Page 120 of Journey to the Scottish Highlands

‘All set then?’ grinned Grandpa, emerging from the direction of the kitchen and looking dapper in his best brown, checked suit.

‘No,’ half-joked Cayla, planting one nervous hand on her stomach.

‘You’ll be fine,’ assured Grandpa. ‘You’ve got my wonderful granddaughter here to keep you right.’

I rolled my eyes. ‘Grandpa, Cayla doesn’t need any help from me. She’s got Florence nailed.’

He sighed in appreciation. ‘Och, I’m sure she has. And you both look the part.’

The study door creaked open, and Alison, Bennett and Louise emerged next. They’d opted to wear their smart civvies, much to Bennett’s relief. Alison was all floaty in a rose-printed dress, and Bennett adjusted his shirt collar. He was wearing a dark suit with a lemon shirt and charcoal tie, while Louise looked very summery in an ankle-length dress studded with poppies.

‘Well, well, well. Doesn’t everyone scrub up well, or what?’

Dane was strolling towards us. He’d pulled his hair back into a low ponytail and was wearing a sharp suit of the finest pinstripe with an ice blue shirt and a silver, stripey tie.

I gawped in surprise while Cayla reddened and stared down at the tiled floor.

Outside, there was the impatient shuffling of feet from the tour attendees, who were eager to get inside.

‘We’re almost ready to open those doors,’ gushed Alison, an excited wobble in her voice. ‘We’re just waiting for Mindy to put the finishing touches to Mollie and Aubrey’s hair, and for Josie to do a final run-through with them.’

As if on cue, the study door opened wider, and Mindy and Josie emerged with Mollie and Aubrey bustling behind them. Josie caught my eye and pulled an agonised expression.

I clamped my lips together to stop myself from laughing.

Mindy had worked her expertise on the older couple, who were now modelling severe, centre-parted hairstyles and thorny expressions.

‘We’re method acting,’ hissed Mollie to a startled-looking Cayla.

‘Their resemblance to my miserable great-grandparents is uncanny,’ joked Bennett out of the side of his mouth to Alison, whose lips quivered. He slapped a hand to his forehead. ‘Oh, silly me. I nearly forgot.’

‘Forgot what?’ puzzled Alison, as her husband dived back into the study.

Moments later, he emerged cradling one of Alison’s butter and gold Villeroy and Boch Mettlach vases. ‘We don’t have the original vase that was stolen,’ pointed out Bennett. ‘But this will more than suffice to tell the story.’

I nodded. ‘It’s very pretty, and it’s just a prop anyway.’

Bennett offered it to Mollie, who clung onto it like it was from the Ming Dynasty and cast a suspicious look over at Cayla again. They really were taking their method acting to another level!

Alison surveyed us all. ‘Right. It’s almost time. Let’s get started. I think the natives are getting restless.’

With her dress swishing about her knees, Alison started to make her way towards the crowd peering through the glass panes of the double door entrance.

I squeezed Cayla’s arm, whispering, ‘Break a leg,’ and she managed to conjure up a preoccupied smile. I could hear her murmuring her lines under her breath.

‘Even with that hair and in that dress, you still look amazing,’ whispered Dane.

‘Yeah, right.’

‘You do. Kind of sexily repressed.’

I couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Trust you.’

Alison glanced down at her wristwatch and back at us all, lingering in the hall. ‘Hold on. Where’s Evan got to? Has anyone seen him?’

A sliver of something raced down my back at the mention of his name.

‘Haven’t seen him since this morning,’ answered Louise. ‘He appeared much earlier than usual for breakfast and said he was going for a run. I heard him come back and go for a shower.’