A Highland Family Affair (Highlands #3)

Chapter 1

1

MID-NOVEMBER – PRESENT DAY

Olivia MacBain nursed her mug of steaming tea as she watched Mirren, Drumblair Castle’s housekeeper, kneading the dough in front of her on the old, battered kitchen table. The fifteenth-century castle, which had been updated over the years with additions in both the Georgian and Victorian eras, stood on the outskirts of the city of Inverness on the shores of Loch Ness and had been the home of Clan MacBain for centuries.

Mirren had been at the castle since Olivia and her brother Kerr had been babies and the domesticated scene before her had played out so many times throughout her life that she had lost count. It was somehow therapeutic and soothing watching familiar hands work elastic dough and Olivia found herself becoming quite drowsy.

Mirren had been Olivia’s protector for many years, but more so since she lost first her father, Laird Gregor MacBain, and then more recently her mother, Lady Freya. Olivia was grateful to have her around now that she had unexpectedly inherited the castle instead of her older brother – a situation that had caused a great rift between the siblings. Lady Freya had made the difficult decision to circumvent tradition, knowing that Kerr was likely an alcoholic and gambling addict who’d chip away at the castle until there was nothing left of the MacBain legacy.

After the will reading, Kerr had been very forthright in showing his disdain and anger towards his sister, sabotaging her at every turn when she tried to make plans to keep the castle’s legacy alive. After wreaking havoc for many people connected to the castle and Olivia, he had disappeared and hadn’t been seen for months.

Radio Highland was playing in the background. It was the ‘Golden Oldies’ hour and Mirren was humming along with George Michael’s ‘Careless Whisper’.

‘Pfft, Golden Oldie my foot,’ Mirren chimed out of the blue. ‘They make it sound like the eighties was a hundred years ago instead of…’ She paused, staring up at the ceiling to calculate. ‘Och, no… is it really forty years ago? Well, now I feel like a golden oldie mysel’. I was only twenty-three when this song came out. I remember it vividly. I bought it as a seven-inch single, on vinyl as you lot call it these days. Aye, I got it from a record shop in Inverness.’ She shook her head, apparently bereft at the passing of time. ‘Forty years… my goodness me.’

‘Well, if it’s any consolation, Mirren, you don’t look a day over fifty,’ Olivia told her with a smile.

Mirren laughed. ‘Away with you. I look my age and no doubt about it.’ She carried on working the dough and asked, ‘What was the first record you ever bought?’

Olivia pondered for a few seconds. ‘Oof, I think mine was a CD single of “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira when I was about twelve. I used to love watching her dance. It was like she was made of rubber.’ She giggled. ‘Oh, to be that flexible and supple.’

‘I used to love to dance,’ Mirren replied wistfully. ‘These days I’m afraid of putting my back out,’ she added with a laugh. ‘Or breaking a hip. You see my hips don’t lie either, they tell me, Mirren MacLeod, you’re too old for that nonsense! ’ She laughed and Olivia joined in.

‘Nonsense, you’re as old as you feel, Mirren.’

Mirren rolled her eyes. ‘Och, don’t be telling me that! Most days I feel about ninety!’

Golden retriever Wilf and Labrador cross Marley lay in their favourite spot in front of the roaring fire, both snoring with tongues lolling out. Wilf’s feet twitched as he chased birds in his slumber. They had already been out around the grounds with Olivia’s partner Brodie, so he could assess the exterior of the roof from the ground following some recent storm damage. They had all got soaking wet in the murky November rain and the only good thing about that was how incredibly delicious Brodie looked with wet hair.

The castle’s kitchen was the real heart of the place. Nothing much had changed about it since Olivia was a child. The oak worktops were a little more worn and etched with incidences of cooking mishaps: a hot pan placed down here, a loaf of bread sliced without a chopping board there. But it felt homely and comforting, and simultaneously like something from an episode of Downton Abbey . And even though the occupants of the castle were all adults nowadays, Mirren insisted on sticking to her role of making sure everyone was fed and had clean clothes. No matter how many times Olivia insisted that she could retire and enjoy her time with her new husband Dougie, it fell on deaf ears.

The castle grounds were quiet, due to the weather, and the castle itself was only open at the weekend through the winter season for pre-booked tours, but there was still a lot of admin work to do. Olivia was aware she should be getting on with it, but the kitchen was so warm and cosy and the walk to her father’s old study, where she had set up her office since opening the castle to the public, seemed far too long at that precise moment.

Thankfully the castle was now earning its keep and her partner Brodie had taken on the role of arranging and overseeing essential repairs which were possible due to the revenue being generated. Olivia still had so many plans, though, and ideas often whirred around her head in the early hours of the morning, meaning she lay awake tossing and turning. Last night had been one such occasion. She had been pondering about doing more outdoor things during the winter months, in order that the revenue was still incoming but so the interior of the castle could be left for her and her family to enjoy privately. Perhaps a torchlit tour of the grounds would be fun, with people dressed in the clothing of her ancestors and a narrator to tell stories of Clan MacBain and their battles. Or perhaps a spooky Halloween event with a ghost walk like the ones in Edinburgh; the grounds could be made extra eerie, from what Olivia remembered of her childhood. Or maybe an evening nature walk to encounter the bats and owls that made Drumblair their home. And maybe a real-life nativity at Christmas using animals from the neighbouring farms and one of the old barns in the grounds. The ideas tramped around her brain, vying for dominance.

After fidgeting, huffing and failing to return to slumber, poor Brodie had eventually nudged her and groaned, ‘Liiiiiv, whatever it is that’s keeping you awake, pleeeeease go write it down or type it up or something, and then maybe you’ll sleep, which means I will too.’ She had done as he suggested and had eventually returned to his side and drifted back off to sleep, albeit for a short time.

Running Drumblair as a visitor attraction was certainly a far cry from her role as fashion designer at the House of Nina Picarro in New York and it was possibly even more exhausting, but she knew her parents would be proud of all she and her team had achieved in the months the place had been open. And she secretly loved her role, even though her face sometimes ached from smiling at people and her feet often throbbed from the countless steps she walked on a daily basis.

Olivia’s mother’s stepbrother, Uncle Innes, was still around to support her and encourage her. Seeing as he was a kind of surrogate father she was happy that she was making him proud too. These days he was a new man. He had recently embarked upon his first real relationship that Olivia could remember since being a young girl. It appeared his bachelor life had come to an end, and he was walking around whistling and singing, very much out of tune, and if he visited the castle he would twirl her around in the corridor or wherever he found her. It was so good to see him happy.

The bizarre thing was that the fifty-something Marilyn Monroe wannabe, Adaira Wallace, his new lady friend, was to all intents and purposes an ex-girlfriend of her older brother, Kerr – someone else whom he had mistreated by taking advantage of her wealth and love for him; a fact Olivia was horrified by.

‘Where did Brodie go rushing off to this morning after walking the dogs?’ Mirren asked, pulling Olivia from her thoughts without taking her focus from her work.

Olivia paused for a moment, snapping herself back to the present. ‘He’s meeting with the contractors about the roof. He thinks the damage could be quite extensive.’

Mirren stopped what she was doing and gasped. ‘Oh, no. That’s all we need. Will it affect the tours?’

Olivia sighed. ‘Hopefully not. At least the area isn’t on the castle tours. I suppose the only issue will be when the repairs are done and how much mess will be made. But we could certainly do without the expense.’

Mirren began kneading again. ‘I wonder when he’s going to propose. His divorce has been through for ages now so it must be imminent. I wonder what he’s waiting for.’ The statement came rather out of the blue, as if she was thinking aloud.

Olivia placed her mug down as her heart skipped. She toyed with the little satin ribbon Brodie had tied around her ring finger at Mirren and Dougie’s wedding as a promise. ‘I’m guessing he’s waiting for the right time. You know what he’s like. He’ll have something in mind and will want it to feel just right. I’m trying to be patient, but I really do want to marry him. It’s a shame February isn’t a leap year,’ she said with a roll of her eyes.

Mirren’s face took on an expression of pity. ‘Aye, hen, and it’d be nice to see a ring in place of that scratty bit of ribbon. I can’t believe you’re still wearing it.’

‘I do take it off to wash it, you know,’ Olivia said with a giggle. ‘But I can’t part with it. Not yet, at least.’

Mirren sighed. ‘Who’d have thought it, all those years ago when the two of you used to play in the grounds together, that one day you’d be a couple? I did wonder back then, when you were both wee, what might happen. But then his mum moved him away to Edinburgh and I thought maybe that was that.’

‘That and the fact that he turned into a typical mean teenage boy. I was kind of glad when he left, to be honest. Just don’t tell him I said that,’ Olivia said with a wince.

‘Och, he adores you. Nothing you could say now would change that. It’s funny looking back. You were such good friends. He was more of a big-brother type to you than Kerr was at the time. Even though the pair of you were so…’

Olivia tilted her head. ‘So what?’

Mirren shrugged. ‘Different. Not in the ways that matter but, you know, you the daughter of a laird and lady, and Brodie the groundskeeper’s son.’ She chuckled. ‘It really is the stuff of romance novels, isn’t it? Wuthering Heights and all that.’

Olivia sighed dreamily. ‘I suppose so, but maybe without the angst. And then after such a long and sweet friendship, and then the time I spent fawning over him he flipped and started calling me names, laughing at me with his so-called friends. You could’ve knocked me down with a feather when I eventually found out he’d loved me all along.’

‘I think he took the treat ’em mean, keep ’em keen thing a bit too far. And he clearly didn’t know how stubborn you were.’ Mirren grinned and placed a floury hand over her heart – luckily she was wearing an apron. ‘You’ll make the most stunning bride, Olivia. I just wish your mother was here to see.’ Her eyes became glassy, and her cheeks flushed.

Olivia gave a sad smile. ‘Me too. Although I may be waiting a while yet. Who knows?’

‘It’s coming, hen. I can feel it.’

Dougie – Brodie’s father and Mirren’s husband of almost a year – entered the kitchen and cleared his throat. ‘Erm… Lady Olivia, there’s someone to see you.’ She had lost count of the number of times she had asked him to just call her Olivia but before she could mention it again he scowled, and his mouth contorted briefly before he continued. ‘He was hovering around the grounds, and I didn’t recognise him at first. I almost called PC Sherburn but then… He… he looks…’ He shook his head. ‘Anyway, he’s waiting in the foyer.’

A little concerned, and a lot intrigued, Olivia pushed her chair away from the table and, under the watchful eyes of Mirren and Dougie, she left the kitchen and walked along to the castle’s grand entrance hall, where portraits of her ancestors and pieces of her father’s prized artwork adorned the walls. A huge metal chandelier hung in the centre of the room; it had originally been candlelit but had been converted to electricity at some point and these days housed mock candles.

A drenched man stood with his back to her as he peered up at a family portrait from when Olivia and her brother were children. His wet and unkempt hair was matted and sticking out at all angles. But she would know that auburn hair anywhere. It was the colour her mother’s had been.

‘Kerr?’ Her brother turned rapidly, and Olivia recoiled at his dishevelled and grubby appearance.

‘H-hi, Liv.’ He had a ratty-looking beard, and his jeans were stained with dirt and other unidentifiable things she didn’t want to think about. His jacket was torn at the shoulder, and his boots were badly scuffed and a little too big for him. He was clutching, and fiddling nervously, with an old woollen beanie hat from which droplets of water fell and pooled at his feet on the oak planks, only just missing the antique Persian rug.

He had left the castle under a proverbial dark cloud months before, after his attempts to sabotage Olivia’s corporate fashion show. The show had been intended to act as the launch of the castle as a venue prior to opening it up to the public and he had done his utmost to make sure no one turned up and that the night was a disaster. He hadn’t been seen since. There had been a couple of messages via other people, so she knew he was alive, but this was a sight she certainly wasn’t expecting to see; neither at this time nor in this way. She had presumed he had conned his way into the life of another unsuspecting, wealthy widow. It looked like she had been very wrong.

She shook her head and crumpled her brow. ‘What on earth…? W-where have you been, Kerr? What on earth has happened to you?’

Kerr dipped his head for a moment before straightening his spine and addressing her. ‘I’m… I’m sorry to turn up unannounced like this but…’ He cleared his throat. ‘I’ve been… I’ve been sleeping rough.’

Olivia gasped in horror. ‘But it’s freezing out there, Kerr!’

‘It really is. But after everything that happened with Bella, Adaira and the fashion show, I knew I wasn’t welcome here, so I travelled around a bit and I wound up in Glasgow. Needed to clear my head. Do some thinking, you know? But…’ He sighed deeply. ‘I ran out of money fairly quickly. Gambled most of it away and drank the rest.’ He gave a light, nervous laugh. ‘I know how to live, eh?’

Disbelief prickled at her mind. ‘You ran out of money? What about the rent from the tenants at the town house? That must have been enough to live on before they left, surely?’

He swallowed and shook his head. ‘I… erm… asked them to pay me up front, which they did.’ He shrugged. ‘So, the money’s all gone. Like I said, it went pretty quickly.’ He scoffed. ‘Pretty shit for an economics graduate, eh?’

On closer inspection, Olivia noticed that the dirt around his eyes was, in fact, the purplish-brown mottled remnants of bruising. Her throat constricted and her chest ached. ‘Have you been fighting?’ she whispered.

He reached his fingers up to touch his face. ‘Oh, this? It wasn’t really a fight, it was pretty one-sided, to be honest, and I’m not the fighting kind really. But don’t worry, it looks worse than it is, it’s almost healed now. Turns out people get quite possessive over their stuff when you’re on the street.’

Olivia deflated and her shoulders slumped. ‘Oh, Kerr, how did you get to this? It’s not you.’ She waved her hands up and down at him. ‘This is just not you. The drinking, the gambling, it’s not who you were brought up to be!’ She shook her head. ‘I don’t understand why you didn’t just come back here.’

She watched his nostrils flare, and he replied through clenched teeth, ‘As I said, I knew I wouldn’t be welcome. And I can’t say I’m surprised after what I did.’

‘You’ve been gone for so long and at first I thought you must have met someone, seeing as Adaira wouldn’t take you back.’ The older woman had been disgusted and hurt to find out Kerr had been seeing Olivia’s best friend Bella behind her back, and was taking advantage of her love for him to feed his gambling and drinking habits. She and Innes were a much better match.

He scoffed. ‘Is there any wonder she didn’t want anything to do with me after how I used her?’ A pained smile took over his rugged features.

‘You may not know this but she… she and Uncle Innes are…’ She didn’t need to finish the sentence.

He nodded. ‘Ah, I see. Well, good for her. She deserves to be happy.’ Olivia was shocked by his acceptance of the matter. He pulled his lips between his teeth for a moment. ‘I… I burned all my bridges, Liv, so sleeping rough was pretty much my only option.’

She took a step closer to him, a hand over her stomach that twisted at the thought of him sleeping in freezing cold, dirty, rat-infested alleyways. ‘Kerr, you’re my brother. We’re family. The last thing I want is for you to be living on the streets, putting yourself at risk when you could have swallowed your pride and come home.’

It was his turn to shake his head now. ‘It wasn’t pride, Liv. I don’t have any of that left. It buggered off with my dignity and self-respect. They’re all having a good laugh at my expense now.’ He held his hands out from his body and shrugged. ‘I mean… look at me. It was shame that stopped me from returning, not pride.’ He lowered his head again. ‘I’m ashamed of what I did to you; of how I behaved. All out of spite and jealousy. I gained your trust and then abused that so badly. Mum and Dad would be so disappointed in me. Disgusted, in fact.’ His voice broke and he sniffed. ‘I think I had to hit rock bottom to really see how awful I had been. But I think that’s also where I realised I could make changes. Make amends.’

Olivia’s breath hitched but she couldn’t help the niggle of suspicion and wariness that stopped her from hugging him. ‘You hurt me, Kerr. You tried to sabotage the very thing I was doing to keep Mum and Dad’s legacy alive. I’ll never understand why you did that. But you’re still my brother. And despite what you may think, I do love you. I always have. You just never allowed yourself to accept that, not from anyone. We’ve wasted so much time bickering and fighting. When we should have been supporting each other, especially after losing Mum and Dad.’

Kerr took a step towards her, his eyes watery with emotion, something she had never seen in her hard-faced brother before. ‘I know all this now. Believe me, I’ve had plenty of time to think. I’ve beaten myself up enough over and over for my actions and I truly am so very sorry, Olivia. I just?—’

Olivia heard footsteps and turned to see Brodie approaching from the direction of the kitchen. He held a notebook in his hand and was peering down at whatever was written there. ‘So, the quote is in for the roof, but you may need to sit—’ He lifted his head and his eyes widened for a split second before narrowing when he caught sight of Kerr MacBain standing there. ‘What the hell are you doing here?’ he snapped.

Kerr swallowed hard and glanced between Olivia and Brodie. ‘I… I shouldn’t have come, I’m sorry.’ He turned and headed for the door.

‘Wait!’ Olivia called out. ‘Maybe you should go up to your old room and freshen up? You’re soaked. You need to get warm and put on some dry clothes.’

Brodie scoffed. ‘Hang on, you’re not letting him stay here, are you?’ he asked, his voice filled with alarm, his eyes wide again and the colour drained from his cheeks.

Olivia knew that Brodie meant well. He’d witnessed the heartache and devastation that Kerr had caused and had been the one to pick up the pieces after his betrayal. But she couldn’t turn him away. Not without helping him. It wasn’t in her nature.

She reached out and touched Brodie’s arm. ‘I think we have things to discuss, Brodie. And I don’t want Kerr back out on the streets.’

Brodie turned a glaring, angry gaze on to Kerr. ‘On the streets ? So that’s where you’ve been, is it, since you tried to ruin your sister’s life and your family’s legacy?’

Kerr’s cheeks tinged pink, and he turned the soggy beanie hat around and around in his hands. ‘He’s right, Liv. I can’t expect you to let me stay after what I did to you. I can see I’m still not welcome and I, 100 per cent, don’t blame either of you.’

Olivia’s chin trembled and tears spilled from her eyes, leaving damp trails down her face.

Brodie turned to look at her again and his expression softened. He sighed and reached out to wipe away her tears. ‘Hey, Liv, this is your home. He’s your brother. I’m not going to stand in the way if you want him to stay. How could I?’

Kerr took a tentative step forward. ‘Look, Brodie, I can understand you not trusting me. And I know that whatever I say, you won’t believe that I’m genuine. But I don’t expect anything from you, either of you. I don’t expect forgiveness. I know I don’t deserve it. But for what it’s worth… I am truly sorry. To both of you.’

Olivia watched Brodie closely. She too could understand why he was filled with mistrust when it came to Kerr. She too had more than enough reservations about his return.

But he was still her brother.

Brodie leaned forward and kissed Olivia on the cheek. ‘Look, I’ll leave you two to talk. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.’

Olivia nodded. ‘Thank you.’ She reached out and squeezed his hand before he turned and left the siblings standing in the foyer, surrounded by their parents’ beloved artwork and family heirlooms.

Turning her attention back to her brother, Olivia said, ‘I presume there are still some clothes in your wardrobe. Why don’t you go up and shower and come back down when you’re done. I’ll get Mirren to make you some soup.’

Kerr’s chin trembled and he swiped tears from his eyes. He nodded. ‘Thank you. Thank you so much,’ he whispered. ‘There’s… just one more thing…’ He glanced towards the door. ‘I have a friend with me. Can I… can I bring him in too? He needs a good meal and warming up.’

Olivia opened and closed her mouth. She wasn’t expecting Kerr to turn up like this, let alone bringing a complete stranger along for the ride. She wasn’t sure she was comfortable with this latest turn of events and struggled to find the words to express that without appearing cruel and callous.

As if sensing her worry, Kerr continued, ‘I promise he won’t be any trouble. He’s only small… ish .’ He winced, which added to Olivia’s concern. ‘But I can’t leave him out in the cold if I’m in here. It wouldn’t be right. And I really think you’ll love him.’

Love him? Olivia thought, I highly doubt that; I don’t even know the man .

Kerr headed for the door and opened it before Olivia could find the vocabulary to protest. ‘Come on,’ he said in a cooing voice to whomever was sitting on the steps outside in the rain. ‘Come on, lad.’ He held out his hand.

Strange way to speak to an adult… unless it’s a child! Olivia placed her hand over her mouth and her eyes widened in horror. Was PC Sherburn going to be needed after all? She didn’t want to get in trouble for harbouring a fugitive, let alone a minor fugitive. Just as major panic was taking a hold of her heart, in walked a shaggy black and dirty grey dog with matted hair to match Kerr’s. The sodden dog smelled of mud and possibly sheep’s poo. Olivia kept her hand over her mouth, even though relief had briefly set in.

‘Olivia, this is Sir Lancelot.’

Olivia sighed and then frowned. ‘Oh! It’s a… it’s a dog .’

Kerr smiled down at the smelly creature. ‘He’s not just a dog, he’s my best friend, aren’t you, lad?’

Olivia gave a small laugh. ‘I thought you’d brought another human.’

Kerr bent and scratched the dirty canine behind his matted ears. ‘Nope, he’s definitely of the pooch variety.’ He laughed good-naturedly. ‘Sorry to scare you. This fella is my whole world. In fact, if it hadn’t been for him, I’m not sure I’d still be alive. He saved me, didn’t you, Sir Lancelot?’ The dog gazed up adoringly at Kerr and wagged his bushy tail.

A thousand questions raced around Olivia’s mind, but she started with the most obvious ones. ‘How did you end up with a bearded collie? And more’s the point, what kind of name is Sir Lancelot for a dog ?’

‘It’s a weird story, and a little bit sad. His owner… a guy I met at a church soup kitchen, his name was Michael and he’d been an English teacher once upon a time. He was a bit obsessed with the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, hence the name. Anyway, Michael lost his teaching job and, soon after, his wife on account of his alcohol addiction, and his life just… crumbled. His house was repossessed eventually, and he ended up on the streets. He found Sir Lancelot as a puppy. He’d been abandoned by some dumpsters in Glasgow around two years ago. We think perhaps he was stolen from somewhere and then dumped because he’s not the kind of dog that people give up voluntarily. Anyway, they became inseparable. Michael said Lancey was like his knight in shining armour.’ He smiled. ‘Anyway, to cut a long story short… Michael and I became friends quite quickly. We had a laugh together. Went dumpster diving for food together. But he got arrested for shoplifting painkillers from a chemist, so he asked me to look after Sir Lancelot for him while he was taken to the cells.’

It sounded so far-fetched Olivia figured it must be true. No one would make up such a bizarre story, surely? Her stomach lurched at the thought of her brother eating food from dumpsters; she couldn’t believe he’d had to resort to that. ‘So your friend will be wanting the dog back at some point then?’

Kerr’s eyes filled with sadness, and he shook his head. ‘I’m afraid not. Michael is…’ He cleared his throat. ‘He… erm… he died just after he was released from the cells and was awaiting his court date. Liver failure. His health had been declining for a while and he wasn’t getting any medical attention, hence the stolen pain tablets. He didn’t trust doctors and no amount of cajoling would get him to go get checked out. So, he lost his battle with his demons, sadly. It was… it was awful.’

Olivia placed her hand over her heart, which ached for her brother. ‘Oh no, that’s so very sad. I’m sorry.’

‘I promised Sir Lancelot I’d look after him always.’ He stood and fixed his gaze on her. She noticed his eyes had become glassy again. ‘I’ve never loved another living thing as much as I love him. And I know that’s probably a horrible thing to hear seeing as you’re my sister but… this dog has taught me what love is. He changed me, Olivia. Looking after him has made me a better human being. I was on a rapid downward spiral, but Lancey brought me back to my senses, didn’t you, boy? I owe him my life, so I have to protect his.’

Olivia had never witnessed such sincerity in her brother’s eyes. She truly believed him. She nodded. ‘Well, we have dog food too. And I’m sure you’ve plenty of towels in your bathroom, I think he could do with a bath, couldn’t you, Sir Stinksalot ?’ She gave a good-natured laugh. ‘He’s lucky because I wouldn’t normally let such a smelly dog inside the castle. Wilf and Marley get bathed outside with the hose but it’s too cold for that.’

Kerr’s face lit up and he laughed too before saying, ‘Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Olivia. I know I’m sounding like a broken record, and I know I’m a pathetic emotional wreck just now, but that’s mainly because I’m very much aware that I don’t deserve any of this. I want you to know that I really do appreciate it, though,’ he told her before turning around and walking away.

Olivia watched him walk slowly and measuredly up the stairs with his canine companion trotting obediently by his side. Once he was out of sight, she covered her face with her hands and allowed herself to cry. Seeing him look so broken, acting so lost and defeated, hurt more than she could ever have expected.

Arms encircled her and she turned into Brodie’s embrace. ‘Shh, it’s okay, he’s safe now.’

She silently sobbed into Brodie’s shirt until she calmed again.

‘Was that… was that a dog with him or was it a furry suitcase?’ Brodie asked as she wiped at the dampness on her cheeks.

She giggled. ‘It was a dog. Sir Lancelot, the bearded collie.’

Brodie nodded and smirked. ‘Well, that’s certainly different.’

‘Says the man whose dog is called Wilf?’

Brodie grinned. ‘Fair point. Come on, let’s go get a cuppa.’