Page 80 of Journey to the Scottish Highlands

Dane’s harsh words made me draw up, my right hand hovering above the door handle.

‘Charity starts at home and all that. They seem to forget that one day this place will go to me and my straight-laced big brother.’ He cast his powder blue eyes around. ‘If it carries on like this, there’ll be nothing left to leave us.’

Dane meandered over to the bedroom window and gave the silky, wine-coloured curtains a dismissive flick. ‘Angel Alison and Saint Bennett.’

My temper burned. He didn’t know how fortunate he was to have two such wonderful parents.

‘Don’t talk about your mum and dad like that,’ I ground out. I found myself abandoning my case by the door and stalking over to him. ‘You take them for granted.’

Dane’s eyes popped in his blond-stubbled face.

‘You don’t appreciate what terrific, supportive parents they are.’

Dane began to smirk, and that ignited my indignation even further. ‘You should’ve been landed with the so-called mother and father I had.’ I swallowed and eyed him. ‘A mum who dumped me with my grandparents when I was three months old and never bothered with me, and a dad who, on finding out his girlfriend was up the duff, took off down to London and didn’t want to know.’

Dane’s smirk faltered, but I wasn’t done.

‘You just swan in and out of this place like it’s some five-star hotel, only here for your convenience.’ I shook my head. ‘Do you have any idea what stress your Mum and Dad are going through right now? They’re fighting to keep The Ramblings going.’

Dane tossed his hair back. ‘I don’t think things are that bad.’

The noise I made was a cross between a laugh and groan. ‘You think?! The heating system, the stonemasonry; it all has to be attended to.’

I thrust my hands into the pockets of my jeans. ‘Why do you think Evan has been contributing financially towards this place? He’s been trying to help your parents out.’

Dane looked at me as though I’d just sprouted horns. ‘Sorry?’

I eyed him. ‘Evan giving your parents money every month. Didn’t you know?’

Dane shook his mane so that it waggled like a blond flag down his back. His voice was smaller. ‘No. No, I didn’t.’

‘Well, he has,’ I rounded. ‘Maybe your mum and dad didn’t want to tell you because they didn’t want to burden you with it.’

Dane rubbed at his blond stubbly chin. ‘And what about Evan? Why didn’t he say anything?’

‘Maybe for the same reason. Perhaps he didn’t want you to feel you had to do it too.’ I marched over to where my case was standing to attention by the bedroom door. I grabbed the handle. ‘Not everyone does something because they want something in return, Dane. Sometimes people do something for each other, just because they want to.’

He snorted, but I ignored him. ‘Maybe you’ve been in the music industry a little too long.’ I yanked open the door and stepped out into the cool hallway with its scattered, heavy, woven rugs and portraits. ‘It might be an idea if you took your head out of your arse for five minutes and gave a little more consideration to your family.’ He followed me along the hall that smelled of beeswax, his cowboy boots tapping on the gleaming floor. His voice took on resentment. ‘Now you listen here, Daisy…’

I swung round. ‘No. You listen.’ Frustration and a burning desire to stand up for Alison and Bennett took flight. ‘You choose to let your family struggle on, yet you have no idea how many people would give their right arm to have a mother and father who think of others. They try to give something back, even though they have issues of their own to contend with.’

Dane’s pale eyes locked with mine. He shifted on the spot.

‘You’re very lucky. You’ve no idea how lucky.’ I swallowed at the thought of my own feckless, useless parents. Then pictures of my beloved grandparents replaced them in my head.

‘You can be so charming and likeable. You saved me from choking, for pity’s sake!’ I studied him, standing there in front of me like a Nordic rock star. ‘I can see why women find you attractive. But then you go and let yourself down by saying things like that about your mum and dad. Why don’t you just grow up and realise that the world doesn’t revolve around you? Sometimes you have to step up, Dane.’

‘I’m sorry,’ stuttered Dane, picking up speed behind me. ‘Daisy. Wait.’

But I was already clattering down the staircase with my luggage bumping up and down in my hand.

* * *

I stashed my case in Marlene’s boot and returned to where Evan, Alison, Bennett and Louise were standing in a row at the entrance to wave me off.

‘Thank you for everything,’ I managed as Alison bundled me into her arms. She smelled of Coco Chanel and strawberries.

Bennett gave me a fatherly hug next, followed by Louise, who presented me with Scottish salmon and cream cheese bagels wrapped up in silver foil, a flask of tea, a banana and a hefty slice of her homemade coconut and cherry sponge cake. ‘That’s to keep you going on the journey.’