Page 11 of A Secret Scottish Escape

I pulled a face and tried to summon up some enthusiasm for two goat’s cheese and red pepper tartlets. Faith frowned at my plate. “Is that all you’re having?”

“Who are you now, my mother?”

Faith pushed an escaping hair back into her chignon. “You can ill afford to lose any more weight.”

“I’m hardly fading away before your very eyes,” I answered, pointing to my bottom.

“No, but your face is definitely thinner than it was.”

I rolled my eyes up to the cornice ceiling and plopped a tomato and mozzarella sandwich onto my plate. “Happy now?”

“Not really, but I will be when I see you actually eat it.”

I nibbled at one of the tartlets, realising I was hungrier than I thought. I moved on to the other tartlet, and was about to take a bite of the sandwich when David Murray appeared at my shoulder. He was carrying an apologetic expression. “I’m so sorry to trouble you again Ms Devlin…”

Dad, who had returned with Lois – both carrying cups of freshly brewed coffee – stopped short. “Do you have to do this now?”

I put down my plate and ran a weary hand over the top of my head. “It’s fine. Whatever it is, let’s get it over with.”

David Murray nodded and smiled. “Thank you.”

He shot out a hand and indicated towards the function room doors. “There’s a quiet spot just past reception. We can talk there.”

He strode ahead of me and held the doors open. Dad, Lois, and Faith watched me leave.

There was the faintest tinkle of pan pipes seeping through the public address system as I straightened my skirt and sat on the quilted sofa opposite. A hunk of chestnut coffee table separated us and out of the floor-to-ceiling window, I could see assorted flowerbeds and soaring lawns.

“I’ve been taking care of Mac’s legal affairs for years,” began David Murray, steepling his fingers. “He was always very clear on what he wanted.”

My skin prickled. “Yes, that’s very apparent.”

David eyed me for a moment. “He did love you, Layla.”

“But evidently, not enough.”

David Murray dragged a hand down his face. He had kind, hooded eyes and a soft expression. “He and Hannah had such a unique relationship…”

I let out a growl. “If you’re here to defend him, I don’t want to know.” I shot up from the sofa. “In time, I might be able to forgive Mac, but right now, I can hardly bring myself to say his name.”

David rose to his feet. “I understand.”

“Do you? Do you really?”

He beckoned for me to sit down again. “Please, Ms Devlin.”

I blew out a cloud of frustrated air and sank back onto the sofa. “If you have papers for me to sign, I will need to discuss anything with Lois. She is his sister, after all, and the only family Mac has left.”

David Murray swished open his suit jacket, revealing a flash of caramel silk lining. He plucked out a slim white envelope and offered it across the table.

My breath fluttered in my chest at the sight of Mac’s terrible handwriting. He had written my name in black ink on the front of it. It was all leaning letters and exaggerated loops.

“Mac told me that were anything to happen to him, you were to be given this straight after the funeral.”

I took the envelope and stared down at it.

“He said he hoped it would explain everything.”

I was aware of my heartbeat pounding in my ears and of the faint clatter of coffee cups in the background.