Page 40 of A Secret Scottish Escape

Yes. That sounded all right and was a pretty accurate summary of the situation.

The scenery flashed past my window as I made my way under the slivers of sunshine towards the cabin office. Up ahead on the twisting ribbon of road sat a wooden sign with green lettering proclaiming “Loch Harris Forestry Commission” on the left-hand side.

I flicked up the indicator, allowing a tractor to trundle past me, before I swung along a darkened, gravelled route. The trees were clustered together like gossiping heads, bowed in conversation.

The gravel gave way, opening out into a generous parking area that was cushioned with bark.

I parked beside four other vehicles and collected my bag from the passenger seat. The air was stirring with the sound of the rustling undergrowth.

The log-cabin-cum-office was a stout, dark affair. It reminded me a little of the cottage in Hansel and Gretel, minus the candy cane door and marzipan roof.

Inside the entrance, I could see a corkboard pinned with various notices about landscape planning, tree surveys, and a timetable of park ranger woodland walks. There was also a bristly brown doormat and a silver stand that housed spare umbrellas.

I stepped inside to be greeted by an interior glass-panelled door.

When I went through that, I was met by a big, smiley, older man in a leather waistcoat. He had been sitting behind a desk covered in paperwork.

The whole interior possessed a cosy lodge feel, with black and white landscape prints dotted on the walls and a dark wooden floor that was decorated with a couple of brightly coloured hessian rugs. There were two other desks, both unoccupied.

“Hi there. Can I help you?”

I asked if Greg McBride was working today and to my relief, I was told he was. “He’s just popped out to speak to our red deer ranger. He should only be a few minutes.”

I explained who I was and said I’d be grateful if I could have a quick word with him.

The burly man nodded. “Give me a second and I’ll radio to let him know you’re here.”

I watched as he picked up a large walkie-talkie contraption from his desk and spoke into it. There was a series of sizzling crackles before I heard Greg’s hesitant reply. “I’m on my way back now anyway.”

“I won’t keep him long,” I insisted, keen to ensure I didn’t get Greg into trouble at work.

The man, whose staff badge on his waistcoat announced him as Colin Agnew, gave me a breezy smile. “Oh, don’t worry about that, lass. The big chief won’t be in till lunchtime today.”

He indicated across the office floor to the largest oak desk in the corner. “That’s his kingdom over there.”

I laughed, while still composing what I was going to say to Greg when I saw him.

No doubt he would think I was an interfering busybody, but the worst thing surely, would be to not to try and help Faith and him sort things out.

I knew that, if the roles were reversed, Faith would be the first to get involved – whether I wanted her to or not.

I swallowed as the interior glass door squealed open and Greg appeared.

He studied me for a second, recognition sparking in his hazel eyes. “Hi there.”

Colin snatched up a cup of stewed coffee from the top of a pile of papers balanced on his desk. “I’ll leave you guys to it for a bit.” He dropped his balding head and sauntered out, closing the door behind him.

Greg spoke straight away. “If this is about Faith, you’re wasting your time.”

I hooked my bag tighter over my shoulder. “What makes you say that?”

“She did, in no uncertain terms.”

I tried to smile. “Whatever she said to you, she didn’t mean it. She really likes you.”

Greg rolled his warm eyes up to the timbered ceiling. “Well, she has a very strange way of showing it.”

I watched him stride over to the other smaller vacant desk. There was a photograph of him and Sam in a solid silver frame.