Page 19 of Winter Magic at Hollybrae Castle

‘Let me guess, Hamish?’ I call out.

‘Aye-aye, and you must be Miss Lula,’ he says in the deepest of Scottish brogues.

I can’t help the little smile at the name. Everyone is so respectful here. ‘Are you all right up there?’

‘Never better, lass.’ He salutes me with his branch pruners. ‘You’re even bonnier than Ollie let on.’

I blush furiously, even though I’m sure he’s being kind and Ollie has said nothing of the sort. Even in the unlikely event that he had, I’m currently covered in dust bunnies, glitter dating back to the last century, and my hair is falling down but my hands are too dirty to put it right. Hamish is just trying to be a cheeky old charmer.

Looking out at the grounds gives me all kinds of ideas for decorating, from fairy lights in the trees to paths lined with elfin mushrooms and oversized snowflakes. Hamish asks a few more questions about how I like the castle and what I think of Ollie, but the wind is picking up and he needs to get on with his tree pruning, so I duck back inside the window and let the breeze stir up even more dust.

Most of the stuff in here is too old to use now, but I start gathering up the things that can be washed or have new life breathed into them in some other way. I’ve always loved vintage decorations, and I’m determined to make this Christmas nostalgic and happy – for the visitors and for the inhabitants of the castle, which feels like it’s in need of as much festive cheer as possible.

7

‘Far be it for me to comment on a creative vision, but this wasn’t quite what I had in mind for the spectacular welcoming Christmas tree that will be the first thing our visitors see when they walk in.’ Ollie bends down and picks up my loo roll innard with the word ‘tree’ scribbled on it.

‘They’re placeholders, obviously,’ I say, even though I know he’s teasing. I’m on my hands and knees in the entrance hall, trying to persuade a tape measure to run around a corner, and I stop and look up at him. ‘I’m visualising. I found the Christmas tree skirts and washed them, and now I’m measuring what length of lights I need to buy to reach the plug sockets. It helps to have a visual representation of where they need to go.’

I get to my feet and go over to him, intending to take it back.

‘Hi.’ He gives me a bright grin and I take in the smart navy suit, the grey tie, the kind of briefcase that only very serious people carry, the way his brown hair is parted on the left and swept sideways, held in place by product. Wholly professional, and a world away from the messy-haired, cardigan-wearing guy I met last night. He’s even wearing a different aftershave.

‘Hi.’ I let out an exhale when I realise I’d been looking forward to seeing him again.

I go to take the loo roll innard, but his fingers hold onto it tightly, and he meets my eyes with a smile that feels mildly flirtatious. I immediately forget why I wanted it back in the first place, even though I’m certainly imagining the flirtatious part.

‘What?’ I intended it to come out as a demand, but it comes out as a whisper and I have to wet my lips that are suddenly dry.

‘I don’t know. It’s the first time in years that I’ve come home and the castle hasn’t been empty. It’s… nice.’

‘Nice,’ I repeat, and then realise that we’re having a tug-of-war over a toilet roll middle and take a step back. ‘Isn’t Nancy always here?’

‘Not at this time of day. She and Hamish leave me to my solitude to decompress after work. I do know they watch from their cottage to make sure the lights come on so they know I’ve got home safely though.’

I smile at him and he smiles at me, and then he realises that we’re just smiling at each other and holds the loo roll innard out to me. ‘I don’t know why I’m holding this.’

I take it from him and put it back in the centre of the tree skirt that I’ve laid out in the entrance hall. ‘I’ll stay out of your way. You won’t even know I’m here to interrupt your after-work decompression.’

‘No, don’t, please,’ he says quickly. ‘I was actually hoping… have you eaten?’

I shake my head.

‘Then will you join me for dinner? Nancy will have left something in the slow cooker, and…’

‘It’s chestnut and apple soup, and there’s fresh crusty bread. The whole kitchen smells incredible and it took me most of the day to persuade her to tell me what she was making.’

‘I knew she’d like you. She doesn’t let just anyone in on her soup of the day,’ he says with a fond laugh. ‘So, shall we? You must be hungry too?’

On the one hand, I’d love to. After everything I’ve heard today, I’d like nothing more than to get to know him better, but on the other hand, I’ve been crawling around musty storage rooms for most of the day and I’m in no way fit for human company. ‘Looking like this? I’m dusty and sparkly and nowhere near done for the night yet.’

‘I assure you, I will not be looking like this for much longer. I’m only formal for work. At home… the more dust and sparkle, the better.’

I laugh out loud. I’m reasonably sure that no one wants more dust in their homes, but I appreciate the sentiment, and the fact that he’s openly invited me to encroach on his decompression time. And that chestnut and apple soup does smell really good…

Ollie must take that as a yes. ‘Give me ten minutes. I’m just going to… when I get home every day, the first thing I do is jump in the shower to wash away the office. It probably sounds weird, but…’

‘Not at all. That’s exactly what I do too. Or more like wash the London transport network off, in my case, but same principle. I can’t relax until I’ve showered and changed.’