The Skye Collection, page 94
Ruby laughed. ‘Erm… I don’t think so. And I don’t think Mitch would dare surprise me with something that big. The last thing Glentorrin needs is more famous folk landing on their doorstep.’
‘Come on then, Morag. You’re the one in the know. What’s going on?’ Jules asked as she leaned her chin on her hand and fixed Morag with an expectant stare.
Morag’s eyes lit up. ‘Well, there’s an offer on it. A cash offer, no less.’
Ruby leaned forward now, with intrigue. ‘Who is it from? Do we know them?’
Morag glanced around as if looking for spies in her own kitchen. ‘Well… I’m not really supposed to say… but… You must keep it quiet,’ she insisted. ‘I’ll be in such trouble if it gets back that I told you.’
Ruby nudged her. ‘Come on, Morag, you know you can trust us.’
Morag paused and pursed her lips, clearly unsure about sharing her intel. With another quick glance around her kitchen, she whispered, ‘You know my friend Aileen Kennedy?’
Caitlin frowned. ‘Isn’t that the mum of my assistant, Isla?’
‘Aye, that’s right. Well… you know that lottery win that I couldn’t talk about? It was them – Aileen and her husband Malcolm. They won a fair bit, but I won’t say how much. They asked the lottery company for privacy, so it won’t be announced to the public. Anyway, after paying off their mortgage, splashing out on a new car and a brand spanking new kitchen, they’ve decided to buy the café. From what I can gather, I think the plan is that Isla will run it. The poor lass has been stuck for what to do with her life, as you know, Cait. So, I think this is her mum and dad’s way of helping her out.’
‘Oh, wow. That’s so lovely of them. Does Isla know already then?’ Caitlin asked, pleased for Isla but a little sad at the prospect of losing a good assistant.
Morag shook her head vehemently. ‘She knows about the lottery win but not the café and you mustn’t tell her. It’s to be a surprise. They’re going to let her do it all up and make it her own.’
‘Blimey, she’s a lucky young woman,’ Ruby said with wide eyes.
Morag nodded. ‘Aye, she is that, indeed. I think they’re just worried she’ll waste her life in dead-end jobs. No offence, Caitlin.’
Caitlin burst out laughing. ‘Gee thanks, no offence taken, Morag.’ Morag was right to a point, Isla was young and needed to spread her wings.
‘So, when is the deal being finalised?’ Jules asked.
‘I think they’re hoping she’ll be in for the new year. Lots to do though. It is a bit dated after all.’
Ruby turned to Caitlin with a sad expression. ‘So, not only do you lose your assistant, but you might have competition in Glentorrin if it’s a fancy new coffee shop.’
Caitlin shook her head. ‘To be honest, I’m hoping she takes my sandwich business away! It’s the worst part of the job, and I’d be able to do more speciality cakes if I didn’t have to deal with takeaways.’
Jules smiled. ‘Brilliant! It could be just what the village needs.’
Caitlin’s mobile rang and flashed up with Archie’s number. ‘Excuse me, loves. I’d better get this.’ She stood to walk into the hallway. ‘Hey, handsome, what’s up?’
‘Hey, my love. Two things. One, we’ve got a tenant for my house. They’ve actually asked if we’d be interested in selling it.’
‘Oh, that’s fantastic! Who is it?’
‘A woman called Aileen Kennedy wants it for her daughter.’
Caitlin gasped. ‘That’s Isla, my assistant – the daughter, I mean.’
‘Oh right. She doesn’t live that far away now, does she?’
‘No, but she lives with her parents, so this may be their way of helping her gain her independence.’ She knew she couldn’t really elaborate on the café story yet.
‘So, what do you think about selling it? The money would be handy. We could maybe look at getting a bigger place somewhere.’
Caitlin pursed her lips at the thought. ‘Hmm… I just love Glentorrin and I don’t really want to leave the village. Are you not happy at the bakery cottage?’
‘I’m happy wherever you are, you know that. And the girls love being in the village too.’
‘So, we’re staying?’
She could hear the smile in his voice as he replied, ‘If that’s what you want. So, we could sell my old place and update the kitchen.’
Caitlin’s stomach flipped with excitement. ‘Now you’re talking!’
‘Great. Okay, well, I’ll give the agent a call back tomorrow and talk numbers.’
‘Fab. And what was the other thing you needed me for?’
‘Oh, shit, yeah! Cleo is acting a bit weird. I think you’d better come home.’
Caitlin gasped. ‘Oh no. I’m on my way.’ She hung up and went back through to Morag’s kitchen. ‘Ladies, I’m needed at home, I’m afraid.’
‘Is everything okay?’ Jules asked, her voice laced with concern.
‘It’s Cleo. I’m sure it’s nothing, but I’d better go check.’ She hugged each of her friends in turn, grabbed her jacket and dashed out of Morag’s house.
It was a chilly November day, and the sky overhead was heavy with potential snow clouds. Caitlin walked across the pretty village as fast as her legs would carry her, wrapping her jacket tighter around herself as the wind whipped through her hair. Even on a dull and cold day like today she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
She pushed through the front door and dashed to the kitchen to find Cleo panting and wide-eyed in her basket.
After a very long night Caitlin, Archie, Grace and Sophie sat staring at the new arrivals. The triplets – two boys and a girl – were finally here, and they were so tiny, their eyes still closed, as they snuggled up to mum. Cleo had done so well. Three little Puggie-Poo pups, all black and tan with the beginnings of tufty curls. Bowie was a little baffled to say the least. Not half as baffled as the Fraser-Sutherlands had been when they found out, however.
‘Can we keep them all, Daddy? Cleo and Bowie will miss them if they go live somewhere else,’ a teary-eyed Sophie asked as she stroked one of the pups on its back as he fed.
Archie glanced at Caitlin, a question in his eyes. ‘Oh, I don’t know, sweetheart. Five dogs are a heck of a lot of responsibility.’
‘Can we at least name them?’ Grace asked. ‘That way they feel like they belong for now.’
Archie and Caitlin shared a smile. ‘I think that would be okay. How about me and Dad name one and you girls name one each?’
‘Yay!’ Sophie said. ‘Can I name a boy one? But I need to think for a minute…’ She sat at tapped her finger on her chin.
‘I’ll name the girl puppy Twinkle, because it was night-time when she was born and the stars were out,’ Grace said.
‘That’s lovely, Gracie. What do you think, Archie? We have a boy to name. Any ideas?’
‘How about Cosmo. Because it sounds a bit like Cosmos and I’m totally stealing Grace’s idea,’ he said with a wink.
‘I love that! Cosmo really suits this one,’ Grace said, pointing at the puppy. ‘And it sounds a bit posh too. So, he’ll have lots of pride in himself.’
‘Perfect. Cosmo and Twinkle it is. Who’d have thought we’d end up with an even bigger family?’ Caitlin asked rhetorically.
‘Hmm, Bowie is booked in for a wee operation next week, so this won’t happen again,’ Archie informed her with a knowing glance.
‘So, Soph. What’s it going to be? Have you thought of the perfect name for the third pup? He’s the smallest one, so I think he needs a big name to live up to.’
Sophie’s eyes lit up and she clapped her hands together. ‘Ooh, ooh, I have a name! It’s perfect! It’s so perfect!’ She stood up and turned to Archie. ‘Daddy, do you remember when we saw that film about that little man called Mr Rogers who was tiny, and he wanted to be a soldier, but he was too small, then he ate all his veggies, and went in that big machine, and got some medicine from the science people, and he went really big, and they made him into a superhero, and he caught baddies, and won the war?’ Her words came out in an excited rush.
‘Oh, you mean Captain America! Aye The First Avenger, great film,’ Archie replied with a wide smile and a nod, and they all shared glances, clearly wondering what name she had chosen. Cap perhaps? Captain? Hero? Avenger? ‘Lots of great name possibilities there, Soph… so… what have you chosen?’
‘Yes!’ She pointed at the remaining nameless ball of fluff where it lay sleeping. ‘This puppy is tiny right now, but I know he’ll grow up big and strong so… I’m going to call my puppy… Steve!’
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First and foremost, I want to thank every single person who has picked up and read one of my books. You’re the reason I keep doing this and I’m so honoured and humbled that you continue to get lost in my stories.
Thank you, as always, Rich, Grace, Mum and Dad for your unending support and encouragement. For the cups of tea and the garden chats. And for the wonderful holidays we have spent together on Skye. It’s such a magical place and I know you love it too. Let’s get another trip booked soon!
Thanks to Caroline and the whole gang at Boldwood: editors, designers, marketers and the other fantastic authors, for your support, tenacity, attention to detail and for making it clear that I belong to something wonderful. Go #TeamBoldwood!
Lorella and the team at LBLA, you are such hard workers, going above and beyond for your writers and I know I won’t be alone in saying I am incredibly grateful to have you backing me.
Massive hugs to the lovely people in my Facebook group Hobman’s Hub. I love how I can be so preoccupied and a bit rubbish at posting but when I do, you interact and it’s like I’ve never been away!
Thank you to Sue B and Fiona J for finding me and for arranging such brilliant online launch parties and for introducing me to even more fabulous friends in the book world! I love our chats and hearing your ideas!
Finally, I want to say thank you to every single author who I have met along this crazy writing journey, not only for your words of wisdom but for being a shoulder to cry on and for being the best sounding boards I could wish for. There are so many of you that I would need a whole new book just for all your names and I don’t want to mention a few and offend anyone. So, if you’re an author and you know me, consider yourself thanked!
TOGETHER UNDER A SNOWY SKYE
For Mum, Dad, Rich and Gee – for not thinking I was completely crazy when I decided to write books, and then for supporting me when I decided to buy part ownership of a bookshop.
And for Claire – for being an awesome friend who was as excited as I was about owning a bookshop. Thank you for making our dream a reality! Books rule!
PROLOGUE
Millie Treadaway stared out of her second-floor, bay-fronted window, as if doing so would make her fiancé, Harry Rose, arrive home faster. But what was it they said about a watched pot? The June sky was unseasonably dark and stormy, and the street lights were gradually illuminating the rain-soaked Notting Hill pavements.
People dashed around below with umbrellas aloft and heads bowed and Millie was thankful to be in her little slice of paradise, in the Victorian conversion, on Colville Terrace, that she had shared with Harry for almost a year. Notting Hill was such a vibrant place to live, with its painted houses, fresh-produce market and boutique shops. The apartment wasn’t huge, on account of the rental prices in the area, and the interior was almost the antithesis of the building’s characterful exterior: plain white walls with space-age light fixtures and stark modern artwork that, to Millie, consisted of geometric shapes and splotches of bright colours on canvas. She was more of a Henry Raeburn fan herself. Even the kitchen was pristine white and uber modern with glittery white granite surfaces. Definitely all Harry’s taste, but he could be forgiven because, after all, she had agreed to move into his place. It was home now and she couldn’t be happier to be sharing it with the man she loved.
Her mind wandered back to the night she met Harry. It had been an impromptu night out with her friend Dexter – her best friend Jules’ older brother – and Harry had been at the same venue celebrating his brother’s wedding. They say certain things happen for a reason, and as a former victim of the beast that was unrequited love, Millie had almost given up on finding someone who would actually love her back. Fate had other thoughts on its mind, however…
The King’s Head was Dexter’s local and, as well as being a rather upmarket wedding and conference venue in one wing, the public bar had an amazing atmosphere and was a favourite haunt for the friends. Millie had exited the oppressive heat of the bar to get a breath of fresh air and, as if by some wonderful touch of fate, a tall, handsome stranger had stepped out for the same reason. His blond hair and vivid blue eyes had brought to mind one of her favourite actors, Paul Bettany, in his younger days. Millie had formed a major crush on Bettany after seeing his portrayal of Chaucer in the movie A Knight’s Tale. While most of her friends had fallen head over heels for Heath Ledger, Millie had been drawn in by the humour glinting in the eyes of the British actor. And here she was, faced with what could have been his doppelganger.
The man had been wearing a slate-grey, expensive-looking, three-piece suit and a burgundy tie. His shoulders were broad, and she’d guessed at his height being six foot three or four. ‘Too warm for you in there too, eh?’ he’d asked as he’d nodded towards the entrance to the King’s Head Hotel’s function room.
She’d felt her cheeks warming further on hearing his deep voice. ‘Just a bit, yes.’
He’d tilted his head with what appeared to be inquisitive interest. ‘I’m sorry I don’t… Are you a friend of Sarah’s?’ he’d asked, he was quite well-spoken with a hint of West London to his accent.
Millie had frowned, confused. ‘Sarah? Oh… the bride? No… no I’m not actually at the wedding. I’m just out with my friend for drinks. He’s playing pool with some guy we got chatting to, and I came out for some air.’
‘Oh that’s your friend? The bear-like chap?’
She’d nodded.
‘Right, well the guy you got chatting to, and who is currently playing pool with the bear—’
‘Dexter.’
‘With Dexter… is my sister Melanie’s fiancé, Josh. And it’s my brother Jacob’s wedding.’ He’d huffed the air from his lungs through puffed cheeks. ‘Bloody hell, everyone around me is either married or engaged.’
Millie had been unsure whether he saw that as a good thing. ‘Congratulations?’ she’d offered, tentatively, with a shrug.
He’d smiled and glanced at her hand where it gripped a glass of iced water. ‘No ring on your finger.’
She’d tucked her hair behind her ear and shook her head. ‘Nope. Youngish, free and single.’ She’d swapped the glass into her right hand and wiggled the fingers of her left to prove her point, but immediately felt silly.
The man had chuckled. ‘Well, that’s a relief. Not quite everyone is either married or engaged then.’ He’d held out his hand. ‘I’m Harry by the way. Harry Rose.’
She’d reached out, and as her fingers had touched his, her heart skipped. ‘Millie Treadaway.’
‘So, Millie, are you local to these parts?’
‘Cirencester? I am, yes. Born and raised. You?’
He’d shaken his head and glanced around at their rural surroundings. ‘No, no. I’m, a Londoner through and through. Although you wouldn’t think it by the accent. That’s what working in the intriguing world of city finance does for you, I suppose. My accent used to be much stronger. But I tend to soften it when I’m speaking to people from overseas… and evidently those I’ve just met.’ He’d laughed. ‘I think I’m always paranoid they’ll see me as a chimerney sweep like Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins.’
Millie had laughed. ‘But he was only pretending to be a Londoner. And pretty badly if my memory serves.’
‘Hmm, true. I suppose I think people will take me more seriously, in my line of work, if I sound like I’m from somewhere posh.’ He’d exaggerated the word posh and bobbed his head around, which she found amusing.
His self-deprecation had been endearing and she couldn’t help smiling, her interest had been piqued. ‘What is it that you do in the intriguing world of finance?’
His cheeks had coloured pink and he’d winced. ‘Now I hear that repeated back, I think I’ve made it sound pretty pretentious, haven’t I?’ He’d eyed her with mock suspicion and a glint of humour. ‘I’m the financial director for an up-and-coming independent publishing company in the centre of London. Award-winning too, no less.’ He’d tapped the side of his nose, straightened his tie and grinned, before adding, ‘I’m basically a number cruncher.’ He’d glanced around conspiratorially and continued, ‘But I’m trying to impress you.’
As an avid reader, Millie had always been fascinated by books and constantly had a ‘to be read’ pile that almost reached the ceiling. And the fact that he admitted to trying to impress her made her like him even more.
She’d smiled. ‘It’s working. I adore books and my older sister is in publishing too. I always thought it’d mean I’d get an endless supply of free reading material but…’ She’d shrugged.
‘Ah, yes that seems to be the acquiring editor’s privilege only, I’m afraid. What’s your sister’s name? Maybe I know her.’
‘Edie Treadaway. She’s an editorial manager for Cavendish.’
He’d raised his eyebrows. ‘Oh wow. One of the big ones then. And quite a high-flyer by the sound of it.’
Millie had tried not to roll her eyes. ‘Yes. She’s the success story of the family. Well… so far anyway.’
‘So what do you do?’ he’d asked with a tilt of his head.
