The Little Gift Shop on the Loch Read online

  The sentiment of his words caused a breath to catch in her throat. She looked into his eyes and thought how easy it would be to lose herself in them. He tilted his head with a smile, waiting for her answer.

  Lily found herself smiling back at him. ‘A boat trip sounds good.’

  Chapter 12

  Lily had arranged to meet Beth at the café in the activity centre. Now that she knew how good the coffee was, she’d suggested it as their meeting place. Lily had arrived first, the two-minute walk making it literally on her doorstep - something even Edinburgh’s abundant coffee shops had never afforded her the luxury of.

  The café itself didn’t disappoint either. It was all very modern with chrome tables and chairs, background music playing and young, energetic staff buzzing around. They were sitting at a table overlooking the loch and had been served by a young boy who had brought them coffee and fudge brownies which Lily had managed to demolish hungrily in a few mouthfuls while Beth had only picked at hers.

  She glanced over at the other woman, sensing her nervousness. Like the first time they’d met, Lily could see her grief etched on her face. She looked wary – even more so today as if being out was a new experience to her. Earlier, the clatter of dropped cutlery had almost made her jump out of her skin.

  Lily had just finished explaining to Beth her idea to open the shop for a short time. She took a sip of her coffee and sat back, keen to hear her response. ‘So, what do you think?’

  ‘It’s a lovely idea,’ Beth replied tentatively. ‘But you’re not doing it just to sell my products? You don’t owe me anything, honestly.’

  ‘No.’ Lily shook her head firmly. ‘It makes sense for me to sell all the stock.’

  Now that she’d had time to think about it she was sure opening for a time was the right thing. She reckoned it would take a couple of weeks for it all to sell, depending how busy it was. It would give her something to do while she waited to hear back from her job applications and give her time to apply for anything else that came up. In the meantime, she had decided to view this time as a bit of a working holiday. She rooted in her bag now for her notepad where she’d jotted down some ideas for pricing. ‘You and Mum hadn’t discussed costs or anything?’

  Beth gave a little helpless shrug. ‘Your mother and I had joked about how neither of us had business brains.’

  Lily had spent a few hours researching similar products and combined with her own knowledge, had made some estimates. She flicked through a couple of sheets, asking Beth a few questions about her overheads which, as she had suspected, were reasonably low. Her priority was making sure Beth was paid a fair price and she showed her the figure she had in mind.

  ‘You’ll think they’ll sell for that?’

  Lily smiled at her surprise. ‘Pretty sure.’

  ‘I suppose it would be exciting to see how they sell.’

  Lily saw something ignite in Beth’s eyes, as if for the first time she’d allowed herself to think she really might have a successful business that could make money.

  ‘There’s something else I wanted to mention to you. I hope you don’t mind but I had a chat with the buyer in Bremners who I used to work with.’

  Lily had phoned Arabella who was still with Bremners and after they’d enjoyed a quick catch-up, she had explained about Highland Aromatics. The growing demand for organic, chemical-free products had actually made it a dream product to pitch to Arabella and in theory, she’d been very receptive to the idea. ‘I used to work with her and I told her a bit about you and your products. She was really interested.’

  Not wishing to bombard her with too much at once, Lily let Beth digest this for a moment. She hoped she hadn’t been too presumptuous and watched the other woman’s face closely, still seeing her doubt and hesitancy. ‘Obviously you don’t need to decide anything yet, it’s just for you to think about in the future, when you’re ready.’

  Beth gave her head a little shake, appearing a little lost for words. ‘I will,’ she promised. ‘I’ll think about everything. And thank you.’ She smiled, twisting the band of gold that Lily noticed she still wore on her wedding finger. ‘When do you plan to open?’

  ‘In a couple of days,’ Lily told her. ‘I just need to give the place a good clean and get all the stock ready.’

  The café was busy as they made their out and it didn’t look as if their table would be empty for long. Emerging into the sunshine, Lily blinked. There had been a cloak of mist hanging over the loch earlier but it had lifted and now the water shimmered under a brilliant azure sky. The shore line was full of life and activity, as if everyone was determined to grab every drop of sunshine, knowing that tomorrow could just as easily be cool and damp.

  Had it always been this beautiful, Lily wondered. All the years she’d come here she didn’t remember it having this effect on her. She supposed she’d been too busy with her own thoughts, probably with her head in a book, to pay much attention to the scenery. Her mother always used to say she’d been born with an old head on her shoulders. Perhaps she’d been right. Now it was almost as if she could hear her mother’s voice again, except this time she was telling her to embrace life, not to be scared.

  Jack had teased her about falling in love with the place and she had the slightly unnerving sensation that that was exactly what was happening – as if the loch, the hills and wild beauty of the landscape had awakened something in her. She was no longer sure about things she thought had been the cornerstones of her life and apart from a few calls to Mrs Robertson to check up on the flat, she was surprised how little she’d thought about her life in the city.

  In the distance she could see different boats on the water, an elegant steamboat cruising by, and the spray of a speedboat slicing its way through the water. She was meeting Jack later today and Lily could hardly believe they’d be out there, just the two of them. She couldn’t help wondering if they were crossing some invisible line. She gave herself a shake, determined not to overthink things. But as she went to say goodbye to Beth, she was unable to stop the little shiver of anticipation run through her.

  ***

  Lily took hold of Jack’s hand, his strong warm fingers steadying her as she climbed onto the boat. The bobbing of the boat made her sway slightly so that her hand landed on Jack’s chest. She felt her stomach somersault but wasn’t sure if it was due to the motion of the water or her brain registering the hardness of the muscle beneath her fingers. ‘Sorry,’ she mumbled.

  ‘Not a problem.’ Je smiled down at her.

  Lily carefully lowered herself onto one of the padded seats, the small space suddenly feeling intimate and a small wave of panic washed over her as she thought about what she was actually doing here. She was aiming for casualness but on a boat with a man as gorgeous as this, it wasn’t coming easily. She told herself there was nothing to be nervous about. She’d never been afraid of the water, she was a strong swimmer and she was in the company of a lifeguard. So that left only one other reason for the bundle of knots in her stomach: Jack.

  She took a calming breath, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Without her regular blow dries there really wasn’t any point in even trying to control it although she’d forgotten the way her hair could sit in waves beneath her shoulders the way it did now, without being straightened to within an inch of its life. This morning showering and moisturising had been the extent of her efforts and it was quite nice to feel her skin breathe and not worry about mascara smudging.

  From behind her sunglasses Lily watched Jack concentrate as he started the engine and manoeuvred the boat away from its mooring, steering it away from the shore and further out onto the loch. As he fiddled with various dials and switches on the dashboard, Lily rummaged in her bag, her fingers feeling clammy. She’d realised she’d taken a risk wearing denim shorts and a pink vest top, leaving plenty of exposed flesh at the mercy of the sun and the midges but she wasn’t taking any chances and had brought plenty of protection with her.

  Jack was still sta
nding, feet apart and hands on the wheel. He turned as she was massaging cream into her skin, his eyes skimming her bare shoulders. ‘Putting on sun cream?’

  ‘And midge cream,’ she told him sagely, slathering repellent on top of the sun cream, not too sure about the resultant odour.

  ‘We’re heading to the eastern shore so there’ll be enough of a breeze to keep them at bay.’ He looked skywards. ‘In fact, we’ve got the perfect day – a bit of patchy rain but that won’t be until later in the day.’ He stopped and his mouth crooked into a half-smile. ‘Sorry, force of habit to recite the conditions.’

  ‘I don’t know how you keep up with it.’ She shook her head, smiling. ‘It’s been like four seasons in one day since I arrived.’

  Today though, she had to agree, was perfect. Pleasantly warm, the sun beamed down from a clear blue sky, a gently breeze rippled the surface of the water and in the distance heather-strewn hills were ablaze with light. There were a few other boats on the water and Lily could see a stunning display of wildflowers along the banks with ducks dabbling at the shore.

  She took a moment to appreciate how idyllic it was, thinking how strange it was that she hardly noticed the weather in the city, unless it meant she had to think about whether to take an umbrella or not. A hot summer’s day meant opening the office window, sitting on a bench to eat lunch and watch the open top tour bus go by. In winter she liked being able to wrap up in a warm coat and have an excuse to buy a new pair of boots.

  But these mornings, the first thing she did was to look out of the window, captivated by the constantly changing colours of the loch and the landscape, the way the clouds moved across the vast sky, sometimes racing, other times drifting.

  Her gaze fell on Jack. His back was to her, his top stretched tightly across shoulders making Lily imagine what was underneath. She dragged her eyes away. Clearly all the Highlands air was playing havoc with her sensibilities.

  She’d never actually visited Loch Carroch in the winter and found herself wondering what it was like.

  ‘Is it very different here in winter?’ she asked Jack.

  ‘It can be pretty quiet but winter’s actually my favourite time.’ He squinted his eyes against the sun looking into the distance. ‘There’s nothing like a winter landscape, when you see snow-capped hills above the water. The roads are much quieter without all the tourists, so at weekends I can get out on my bike for a long ride. Then home to warm up by the fire – my perfect Sunday.’

  Lily blinked. To her, Sunday was simply the precursor to Monday at work. Very occasionally she’d meet friends for lunch or sometimes go for a stroll, do some shopping. But the way Jack had described it, made his version sound very appealing.

  ‘What about the activity centre?’

  ‘We try and keep most of the activities going. Won’t let a bit of bad weather put us off,’ he told her.

  ‘I don’t think I could go swimming in the winter, not even Iris manages that.’ Lily chuckled before it dawned on her she wouldn’t be here in winter, the thought causing a little dollop of despondency for some reason.

  ‘You’re enjoying the swimming?’

  ‘Not those first few moments,’ Lily admitted with a shudder. ‘But then once I’m in and swimming, something else takes over, you know? It’s like having a different perspective on the world and everything seems less important somehow.’

  She felt a little self-conscious but Jack nodded. ‘I get that.’

  He slowed the boat to curve round what looked like a tiny wooded island in the middle of the loch. Lily thought it looked eerie, as if the sun somehow never reached it. ‘Is that an actual island?’ she asked.

  He nodded. ‘That’s the Isle of Carroch. Legend has it that two lovers are buried there.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘The Norwegians used to dominate this part of the West Coast and legend has it that there was a young prince who was Chief among the Vikings and he had a tower built for his princess who he was in love with. There was to be a big expedition which he was to lead and the Princess feared she would never see him again. They devised a plan – a white flag would be flown from his ship if he was alive and black if he was dead. This way the Princess would know if he was alive.

  ‘The princess worried he would enjoy the excitement of battle and became plagued by doubts. When she saw his ship return with a white flag she decided to test his love for her. She boarded a boat and went to meet him. She lay down pretending to be dead surrounded by her maidens pretending to grief.Her plan worked – the prince was frantic and he killed himself. When the princess realised, she was convinced of his love and she too killed herself. They say their bodies are buried there.’

  ‘Who’d have thought?’ Lily said. ‘Scotland’s very own Romeo and Juliet here in Carroch.’

  ‘I guess so, never thought of it like that,’ Jack laughed. They carried on for a few more minutes until Jack found a small inlet to stop and then flicked a few switches to stop the engine.

  ‘Look over there,’ he said, handing Lily the binoculars. She lifted them to her eyes, adjusting them slightly as Jack gently guided her by the shoulders in the direction to look. It took a few moments to focus but then she saw them, grey seals playing in the water, hauling themselves over the small rocks, their whiskery snouts bobbing in and out of the water.

  ‘I see them!’ she exclaimed, delighted to have spotted them.

  ‘Just behind where the seals are playing there’s a track which you can cycle up and it takes you right into the forest – the views are amazing. And those mountains and crags up there? They’re the perfect place for golden eagles to nest and if you’re really lucky, you might get to see one gliding in the sky. It’s an incredible sight.’

  Lily spent a while longer enjoying the seals. Listening to Jack, it was impossible not to be caught up in his enthusiasm. Lily had that feeling again, the same one when Jack had shown her the rowan tree.

  The scenery, and being on the water with Jack, seemed to be rubbing off on her in some way. She couldn’t help relaxing as stresses seemed to melt away, for the time being anyway. When had she last felt carefree? She couldn’t remember. But just for today, not to worry about the shop or selling or estate agents or finding another job, she was overwhelmed by a feeling of freedom she’d not experienced before. She felt the breeze brush against her skin and the sun warm her back, feeling a sudden burst of hope.

  She blinked, realising she’d been miles away and lifted her eyes to find Jack watching her.

  ‘Enjoying yourself?’ he asked.

  She nodded, surprised just how much, handing the binoculars back to him.

  ‘Do you come out on your boat much?’

  ‘Not as much as I’d like, just too busy these days. But whenever I get the chance, I take it. To me, this is perfect.’ He pulled off his cap, running a hand through his hair and looked around, his love for his surroundings apparent. His head spun back to her. ‘Of course, having the right company beside you makes it a whole lot better.’ He replaced his cap, shooting her a quick smile. ‘Would you like a drink?’

  ‘Please,’ Lily croaked, suddenly finding an urgent need to bury her face in her bag looking for more sun-cream. While Jack busied himself organising drinks from the cooler bag Lily took a moment to compose herself needlessly reapplying more sun-cream and then gratefully taking the glass Jack offered her.

  ‘I’ve got orange, is that okay?’

  ‘Sure, thanks,’ she replied, touched at the effort he’d gone to. She sat back and took an appreciative sip of her cold drink as Jack folded himself into the seat beside her.

  ‘So have you travelled much?’ she asked.

  ‘Did a bit after my engagement ended. Travelled round Australia and Asia for a few months. But I always knew I’d come back.’

  He spoke quite matter-of-factly about his engagement and Lily wondered if he was good at hiding his pain. After all, he had intended to marry her.

  ‘Your ex-fiancée,’ she asked gently. ‘What
happened?’

  Jack turned away, contemplating the depths of the water for a long moment and Lily worried she’d stepped over some line she had no right to. ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.’

  ‘It’s fine.’ He brought his eyes back to her and paused for a moment before speaking.

  ‘I was working on the boats when I met Jessica. It started as a holiday romance, she was here with her family. They lived in Inverness and after the holiday we kept seeing each other. It wasn’t always easy with the distance but we managed, taking it in turns driving to see each other.

  ‘It was all a bit of a whirlwind, we got engaged fairly quickly. Jessica seemed in a hurry for some reason and I found myself going along with it. That’s the type of person she is, going through life taking what she wants. She comes from a wealthy family and I don’t think her father was too impressed when she brought me home, even less impressed when we announced our plans to marry. So, I thought I should get a better paid, more secure job, save up for the wedding and our future.’

  ‘That’s when you got the insurance job?’ Lily asked, remembering him telling her he’d worked in an office for a while before setting up the activity centre.

  Jack replied with a wry smile in confirmation. ‘That’s when I tried to be something I wasn’t.’

  He rubbed a hand down his throat, almost as if the memory was choking him. ‘It was a company specialising in farming insurance. Involved some driving around but mostly at a desk. I hated every minute of it.’

  ‘Then one night I got a call to say Jessica had been involved in a bad car crash.’ He gave his head a small shake. ‘It was late at night and I couldn’t work out where she’d been going. At first I thought perhaps she’d been coming to surprise me but it was the wrong direction. Plus I knew she wasn’t that keen on driving, especially in the winter.’

  Jack looked down, his forehead creasing. ‘I raced to the hospital and the first person I saw when I arrived was Adam, my friend from the distilley. I couldn’t understand it.’