Page 87 of A Scottish Island Summer

Chapter Twenty-Two

I returned to Ava’s sitting room, my mind churning with a combination of guilt and worry. Justine had promised me that she wouldn’t say anything, so why did I feel like I’d stuck my head inside the lion’s mouth?

Dread gripped me. Why did I have to say anything in the first place?

It was a stupid, rhetorical question. I knew why.

Envy.

How petty was that? I’d reacted without taking a breath or thinking about my stupid, selfish actions.

‘Everything OK, Darcie?’

Logan’s deep voice made me flinch. I forced a smile but I couldn’t bring myself to look at him or Campbell. ‘Er. What? Oh. Yes. Fine, thanks. Just a quick catch-up with my agent. She wanted to find out how the book research was going.’

Ava’s face lit up with interest. ‘Book?’

I sunk back down in the middle between Logan and Campbell, feeling like a thorn between two roses. ‘I’m writing a travel guide to Skye.’

‘Och, that sounds great! Well, I wish you every success with it.’

‘Thank you.’

Another wave of wretchedness peppered my chest like a volley of bullets.

I wished everyone would stop being so nice to me. I didn’t deserve it. Why did I ever think mentioning the Skye Lovers’ Cross to Justine was a good idea?

Because you’re an immature, jealous cretin, mocked my inner voice. Pure and simple.

‘We’re just keeping all this between us for the time being,’ continued Campbell to Ava. ‘About the cross, I mean. Like Logan just said, we don’t want to get everybody’s hopes up and have amateur treasure hunters ripping up Skye.’

I clamped my eyelids shut for a few seconds. I felt sick. I hoped neither Campbell nor Logan could see me cringing into my boots.

‘Of course,’ agreed Ava, oblivious to my raging discomfort. ‘That makes sense. Don’t you worry. I’ll keep my counsel to myself. You can trust me.’

I wanted to shrivel up.

My panicked thoughts tried to cling to any shards of hope. Maybe I was overreacting. I hadn’t given Justine any concrete details. In fact, I’d been scant with the facts. When I’d realised what I’d blurted out in a fit of pique, I’d backtracked straight away.

And once I’d realised what a stupid thing I’d done, I’d ordered Justine to forget about what I’d said and she’d agreed. Well, she’d made an odd grunting noise, but that was her way of agreeing with me. Wasn’t it?

I tried to look animated as the conversation ebbed and flowed about the cross and further debate took place about what Gabriel Jamieson might know about it.

Campbell, Logan and Ava’s voices swirled around me like the ghostly mist that wrapped itself around the Cuillins, while tidal waves of worry washed over my head again and again.

I had to hope and pray that Justine would be sidetracked by something more important like making another appointment for her next teeth whitening treatment.

Worry about Justine blabbing to the press made me jump to my feet again, eliciting an odd look from Logan.

‘Just got to dash off a quick text,’ I blabbed, slipping out into Ava’s hallway again.

I took a deep breath, fished out my phone from my back pocket and rattled off a text to Justine.

Hi Justine,

Just to confirm – forget what I said about the search for some Skye treasure, OK?

Thanks,