Page 94 of Journey to the Scottish Highlands

Chapter Nineteen

I sighed and flopped back against the pillow.

Shit!

What now? What should I do?

I’d have to go back downstairs and tell Alison and Bennett that I hadn’t managed to persuade Cayla to take on the role of Florence. A deep, sinking disappointment clutched at me.

And what about Evan when I told him? I’d look a right idiot. I felt like I’d let down the Lords big time. Even though I hadn’t said it was a done deal with Cayla, a tiny part of me had assured myself that there wouldn’t be a problem, and that she’d agree to do it.

So much for that.

I sank my upper teeth into my bottom lip.

We wanted to get moving on the tour; to start getting everything in place. But how could we do that if we didn’t have Cayla as Florence?

I jumped up from the bed, pushed my phone into the pocket of my sundress and grabbed my straw bag from the nearby chair. My grandpa always used to say that you never gave up on anything until you’d exhausted every other avenue.

Maybe I should’ve gone and spoken to Cayla face to face rather than suggesting the idea over the phone? Although I’d done that the last time with no success.

I darted over to the oval mirror on the dressing table, rummaged around in my bag and located my rose-pink lipstick. I put on a fresh dash and gave my loose hair a ruffle.

Right. Time to try another avenue then.

* * *

Gillian’s eyes widened at the sight of me hovering on her doorstep.

‘Oh, hi there, Daisy. How are you?’

‘I’m good, thanks.’ In fact, I wasn’t good. My insides were churning with worry that my tour was going to be blown out of the water before it had even started. I glanced over Gillian’s shoulder. ‘Is Cayla around?’

‘Aye. She is. Come in.’ She beckoned me inside and closed the door behind me. There was a vase of sunflowers on top of the nearby bureau. She lowered her voice. ‘I’m so sorry about her attitude the other day. She was so rude!’ Her cheeks lit up with embarrassment. ‘She isn’t normally like that.’

‘Don’t worry about it. I think I caught her off guard, and no doubt she was stressing over her exams.’

From upstairs, I could hear Sabrina Carpenter’s vocals wafting our way.

Gillian tutted. ‘Well, that’s very understanding of you.’ She moved to the bottom of the stairs. ‘Cayla? Cayla!’

A bedroom door clicked open. ‘What is it, Mum? You want me to turn it down?’

‘No. Well, yes. That would be an idea.’ Gillian fired me a loaded glance. ‘There’s someone here to see you. It’s Daisy.’

At first, I didn’t think Cayla was going to appear.

She didn’t answer.

There was just the sound of Sabrina Carpenter, who’d finished singing about espresso and had moved on to tasting someone.

Gillian and I swapped awkward smiles.

After what seemed like ten minutes, there were a couple of creaks on the floorboards and the sound of feet padding down the carpeted staircase.

Cayla materialised wearing a pair of denim cutoff shorts and a cropped T-shirt with a silver heart on it. Her hair was piled up on top of her head in a messy topknot.

‘Hi, Cayla,’ I smiled at her.