A Highland Family Affair (Highlands #3)

Chapter 15

15

Olivia and Brodie walked through the doors of the castle on their return home, and all was eerily quiet. It was a week until Christmas. Olivia was still reeling from the events that happened on Skye and she had hoped to be greeted by the ones she loved so they could share in the excitement too.

‘Where is everyone?’ Brodie shook his head with a huff as he placed the cases down. ‘I told them what time we’d be home.’

Kerr appeared from the direction of the kitchen. ‘Oh, hi, guys! Welcome home.’

‘Thanks, how come it’s so quiet?’ Olivia asked.

Kerr shrugged. ‘Dunno. I’ve been at the nursery all day and I came back, took a shower but the place was in darkness. I’m guessing Dougie and Mirren have gone home.’

Olivia exhaled a long, disappointed breath, as if deflating. ‘Oh, right. I thought they might have hung around for a while. We brought champagne,’ she said, gesturing to the bag containing the bottles they had purchased on their way home.

‘Go take your bags to your room and I’ll give them a call if you like,’ Kerr suggested. ‘Oh, and there’s some flowers for you in the dining room. They were delivered this morning. I think they may be from Nina and the staff at the fashion house.’

Brodie picked up the suitcases again. ‘That’s nice. We’ll come and have a look once we’ve dropped our bags off. Come on, Liv.’

Tired and a little fed up, they tramped up the stairs to their room and placed their bags down. The two newly acquired pieces of artwork were placed, propped up, on the dressing table for safekeeping.

‘Can you believe we didn’t get a nicer welcome home?’ Olivia asked. ‘It’s really strange. Like nothing’s happened.’

He slipped his arms around her waist. ‘We don’t need everyone else, though, Liv. We can have our own celebration.’ He grinned and kissed her neck. As nice as that was, she still felt a little sad. Brodie clearly sensed this as he took her hand. ‘Come on, let’s go look at the flowers. That’ll cheer you up.’ He led her down to the dining room and pushed the door open to…

‘Surprise!’ Party poppers exploded, sending coloured streamers floating through the air and Queen’s ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ began to play over a pair of Bluetooth speakers that had been set up on the fireplace mantle. The table was spread with platters of canapés and bottles of champagne alongside crystal flutes, and a huge cake sat in the middle iced with the words ‘Congratulations Olivia and Brodie’ in a fancy font. Beside that there was a huge bouquet of flowers, just as Kerr had mentioned.

Olivia and Brodie shared a wide smile and Olivia felt a tad guilty for doubting her friends and family.

Applause and whistles travelled the room. The whole castle staff was there as well as Skye and Ben, Innes, Adaira, Dougie, Mirren and the dogs and some other friends. Uncle Innes came over to greet them with hugs, followed closely by Wilf, Marley and Sir Lancelot. Olivia crouched to greet her canine friends and buried her nose in their fur each in turn as they wagged their tails frantically.

‘I’m so happy for you, my darling girl,’ Innes told Olivia as she stood, and he hugged her. ‘Your mother and father would be very proud and so, so happy for you. Don’t you think Kerr has done a great job of getting everyone together at such short notice?’

Olivia widened her eyes. ‘Kerr has done this?’

Innes nodded. ‘He sure has. I’m pretty impressed, I have to say.’

‘Me too,’ Olivia said as she looked over to where Kerr stood, a wide smile on his face as he raised a glass of orange juice to her. As Brodie chatted to friends, Olivia made her way over to her brother. ‘Thank you,’ she said, kissing him on the cheek. ‘This is amazing.’

‘And you thought we’d all forgotten,’ he said with a grin and shake of his head. ‘As if we would.’

‘You had us both fooled, you rat.’ She whacked his arm playfully. ‘I’m not sure how you pulled it off but we both appreciate it.’

Charlotte appeared by his side. ‘Hi, Olivia. Congratulations. I’m so happy for you,’ she said, giving her a brief hug and then slipping her arm through Kerr’s. It was evident things were going well for the new couple.

‘Thank you, Charlotte. This is all so lovely.’

‘I had a bit of help actually,’ Kerr said, patting Charlotte’s hand. ‘You have Charlotte to thank for the beautiful flowers. They’re from all the staff here at the castle but the arrangement was all down to her.’

‘Not Nina?’ Olivia asked with narrowed eyes.

‘Erm, no, that was a little fib. But it got you to come to the dining room, so… Excuse me, I’m off to get some more orange juice. I’ll leave you to chat.’

Once he had gone, Olivia asked, ‘How are things going for you two?’

Charlotte blushed and smiled. ‘Really well. I’m so happy. He’s such a lovely man.’

‘That’s good to hear. Thank you for helping to arrange this party for us.’

‘You’re so welcome.’

‘Has everything been okay while we’ve been away? I’m guessing the lack of calls means it has.’

‘Everything has been absolutely fine. No major dramas, thankfully!’

‘And you’re still enjoying working here?’

Charlotte beamed. ‘Oh, I love it. It’s such a wonderful place to come to every day. And Paisley from the gift shop has been so helpful too. She and I are becoming good friends.’

‘That’s great. I’m so glad you’ve settled in so well.’

‘I really have, Olivia. Thanks for giving me the chance. Oh, look, here’s Paisley now.’

Paisley walked over and hugged Olivia. ‘Congratulations. I’m so happy for you both. You need to give me some tips on how to find a wonderful man for myself.’

‘Your date didn’t go well?’ Charlotte asked her.

‘Ugh, no. He looked nothing like his profile picture, his hair was clearly dyed and way too dark for his skin tone and I’m sure he was wearing lip gloss and concealer!’

Olivia laughed. ‘Just think, though, you’d be able to swap make-up tips.’

Paisley almost spat out her drink. ‘Did I mention he still lived at home with his mum?’

Olivia cringed. ‘Oh, no, scrap that! That’s a definite red flag. What about Noah? I think he quite likes you, Paisley,’ Olivia said as she glanced over to see Noah watching them.

‘Ugh, no. He’s far too serious and strait-laced. I’m not really into the whole British stiff-upper-lip thing. I’m going to hold out for a handsome millionaire actor, I think. Or perhaps a rock star.’ She giggled.

‘Livvy!’ Skye squealed as she grappled Olivia into a bear hug. ‘He finally proposed! Let me see the ring.’ Olivia held out her hand. ‘Oh, wow! That’s proper vintage too.’

‘It was my grandmother’s,’ Olivia said, admiring the ring for what felt like the millionth time.

‘That’s so sweet. He’s definitely a keeper. So, when’s the big day?’

‘We still need to look at our diaries but we’re not waiting a long time, that one thing is certain. And obviously I want you to be a bridesmaid.’

Skye hugged her again. ‘Yes, one million times yes! I can’t wait.’

The morning after the engagement party, Olivia and Brodie sat down together and checked their diaries. They earmarked Saturday 22 April as their wedding day.

Brodie spoke to Bishop Latham at the cathedral and luckily, or unluckily if you happened to be Olivia, it too was available. Olivia was still wishing for a quiet ceremony at her special little chapel but, alas, it was not meant to be.

Later that day, Mirren accompanied Olivia to the draughty old attic rooms to try to locate the dress her mother wore on her wedding day, as she knew her mother had kept it. But when they located the box in the very top of the castle, they made a heartbreaking discovery.

‘Ruined,’ Olivia said as her stomach sank. ‘They’re completely ruined.’ She held up her mother’s dress and veil to find them stained and torn. ‘It must have happened when the storm hit and damaged the roof.’ Her heart ached and sadness flooded through her. ‘My mum’s beautiful dress.’ The dress had once been a floor-length 1970s gown, fitted at the waist with a layer of lace over the top and bell sleeves. Her veil had been quite plain in contrast, with little flowers embroidered around the edges, but it had looked stunning on her mother in every single photograph Olivia had seen.

Mirren sighed and shook her head. ‘Oh, hen, I’m so sorry. They look beyond repair. Perhaps Nina could recreate the design for you?’

Olivia slumped onto the old wooden chair that sat in the corner of the attic room. ‘She probably would but it wouldn’t be the same. I really hoped they had avoided the leaks.’ She rummaged through another box. ‘My grandmother’s dress is ruined too.’ She huffed. ‘Well, bang goes that idea. I’m not sure what to do now.’

‘Right, Monday, can you take the day off? We can go bridal shopping in the city. Or we could have a ride to Edinburgh, maybe? What do you say?’

A flutter of excitement vibrated through Olivia. ‘Let’s make a day of it and head to Edinburgh. There are a few bridal boutiques and some nice vintage shops we can check out. We could start out by having a nice lunch.’

‘That sounds absolutely perfect, Olivia. But are you sure you don’t want to invite your friends along as well, or… instead ?’

Olivia stood and crossed the uneven floor. She reached out and placed a hand on each of Mirren’s arms. ‘Mirren, you do know I consider you to be my family, don’t you? And that now Mum isn’t here, I can’t think of anyone I would rather go wedding dress shopping with.’

Mirren pulled her into a hug. ‘You mean the world to me, hen. I would be honoured to go with you.’

On Monday, 19 December, with only days to go before Christmas, Mirren and Olivia set out by train on the hunt for the perfect wedding dress. In the meantime, Nina had offered to recreate the gown for her, but Olivia wanted the excitement of trying on a variety of styles and enjoying the fun of the experience. It would be a once-in-a-lifetime thing and she wanted to enjoy every second.

They arrived in the country’s capital city at half past twelve and headed straight to The Dome for their lunch reservation. It was a stunning restaurant decorated with chandeliers and marble, plaster cornicing and wood panelling. But the most attractive feature was, of course, the glass dome at the centre of the place that flooded the tables with natural light.

The waiter delivered their bottle of champagne along with their multi-tiered cake stand of delicious delights. Aromatic meats and cheeses, smoked salmon and chutneys with slices of warm home-made crusty bread started off their feast. Followed by melt-in-the-mouth macarons, rich, dark chocolate tarts, and light-as-a-feather scones with jam and cream.

Once they had finished, Olivia rested her hand on her stomach. ‘Wow, I’m not sure trying on wedding dresses is such a good idea after all that food.’

Mirren giggled, a little tipsy from the champagne. ‘I think I could do with a nap!’

‘Come on, we’d best forge ahead. We only have a few hours before our return train. Let’s make them count!’ Olivia said with determination.

‘Aye, let the shopping commence!’ Mirren said, raising her final glass. Olivia paid their bill, and they headed off for the first shop of the day.

Their first stop was at a rather amusingly named shop called Better Off Wed. But after an hour, Olivia had tried on three dresses, none of which had really made her feel special, and she was losing heart. Mainly because none of them resembled her mother’s dress or her grandmother’s. But they kept on looking. After a quick stop for coffee and a breather, Olivia searched vintage shops on her phone.

‘Maybe the problem is that I don’t want a brand-new dress, Mirren. Perhaps a vintage one would be more me?’

Mirren smiled. ‘I always think the idea of vintage wedding dresses is so romantic. They have a story to them. History. I think it would be a lovely idea to try on some vintage dresses.’

Olivia found a vintage clothing shop close to where they were having coffee on Edinburgh’s Grassmarket and butterflies set about fluttering inside of her. The paved area outside was humming with chatter and Christmas music and was busy with Christmas shoppers loaded down with their purchases.

They left the coffee shop feeling refuelled and ready to tackle more shopping. They walked across the paved area and into the vintage shop and were immediately thrown back in time by the sights and sounds of bygone eras. ‘I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire’ played in the background and Olivia found herself humming along.

Rack upon rack of brightly coloured dresses from the forties, fifties and sixties surrounded them. Mannequins resembling Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell posed in the most magnificently crafted outfits, covered in hand-sewn beads and sequins, and suddenly Olivia felt at home. Wall-mounted books had been used to create shelves on which mannequin heads displayed jewellery, sunglasses and hats, and old clothing advertising signs adorned the walls.

‘Hi there, can I help you?’ the assistant asked with a smile. Her hair was glossy and black with a red spotted scarf tied in it and her fringe was cut short and curled under. Her lips were a bright scarlet, and her knee-length black dress was nipped in at the waist and flared out at the hips, complete with a bright red net underskirt. Tattoos covered her arms, and her eyeliner was winged and thick. She brought to mind a fifties pin-up girl with a modern twist and Olivia loved her look.

‘Oh, hello. I’m looking for vintage wedding dresses. I’m getting married in April, and I don’t want to buy brand new.’

The assistant’s face lit up. ‘That’s fantastic. And it’s really bizarre too because we have just had the most stunning piece donated. How do you feel about seventies dresses?’

Olivia’s heart skipped. ‘I absolutely adore seventies styles. What’s it like?’

‘Hang on, let me get it. I think it may be a tad too big for you but hopefully it could be altered.’ The shop assistant walked through a door at the back of the shop and a few moments later reappeared with a long dress bag. ‘There’s a story to it, if you’d like to know?’

‘Oh, yes, please,’ Olivia replied eagerly.

‘Okay, so, the lady who brought the dress in said it was her mother’s. She got married in Inverness in the seventies and she had the dress made to mimic one she had seen someone famous wearing. The lady who brought it in was going to wear it for her own wedding, but it didn’t quite suit her, she said. Anyway, it’s been really looked after and stored well so it’s in almost pristine condition.’ She hung it up on a hook above the cash desk and unzipped it.

As the dress was revealed, Olivia gasped.

The dress was floor-length with a deep V-neck, but not so deep as to appear immodest. There was a satin underskirt and a lace overdress, and it had bell sleeves like her mother’s wedding gown. It was the closest thing she could ever imagine to what her mother wore without being the actual dress itself.

‘I love it.’ Her eyes welled with tears, and she covered her mouth with her hands. ‘Could I try it on, please?’

‘Absolutely. I have some pegs behind the counter so we can hold it in at the back with them. That way you’ll get a better idea of how it will look when altered.’

In the small changing room, Olivia slipped the dress over her head and the fabric shushed to the floor. As suspected, it was a little too big but not so much that it couldn’t be altered without changing the appearance. When she was ready, she called the assistant in and, as suggested, she pulled it in at the back and secured it with the pegs. Olivia turned to look at her reflection in the full-length mirror and knew immediately this was the dress she would marry Brodie MacLeod in. Emotion flooded her, her heart rate picked up and her stomach knotted, her eyes overflowed with tears.

‘This is it. It’s perfect… or at least it will be.’ She stepped out of the fitting room, and it was Mirren’s turn to gasp.

‘Oh, Olivia! You’re the image of your mother. She would be…’ She shook her head and dabbed at her eyes. ‘She would be so very proud of you. Just look at you.’

In that moment, Olivia’s feelings about the dress were confirmed. She turned to the sales assistant. ‘I’ll take it, thank you so much.’

The assistant raised her eyebrows. ‘I haven’t told you how much it is yet.’

Olivia gazed once more at her reflection and shook her head. ‘I honestly don’t think I care at this point.’ She laughed.

‘I’d better go and check the price for you.’ The assistant left her for a few moments and when she returned, she hesitated before speaking. ‘I’m afraid it’s… it’s five hundred pounds. Is that still okay?’

Olivia’s eyes widened. ‘Really? Then 100 per cent yes!’

When they arrived home, she called Harper to tell her about the dress. ‘It’s just stunning, Harper, and so reminiscent of my mum’s dress.’

‘God, I love seventies-style dresses. You’re gonna look like a model, you know. Nina will be on your case trying to hire you back for the catwalk. Speaking of Nina… I have news of my own.’

Olivia’s interest piqued. ‘Go on!’ She tried and failed to hide her excitement.

‘So, I’ve been promoted.’

‘Harper, that’s incredible! I’m so proud of you! What will you be doing?’

Harper paused. ‘I’m taking over all visual merchandising and will be leading the graphic design team too. My degree will finally be put to use.’

‘That’s absolutely brilliant. You are so perfect for that job.’

Harper paused again and Olivia wondered why she didn’t sound more excited. ‘The only problem is… I won’t be able to attend your wedding.’

It was Olivia’s turn to be silent. After a few seconds, she simply said, ‘Oh.’

‘I’m so sorry. We have a show over that week, and I need to be there.’

Olivia tried to hide her disappointment. ‘Okay… that’s fine… it can’t be helped.’

‘I feel terrible. I was supposed to be a bridesmaid.’

Olivia fought back tears. ‘Hey, it’s okay. I’ll just have to make do with two.’

‘Are you okay? You don’t hate me, do you?’

Olivia sighed. ‘Of course I don’t hate you. I… I just can’t believe you’re not going to be here, Harper. You’re one of my best friends. How can I do this without you?’

‘You’ll be absolutely fine. Bella and Skye will be there. I’m so, so sorry. This year is just crazy with shows. It’s Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week around the wedding. Although Nina did want me to ask you to postpone it till the winter.’ She laughed. ‘I was like, yeah, I’m not doing that, boss.’

Olivia sighed deeply. ‘Maybe we should postpone it until you can make it.’

‘Absolutely not! This is your day. And I will be with you in thought. I’ll get over as soon as I can and we can have a party, okay?’

‘I suppose. But it won’t be the same.’

‘Of course it won’t, I’m hella fun at parties.’ She laughed. ‘Seriously though, honey, don’t change your plans because of me. You have to make it work for you and Brodie. You have to put you guys first.’

Olivia slumped onto her bed. ‘I suppose.’

Later that night, Olivia and Mirren sat around the kitchen table with Dougie, Brodie and Kerr.

‘So don’t I get a hint at what the new dress is like then?’ Brodie asked.

‘Absolutely not! And don’t be trying to sneak a look either, young man,’ Mirren said as they all munched on a beef stew she had put in the slow cooker before their trip to Edinburgh. It was nine o’clock in the evening and even though they’d had a busy day, Olivia was too excited to be tired. The dress was perfect.

‘I wouldn’t dare risk your wrath, Mama Mirren,’ Brodie said with a wink.

‘I can’t believe you’re getting married so quickly. Don’t these things usually take years to organise?’ Kerr asked.

Olivia opened her mouth to speak but Brodie beat her to it. ‘Aye, they usually take a while, but we just want to be wed, don’t we, Liv?’

Olivia nodded. ‘We certainly do.’

‘Anyway, Kerr, speaking of weddings, how are things going with Charlotte?’ Brodie asked.

Kerr almost choked on his food, and he hesitated to empty his mouth before replying. ‘Ahem, we’re not getting married any time soon, thanks.’ He laughed. ‘But things are good. Yeah, she’s really lovely. We get on well and Will’s such a great kid. We have a great time at the nursery.’

‘I’m so happy things are going well, Kerr. We should have you both around for dinner,’ Olivia said.

Kerr’s face brightened. ‘That’s a great idea. I think Charlotte would love that. Thanks, sis.’

In spite of her earlier misgivings, Olivia was glad to see her brother happy in his new relationship. It appeared her worries had been misplaced and it was, in fact, having a positive effect on him. She couldn’t help worrying, all the same, that things could still go wrong and cause him to relapse, but at the end of the day he was an adult and she had to let him be.

Kerr cleared his throat. ‘Actually, I was thinking it might be nice to invite both of them around for a while on Christmas Eve. Or… or do you all have plans already?’ Kerr asked.

Olivia glanced around the table at her family. ‘Innes and Adaira are coming along.’ She didn’t want him to feel awkward now he was making such good progress. ‘So, I think we were just going to spend it here, together, weren’t we?’

Everyone nodded and Mirren added, ‘A lovely family Christmas Eve. Some games and a buffet, I think.’ She looked around the table.

Kerr nodded. ‘Understood. It was just a thought.’

Olivia reached out and touched his arm. ‘Sorry, you’ve misunderstood me. I just didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable with Adaira being here, but if that’s okay with you then of course they’d be very welcome.’

His eyes widened. ‘Really? That’s… that’s great. Thank you.’