Page 44 of A Scottish Country Escape

Dexter didn’t appear convinced. He opened his mouth, but then closed it again.

‘Thank you for the lift home.’ I started off down past the stream that rolled across the stones. I turned around to see Dexter raise one hand and give a mock salute.

‘I’ve had one or two more ideas about how we might track down Linda Carlucci,’ I called, finding myself keen to reassure him.

‘Great.’

Dexter poked his dark head further out of the driver’s side window. He hesitated and cleared his throat. ‘Maybe I can help you with brainstorming on the reserve… You know, ideas on how we can try and save it. You know… together.’

We? Together? I blinked back at him, surprised. ‘Are you sure? Oh. OK. That would be good. Thanks.’

‘I’ll give you a call tomorrow.’

Then he was gone in a blur of silver wheel trim.

I stared up at Pebble Brook, the light from a couple of lamps washing out onto the path. The Carlucci siblings had reached into the lives of certain individuals in Fir Haven, leaving an indelible memory. Even after all this time, it seemed that their echoes persisted.

Trepidation took hold. It had been one hell of a day of revelations and repercussions. Now I had to speak to my gran about Lorenzo.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Grandma examined me over the top of the breakfast bar later that evening. ‘I fell in love with Lorenzo Carlucci in the summer of 1962.’

She traced a finger around the rim of her mug. ‘It was before I met and married your grandfather.’

I noted a dreamy softness swim in her eyes.

‘I was twenty years old and I thought I was such a modern young woman. I believed I was ahead of my time.’ She let out a bark of fruity laughter. ‘I was so ambitious then – fighting to be a councillor instead of marrying and having four children like many of my friends were doing. I wanted to give the world a bloody good shake!’

She cradled her mug of hot chocolate, which I had insisted on drizzling with mini marshmallows and a dollop of fresh cream. ‘I enjoyed working as a doctor’s receptionist at the local surgery, but answering the phones and making appointments… well, I felt like there must be something I could do to help the needy here in Fir Haven. That was when I realised I wanted to be a councillor.’

I sank down opposite her at the breakfast bar. ‘Go on, Gran.’

She flicked me a charged look. Straight away, I imagined her as a determined, young force of nature, all idealistic and passionate.

‘Lorenzo came to a town hall meeting. His family hadn’t long moved to the area.’ Gran took a considered sip of her drink. ‘I remember I had been exchanging heated words with a few of the old stuffed shirts about providing a proper play park for the local children and had just got on my high horse about entering Fir Haven for the Prettiest Town in Scotland Award. Lorenzo had been a gardener in his native Italy and was starting to earn a bit of money providing gardening services here in the local area.’ Her fine-boned cheeks conjured up a streak of pink. ‘I was in the middle of my prepared speech about how the competition could really raise the profile of the area, when he walked in and took a seat. He was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen.’

Captivated, I pleaded with her to continue. ‘And what happened, Gran?’

‘We began working together on this little committee and quickly found we were very attracted to one another.’ Then her wistful expression melted away. ‘Fir Haven came second in the competition in the end but our relationship… well…’ She toyed with the handle of her mug. ‘Adam Fraser was part of the committee too. I always knew he liked me.’ Gran shook her head, as if trying to reconcile everything. ‘But he became so jealous of Lorenzo.’ She puffed out her cheeks, her lacquered nails tapping away. ‘Adam connived to have Lorenzo and the rest of his family forced out of the area.’ She took a pensive sip from her mug and resumed talking again. ‘With such pressure on us, our relationship couldn’t last. Maybe if I had been stronger and more outspoken… I was weak,’ she erupted, self-disgust evident in her voice.

‘Gran, please don’t blame yourself. You were only twenty.’

She stared down into her hot chocolate, lost in thought for a few moments.

‘Was that why you were so keen for me to help Dexter? Because of the guilt you felt over Lorenzo?’

Gran didn’t reply. Her preoccupied expression answered for her.

‘Do you know what happened to Lorenzo after you split up?’

She gazed past my shoulder and towards the kitchen window. ‘He returned to Italy and married a local girl. Then I heard several years later that he had three children and was running his own little gardening business near Lake Garda.’ She shrugged. ‘It was my own fault. I couldn’t find my voice then.’

‘Well, you’ve certainly more than made up for it,’ I half joked, hoping to raise a smile from her.

It worked momentarily. Gran’s lips slid upwards into a brief smile. ‘The same can be said of you, young lady.’

I cradled my drink between both hands. ‘Did you ever tell Mum any of this?’