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‘Fergus!’ Jack called out.
‘I’ll go and get him,’ said Beth.
Callum smiled. ‘It’s all right, I’ll give him a tour.’
‘No, I think he should come inside.’
Jack turned to his wife. ‘Beth, why not let him have a look inside? What’s the harm? He’ll only badger us to death to have a look if we don’t let him. You know what he’s like.’
Callum’s gaze drifted to Beth.Yes, what was the harm? Didn’t she trust him with her child?‘He’ll be fine, honestly. There’s not much to see.’ He glanced in the direction of the van, catching Fergus already climbing inside.
Callum turned to Beth and Jack with a question. ‘Say, I’ve been meaning to ask – why did you call him Fergus?’ It wasn’t that he didn’t like the name – after all, he’d lived with it for nine years while starring inThe Scottish Laird. He was just intrigued about why they’d chosen such an old-fashioned name for their son.
Jack rolled his eyes. ‘That was Beth. She’s, like, obsessed with your show. Watches every single episode. And the reruns.’
‘Jack! Really, that’s not true. I may tune into the occasional episode.’
‘The occasional episode?’ Jack scoffed. ‘Oh, my goodness – if you don’t get your fix ofThe Scottish Laird, if you have to miss an episode for an evening out, or something, boy, do you get the hump.’
Callum stared at her.
Beth avoided his gaze. ‘I do not.’ She folded her arms. ‘In any case, it’s not like there’s much else on television, is there?’
Jack opened his mouth to say something.
‘Not anything worthwhile watching, that is,’ Beth quickly added. She glared at her husband.
Jack shut his mouth. He got the hint that it was time to change the subject. He turned to Callum. ‘You’d better give Fergus that tour before he drives off in it.’ Jack motioned in the direction of the van.
A loud horn honked, making Callum jump. Fergus was sitting in the driver’s seat.
‘The handbrake is on – isn’t it?’ Beth said in alarm.
Callum gave her a reassuring smile. ‘Don’t worry, that van isn’t going anywhere.’ He frowned when he turned in the direction of the van, thinking he’d much prefer it really wasn’t going anywhere after dinner. He still had no clue where he was going to park it up tonight. He hadn’t really envisaged sleeping in it.
‘Don’t be long,’ Beth called out. ‘Dinner will be on the table soon.’
Callum halted and turned around. ‘Beth, I don’t want to impose. I should have told you I was coming.’
‘Yes, you should have,’ Beth replied.
Jack said, ‘Not to worry, mate – you’re always welcome,’ before he walked into the farmhouse.
I might be welcome here, thought Callum,just not the old campervan.
He saw Beth lingering by the door for a moment. He noticed she did not echo Jack’s sentiments. He wasn’t surprised. His dropping in had been a mistake in light of the secret he wished he and Beth did not share.
Even so, Callum couldn’t help but smile as he turned around and watched Fergus having a great time, honking the horn and pretending to steer the van, even though he could barely see over the steering wheel.
‘What’s that?’ Fergus asked Callum through the open window as he approached.
Callum walked around the van and got into the passenger seat, so he could see what Fergus was pointing to. ‘Ah, that long stick is the gear shift. It’s antiquated, I know.’
For a moment, Callum forgot he was talking to a four-year-old. He wasn’t used to being around children. ‘It’s old,’ he explained. Callum had seen the brand new electric vehicle on the driveway. He guessed their investment, or rather his, in converting the outbuilding and farmhouse was paying off very well indeed.
‘No, not the stick.’ Fergus pointed. ‘That!’
Callum spotted something furry hunkered down in the footwell by his feet.
