Where the Heart Belongs (12 page)

He held her at arms length and looked at her critically. ‘Nothing, eh? You could have fooled me.'

‘It's just that . . . I don't know why . . . my dad died a few weeks ago.'

‘And it suddenly overcame you when you were least expecting it?'

She nodded, glad of his understanding. ‘I suppose it's this place, Leckie Shore,' she said. ‘He loved it so.'

‘Didn't we all?' said Felix, shrugging his arms out of his rucksack and undoing it. ‘I've a flask of coffee here and this is a fine moment for it. Agreed?'

She nodded again and watched him pour the coffee from his flask into two white beakers before handing one to her.

They drank in companionable silence, watching two dinghies being rigged for sailing. The red sails and orange buoyancy aids of the crews were bright splashes of bright colour against the grey surroundings as they moved across the hard sand to the water's edge.

‘Your father was a fine man with the patience of a saint,' Felix said at last. ‘I must have tried it a time or two. D'you remember those crazy pots I fashioned each time we walked across to the island?'

‘What did you do with them?' said Shona. ‘Do you suppose they're still there?'

‘Stored
in that secret camp place we made? We'll have to investigate over there one day, don't you think?'

She smiled, all traces of her tears gone. Being here with Felix was good. She hoped the threatened rain would hold off.

A sudden gust of wind filled the sails of the dinghies out there on the water.

Felix reached for her empty beaker. ‘Another?'

‘If there is some.'

He grinned at her, the lines round his eyes deepening. ‘I wouldn't be offering if the flask was empty, now would I?'

‘You are so thoughtful.'

‘I aim to please.'

This time when they had finished he collected the beakers and replaced them in the rucksack, looking up into the sky as he did so. ‘Fate,' he said. ‘Meeting like this, Shona, don't you think? Rex and his merry group thought this was the best walk they'd ever done. Scenic and not too strenuous, you see.'

‘So you hit the right note here for him,' said Shona. ‘Maybe for others, too, who like to walk but are not serious walkers. There's a free time built in the programme for each group. Some of them might like to do this one for a bit of relief from their studies.'

‘Fancy seeing a bit of it for yourself? You could call it research.'

‘Try me,' Shona said as she sprang up.

JACK'S
FEUD WITH FELIX CONTINUES

Shona waited for Felix to sling the rucksack up on to his back. Then they set off together across the springy turf on a path that led through brambles and gorse bushes. The sweet scent from the yellow gorse flowers hung on the breezy air and in the distance the hills were grey against the lowering clouds.

‘We'll head up by the Water of Leck towards Anderleck for a couple of miles to let you see the lie of the land,' he said. ‘Plenty of wildlife on offer as you'll see.'

‘Like that cormorant over there?'

Shona looked back at the island, remembering the times of long ago when the days were endless and the tide always seemed too far out to walk across. Not like today when it was still rolling in.

‘Retracing our steps to pick up your car won't be a problem,' he said. ‘Things always look different from the other direction.'

‘So I'll make sure not to look back as we walk then, shall I?'

He grinned at her. ‘You've got the idea.'

She smiled back, happy in his companionship.

The path narrowed as they reached the riverbank and they walked in single file, Felix
in
front. Every now and again he paused to check she was coping with ground that became increasingly rocky.

‘It won't be like this for long,' he promised.

Soon it was grassy again and she could see the inland mountains sharp against the dark clouds. A stand of trees gave shelter here and the view across the river was enticing. There was a faint muddy smell that wasn't unpleasant.

They reached a grassy slope backed by an outcrop of rocks. Felix paused. ‘This'll be a good place to eat my piece.' He laughed at her enquiring expression. ‘My piece? Haven't heard that before? Or maybe you've forgotten. It's the food I brought with me for lunch. Plenty for you, too, so that's all right.'

‘I didn't think of bringing anything,' she said.

‘You hungry?'

‘I am now.'

They sat on tussocks of dry grass with their feet hanging over the low drop to the river. Below them lichened rocks nestled in the sandy ground and a cormorant disappeared beneath the grey water to emerge some distance away.

‘Where were you off to when we met?' Shona asked.

‘I set out to walk the path up to Anderleck and then down the other side of the river to the shore again and then make a wide circuit
home
through the Banderloch Mountains. You often see wild goat up there.'

‘Sounds dangerous.'

‘Not if you're a brave hunk like me.'

‘Slay them with your bare hands, do you?'

He grinned. ‘If necessary. But rarely is.'

‘What's Tamsin doing today?'

‘Tamsin?' A fleeting look of surprise flickered in his eyes. ‘Oh, Tamsin. She doesn't believe in moving one foot in front of the other if she can help it.'

‘She was so friendly and helpful to me the other day.'

‘I never thought she'd turn into a stroppy teenager,' he said, frowning.

‘She's so bright and clever.'

‘We can't be talking about the same girl.'

‘I like her.'

‘She needs someone to care, I suppose,' he said, sighing. ‘We seem to have lost it, she and I. Her school doesn't seem to be the answer I hoped for, but I can't take her away now.'

He gazed broodingly across to the mountains, his shoulders hunched. His hair, longer at the back, was slightly uneven and she wished she could touch it. His vulnerability tore at her heart.

‘You said she needs someone to care about her,' she said, hoping that her words didn't sound like a criticism.

‘I feel totally frustrated sometimes.'

‘I'll be her friend. I'll look out for her, Felix.
I
won't let her down.' A surge of happiness ran through her. Her words, lightly spoken were a sacred promise because she had promised Felix.

He smiled, his face lighting up in a way she remembered. She longed to tell him that she not only cared about his daughter but about him too.

Silence hung between them for a long moment. Then he began to pack his food container into his rucksack, pushing it in hard. ‘We've already drunk the coffee I'm afraid.'

She immediately felt guilty. ‘I didn't know it was part of your lunch.'

‘Not to worry. Your need was greatest then.' He raised his face. ‘I feel rain on the wind. Maybe this is a good point to turn back. You need hiking boots for the terrain I'll be covering.'

She smiled, struggling to hide her disappointment. ‘No need for you to accompany me,' she said. ‘I can get myself back to my car on my own. I'm not stupid.'

He looked at her, smiling. ‘Far from it.'

‘I'll think of you tramping through the mountains in the pouring rain.'

‘You do that,' he said, heaving on his rucksack. ‘Sure you'll be OK?'

‘Sure.'

‘I don't think the rain will come to much.' He glanced at his watch and already seemed miles away. ‘See you, then.'

He
didn't mention her day off on Tuesday or his promise to show her his studio.

She watched him go striding off, a tall man with his huge rucksack bobbing on his back.

He came to an outcrop of rock and she could see him no more.

Back at her car she got the local map out of her glovebox to check how close they were to his cottage and studio and found that only a mile or two separated them from where she was now.

*   *   *

Later, stacking the dishwasher at Bessie's Kitchen, Shona realised that Felix hadn't told her what his daughter was doing today while he was off marching through the mountains.

‘All right in here?' Liz asked, coming with another stack of dirty plates. ‘It's good of you to help, Shona. Are you sure you wouldn't rather be back at the castle putting your feet up?'

Shona took the plates from her. ‘After being warned away by Jack? No thanks.'

‘Lucky for me then.' Liz rubbed her hand across her moist forehead and leaned against the unit for a short rest. ‘I wanted a huge clientele, but not all descending at the same time.'

Shona laughed as she straightened up again. ‘Your reputation for Sunday lunch has spread
far
and wide.'

‘Och, don't think I'm not grateful, Shona, wearying work though it is. If it was like this every day I'll be needing to take on more staff.'

‘I'll call in for a progress report on my next day off,' Shona promised.

‘You've got the wildlife people coming tomorrow?'

‘You make it sound so interesting.'

‘Good luck, anyway. And now I must get on.'

Shona continued with the stacking, glad that she had called in on the off-chance that Liz could use her help. Returning too early to Ferniehope Castle was not an option and this was the perfect solution.

*   *   *

Later, lying on top of the pink and cream patchwork bedspread, Shona phoned Jodie. She tried to keep her voice light but Jodie sensed that something was wrong and asked in her forthright way to tell exactly what it was.

‘I met Felix this morning at Leckie Shore,' Shona said. ‘I went there because I had some time off. He just appeared.'

‘And?'

‘And what?'

‘Don't tell me you didn't get it together at last?'

‘Oh Jodie.' Shona broke off before her voice
shook.

‘What's the matter with that man, I want to know?'

‘It's you and Duncan and the twins I want to know about,' said Shona, taking a hold of herself. ‘Come on, spill.'

‘Oh, Shona,' Jodie said, excitement in her voice. ‘Someone's contacted Duncan wanting to know if he'll help him set up a website. He'll pay him of course. He'll bring his laptop round here.'

‘That's great,' said Shona. ‘Good luck to him.'

‘That's him now,' said Jodie. ‘Speak to you soon.' She rang off.

Afterwards Shona lay for a while with her eyes closed, listening to the sound of distant mowing and thinking of Felix striding away from her without a backwards glance. There was something odd about it, some feeling that disturbed her.

Then, sighing, she swung her legs off the bed, deciding to have a shower before the evening meal.

*   *   *

Mags had left chicken salad for two and set the table in the kitchen. Ingrid's absence was a relief Shona hadn't looked for.

They talked of the arrangements for the people arriving tomorrow.

‘The
historical society are coming next and have booked for another week in the autumn as well,' Jack added with satisfaction, helping himself to a jacket potato. He went on to tell her some of the historical sites in the area they hadn't had the opportunity to visit last time.

After the meal Shona made coffee that they drank at the kitchen table. Then together they cleared the table and while Shona put the remains of the salad away in the fridge Jack filled the sink with hot water and added a generous amount of washing up liquid. ‘We'll not use the dishwasher for this lot,' he said.

‘I owe you an apology,' he said when he had finished, leaning back against the sink.

A feeling of relief flooded through Shona.

‘I know Ingrid can be difficult,' he said.

She nodded. Yes, Ingrid was difficult. Mean and calculating too. ‘You were unfair to me,' she said. ‘There's something you should know about what happened between Ingrid and me. I need to explain, to tell you . . .'

‘No good will come of explanations,' he said. He looked troubled. ‘Let it go, Shona. There was no need to ban you from the place for the rest of the day, and I'm sorry for that.'

She nodded, accepting his apology. Perhaps he was right. No harm had come to his orchids after all. She would be vigilant in future.

‘So where did you take yourself off to?'

‘I spent time with friends,' she said.

He tapped his fingers on the unit behind
him,
looking as if he wanted to question her further. She hadn't seen him so unsure of himself before.

He straightened. ‘I see. Well, I won't keep you. We'll meet at breakfast.'

As she went up to her apartment she heard him go into the office and close the door firmly behind him.

*   *   *

Jack made no more mention of the bad feeling between herself and Ingrid in the days that followed except to tell her that Ingrid was planning on taking a few days off the following week.

‘It's our least busy time now the bookings are all done,' he said. ‘I'm sure you can cope in the office with any enquires and such like?'

‘Of course,' she said, glad that she could look forward to a few Ingrid-free days.

She busied herself with the comfort of the new clients, finding everything much easier now because she had done it before. On her day off she went with them on the Kite Trail and enjoyed a fascinating day out. She returned to Ferniehope Castle exhausted but glowing with long hours in the open air, having learnt more about the birds that, reintroduced into the area, now soared above the forest parks again.

It wasn't until the following Sunday evening
she
had the chance to visit Liz as she had promised.

Sunday lunch at Bessie's Kitchen had been as popular as ever and now that the sun was sinking in the sky Liz was relaxing on a wooden sun lounger on her patio at the back.