Page 56 of The Bookshop By the Loch

We confirmed in unison that we did.

Maeve was fizzing with anticipation. “Right then. Well, all things considered, how about we do introductions today around half past four?” Her smile wavered. “Time is of the essence.”

Her words resonated with me. Pictures of my dad lodged themselves in front of my eyes. I forced them back. “That sounds perfect.”

Tobias gave me a pensive glance.

“Wonderful. Right, I’ll call Bracken Way Residential Home and tell them they can expect us to visit Mum this afternoon. I live in one of those stone cottages on the outskirts of town, so it’ll take me no time to get there.”

There were enthusiastic handshakes all round, before she swirled out of the shop.

When she’d gone, Tobias swung round to face me. “I wondered if all that talk about losing someone might be a bit too close to home? Are you ok?”

I turned over Maeve’s conversation with us; everything she’d told us about her mother; her desire to help her and make whatever time she had left as memorable and happy as possible. “Yes, maybe a bit,” I admitted.

The shop doorbell fizzed into action and a smartly dressed older man, in a trilby and tailored suit, made for Tobias’s gallery and began browsing. “No rest for the wicked,” said Tobias with a twinkle.

“You were so kind to Maeve,” I blurted out to his broad, retreating back, as he made his way towards Octavia, who was chatting to the new customer. The words were out before I could stop them. “And like I said, you telling her to make a donation to Dementia UK instead of accepting a fee.” My cheeks fizzed, struck by how touched I was. “That was very generous of you.”

Tobias stopped, turned and flashed a brief megawatt smile that lit up his handsome face.

“See?” he said with a wink. “The wicked wolf isn’t so bad, after all, is he?”

Chapter Seventeen

Bracken Way Residential Home was a Victorian-style affair at the other end of town, which had been extended at the side and rear, in order to accommodate more rooms.

It was white pebble dash, boasting a cheerful lemon-painted entrance and matching windowsills.

The gardens were an appealing mixture of Scots pine and ash trees interspersed by colourful flower beds, decorated with shrubs, tea roses, lavender and lobelia.

Tobias guided us both up the hedge-flanked driveway and past the brass nameplate, proclaiming where we were.

His car, an olive-green Land Rover, wasn’t what I’d been expecting. I’d envisaged him behind the wheel of some sporty little thing with racing tyres.

My surprised expression must have betrayed me, because he examined me across the car roof before we set off.

“I got this because it’s practical and excellent for transporting my painting garb.”

I had raised my hands in the air in mock surrender. “I didn’t say a word.”

“You didn’t have to. You have very expressive eyes.”

The air between us zinged. He produced his car keys and I got ready to clamber in beside him. I realised my cheeks were glowing and I was grateful when he hit the fob so I could get in.

Maeve was standing by her car, an amber Golf, when Tobias edged into the visitors’ car park and parked up at the front of the residential home.

No sooner had we got out of the Land Rover, than Maeve bore down on us, her dress flapping around her ankles. “Thank you so much for coming. After I came to see you both this morning, I drove straight up here to tell Mum. She’s delighted.”

“We’re looking forward to meeting her,” I smiled. “And I’m very interested to read her manuscript.”

“You are too kind. Both of you. She won’t let me see her book. Won’t let me anywhere near it. Not even so much as a glimpse.”

“Writing a book is a personal experience. Often, it can be easier to show it to a complete stranger, rather than family. I suppose it feels a bit less intrusive.” I thought of my previous editing endeavours, the books I’d slaved over, carving and chiselling my author’s words into something more polished and flowing. In some ways, it seemed an age ago.

“You’re probably right,” agreed Maeve.

Tobias asked Maeve to lead the way and we followed.