“To the Highlands.”
“Where in the Highlands?” Holt snorted. “Put it on a truck, find a likely spot, and dump it beside the road? Advertise it and find a buyer? What?”
“I…I’ll look into it. Jacobite furnishings are collectible even if they don’t belong in a museum. And this one might.”
“Where?”
“If we’re to break this curse, Inverness, perhaps. Or an estate like my cousin’s.”
“Fine, see if your cousin wants it. Problem solved.”
CHAPTER9
Two mornings later, Caitlin had gotten nowhere researching the curse, and Holt had made himself scarce. Working, he told her and waved her away if she happened to catch him on his laptop in the office.
This morning, Caitlin was happy for the diversion of a trip into the village on an errand for Mrs. Smith. Before going to the market, she dropped by the bakery to get pastries and two coffees. As Alice boxed up two luscious chocolate croissants, she told the baker where she was headed. “I still haven’t paid my debt, but I have a good feeling that today is the day to catch Doc Coates for a few minutes.”
“Good luck. I hope he enjoys these. If he does, tell him to come by sometime for more. My treat.” She winked.
Caitlin laughed and promised to deliver the message.
When she arrived at the vet’s office, the reception area was full of anxious pet parents waiting for an appointment or dropping off their fur-babies. Caitlin explained her errand to the receptionist, Rachel, who took her back to the Doc’s office without delay.
He stood when she entered, but she waved him back to his seat. He looked knackered.
“Ye are a hard man to catch sitting still,” she told him after Rachel left them. “But I always pay my debts. I promised ye coffee, and since there’s been a delay, I’ve added interest in the form of a treat from Alice’s shop around the corner. I hope ye like chocolate.”
He gave her a tired smile. “Who doesn’t? This wasn’t necessary, but thank you. The coffee is welcome. I’ve was up half the night with a horse…well, I doubt you want to hear the details.”
Caitlin held up a hand. “I won’t take up any more of your time, then. Your waiting area is full.”
“No rush,” Doc said. “My techs will let me know when they need me. I appreciate you giving me an excuse to take a few minutes to revive.” He pulled a croissant out of the bag, bit into it, and smiled. “You’re a lifesaver. This is great. The bakery is around the corner?”
“Alice Nash’s place, yes. It’s so close, I don’t know how you’ve missed it.”
He shrugged. “Work.” He gestured for her to take a seat in one of the two chairs opposite his desk and leaned back into his.
“How does your wife like the crazy hours you keep?”
Doc shook his head. “Not married. Never have been.” He stared into his coffee cup. “Missed my chance years ago.”
Caitlin found it hard to believe a good-looking man, and a veterinarian, too, had not been deluged with offers from attractive women. “It sounds like there’s a story there.”
He nodded. “A sad one.”
“I’m sorry.” She needed to change the subject. She came here to pay a debt, not make him miserable. “Tell me, then, how did you find yourself in Scotland?”
“It was a few years ago.” He took a gulp of coffee and leaned back in his chair. “I was still in the Army.” He glanced from Caitlin to the second coffee.
His meaning was clear. He wasn’t in a hurry. Caitlin picked it up and settled in to listen.
“You take the other croissant, too.” He favored her with a grin then continued, “I did some training with mountain rescue teams in your Munros.”
“So ye ken what we call our higher hills.” Caitlin bit into the second croissant and let the chocolate flow happily over her tongue.
“Over three thousand feet, yes. You have more than two hundred of them, so there’s ample opportunity for people intent on bagging another Munro to get into trouble, especially as fast as the weather can change up there.”
When she finished chewing, she asked, “How many did you bag?”
