‘No, I haven’t,’ snapped Izzy, glaring at her mother. ‘And forget it. Ross and I are not interested in each other, okay?’
Her mother reared back, looking affronted. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’
‘You know exactly what I mean. I don’t need you meddling in my love life.’
‘But darling, you don’t have a love life.’
‘And Ross would be perfect for you,’ added Alicia.
Izzy put her hands on her hips and stared at the two women. They were both gazing up at her with such earnest expressions that she burst out laughing, even though inside her heart felt very heavy. ‘You two are incorrigible. Leave it. And I don’t want to hear any more about it.’
‘I don’t know what you mean,’ said Xanthe with an aggrieved sniff. ‘And if you aren’t interested in each other, then what’s the problem in going for a walk?’
‘There is no problem but I’m busy.’
‘You ought to take a break,’ said Jason, ignoring Fliss’s jab to his ribs. ‘We’re pretty much organised. There’s not much more to do today.’
‘Aye lass, it’s braw out there. Gorgeous day. You don’t want to be stuck inside.’
‘Whose side are you on?’ Izzy rounded on Duncan who sat with an imperturbable smile on his face.
‘Yours o’ course, lassie. But you need to get some fresh air. This place will drain ye if ye let it. Bill always said that this place was as much about the land as the building. To survive here you have to have a love of the land.’
Izzy narrowed her eyes at the old man. Since when had he turned into a philosopher?
Thing was, now that it had been mentioned, she longed to get outside and go for a walk in the crisp snow while the sun was shining. ‘I’ll get out when I’ve finished doing this. Have you put the serving spoons on the table in the dining room, Xanthe?’
‘I’ll do it when we get back from our walk.’
‘I’m not going for a walk.’
‘Oh darling, I never see you. We can have some mother-daughter time.’
‘I see you every day.’
‘You know what I mean. Besides, I want to talk to you. We haven’t had a proper chat for ages.’ Xanthe gave her a guileless, cheerful smile.
Izzy sighed. ‘Okay. I’ll go for a walk withyou.’
Her mother beamed. ‘Lovely, I’ll go dig out my wellington boots and my hiking socks.’
Clad in several layers, snow boots and a pair of sunglasses, Izzy met her mother on the doorstep of the castle, relieved to see that she was on her own.
Xanthe hooked her arm through Izzy’s. ‘Isn’t this lovely? Just the two of us.’
Izzy squeezed her mother’s arm. ‘It is and I meant to say thank you for all the work you’ve done on the rooms. They do look amazing.’
‘I know,’ said Xanthe. ‘But I’m having second thoughts about living here, you know.’
‘You are?’ Izzy’s voice pitched in surprise.
‘Not for me, but for you. You’re still so young. Isolating yourself out here. When are you going to meet people?’
‘You mean a man.’
‘Don’t look like that. You could get a manager in to run the place and go back to Edinburgh or Glasgow. Or you could sell the place. I wouldn’t mind so much. I realise I’ve been a bit selfish, putting so much responsibility on you. I just always wanted something better for you. I thought living in a castle would be wonderful but it’s a lot for a young woman when you still have so much to do in life. And I didn’t think about how expensive it would be. Duncan told me about the roof. I’m sorry Izzy, darling. I’ve not been the best mother. I could sell the flat in Glasgow, you know.’
‘No, you could not,’ said Izzy, touched by her mother’s rare introspection. ‘It’s yours. It’s an asset for the future. Especially if this all goes tits up.’
