She’d awakened knowing exactly what it was she was going to do and this time she was going to keep it secret until she was pitching her idea in New York.
She had one chance to prove her worth and that thought spurred her on over the next two days as Mutt shuttled her between impromptu meetings and introduced her to the local makers she wanted to see, and all the time they worked together Nina had a fire in her belly to succeed that she hadn’t felt since the day she got her internship.
She wasn’t going to be slowed down or distracted by the inconvenient fact that she liked gripping Mutt’s waist as she rode on the back of his motorcycle or that it had been her who had shifted closer to him during the night at the castle, pulling him near as he’d slept, breathing in the scent of him, leather, whisky and warmth.
‘Where is everyone this morning?’ Kitty asked Beatrice, popping her head around the door to the sun room. ‘It’s half ten and I haven’t seen the Firths or Nina.’
Beatrice was lying under a blanket on the sofa where she’d been receiving concerned visitors since just after nine.
News of Beatrice’s dash to hospital the day before had reached all the way to Skye, thanks to Seth, and Mrs Fergusson had called a taxi in an instant.
Seth and Mrs Fergusson were there now, by the fire, still fussing over Beatrice and recounting all the things she’d have to cut back on now the doctors had told her to rest.
‘The Easter arts festival, that’ll have to be cancelled,’ Mrs Fergusson said, but Beatrice wouldn’t hear of it and told her so, saying she could conduct the last bits of planning from right here in her command centre.
She only had a little more to finalise, she’d lied, including letting the owner of Glenda, the vintage cinema mobile, know what movie reels she was to bring with her. She’d known this would spark some debate between Seth and Mrs Fergusson and was glad when they turned their attentions on each other, bickering about Gene Kelly’s best works just as Kitty popped in.
Beatrice was glad of the interruption, telling Kitty that, ‘Nina went with Mutt to the ball last night, but I didn’t hear them come back,’ not knowing whether to be delighted or concerned. ‘Have you tried Mutt’s mobile?’
‘Engaged, I’ll try again in a bit,’ Kitty said, raising her voice over Mrs Fergusson who was chiding, ‘Seth McVie, I dinnae ken how you can say such a thing.’
‘Whit? All I’m saying isSingin’ in the Rainis far superior toBrigadoonand a’ its phoney accents and squawking singers.’
Mrs Fergusson crossed herself dramatically before launching into a lecture Beatrice had heard before about howBrigadoonwas Gene Kelly’s finest work.
‘I might come with you, help you look for them,’ Beatrice shouted back to Kitty.
‘No, you won’t. You sit there. You’re lookin’ fair tired,’ she added pointedly, causing the elderly film buffs to stop their bickering.
‘Perhaps Kitty’s right,’ Mrs Fergusson said. ‘Come on, Seth, we’ll take a coffee in the bar together and settle the matter. Now mind you don’t move a muscle, Beatrice. Do you know I wasn’t allowed out of bed for six months when I was carrying Kelly? It’s no’ an easy task, but you’ll need to set your mind to it.’
Beatrice nodded, feeling chastened but also very much as though her own mum would have said something similar.
Seth took Mrs Fergusson’s arm and led her out saying, ‘Can we at least agree Debbie Reynolds was his best dance partner?’
‘Debbie Reynolds? Cyd Charisse, now there’s a dancer!’
Their voices faded and Beatrice widened her eyes at Kitty. ‘Can you tell people I’m sleeping if anybody else calls by?’
‘Got it.’ Kitty saluted.
‘Except Ruth Firth. In fact, if you see her, will you ask her to pop in?’
Kitty raised an eyebrow.
‘What? She’s a trained midwife, I’ll have you know. She told me herself.’
‘Wantin’ to see her’s got nothing to do with you gaspin’ to know how the pair of them are getting on now you’ve made your marriage on the rocks recovery list?’
‘Who told you about that?’ Beatrice cried.
‘I saw it. It was on their dresser yesterday when Gene was changing their towels. He recognised your handiwork, and you know Gene and I have no secrets. Yougavethem that list?’
‘I gave it to Ruth, yes.’ Beatrice shrugged, as though that were a perfectly normal thing to do. ‘What?’
Kitty only blinked.
‘They needed a bit of expert advice.’
