Page 86 of A Scottish Highland Hideaway

I blinked at Ezra, revulsion taking hold. Shit.

Ezra’s expression was grim as he stuffed the note back in his pocket and hovered by the counter, his shoulders sinking under his coat.

“What on earth was I thinking? I revealed all that information in my book, to do good; to name names and show those cretins up for what they really are. And now my honesty is backfiring.” He shoved a lock of stray hair away from his brow. “I’m ashamed to admit it, but I feel as though it’s taken something like this to give me a short, sharp kick up the rear end.”

“What do you mean?”

His expression was grim. “Whoever these villains are, they’re ratcheting up by their threats. I was hoping Zach had got it wrong, but it seems he hasn’t.” He set his jaw. “I think I’m going to contact Caroline and Laura. I don’t know how serious this threat is and it could be dangerous. They didn’t ask for this.”

“What are you saying?”

Ezra pinned me to the spot with desperate eyes. “I have to do what’s right by those girls. Christ knows, I haven’t so far.” He flashed me an apologetic look and rubbed at his face in frustration. “I’m not prepared to take the risk when it comes to two innocent women who may be my daughters. Whoever is behind this has to be stopped. I’ve got to stop thinking about myself for once.”

I nodded. “Come on. Let’s step outside for a moment.” We moved out onto the doorstep of Flower Power, leaving behind the festive scent of pine needles.

The afternoon sun was struggling to appear from behind the patchy clouds and our Christmas window display of the ice palace glittered against the white tea roses.

While Ezra stared straight ahead, his recognisable profile pensive, I plunged my hands into the pockets of my grey trousers. “I understand that you’ve focused your mind on what’s important, and I admire it. But what about how you’ll feel in six months or a year from now? If you do issue a public statement, retracting your comments and essentially clearing these people of their wrong-doings over the years, they’ll have got away with not only what they did back then but what they are doing now.” I turned to him. “Isn’t that sending the wrong message to people like them?”

Ezra’s mouth turned down.

I felt so bad for him. He was torn between two different versions of trying to do the right thing. Here he was, a celebrated actor, used to being the centre of his own universe and revered by so many people, and now he was confronted with the fact that he had two adult daughters who had been put in danger by his attempts to stand up for himself.

“Caroline and Laura are about the same age as me. It’s not as if they’re little girls. They grew up with famous mothers and will be able to get security, if they need it.” I offered him a small smile. “Why don’t you speak to them? Tell them what you’ve been trying to do in your book and tell them about this note. And also tell the police. They should take this threat seriously.”

Ezra dragged a worried hand down his face.

I took a step closer to him. “I know it’s hard, Ezra, and it might not be what you wanted, or the way you wanted, but you know what you have to do.”

Ezra stared up at the Christmas lights strung from the lampposts. The shimmery images of Santa and his sleigh sent a golden glow onto the planes of his face. After processing what I’d just said, he looked at me.

“I suppose you’re right. Come on then, Lady Anastasia. Lead the way.”

I gave him a jokey glower.

Back inside the shop, I asked Amber and Rowan to keep an eye on the counter, collected my laptop and gestured to Ezra to follow me to my office, where I closed the door behind us.

“You can Zoom call Caroline and Laura on this. I’ll help you set it up.”

Ezra looked appalled. “What? You mean now? Right this minute?”

“Yes, why not? No time like the present. This problem isn’t going to go away.”

I set up my laptop, created a Zoom meeting and then texted Caroline and Laura the details. I saw the blue ticks appear, so I knew they had both received the message. I hoped they were ready to meet the man who they strongly suspected was their father…

“I’m going to meet them on this?” he said, staring with increasing panic at the blank screen. “What the hell am I going to say to them?” His voice sounded small and he suddenly wasn’t the confident man-about-town I was used to.

“Just tell them the truth,” I said simply. “About you, about their mothers, about your book and the situation you’ve found yourself in.”

I offered him an understanding smile before launching the Zoom meeting. I made a move to leave to give Ezra some privacy and eased open my office door, letting the sound of Amber’s pleasant chatter and the tune of “White Christmas” drift in.

I saw Ezra’s startled face as the laptop screen flashed indicating that at least one of the girls had joined the Zoom call and was in the “waiting room”.

“What are you doing?” he whispered to me.

“I’m going back to work.”

Ezra pointed to the empty chair next to him. “Oh no you don’t! You sit right there.”