Page 58 of The Cottage in the Highlands

I got to my feet. What was going on? He was suddenly very keen to leave. “Do you know the man who wrote that letter?”

Flynn Talbot’s eyes flashed.

“Please, Mr Talbot. You happen to share the same name as the man who wrote this letter to Lily. If there is any help at all you think you might be able to give me, I’d very much appreciate it.”

He fired his camera back around his neck. “Sharing the same name as someone else isn’t uncommon. Sorry, but I’m going to be late as it is.”

“Please, Mr Talbot. I could see something in your expression.”

“You couldn’t see anything!” he growled. “I shouldn’t have agreed to meet you.” He flicked me a look. “I hope you find the other Flynn Talbot, but this letter is nothing to do with me. I’m sorry I can’t help.”

“Can’t help or won’t help?” I called after him, drawing odd looks from surrounding tables. But he ignored me and strode out of the tea room, leaving me staring after his retreating back.

His reaction, the way he acted, the way he’d batted away my questions and refused to answer…

I sat back down in my chair and fiddled with the handle of the teapot on my table. He’d looked shocked and confused at first. Then defensive.

I drummed my fingers on the edge of the table. I wasn’t prepared to give up on finding out who wrote that letter. The fact that Flynn Talbot had reacted to the name of the house told me there was a strong indication he was connected to it somehow. The only conclusion I could come to was that he might have a family member with the same name and that was the person who wrote the letter to Lily. Obviously, it wasn’t him. But who was it?

I folded my arms. My emotions had shot from embarrassment that I’d made a mistake to shock and then determination. I would give Flynn Talbot a couple of days to think about things, then I would contact him again.

Around me, there was the clink of cups and polite chatter.

Flynn Talbot wasn’t telling me everything. That was obvious.

Chapter Twenty

I returned to the office later that morning and was throwing myself into writing up a feature about New Year ideas for revamping your beauty routine.

Whilst I had been out meeting up with Flynn Talbot, Orion and Cole had been instructed by Athena to put up the Goddess office Christmas decorations.

Orion had caught me gawping at the crystal Swarovski Christmas tree at the Goddess reception, not to mention the extravagant crystal stars and snowflakes dripping from the ceiling.

“I did suggest to Athena that we get some tinsel and paper chains from the newsagents across the road, but she started hyperventilating,” grinned Orion into my ear.

“I wish I had been here to see that.”

I returned to my PC but kept recalling Flynn Talbot’s face collapsing in shock when I mentioned Merry Wood.

“Leonie? Have you got a minute please?” Kerry’s anxious face met mine over the top of my PC.

“Sure.”

I saved the feature I was working on and followed her down the office corridor. Her glossy hair was pulled back from her concerned face with some navy ribbon. “It’s about Lulu Stark.”

“Ok.”

She hugged her notebook to her chest. “I made contact with her PR company. She’s agreed to do an interview.”

“That’s great! What angle did you use?”

Kerry struggled to maintain eye contact. “I said we were interviewing three celebs from the world of comedy who take their beauty regimes seriously.”

“Good one,” I beamed at her. “As a matter of fact, that’s a very good idea for a future piece. I like the angle. You should pitch it to Athena.”

Kerry forced a smile and nodded. “At least it means now we can see her reaction when we ask her about her products and the cost and testing of them.”

“So, when are you going to interview Lulu?”