Page 125 of Journey to the Scottish Highlands

Evan gazed up at the cloud-scattered sky for a few moments before looking directly back down at the camera. ‘I wanted to tell you, Daisy. I wanted to tell you too, Mum and Dad and Dane. But Daisy, I knew I was falling for you, and I also knew I couldn’t do it. I was terrified of what you’d say.’ He shuffled from foot to foot. ‘I was in too deep by then.’

‘All I can say is, I’m so sorry you had to find out through a random email. I love you, and you’ve made me look at everything differently.’

‘You and me both,’ uttered Dane.

Evan reset his expression. ‘Anyway, I just had to do this and clear the air before I head back to London.’

His words made my blood freeze.

‘I can’t face the prospect of returning to The Ramblings without you being there, Daisy, so I’ve managed to book myself on a flight back down south later on today.’ His face was still for a moment. ‘I’ve messed up big time, but please know I never meant to deceive you. And as for my family, I’m sorry for not telling you the truth. Being Fox wasn’t something I was very proud of, considering the effect my words had on people, but I did it to try and help secure the future of the family home.’

More gasps and murmurs rose up into the hall. ‘It just turned out not to be the best idea, and it wasn’t enough anyway.’

Evan lurched forward towards his phone and switched it off. The screen went dark.

Dane’s phone proceeded to light up with more texts and messages from people who’d seen it. My phone then trilled. It was Jade, followed by Octavia.

Alison and Bennett were next to receive calls from friends who’d seen Evan’s broadcast.

Cayla spun round. ‘What’re you going to do now, Daisy?’

I stared at her. ‘You heard him. He’s going back to London in a few hours.’

Cayla rolled her eyes. ‘Duh. Yeah. Because he thinks you don’t feel the same about him. He thinks Fox will always be in the way.’

I blushed under my backcombed, elaborate updo. ‘He didn’t tell me the truth. I can’t see past that.’

‘But it wasn’t exactly a betrayal, was it?’ piped up Dane, sounding serious and mature. He waggled his mobile. ‘You heard him. He’s in love with you.’ There was a flicker of something sad in Dane’s eyes. ‘He didn’t tell us about being Fox either. He thought he was doing this for all the right reasons.’

My head rattled.

Grandpa examined me. ‘Daisy, I echo what Cayla just asked you. What are you going to do now? Throw away a chance of being happy because of your hurt pride?’

Josie tutted as she approached. She patted me on the arm. ‘I can’t believe you’re still standing there.’

One self-conscious hand shot up to prod my hair.

Cayla sighed with exasperation. ‘What did you tell me when I said I was giving up on my acting? You told me to believe in myself and just go for it. Trying is better than not giving it a go in the first place. Don’t live with regret, you said.’

God, she was so annoying when she was right.

‘Do you love Evan?’

Dane’s voice made me jerk my head away from Cayla to look at him standing next to me. There was an element of melancholy acceptance in his words.

What Evan just did, his standing there in front of Loch Crawe, washed over me. What he said and the flickers of emotion in the way he said it; what he’d just given up and sacrificed to tell the truth. ‘Yes,’ I managed. ‘Yes, I am in love with him.’

‘Then go!’ ordered Alison, pointing towards the door to The Ramblings. ‘Now!’

My heart galloped in my chest. I let out an odd sound – a mixture of a laugh and a sob – and started yanking out the pins in my hair. It fell down in a messy tumble of curls.

‘Thank you,’ I choked. ‘All of you.’

‘Here,’ panted Cayla, reappearing and jangling my car keys and mobile phone in her hand. ‘You’ll need these. I got them from your handbag in your room.’

I hugged Cayla, planted a kiss on Dane’s cheek and gathered up my skirts as I raced towards the imposing double doors.

‘You’re still wearing your gown!’ pointed out Mindy.