Page 73 of The Cottage in the Highlands

Orion’s voice interrupted us. Behind her appeared Flynn Talbot junior, suited, booted, and harbouring a furious, dark brow.

Kerry shrank back. “I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”

She vanished.

Flynn stood there, thunderous. “Is there somewhere we can talk in private?”

Heads of my colleagues were raised over the tops of their PCs, appreciating the tall, dark stranger.

I told him to follow me to the breakout area.

No sooner had I set my takeaway coffee on the table than he launched into a frustrated tirade. “What the hell did you think you were doing yesterday? I’ve just had my grandfather on the phone, telling me a female journalist was hanging about his property and harassing his housekeeper.”

He let out a snort of derision. “I knew as soon as I said anything I was making a huge mistake.”

“Whoa!” I held up one hand. “Stop right there! I didn’t go and see your grandfather about that, nor was I hanging around or harassing anyone.”

“Then why rock up at his door like that?”

“I went to Cairntilloch to speak to him about Merry Wood and Lily, but he refused to talk to me.”

Flynn stared me down. “Not about anything else?”

“No,” I ground out. “I just told you that.” I dropped my voice to an irritated hiss. “I know you have a very low opinion of journalists, but when I make a promise, I keep it.” How dare he think I would lie?! That I would break a promise and go round to his grandfather’s on some pretext in order to get a scoop about him being Chandler?

Flynn folded his arms and jutted out his chin. He looked scolded. “Sorry.”

I cupped my hand to my ear in an exaggerated gesture. “Pardon?”

“I said I’m sorry for jumping to the wrong conclusion.”

I pursed my lips. “Apology accepted.”

There was a stony silence for a few moments. “I bet he doesn’t even remember her. Lily, I mean. Based on the stories my grandmother told me, the randy old goat would shag anything with a pulse back in the day.”

I couldn’t help myself. I let out a dry bark of laughter. One minute he’s apologising and the next, he’s offending people again!

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

I could feel myself blushing hot. “Well, I hardly think you can comment.”

“Pardon?”

I straightened my shoulders, recalling the female voice over the phone from the other night, but bit back any further comment.

Flynn watched my expression and arched a brow. “You seem to be taking rather a keen interest in my love life, Ms Baxter.”

I remembered we were in the breakout area and tried to contain the level of temper in my voice. Talk about having an inflated opinion! “Oh, don’t flatter yourself! And what you just said about your grandfather and Lily doesn’t ring true at all.”

“What do you mean by that?”

I carried a triumphant smile, pleased that I was about to puncture his ill-conceived confidence. I stared at him levelly. “Lily Grove.”

“What?”

“Lily Grove,” I repeated with satisfaction. “That’s what your grandfather has called his house in Cairntilloch.”

Flynn’s brows twisted. He fell silent for a moment. “That could just be a coincidence.”