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“No. That’s not part of the deal. It’s currently my office.”
“Your office?” She let go of his hand and stopped walking. “You work in that remote cottage?”
“It’s not that remote. Five minutes drive from the lodge if the track is kept clear, but far enough that no one is going to come in and clean, move empty mugs, or pieces of paper.”
“I understand. I don’t like people moving things on my desk. I assume your mother loves the mountains as much as your father did?”
“Yes. She was born and raised around here. They met at school when they were both six years old. They used to hike and spend the night in the hut every year for their anniversary.” He stared into the distance. “They did it last year.”
“It must be very tough for her. And on you.”
He turned. “Is your father in your life?”
“No. He died when I was a baby.” It wasn’t something she usually talked about, but they’d talked about so much already it seemed pointless to hold anything back. “My mother was pregnant with my sister. It must have been a hideous time for her.” She’d never thought much about it, but now she was thinking about it and with the thoughts came guilt. She remembered how protective she’d been when Ella was pregnant. Who had taken care of her mother?
“She never married again?”
“No. She didn’t have a career at that time, so she went back to college and then worked to support us.” How hard must it have been for her, raising two children, grieving the love of her life and being frightened about finances? The guilt grew worse.
“At least she had you. You’re lucky you’re a close family.”
This was the point where she should tell the truth. That her relationship with her mother had always been difficult. That they hadn’t spoken for five years. And yes, it was true that her mother hadn’t contacted her either, but now Samantha wished she could turn back time and reach out. She couldn’t believe it had been so long, but it turned out the longer you left it the harder it was to bridge that painful gap. And how could she have reached out without revealing everything that Ella had chosen to hide? She’d been in an impossible position.
“Samantha?”
She pushed her thoughts away. They might have talked about everything else, but she wasn’t ready to talk about that. “So how far are the reindeer herd from here?”
“They’re over there.” He pointed and she stopped walking.
It was so cold she’d lost feeling in her nose, but that didn’t stop her reaching for her camera and taking a few shots. Reindeer against fresh snow. Did it get any better?
“Should I have brought food to prove I’m friend not foe? Lichen? Grasses?”
“I’m impressed.” He zipped his coat a little higher. “Most people want to feed them carrots.”
“Ah, but this isn’t my first reindeer herd, although they are definitely the prettiest. I’ve seen them in Lapland, and I spent time with a reindeer herder in Norway.”
“And here was I thinking that your job was all about fairy lights and Santa.”
“Parts of it are, of course. Taking children to Lapland is always magical. But I have plenty of other clients who visit because they want a taste of life in the Arctic Circle. Some people want to experience the Polar Nights.”
“A holiday in darkness?”
She leaned on the gate, watching the reindeer. “That’s what I expected the first time I visited at that time of year, but it wasn’t the case. It wasn’t pitch-black. Hard to describe, but a bit more like twilight. Beautiful, although a little eerie, perhaps. The snow reflects the stars, and there were times of the day when I found there was enough light to be able to read. And it’s the perfect time to watch the aurora borealis.”
“So you don’t only cater for Christmas addicts. Do you want to get closer?” He opened the gate. “They’re pretty friendly.”
“I’ve never associated reindeer with the Highlands.”
“Thousands of years ago th
ey lived here. Now they’re native to Arctic and subarctic regions.”
“Rangifer tarandus. We call them caribou, but reindeer is more romantic somehow.” The reindeer herd were grazing, heads down as they foraged. Sunlight glinted off the snow behind them. It was the most calming, peaceful thing she’d seen in a long time. “They have such big hooves.”
“Spreads their weight and stops them from sinking into the snow.” Brodie secured the gate behind them. “Also useful for digging into the snow and finding food. Perfect design.”
“What happened to him? He only has one antler.” She pointed. “Did he get into a fight?”
