Page 95 of A Scottish Island Summer

Campbell persevered. ‘Do you know anything about Gabriel hanging around with someone called Leyton McPhail?’

Chrissie shuffled in her canvas ankle boots. ‘I’ve heard a few things.’

‘And do you happen to know anything about this McPhail character?’

‘I’ve heard rumours.’

Campbell sighed. ‘Chrissie, I know you. You’re keeping something back.’

‘You don’t know me! Maybe once you did, a long time ago, but a lot has happened since then.’

She clanked the empty glasses in her hands, flashes of colour rising in her cheeks. ‘If you hadn’t become so bloody besotted with archaeology, we could’ve had a future together, Campbell, but instead, you chased your dreams and ended up marrying someone else.’ She moved to brush past him. ‘Our lives could’ve been so different… It’s good to see you again, Campbell. Really. But I can’t help. Sorry.’

Chrissie disappeared behind the bar and made a big show of fiddling with the till.

Logan’s brows danced at me. ‘Well, well, Ms Freeman. I stand corrected. Looks like you were right about Campbell and the sultry barmaid.’

‘Told you so,’ I whispered. ‘Cynic.’

As Campbell turned around and came back towards us, Logan and I made a big show of pretending that we hadn’t overheard the conversation.

Campbell aimed a final, despondent glance in Chrissie’s direction. ‘Come on, you two. We might as well go and enjoy the fireworks. I think we’re done here.’