Page 66 of A Scottish Highland Hideaway

There was a prickly silence, except for the steady click of a carriage clock on the writing bureau. “What happened, Mum? What’s been going on?”

Mum pursed her lips. “Honestly, I sometimes wonder where you get your fanciful ideas.”

“They aren’t fanciful. I haven’t forgotten about Finn Coulter, Mum.”

My Mother’s fingers clenched in her lap. “Oh please. Not that again.”

I leant forward in the armchair. “I don’t get any of this. Everyone knows how well-suited Marcus and Jacob are.”

She slid me a look. “Yes, well, that’s what you think.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Mum raised her long neck upwards. “You haven’t been here. You don’t know the full story.”

I angled my head to one side. “Well, I’m here now, so tell me.”

She sighed. “I wish I’d protected you from that money-grabbing bastard Declan. I should’ve stepped in.”

“I wouldn’t have listened, Mum. I loved him. I thought I knew him. Still, at least I found him out in the end. At least I didn’t end up marrying him. He did me a favour, dumping me at the altar.”

“Yes, after fleecing you for money and causing untold embarrassment on the family.”

“It was my embarrassment, Mum.”

“You let your heart rule your head,” murmured my mother. “We’ve all been there.”

I dragged a hand over the top of my ponytail. “Yes. I did. More fool me.”

I focused my attention on the wintry grounds, where the bare trees stood like iced statues. Winter berries popped like red jewels in the hedgerows. “Look, Mum, I want to know what the hell’s been going on here. Marcus is in bits.”

When she didn’t answer, I rose from the sofa.

“Perhaps I should speak to Dad about this. I’m sure he’d be very intrigued to know what you’ve been up to.”

Her red-slicked mouth flatlined. She let out an agonised noise. “Yes. All right. Enough of the amateur dramatics.”

I sank back down again onto the other couch.

My mother wedged her tongue in her cheek for a few seconds. “He’s better off without him. Marcus, I mean.”

“And you hastened his departure?”

She widened her eyes melodramatically. “I don’t know what you mean?”

Good grief. She may be wonderful at fundraising, but her acting skills were appalling. “Oh, just stop, Mum!” I stared her down. “I know you were instrumental in Finn leaving the area. What did you do? Remind him he wasn’t posh or rich enough?”

Mum blustered. “If he’d been keener on you, he would’ve hung around, wouldn’t he?”

I dismissed her protests. “And what about Jacob? Would he have hung around if he was keener on Marcus?” I asked pointedly.

Mum twisted her scalloped dress ring around on her right hand. “I was very fond of Jacob, but you have no idea what’s been going on here. You’re sitting there, making accusations and blaming me when you don’t know the real situation.”

I let out a disbelieving laugh. “Oh, I cannot wait to hear this. What’s the story this time, Mum? Have you discovered Jacob’s grandfather didn’t drive a Daimler? Or perhaps his mother was born on a council estate?”

Mum swallowed.

“Doesn’t it matter to you that he and Marcus love each other? Can’t you see how heartbroken⁠—”