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‘Look, Amelia, I’m at the hotel in the bay. I am booked in for the night. I’m on the ferry back tomorrow afternoon. I would love it if you came with me.’
Amelia had no idea what to think. Was his apology supposed to make the last few months disappear and make everything okay? Just like that?
‘I didn’t know what else to do. I’m sorry I turned up like this and shocked you. But I figured if I told you I was coming you’d have put me off. That’s why I thought I would turn up and surprise you. I thought we might talk and try and sort this mess out.’
‘Your mess, Declan. You caused all of this.’ Amelia’s heart thudded as anxiety and panic pooled in her stomach. Did she want this?
He held his hands up apologetically. ‘You’re right. I did. I take the blame for all of it.’
He drew her to him again. His familiar smell of cologne reassured her and she fleetingly wondered if she might make things work again with him?
Chapter Fifty-One
Edie sensed something was afoot. Amelia had been keeping an extremely low profile since the Christmas fair. She’d expected her to pop in for a cup of tea or a chat but there had been no sign of her at all. After receiving a phone call from Doris, she soon realised why.
‘Well, you certainly missed all the drama after you left, Edie,’ she said breathlessly.
‘What’s that?’ Edie didn’t care much for gossip, but she knew to let Doris get whatever news she wanted to share off her chest.
Doris took a sharp breath. ‘To be honest, you couldn’t write the script. I felt as though I was watching an episode ofRiver Cityor something like that.’
Edie rolled her eyes. Doris always did love a bit of drama.
‘Santa only had eyes for your Amelia, which may possibly have been controversial if it had been Davey.’
‘Any news on how Davey is?’ enquired Edie.
‘Yes, he’s fine. Right as rain. Apparently he is a bit put out by his younger replacement. Did you know there was such a thing as Santa envy? Anyway,’ she said, dismissively, ‘the new Santa and Amelia looked rather friendly together . . . they were also spotted under the mistletoe.’
‘Oh, for God’s sake, Doris. It’s hardly groundbreaking stuff.’ Honestly, she did like to make a drama out of nothing. ‘There was mistletoe everywhere due to the time of year.’
‘Edie,’ Doris said with a knowing tone. ‘The mistletoe was merely the beginning.’
‘Mmm, go on.’ Edie moved to look out from her usual spot at the window. The sun was trying its hardest to break through those clouds.
‘Someone claiming to be Fergus’s girlfriend turned up. A woman called Kelly.’
‘Oh,’ Edie said, surprised. That wasn’t a name she recognised.
‘What do you think of that?’ Doris said triumphantly. ‘Do you know her? In fact, did you even know he had a girlfriend, because apparently it was breaking news to everyone else.’
Edie took a deep breath. ‘And so?’
‘Well, he didn’t look happy at all to see her. The girlfriend. Well, not to begin with. Though soon enough they were certainly smooching for all and sundry to see.’
That didn’t sound at all like Fergus, Edie thought, but let Doris continue.
‘Kelly started to act very possessive. If looks could kill, Amelia, and in fact any other female within one hundred metres of Fergus, would be dead.’
‘Okay . . . and then what happened?’
‘The atmosphere was a tad frosty, to say the least. Young Amelia wouldn’t meet Fergus’s eye, although you could tell he desperately wanted to talk to her. Meanwhile, Kelly didn’t leave his side. And Amelia made a sharp exit. She wasn’t having any of his nonsense. I think she might even have been . . .crying.’ She added the last word with dramatic effect.
Edie frowned. Poor Amelia. No wonder she’d not been seen today. Edie had noticed the pair of them last night at the fair looking amorous, though she wasn’t letting on to Doris about any of that. It would only fuel her speculation. A mystery girlfriend turning up would have been a shock. Surely Fergus would be able to offer some kind of explanation?
Edie listened vaguely to Doris going off on a tangent about the ceilidh, while looking out at the garden. She smiled at the robin, hopping on top of the bench outside. Then her interest was piqued when she spotted a man she didn’t recognise heading down the path.
‘Meanwhile, I’ve popped off some of our other gin to Rob at the hotel. He needed some for the bar, and I overheard a handsome young man ask where to find Coorie Cottage. Well, actually, it was the shepherd’s hut he specified.’
