“Is Dad there?” she asked.
He wasn’t. He was out sourcing materials for their installation, her mother explained before launching into a detailed account of their work—a towering edifice made entirely from recycled junk that was intended to reflect the constant bustling energy of Spain’s capital.
Anna listened until eventually her mother ran out of words. “Was there something you wanted to talk about?”
“Yes, actually,” Anna said. “It’s just that—”
“Oh, hang on a minute, love,” said her mother. Her voice became quieter, as though she’d taken the phone away from her ear. “Over there. No, there. The purple one first and then the orange. Yes, that’s right.”
Anna looked up, letting her mother’s voice fade into the background. She stared at the gray Scottish sky as she waited for her mother’s attention to return to her.
“Sorry about that, love. What were you saying?” Her mother’s voice returned, a little breathless.
Anna paused, contemplating whether to even bother trying to explain. What was the point?
“Oh, nothing,” she said at last. “I’ll let you get back to your festival.”
“Sure, love,” her mother’s voice was distracted, already pulled back into the flurry of her life. “We’ll catch up soon. Love you.”
She hung up, and Anna stared blankly at her phone screen.Love you. Such easy words to say, but did they carry any meaning? She popped her phone back into her pocket, pulling her coat tighter around her as a cold wind blew through the city.
What was she supposed to do now? She had no job, no money, and nowhere to go.
She propped her chin on her hand. She wished Lily, were here.She’dknow what she should do. Friends since university, Lily had been the calm to Anna’s tempest, the cool to Anna’s hot. But Lily had recently gotten married and was away on her honeymoon. Anna hadn’t called or even messaged, doing her best to give them some privacy, but that had been three weeks ago. Surely they’d be back from honeymoon by now? She could message. Or she could call. Or she could go visit.
She latched onto this last idea, excitement rushing through her, replacing the melancholy. Yes! That’s what she’d do! A surprise visit to her best friend was exactly what she needed!
She scrolled through the messages on her phone until she found the address Lily had sent her. She didn’t recognize it—it was up north somewhere—but she was sure she’d be able to find it. Throwing her bag over her shoulder, Anna lifted herself from the cold bench and set off in the direction of the train station.
She boarded the north-bound train to Aberdeen and settled into her seat by the window, watching as Glasgow fell away behind her. A strange feeling of relief washed over her. It was time for a fresh start.Another one?the little voice said in the back of Anna’s head.How many will it take?
She had no idea. She just knew she had to keep trying.
Chapter 2
Emeric Mackintosh walked alongside his horse, holding the reins loosely in his hand. It had been a long journey and they’d both earned a rest. His legs were aching, his backside was sore from long hours in the saddle, and he was looking forward to putting his feet up, sipping a mug of ale, and catching up on the family news.
How long had it been? A year? More? He found that the longer he was away, the harder it was to return. He could tell himself that it was his duties to the Order of the Osprey that kept him away, but that wasn’t the whole truth. He didn’t like coming home. There were too many memories.
For the last few hours, he’d been passing through the prosperous lands of the MacDonalds, his family’s closest neighbors. Here, the roads were well maintained and the hills were dotted with fat sheep wandering around like wooly clouds.
