Page 117 of A Scottish Country Escape

‘Then why did you?’ she screamed. ‘Why?’

Cameron rubbed his freshly shaved cheek. Shame shone out of him. ‘Because I was jealous.’

Linda’s words were full of scorn. ‘You? Why? The spoilt brat son of the local police sergeant? What the hell did you have to be jealous of Ross for?’

Cameron looked to me and then to Elsa. Now he had started this conversation – which he knew was fifty-nine years in the making – he knew he had to continue.

We remained on Linda’s doorstep, the three of us huddled there in front of a stunned Linda.

‘Because,’ he struggled, flashing Linda a glance charged with guilt, ‘I was in love with you.’

Shock and confusion reared up in her. She made a strange gasping noise. ‘What are you talking about? You were always vile towards me. Spiteful, even.’ I noticed the scent of freshly brewed coffee and lavender air freshener coming from inside her hallway.

Cameron blanched at the memories Linda was dragging up again. They were all ones he knew he had to confront. ‘That’s because I was a self-centred little bastard who couldn’t admit my feelings.’

Cameron’s shame made him flinch in the ethereal woodland light. ‘It was easy for me to hide how I felt about you, and lash out at Ross instead.’

Linda’s hand reached for the crescent moon necklace dangling around her neck, her trembling fingers grasping it.

‘Please, Linda,’ said Cameron taking another step towards her. ‘I know I have absolutely no right to ask this of you, but I’m desperate.’ He cleared his throat. ‘I need to tell you the truth about what happened that night.’

She appeared lost somewhere, as though she were struggling to find her way back. Maybe she didn’t want to.

‘You ought to know the truth about the man you were going to marry.’

Linda blazed back at him. ‘Don’t you dare tell me what kind of a man Ross was!’ She blinked and straightened her shoulders. ‘I knew him better than anyone.’

Cameron’s increasing desperation was evident. ‘I know you did and you always will.’ He swallowed. ‘But I do need to talk to you. Please, Linda. May we come in?’

Her bewildered expression travelled from Cameron to me and then Elsa. Linda straightened her tunic and, after an agonised pause, took a few steps backwards. She gestured for us to enter.

Brando weaved around my legs as Elsa, Cameron, and I sat down.

Elsa took up the seat next to me on the sofa and Cameron sat on an old solid armchair.

The air in the sitting room was warm, but we kept our coats on. Cameron flapped open his long coat. The open log fire hissed and spat in the grate.

Linda swallowed and pinned Cameron with her jade stare. ‘So?’

Cameron studied his polished black brogues. He dashed one hand over the top of his grey-tinged hair before recalling the events of August 1964 with alarming clarity.

He described the powder-blue sky and how it was at odds with the roaring of their car engines. He spoke of them both doing all they could to conceal their nerves, in the hope of psyching the other out. Then he moved on to the race itself, as they vied for the lead side by side down the country lanes. ‘It was as we were nearing Turnpike Trail that I began to lose control of my car and the brakes failed.’ He gathered himself. ‘Ross must have seen the trouble I was in and instead of capitalising on it, he sped up and used his car to stop mine.’

He paused, risking a look at Linda’s shocked expression. ‘And he saved me.’

His shoulders sagged at the memory. ‘Ross used his car to slow me down, but there was a pool of water on the road.’

Linda’s stricken face made him look away. ‘His car spun… There was nothing he could do… I shouted at him! I tried to warn him!’ Cameron closed his eyes for a few seconds. ‘There was a screech of tyres and a smell of smoke… before Ross’s car hit a tree.’

Linda clamped one hand over her mouth and sat rigid in her chair. She was milky white.

I jumped out of my seat and went into her kitchen, banging cupboards open until I located a glass and filled it with water.

I hovered by her side while she took a few reluctant sips. When I was certain she was a little more composed, I resumed my seat next to Elsa.

‘So… Ross saved you?’ she croaked, clinging on to the glass of water like a life raft.

Cameron nodded. ‘And there’s not a day goes by that I don’t feel guilty about it.’