Page 96 of A Secret Scottish Escape

Ed faltered. “But what I did … I feel so guilty about it all now, having an affair with a mate’s wife. Then there was all this with Harry and Layla having to take a DNA test. I can’t face it. I thought it might stay in the past – Tina and I, I mean – but what I did … what we did … it’s all too much for me to deal with.”

From somewhere in the room, Mask gave a frustrated sigh. “There you go again. Thinking only of yourself. What about Harry and Layla? Surely they’ve been through the ringer more than anyone during all of this?”

My heart clattered against my chest as I leaned back against the wall. What Mask was doing … what he was trying to do to help me…

I chewed my lip and refocused on the conversation taking place just inches away from me.

I angled one eye through the slim gap again and saw Mask move into my line of sight for a few seconds. He was sporting his black velvet mask again and the grey hoodie was up and over his face.

“Some secrets should stay in the past,” snarled Ed, a guilty flint in his eyes. “If Tina wasn’t such a vindictive cow…” Ed stared up at Mask, suddenly sounding braver than he looked. “And anyway, why are you so interested? It’s got nothing to do with you.”

Mask leaned forward, his concealed profile edging towards Ed. “I guess you have a point. But I don’t like to see good people treated badly.”

My stomach lurched as Mask moved in even closer and Ed shrank backwards. “You had a fling with Layla’s mother.”

Ed’s pale blue eyes narrowed in his pinched face. “I’m not proud of what I did.”

“Well, now is an opportunity to do something positive to atone for that mistake.”

I swallowed a bubble of emotion as Mask spoke again. His Australian accent was laden with determination. “Layla is … Layla is a very special woman. The way I see it, you can at least show Layla and her father that you want to do something for them.”

He took a step backwards and I lost sight of him through the sliver of the door.

“Nobody is asking you to re-join the band permanently. This is for one night. Don’t you think you owe them at least that much? You would be doing the right thing for both of them.”

Mask appeared briefly again through the crack in the door. “Whether you like it or not, you threatened their little family unit and they’ve had to fight to come back from it.”

Ed swallowed and bunched up his fists.

Mask’s words echoed around my head and I watched through wide, shocked eyes as he slid into view again. “You’ve got a chance after almost thirty years to put things right. Or at least, try to make amends.” Mask gave the briefest shake of his head. “I wish I had that sort of opportunity.”

What did he mean by that?

Ed uncoiled himself from the sofa and stood, his hands pushed into his jeans pockets.

They didn’t exchange any more words, but both started towards the sitting room door, Ed limping slightly.

Stifling an emotional lump in my throat, I bolted back down the hall and into the music room before either of them realised I had been standing there.

Chapter Forty-Six

“Bloody hell! We were about to scramble huskies and a helicopter!” yelled Mikey from across the campsite. “Where have you two been? Up Ben Nevis?”

Stan whipped off his mirrored sunglasses. “Harry has been going out of his mind with worry, Layla. We rang him to see if he knew where you both had got to.”

Jack emerged from his tent and squinted past my shoulder. “Christ, Ed. What happened to you?”

A silence descended when they noticed the hooded, masked figure.

“He stumbled over a tree trunk,” I explained in a rush, trying to fill the quiet. “He’s OK but his foot is a bit bruised. We managed to get help.”

The campsite tents flip-flapped as Mask maintained a discreet distance. “I’ll be off, Layla.” He lifted a hand to the other guys and then began to stride back towards his truck.

“Hang on,” I called after him.

Behind us, the guys from the band clustered together in a semi-circle and did their best impression of trying not to stare over at the imposing, mysterious stranger.

Mask’s eyes blazed down at me and I cleared my throat. “I wanted to say thank you for all your help today.”