Page 105 of A Scottish Highland Hideaway

“Marcus just told me what you did. You were looking out for Anastasia.”

I noticed two smears of colour appear in Mum’s cheeks.

“Yes. At least I tried to.”

She swallowed, an odd look rearing up in her eyes. “More than I ever did, and I’m her mother.”

“What?”

Mum gave her dark, shiny cloud of hair a shake. “What Ezra just said is true, but I haven’t been doing that for either of you. I’ve been far too busy judging my son and daughter, because I didn’t want you to make the same stupid mistake I did.”

“Marrying Dad wasn’t a stupid mistake,” grinned Marcus. His smile vanished when he saw Mum wasn’t smiling.

I shot my brother a puzzled look. “Mum, what is it? Is there something you’re not telling us?”

Dad smiled at Mum. “Come on, Ness,” cajoled Dad. “You know you can tell us anything.”

“I’m not perfect. Far from it,” she blurted out. “But I just wanted to make sure our children stayed on the right path. I didn’t want either of you doing what I did. Risking everything for somebody who wasn’t worth it.”

I glanced at Dad, as if to say, “What on earth is she talking about?”

Mum carried on. “I still feel so wretched over that Declan Rooney. I should’ve known what he was like from the off. He reminded me so much of him.”

Mum’s pensive stare carried across the grand hall, through the sea of bodies. She appeared lost in her own thoughts for a few moments.

“Mum?” I asked, concerned. “Talk to us. What is it? Who are you talking about?”

Mum steadied herself. “I was eighteen at the time and had fallen for someone who I thought loved me back. His name was Ace Watson.” She hesitated, gathered her thoughts, and continued. “He told me he needed money; that he’d got himself into a spot of bother and, like a fool, I agreed to help him. So, I stole your grandmother’s trinket box and gave it to him to sell.”

“Mum!” I exclaimed. I was stunned.

“Your grandmother spotted me in the garden, giving the trinket box to Ace and demanded he hand it back. But he threatened me with a knife, so your grandmother let him have it. I never saw him again.”

“Sounds like a real charmer,” ground out Marcus.

I stood there, shocked, my sympathy for my mother rising. It was starting to make sense now. The constant protection and need to look out for us; the judgemental way Mum viewed our relationships; the helicopter parenting, even now we were adults.

That was why she’d always been so judgemental about Marcus and me and our futures. She’d been carrying this guilty secret around for years. She’d fallen for a bad boy who’d betrayed her and she didn’t want either me or Marcus going through the same thing.

Mum took a gulp of champagne. “Ace’s family moved away shortly after.”

“What happened to the jewellery box?” I asked. “Was there anything valuable or sentimental in it? Was Grandma cross?”

“I don’t know,” she confessed with visible embarrassment as she took another mouthful of her champagne. “No doubt he sold it and pocketed the money. My mother was furious, but I think overall she felt I’d had a lucky escape. She was glad he had shown his true colours before anything more … significant happened. I did think about recruiting a private investigator to try and find the pieces, but there was nothing of any real value – just costume jewellery. I felt wretched about it. Still do.” She rolled her eyes upwards. “So now you know. That’s why I was always so tough on both of you. I didn’t want you to echo the mistake I made.” Her eyes filled up again. “I love you both so much. I’m sorry.” Her voice tailed off into a whisper.

“Excuse me,” I smiled to one of the waitresses. “Could I have a glass of water for my mother please?”

The young woman nodded her dark plait. “Of course, madam.”

When she returned with a glass of water, Mum took it with grateful thanks and savoured one long gulp.

Dad, meanwhile, pulled Mum tighter to him in a visible act of support.

“Why didn’t you tell us any of this, Mum? Why have you kept it to yourself all this time?”

Dad agreed. “This is the first I’ve heard of any of it.”

Mum’s tear-sprigged eyes shone. “I was so ashamed. I stole from my mother for a rat who didn’t deserve my loyalty. It was a terrible thing to do and my mother was so disappointed in me. I was disappointed in myself, and that feeling never left me.”