Page 111 of The Cottage in the Highlands

Flynn senior glanced down at the table, settling his attention on his son. “When your mother and I decided to divorce, she was desperate for me to sell it, but I just couldn’t.”

Carl Talbot snapped his head to his father. “Are you joking, Dad?”

“Nope.”

“But whyever not?” frowned Diana. “I don’t understand.”

“I couldn’t bear to part with the place,” replied Flynn senior.

He turned to Flynn and me. “Before Astrid and I moved into Merry Wood, we lived in Edinburgh. I didn’t mind it, but Astrid wasn’t keen. She said she kept getting pestered with autograph hunters after her modelling took off and she wanted to live somewhere a bit more rural.”

He looked thoughtful. “I believe she had other reasons for wanting to move to a more remote location and that this was just an excuse.”

Flynn shot me look of understanding. He looked across the table at his grandfather. “Like keeping you on a tight leash? I mean, she could do what she wanted there and you wouldn’t have had the same opportunities to seek help.”

“Exactly.”

I thought about the struggle I had experienced, trying to get background information on Merry Wood and who lived there. “Is that why I was having issues finding about the history of Merry Wood and who owned it?”

Flynn senior took a gulp of his white wine. “Astrid was paranoid about people finding out where she lived. On one hand she revelled in the publicity, but on the other she wanted her privacy.”

I nodded. “When it suited her.”

Flynn senior agreed. “She charmed the local authorities into keeping it quiet that we had moved to Merry Wood.”

A corner of his mouth flicked upwards in an ironic sort of way. “My ex-wife can be very charming and plausible when it suits her.”

Carl looked irritated. “What are you all talking about? What is all this?”

Flynn senior ignored his son for now and carried on. “I thought that if we moved somewhere new, things might improve and Astrid would be calmer. We visited Merry Wood and both fell in love with it.”

He turned to Lily beside him. “To this day, Merry Wood does still carry some unpleasant memories for me, I will admit. But then it also had so many more wonderful ones too.” He paused and smiled at her. “Thanks to this lady here, the special ones far outweigh the not so pleasant.”

Flynn senior stretched out one speckled hand and took a stunned Lily’s in his. Carl and Diana’s mouths dropped open. Carl’s shocked expression twisted into a glower at their entwined hands. “Hang on a second, what do you mean by unpleasant memories? Are you talking about Mum?” He didn’t allow Flynn senior enough time to reply. “Do I take it that these wonderful memories you’re talking about are connected to this woman?” As if to illustrate the point, Carl lifted a finger and jabbed it at Lily.

Lily shifted in her chair, a pink blush seeping into her cheeks and clashing with her lilac eyes.

“This woman,” said Flynn senior with emphasis, “is Lily Cruickshank. She was the love of my life.” Now it was Lily’s turn to stare wide-eyed at Flynn senior. “And she always will be.”

Carl let out a snorting noise that reminded me of a furious bull. “Jesus, Dad! Are you telling me you had an affair behind Mum’s back with this old tart?”

“Carl!” barked Flynn, glowering from under his brows at his father. “You don’t know the whole story. And please don’t talk about Lily like that.”

Carl Talbot let out an incredulous bark of laughter. “This just gets better and better. Are you telling me you knew all about this, son?”

“I only found out recently.”

“And you didn’t think to tell your own father about it?”

Diana glanced across at her son. “I really think you should have told us about this when you found out, darling. I mean, this impacts on your poor grandmother too.”

“Yes, well you might not be so sympathetic towards Grandmother when you hear what else Grandfather has to say.”

Carl folded his arms. “Oh, I can barely contain myself.”

Flynn senior swallowed, aware of the several pairs of eyes scanning him from around the long dining room table.

“Go on,” I encouraged him.