Page 86 of Journey to the Scottish Highlands

I turned round at the sink. ‘I think his love life’s complicated.’

‘In what way?’

Letting out a playful sigh, I said, ‘I see you’re fishing again. You cast that rod any further, and you’ll be catching a dolphin in the Moray Firth.’

Grandpa chuckled as he picked up his mug. ‘Very funny.’ Then his expression grew more serious. ‘After that chancer Leon, I just want to see you happy and settled with someone. A decent young man.’ He took a mouthful of his tea. ‘You like this Evan, don’t you?’

My mouth dropped open, and I clamped it shut again. ‘What? No. No!’

I grabbed two parsnips from the draining board as though my life depended on it.

What was the matter with me? I couldn’t shake Evan off. My mind kept playing pictures of him on a continual loop, and it was driving me crazy.

‘Well, you could’ve fooled me,’ carried on Grandpa. ‘The way your cheeks have lit up, they could power the National Grid.’

‘It’s warm in here,’ I blustered. ‘Have you got the heating on?’ I didn’t let him reply. ‘Now, pass me those sprouts, will you please?’

* * *

Dinner was a success.

Grandpa exclaimed with delight at my fluffy roast potatoes, succulent, golden roast chicken and the buttered parsnips.

We also managed to force down a couple of scoops of clotted cream ice cream that Grandpa had stashed in his freezer.

We’d finished rinsing the cutlery, and I was stacking the dishwasher, when my mobile ring tone purred in the hall.

I hurried to my bag, which was hanging up on one of the coat pegs, and fetched it out.

‘Hi? Daisy?’

‘Yes?’

‘I’m sorry to interrupt you. It’s Alison. Alison Lord.’

‘Oh. Hi!’ I hooked some hair back behind one ear. ‘How are you?’

‘I’m fine, thanks. Did you have a good journey to your grandfather’s?’

‘Yes, I did, thanks. Nice, quiet journey, apart from getting past Loch Crawe. They’re still clearing up around there.’

‘I’m sure they are.’

I could see my grandfather hovering at the end of the hallway, pretending to tidy up his already neat mug cupboard in the kitchen.

‘Good. Good,’ she murmured down the line. ‘I’m calling you because we’ve been mulling over your tour suggestion, and we’ve decided it’s a wonderful idea!’

It took me a moment to realise what she’d said. ‘Oh. Right. Well, that’s great.’

‘It is,’ she enthused. ‘It’s just, we really want to get up and running with this as soon as we possibly can’ She let out a nervous laugh. ‘So, what I’m trying to say is, is there any chance you can speak to Layla? The talented young actor?’

‘It’s Cayla. And yes, of course.’

‘Good.’ Another pause. ‘Look, Daisy, I know you’ve only just got back to your grandfather’s, but is there any chance at all you could come back to The Ramblings and help us get this off the ground?’

I clutched my phone a little tighter to my ear. ‘What? You mean, like, now?’

Embarrassment shot through Alison’s voice. ‘I’m sorry, and I know it’s a lot to ask, but Evan said that if we could ask you to return immediately, it would be the best thing.’