Page 20 of Chasing a Highland Dream

‘I thought I’d be best to park out of the way, so I’ve left my car around the side of the block. Although I did notice someone’s abandoned an old heap round there, too, so maybe I should move it?’

Bella’s eyes widened. ‘Ahem… the heap of a car happens to be Fifi, my vintage Citroen, actually.’

He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, only to repeat the exercise before saying, ‘Vintage? Of course, yes, sorry. I… I thought it’d been dumped. I only mentioned it in case Lady MacBain wasn’t aware and needed to arrange for a tow.’

Bella gasped and opened her mouth to speak, but Olivia interrupted quickly, as if she realised a raft of insults was about to burst forth from her friend. ‘Brodie will come and help you collect your things. Won’t you, Brodie?’

Brodie was clearly finding the whole situation quite amusing but contorted his mouth to dull his grin and nodded. ‘Aye, of course. Lead the way, sir.’

Brodie followed Mr O’Dowd past the police cars and out of the courtyard. He glanced back over his shoulder, smirking, and gave a cheeky double thumbs up signal.

After a few moments, the two men returned with a pile of boxes, two holdalls and a laptop bag. Mr O’Dowd nodded curtly and unlocked the door under the watchful eyes of the gathered group. He turned and gave a tight-lipped smile. ‘I don’t need any further assistance, thank you all. Rest assured I’m not about to trash the place, and I’m quite capable of walking in by myself,’ he informed them.

The group mumbled and chuntered as they dispersed awkwardly. Two of the police officers climbed into their car and drove away hastily. Mirren, Innes and the others followed Olivia in the direction of the gift shop, and Bella followed her granny inside their temporary home.

Once inside, Beau, happy he had fulfilled his duties, circled several times on the rug and flopped down. Within moments, he was snoring.

‘Good grief, poor Olivia. We’ll be lucky if she doesn’t evict us after this,’ Bella said with a huff as she slumped onto the sofa.

‘Don’t be daft,’ Isla replied with a wave of her hand. ‘I was only doing what I thought was right. The last thing I wanted was to stand by and allow Olivia’s property to be broken into and vandalised, or worse, after all the work you’ve put in.’

Bella softened. ‘I know, Granny. You’re right. I’m sorry. I hope there’s no animosity between us and our new neighbour. I don’t know how long we need to be here, but I don’t want to feel awkward if we bump into him.’

‘Och, dinnae worry, lass. I’m sure he’ll calm down after he’s had a sleep. He’ll realise it was all a misunderstanding.’

‘I hope so.’

Isla leaned forward in her chair. ‘What did you think of him then?’

Bella huffed air through puffed cheeks. ‘I thought he was understandably frazzled, poor guy.’

‘Not him, I meant Harris, the police sergeant. Handsome close up, don’t you think?’

Bella rolled her eyes. ‘Stop trying to fix me up, Gran.’

Isla shrugged, clearly trying to portray innocence in her hunched shoulders and sweet smile. ‘I’m asking what you thought of him, that’s all.’

Bella rubbed her hands over her face. ‘He was a handsome man with very kind eyes. Happy now?’

Isla straightened her spine and beamed. ‘Aye, that’ll do for now. He’s got a good, secure job and his own house. Never been married, doesn’t drink or smoke. Doesn’t do drugs, doesn’t go out partying.’ Blimey, what does he do? Bella thought. ‘He’s musical, likes nature and being outdoors. Knows all the wild birds.’ Isla was beginning to sound like a bloody personal ad. ‘Husband material, wouldn’t you agree?’

‘Granny, how many times do I need to tell you I’m not looking for a husband? And if I was, I’d find my own.’

‘Aye, I know. But if he was to ask you out, would you go?’

Bella had to end the conversation in any way she could. And fast. ‘I dunno. Like I said, I can find my own boyfriend. Now can I please go back to the party?’

Isla folded her arms across her chest and pursed her lips. ‘I’m not stopping you.’

Bella pushed herself up from the comfort of the sofa and stood. ‘Okay, don’t wait up.’

Bella closed the door of the apartment behind her and waited to hear her granny lock it with a click before she stepped outside.

The night was crisp and clear and the square horseshoe shape of the stable block acted as a shelter from the gentle breeze. Her breath formed puffs of cloud as she exhaled into the air. The lack of up light meant the display above her was rather magnificent. Tiny pinpricks of light were scattered across the inky dark sky and as her eyes adjusted, she could make out the Milky Way, a cloudy band of clusters of stars stretching across the night. For a moment, she didn’t feel the cold, and all thoughts of stressed, handcuffed men and musical police officers dissipated. For a moment, she revelled in the silent wonder of the umbrella of darkness above her.

The gravel crunched beneath her feet, and she wrapped her jacket tightly around her as she made her way back to the gift shop. When she arrived in the warmth again, the few remaining people were chatting and finishing off their glasses of beer. Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Silver Spring’ played on the newly installed sound system and Bella began to relax.

She noticed Sergeant Donaldson and his co-worker Mel were still there, much to her dismay. She made her way over to Olivia in order to avoid him. It was embarrassing enough to have her eighty-five-year-old granny referring to another octogenarian as old right in front of her son, but to have that granny blatantly try to fix her up with that son in front of a crowd of people just added insult to injury.