Momentarily, Mats was left with Ezz. He dropped his voice. ‘Are you OK?’
‘Fine, thanks.’ She nodded enthusiastically, took a bite of the saffron bun and added, ‘Mmm,’ but even her murmur of pleasure didn’t totally distract him from studying the look in her eyes. It reminded him unpleasantly of how she’d looked when he’d sprung his news about theGarden Gladiatorsteam wanting to film at Rothach.
They watched Astrid supervise Grete’s choice of Scottish tablet. ‘Astrid’s like Inger and loves a party,’ he said.
‘She’s lovely,’ Ezz murmured. ‘Both your children are.’
‘They’re very fond of you, especially Astrid.’ When she didn’t answer, he murmured, ‘Is something upsetting you?’
She could have shrugged it off, but instead she met his gaze, her blue eyes filled with shadows. ‘My birth father came again earlier. He and Kay have left the island today. I – I would have liked to talk things over with Thea or Valentina but they’re both busy.’
‘I can see why his visit would rock you,’ he murmured. Impulsively, he added, ‘How do you feel about meeting for dinner? I make a good listener. And I hadn’t realised I’d miss people my own age so much on Skye.’ When her blonde eyebrows lifted in surprise, he felt he should add, ‘Or is there a boyfriend to object?’
‘No,’ she said slowly. She studied him, then said suddenly, ‘How about the Jolly Abbot? It would savetravelling miles as a lot of Skye restaurants are closed in winter.’ Then looked surprised, as if she hadn’t meant to say it.
Though he’d been envisaging one of the nice hotel restaurants on the island and would have been perfectly happy with a drive of five or ten miles, he accepted before she took it back. ‘Great. Eightish? I like to put the children to bed.’
‘I’ll meet you there.’ She still looked startled that the conversation was taking place.
‘Ezzie, Ezzie!’ Suddenly Astrid was there, tugging impatiently at Ezz’s black jacket and smearing it with crumbs. ‘Would you like another saffron bun?’
Ezz answered, ‘Thank you. Iwould,’ as if she’d never heard a better suggestion and they went together to the food table, where Josefin was gently discouraging Alvin from eating more tablet.
Mats felt a hand on his arm and realised Grete was beside him, her glasses reflecting the lights of the tree. ‘You’re going out with Ezzie?’ she asked in Swedish.
Irritated to have been overheard, he bristled. ‘Any reason I shouldn’t?’ He raised his eyebrows, wondering if they arched as much as Ezz’s did.
‘Yes,’ she said calmly. ‘Soon you’ll be based in Sweden while her life’s here.’
He bit back a sharp retort about being too old to allow his mother to manage his life. ‘I do realise that, Mamma. We’re just going out for a meal in the village pub, as friends. Last night she did the same with Josefin.’
Grete furrowed her forehead in the ‘don’t take me for a fool’ expression that he remembered so well from his teenage years. But then, a little up the hall, the white door from reception opened noisily and they both turned.
A familiar burly figure stepped into view, with windblown brown hair and cheeks ruddy with the cold. Mats blinked at the unexpected vision.Pappa?
Astrid erupted with glad cries of ‘Farfar, Farfar! Why are you here?’
Erik stooped to let Astrid race into his arms and planted two loud kisses on her forehead. ‘Because this is my house,’ he rumbled reasonably, putting out another arm to receive Alvin.
‘But you’re coming later, with the others,’ Astrid cried.
Erik made huge, surprised eyes. ‘How can that be when I am here with you? Am I not a nice surprise?’
‘Yes, yes!’ Astrid gave him another hug. But over her head, Erik’s gaze sought out Grete.
Aware of his mother’s frozen silence, Mats stepped forward to hug his father, bulky in his coat. ‘You’re a very nice surprise. You’re just in time forfika.’ In his peripheral vision, he watched Ezzie and Gwen diplomatically melt away in the direction of the kitchen, carrying empty coffee mugs and plates.
Erik approached Grete and lifted his bushy eyebrows. ‘Are you well?’ he asked in Swedish.
She stepped forward and gave him both her hands, and a peck on the lips. ‘Of course.’
Apparently satisfied for now, Erik began chatting to Astrid and Alvin in a mixture of English and Swedish. Ezz and Gwen returned, greeting Erik as friendly employees would, offering drinks and saffron buns. Mats made sure Ezz had fresh coffee too, not seeing why she should slip from guest to employee just because his dad had turned up without warning.
When he had a moment to speak quietly to Grete, he murmured, ‘Would it be better if I stayed in tonight?’
‘No. Probably better if you went,’ she returned, then edged over to join Ezzie and Erik, as Erik – unfortunately – had turned to business.
‘Does all go well in my absence?’ he asked, before devouring a saffron bun in two bites, chewing while he awaited Ezzie’s answer.
