Page 119 of The Secret Castle in the Highlands

Orla embraced me, all well-cut hair and crimson nails, and then Jack pecked me on the cheek.

‘I didn’t expect you back for a little while,’ said Mason as his mother hugged him.

‘Oh, your mother wanted to spend an extra couple of days with you before we head home,’ explained Jack, smoothing down his ruffled grey hair. ‘And once she has an idea in her head, everybody better bloody well look out!’

‘That sounds very familiar,’ muttered Mason.

I gave his arm a playful smack. ‘So how did you know we were down on the beach?’

Orla zipped up her red fleece. ‘We went round to the office and saw that lovely woman who cleans the cottages. Jenny, isn’t it?’

‘Maisie was there, too,’ added Jack. ‘She was going to stop and chat, but then she said some guy called David was ringing her.’

My smile blossomed. ‘He’s from Historic Heritage. He was up here a couple of weeks ago, and I think they hit it off.’

There was silence for a moment, while Darwin snaked around us.

‘I hoped things would work out like this with you two,’ observed Jack, linking arms again with his wife, ‘despite that charade you both put on for our benefit.’

Mason’s jaw dropped. ‘What are you talking about, Dad?’

‘You and Poppy,’ he carried on, oblivious to the confused look Orla was giving him. ‘I guessed you weren’t a couple when you kept insisting you were.’

My face stung. ‘I’m so sorry, Jack. How did you know?’

‘I had my doubts when I noticed there didn’t appear to be any of Poppy’s things in your apartment, mate. That did make me a bit suspicious.’

Then Jack confessed he’d overheard snatches of our rather heated argument on the way back to the office.

Orla scowled at Mason. ‘You mean, you weren’t going out together, but you told us you were?’

‘I only did it, Mum, to get some breathing space from all your I-wish-you’d-meet-a-nice-girl-and-settle-down-after-your-disastrous-first-marriage seminars.’

Orla reddened at Mason’s impression of her fussing. ‘I don’t do that!’

Jack coughed beside her. ‘Yes, you do, love.’ He gestured behind him. ‘And then just now when I was chatting to Katie, she let slip that it was wonderful about you two finally getting together after all the revelations with … oh … what was it … the Dashing White Sergeant?’

Mason laughed. ‘It’s the Scarlet Highwayman, Dad. We’ll tell you both about it later.’

Orla heaved a sigh. ‘I’m so sorry, Son, if you felt I was coming on too strong. I just want you to be happy, that’s all.’

‘I know.’ Mason slipped his arm possessively around my waist. ‘And I am. More than you could know.’

I flashed a smile up at him. ‘That makes two of us, then.’

‘Right,’ exclaimed Jack, rubbing his hands together. ‘Let’s give these two young things a bit of time on their own while we try that new ale they were advertising at the Sea Shanty.’

‘Any excuse,’ sighed Orla.

We agreed to meet up for a bite to eat later and waved them off across the folds of sand.

Mason opened his mouth to speak at the same time as I did. ‘Go on,’ he encouraged. ‘You go first.’

‘Okay. Well, I’ve been thinking.’

‘Why does that sentence scare me?’

I nudged his arm. ‘That home of the Lapleys – The Hawthorns – is rumoured to be going on the market.’