‘I’m an event organiser. Much the same, but not saving lives, of course,’ Deb chuckled. ‘That’s why I’m here, actually. I’m organising the May Day party for the Laird.’
‘Ah. I see. Well, if you want any help with catering or organising, do let us know. We’ve supplied baked goods to the party in previous years, and Mina runs a food company with her husband.’ June pointed out a black-haired woman marching in a circle who was wearing smart black wellies, a pea green wax jacket and jeans, and carrying a sign that said SAVE THE SQUIRRELS.
‘That’s good to know.’
‘Aye. Pop in and see us at the community centre one day and we can talk about how we can help,’ June pointed to a green car that was parked up on the verge of the road adjoining the one they stood on. ‘We’ve got tea and cake over there. Go and help yourself.’
‘That’s really kind. Thanks!’ Deb looked up as a shiny black truck approached. The windows were tinted, but as the driver’s side window rolled down, she saw Kyle behind the wheel.
‘Hey. I told you,’ he addressed June, abruptly. ‘Move. This is private property.’
‘I think you’ll find it isn’t, actually,’ June replied, crisply. ‘We’ve done our research and Abernethy Construction has bought a large area of land on Gyle Head, but you don’t own the road leading up to it. The road is for public access, and we’re just expressing our views, as is our right. On a public right of way.’
‘Fine. But you’re blocking access to my land, and I need access to run the business. Restricting access to a commercial site is an offence,’ he replied, smoothly. ‘Move.’
Deb looked over, drawn to his voice, and Kyle met her eyes as soon as she did so. He nodded imperceptibly at her. Deb looked away, her cheeks flushing. Yet, before she looked away, there was an unexpected spark of connection between them that she felt in her groin, heart and stomach, simultaneously.
Dear lord.
She looked away, feeling that everyone nearby must have also felt that zing of sexual power passing between her and Kyle, like a bolt of electricity burning a trail along the ground. Yet, no one seemed to have noticed.
‘You’re spoiling an area of natural beauty. And an important wildlife habitat!’ June raised her voice as Kyle began moving forward slowly in his truck. It was a huge thing with bull bars on the front and massive wheels: it looked like some kind of monster truck, completely out of place in a little Scottish village.
‘I won’t tell you again,’ he said to June, as he rolled up his window. ‘Move, or I’ll come back with the police.’
The women stood to one side, booing as Kyle drove through. Deb watched him through the windscreen: he was frowning, and she could feel the stress radiating from him. Her heart went outto him. It wasn’t easy, dealing with this kind of opposition, and she wondered whether he was the villain that the women were making him out to be.
As Kyle drove past her, he met her eyes again – and, as he did, his expression changed. His brows were heavy, and his jaw clenched, but as he looked at Deb, something shifted just for a moment in his face. He smiled and, just for that moment, it was a secret between them. She smiled back, unable to stop herself, and then he was gone.
EIGHT
She had the dream again.
It was the same girl in the same old-fashioned smock dress and two long plaits tied with white ribbons.
Granny’s in the kitchen, doing a bit of stitchin’
Down comes a bogeyman and knocks her out…
Deb had no idea why she was having the dream. She couldn’t recall having a recurring dream before, either. In fact, she’d never been one to remember her dreams at all.
That morning, she had woken up from the dream with the desire to go for a walk, and decided to try her luck on Gyle Head again. She’d driven over and parked a little way away from the main site. Then, she’d walked up through the forest around the building site, heading away from the noise.
It was beautiful. Deb took in a long, deep breath and let it out slowly as the trees enveloped her in their gentle, leafy canopy. Clusters of oaks led her into the forest: grandfatherly trees with their thick trunks and dark green leaves. Sycamores and Ash trees grew harmoniously alongside the oaks, and, in a smallclearing to the right of the pathway, a lone yew tree spread out its ancient, curved branches as if in invitation to stop and take a moment under its wise aura.
Birdsong filled the air: she was no expert when it came to bird life, but she enjoyed their trills and melodies spiralling around her in layers of bright joy. She could smell the moist, dark earth and a floral scent in the air.
It felt good to walk. She was supposed to do daily exercise, and some days she didn’t get around to it because she was sitting at her laptop all day or on the phone. Her doctor had said that walking was ideal exercise, and there were so many beautiful spots around Loch Cameron. Yet, there was something special about this place, though Deb couldn’t say exactly what it was.
It was a feeling that drew her here more than any particular feature. She walked through the forest at the edge of Gyle Head, and found an opening into a small meadow. It seemed to be totally enclosed, and even though there was an active building site nearby, there was no noise at all, except for birdsong.
Deb climbed over the wooden stile at the edge of the trees and hopped down onto the long, soft grass on the other side. She walked slowly along the edge of an ancient-looking hedge, where thrushes and blue tits flew in and out of their nests. She could believe that the hedge was old, as it contained so many intergrowing plants: holly, hawthorn, even some bramble leaves. It was a shame that it wasn’t autumn, at which time the hedge would be full of berries.
When she’d come to Gyle Head originally, Deb had been interested to see the remains of the old Folly. However, that wasn’t why she’d returned: there was something else drawing her here, and she didn’t know what it was. The land here just felt right under her feet and in her soul. She took in a deep breath of the pine-scented air.
Home.That was how it felt.
She walked along the hedgerow, noting the flattened parts of the grass where rabbits had run across it at dusk.Homewas a strange feeling. She thought of Janice’s small terraced house in Glasgow as home, because that was where she’d grown up. Yet, Glasgow had never felt as comforting as this place did. And she’d had her own home for many years, more recently, shared with Dan. Had it ever truly felt as rooted and right as this land did to her? No.
