Page 38 of A Scottish Highland Surprise

Jake Caldwell introduced himself, his voice light, with strange overtures of the States and Edinburgh.

“Thank you for calling me back, Mr Caldwell.”

“It’s Jake and please accept my apologies for not ringing you back yesterday. I had an urgent commission to finish.”

As he spoke, I pictured the gorgeous, earthy painting he produced of the farmhouse teapot.

“So, you were interested in my farmhouse table piece?”

“That’s right. I’m opening up a crockery business and I thought your painting would be perfect up on the wall.”

He sounded genuinely interested. “That’s great. I can see why it piqued your interest then.”

I steeled myself for Jake Caldwell to reveal its price, and, as if anticipating my question, he named a figure which, although expensive, was more reasonable than I had expected. “That’s fine by me,” I said with a smile.

“Excellent. Well, if you give me your address, I can deliver it in person to you tomorrow.”

“Are you sure that isn’t an inconvenience for you?” I asked, a little surprised.

Jake Caldwell insisted it wasn’t. “My studio is based to the north of the city, so it isn’t an inconvenience at all.”

I relayed the address of The Cup That Cheers. “Do you have a rough idea what time you will be able to drop it off?”

I heard a couple of taps on a computer keyboard in the background. “Would bringing it round to you around eleven tomorrow morning suit?”

“That would be perfect, thank you.” I beamed. “I’m expecting another delivery around 10a.m.”

As soon as the call ended, I plopped my mobile back into my bag and started towards the kitchen to retrieve Mum’s flowers from the sink.

My phone had other ideas.

I had only got as far as my butterscotch linoleum floor when it rang again.

I whirled on my heel and darted back to answer it, not paying any attention to the screen. “Did you forget something?”

There was a puzzled pause. Then a different male voice – huskier and formal – travelled into my ear. “This is Xander North speaking.”

My cheeks flipped pink with embarrassment. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I thought you were someone else.”

I straightened my back.

“Is this an inconvenient time, Ms Harkness?”

I glanced down at my watch. I had a few minutes to spare before I would have to set off to Mum and Dad’s. If I was really pushed for time, I could take my car, but I wanted to walk. The rain had cleared and everything outside looked rinsed and fresh.

“No, it’s fine,” I assured him.

“All right. Well, I managed to take a look at my crockery archives and that has given me an idea.”

There was a trace of anticipation in his tone, which put me on alert. “Yes?”

“Now it may just be a coincidence, though I very much doubt it, but can you look at the underside of the teapot handle? I seem to recall there was a motif there and if there is and it’s the one I think it is…” His rich voice tailed off.

I glanced up the hall towards the kitchen, where Mum’s bouquet was thrusting out of the sink in a sea of ruby, vanilla and apricot blooms. My anticipation was rising. “What am I looking for?”

“A rose emblem,” explained Xander North. “It will be very small.”

I digested what he was telling me. “And if this rose emblem is there? What might that mean?”