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“Anya’s wife’ll be here just before dinner. You can talk to her over a cuppa, then come and have dinner with us,” Lottie suggested. Hannah’s heart leapt.
By the time Hannah had made it back to the castle, she was ready to sit down. Her legs were aching. She greeted the warmth of the hotel gratefully, and decided to find herself a seat by the large open fire in the great hall. The Christmas tree looked particularly attractive in nothing but fire and candlelight.
There were small groups of friends and family dotted about the room, enjoying drinks and seeming to relish the sense of being marooned in the Highlands.
And they were right, Hannah thought. It wasn’t the worst place in the world to be stuck.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
LOTTIE
Lottie grabbed her discarded coat and carried it back to the castle. The temperature was below freezing, but shovelling snow for an hour or so had warmed her up a treat. Was it her imagination or had she seen Hannah’s lip curl at the sight of her with a shovel?
No, she must have dreamt it. She had far more important things to be worrying about. Besides, Lottie knew she was a sweaty mess. There was nothing attractive about that, surely.
She swept the fronds of hair that had come loose back into her pony tail and almost walked into Anne-Marie.
“Hey now, I was just coming to get you. You’ve done quite enough,” said Anne-Marie, clucking like a mother hen.
“Oh it’s fine,” said Lottie. “Danny could never have managed it alone.”
“He’s not the quickest worker in the world.” Anne-Marie tutted. “So, I’ve called a few of the farms nearby. There’s one over the hill that may be able to get an old generator to us tomorrow, depending on what happens with the roads overnight.”
“Old but working?” Lottie asked.
“So I am led to believe,” said Anne-Marie with a smile. “But I think we have to warn the guests that we’ll be without power until at least tomorrow. The postman mentioned he’d heard from some of the folks on his rounds that it’s a bad fault, and the electricity board are going to take a while to solve it.”
Lottie sighed. “Well, there’s little more Christmassy than candlelight.”
“Or romantic?” Anne-Marie cocked her head to one side.
“Oh for goodness’ sake.” Lottie shook her head. “Who talked?”
Anne-Marie laughed. “Freya popped her head in and had some macaroon earlier. She reckons there’s a grand romance brewing.”
“Well, I’d say Hannah has bigger fish to fry, right now.” Lottie desperately wished that she didn’t.
“Yes.” Anne-Marie furrowed her brow. “Poor thing. She always looks like she needs a good meal and big hug to me.”
Lottie raised an eyebrow.
“It’s for her own good,” said Anne-Marie. “Anya’s delivered some tablet to the office, and I’ve put a coffee there for you. You’ve been on the go all day. I’m ordering you to rest.”
There was a familiar look in Anne-Marie’s eyes, one that left Lottie in no doubt that there would be no arguing with her. She’d learned long ago that sometimes she just needed to do as Anne-Marie said.
The tablet was as delicious as it was sugary. Slabs of Scottish fudge were the perfect antidote to a day like today. Labouring in the snow was hard work, and Anya had clearly got the memo, so she was providing all the calories today.
Lottie savoured the treat, closing her eyes and letting herself relax for a moment. She leaned her head back against the office chair and caught the ghost of Hannah’s indefinable scent. It was a mixture of fresh shampoo, perfume and whatever it was that made Lottie want to caress Hannah’s skin. She sighed. The feeling had only intensified since she’d seen a more vulnerable side to her.
Lottie kept her eyes closed and tried to think about something else. Anything else. It didn’t work.
She opened her eyes and returned to her desk, pulling out a notebook and writing a list of all the reasons why it was ridiculous for her to consider a relationship with Hannah. Even if it wasn’t on the cards anyway.
Why I cannot date Hannah Castle:
She is the iciest of ice maidens.
She lives in London, which is more than 500 miles away.
