’ observed Izzy.
‘Those two invented trouble,’ said Duncan. ‘By the way, where’s Ross today? I’ve no seen him.’
Izzy gritted her teeth and focused on her pastry.
‘He’s a handsome one,’ said Fliss. ‘Is he taken?’
Duncan glowered at her. ‘I’ve a mind that he’s interested in our Izzy.’
She held up her hands. ‘Okay.’
‘He’s not,’ snapped Izzy.
Duncan eyed her with concern.
‘Xanthe and Alicia seemed quite keen to hook the two of you up together,’ replied Fliss.
‘Xanthe and Alicia live in fantasy land,’ said Izzy. ‘Ross and I are just friends.’
‘Ah, right,’ said Fliss nodding. ‘The old “just friends” scenario.’
‘There’s no scenario. That’s how it is.’ Izzy tilted her chin as if daring anyone to say any more. Thankfully Alicia and Xanthe reappeared at that moment.
Xanthe sank wearily into a chair at the table. ‘I’m bamboozled. We’ve looked everywhere.’
‘Not everywhere,’ said Alicia, the light of battle in her pale blue eyes. ‘We haven’t looked here or in the cellars.’
‘I’d be careful you don’t get locked in the cellars,’ said Izzy with a touch of venom. ‘That door is rather dodgy.’ She gave her mother a meaningful stare. ‘I’d hate for you to get stuck down there and miss Christmas Day.’
Both women exchanged uneasy glances.
‘Have you seen Ross today?’ asked Alicia with a mind-blowing lack of humility.
Izzy ignored the question.
‘Nae,’ said Duncan. ‘The lad must be working, although I thought he said he’d finished for the holidays.’
‘Poor boy. He works so hard. I hardly ever see him.’ Alicia’s face saddened and she stared out the window. ‘I think I’ll drag him out for some fresh air with his old mother.’
‘That’s a good idea,’ said Xanthe. ‘Izzy, you’re looking a bit peaky. Have you been outside today?’
