A Highland Family Affair (Highlands #3)

Chapter 25

25

After dinner, everyone seemed to disperse. Kerr, and Sir Lancelot, took Will home, Mirren and Dougie left to go to their wee cottage and Brodie went for a lie-down. His leg had been sore, but he was refusing to take the painkillers because they made him feel spaced out.

In the quiet, Olivia couldn’t shake the unsettled feeling that had gripped her all day. She put it down to the events of the night before with Will and her lack of sleep. She resolved to listen to some meditation podcasts to see if they helped. She found herself wandering around the castle. It was something she rarely did these days and she missed that. She didn’t lead the tours any more as the team of guides was working like a well-oiled machine. And there were certain private rooms that didn’t really warrant daily use. But walking around her ancestral home always had a calming effect on her, and she needed this with only days to go until the wedding. The flowers would be arriving on Friday with Ellen from the florist’s in Drumblair village. The extra chairs for the reception would arrive on Thursday and Kerr had offered his help, and Will’s, to set them out in the long gallery. The cake and wedding breakfast catering had been handled by Mirren and Noah from the café, to whom Olivia was eternally grateful. And Brodie had called in a favour from an old school friend who was a wedding DJ so they could have music and dancing at the evening reception. All that was left now was to wait for the big day. The countdown was well and truly on.

Olivia arrived in the library. It was a stunning room with more books than anyone could ever read in their lifetime, and had once been Bella’s office when she had been Olivia’s PA. It was also where Santa’s grotto was based at the last Christmas Countdown Fayre. The walls in here were clad in oak shelving, some with glass doors to protect the more valuable books, and the huge light fixture had once held candles but like all the other chandeliers in the castle this one had been converted to electric light.

Large leather chesterfield sofas faced each other in front of an oversized ornately carved stone fireplace, and a mahogany writing desk with a slanted surface sat by the window to make the most of the natural daylight. She remembered her mother sitting here to pen letters to her grandmother, whose engagement ring Olivia now proudly wore. Grandma always preferred handwritten letters and expressed the opinion that letter writing was becoming a dying art. Olivia’s mother always encouraged her and Kerr to write letters too, saying it was so much more personal and appreciated, although they weren’t allowed to use the antique writing desk until they were in their late teens.

A ladder on wheels was attached to the library shelving and Olivia fondly remembered riding it with her father at the bottom to keep her safe. She would squeal with delight as he pushed the ladder around far faster than it was meant to go. On the shelves there were weighty tomes on family history and clans, and the history of Scotland that she remembered Brodie becoming absorbed in when he used to come around after school, but her favourites were a leather-bound set of the classics that had belonged to her mother, especially Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre . These were stories she could read over and over and never tire of. These books were bound in the most sumptuous burgundy leather with gold leaf borders and illustrated plates on the inside.

By the fireplace stood a 1980s stereo cabinet complete with silver-coloured eighties stacking system and record player. The cabinet, whilst mahogany in colour, was a stark juxtaposition to the genuine George Hepplewhite pieces dotted around the room. Olivia remembered her mother complaining on many occasions, jokily, about it ruining the aesthetic of the library, but her dad’s response had been something to the effect that, unless she could find a way to clone Chippendale or Hepplewhite to make him something more in keeping with the other furniture, it would have to do because he loved to listen to music, and this was the best option he could find.

Behind the glass doors of the cabinet beneath the stacking system were her dad’s records. She bent and opened the doors to flick through the vinyl. Memories came flooding back of dancing in here with her father, when no one was reading, of course. ELO, Queen, Toto, Journey, to name a few. But all were bands from the seventies and eighties, from long before she was born. Although they all still meant something to her, she had almost forgotten about them, and looking at them now, she wondered why she had neglected them for all these years.

Behind closed doors, when not on duty, her dad was such fun. He would twirl her around the library to Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s ‘Blinded by the Light’, such a strange but uplifting song with lyrics that made absolutely no sense back then. But she remembered that, as she was about to leave for university, her dad had told her that Bruce Springsteen had written it about finding yourself, taking risks. Her dad had said it made him think of her because she had never really conformed to the life of a laird’s daughter, choosing not to attend boarding school, selecting a career that was far outside anything that was expected of her and, since his passing, relocating to New York to embark upon her dream career. She hadn’t listened to the song since her father passed away.

She missed her father and his insights, and she also missed designing terribly. Her parents had always been so excited when she was at university, and she showed them her latest creations. Both had told her they were proud of her and so happy she had chosen to follow her own path. Now she was excited about taking up fashion design again. With the barn plans waiting to be implemented, it felt like things could actually work. Perhaps her dream of having her own label was about to become a reality.

She sat for a moment and imagined her mum at the desk writing to Grandma, and her dad up the ladder looking for something he couldn’t quite remember the name of but would know it when he saw it . She imagined Mirren coming in with a tray holding a pot of tea and china cups, and perhaps a bouncy-looking sponge cake with jam and cream in the middle. She’d place the tray on the antique side table and whisper to Olivia, ‘I cut your piece extra big,’ with a wink. All the while, Olivia would sit with a book in her lap under one of the arched brass lamps and lose herself in Cathy and Heathcliff and their adventures on the Yorkshire Moors.

Now here she was, an adult about to be married. It was simultaneously daunting and exciting. She hoped that she and Brodie would be as happy as her parents had been and that perhaps one day her child might be sitting in this very room reminiscing about their childhood at Drumblair Castle and their love for their parents. The future was a huge unknown, but she was happy she would be sharing the journey with Brodie.

Later she climbed into bed beside Brodie and snuggled up to him.

He stirred. ‘Hey, are you okay? I thought you’d have been up earlier,’ he mumbled as he kissed the top of her head and shifted to get comfy.

‘Sorry, yes, I’m good. I’ve been sitting in the library. It’s not a room I have spent much time in lately. But I’ve been reminiscing about Mum and Dad.’

‘I wish they could be here for the wedding,’ he told her.

Her eyes stung and she clung tighter to Brodie. ‘Me too. But when I look at the painting you commissioned for me, I can pretend they were.’ They fell silent for a while until she spoke. ‘Thank you for what you did for Will. He was so happy to be involved in the wedding like that.’

‘He’s a nice kid. He’s behaving much better than he could have been under the circumstances. He seems to be very accepting of his dad. He was telling me that he’s going to get his name changed legally to MacBain and I think it’s important to let him know he’s one of us.’

Olivia loved that Brodie already counted himself as part of the family and that he was keen to make her nephew feel welcome. ‘It really is.’ She rested her hand over his heart, the steady thump-thumping was reassuring and calming. ‘I’m getting excited about the barn conversion. I never imagined having my own label would be a reality but the closer it gets to the work starting, the giddier I feel.’

He shuffled onto his side and she could feel his warm breath on her forehead. ‘I’m excited for you too. And you’ll have your first potential client on-site pretty much twenty-four-seven soon when filming starts. Ruby Locke as a first client is pretty good going, Liv. Designing is in your blood. It’s part of who you are and why I love you.’

She gazed up at him. ‘I don’t want you to think I’m not happy here, with you and running this place. Because I am. And nothing may come of my label, but I figure I don’t know if I don’t try.’

He cupped her cheek in his palm. ‘Liv, you’re so talented, it would be a shame if that talent was wasted. Once your new assistant takes over the role, you’ll have so much more free time. And if things keep going the way they are, you may be able to employ more staff when you need them. There’ll be no stopping you.’ He leaned down and kissed her. ‘I’m so proud of you.’

Thursday morning, another day closer to the wedding. Olivia helped Brodie into the shower, complete with plastic bin bag tied around up to his thigh so as not to get his leg wet. It was an amusing sight, seeing him under the shower with his leg sticking out, and she had to fight the giggles every time.

Once Brodie was dried and dressed, she helped him down to the drawing room where he sat with his laptop on a tray. He was going to spend the morning pulling the final document together for his Ben Blair tracks and trails book ready to send it to the printers.

Olivia brought coffee and croissants through from the kitchen and left him to work while she went to the study to call her Uncle Innes about an idea she’d had.

‘I agree that a marketing person would be an excellent addition to the staff,’ Innes said when she had told him of her idea to offer jobs to two of the candidates. ‘We have the headcount and the funding available, so go ahead.’

Parker Duff, the recent university graduate, had come across as confident but not arrogant. He had graduated top of his class for his MA in marketing from Strathclyde university and Olivia had warmed to him immediately. His enthusiasm for history and the Inverness area had been evident and she felt he was someone she could train and get along with.

Then there was Esme Cassidy, the young woman who had returned to Scotland after a year of travelling following completion of her travel and tourism degree. She had been bubbly, friendly and very knowledgeable about how to deal with people. Add to that the fact she was born in Dores, the next village to Drumblair, so she was already familiar with the castle and its location, and that she had worked in admin at a hotel during her time at Napier University in Edinburgh, she seemed to be the perfect person for the PA job.

Now that she had the confirmation she needed about taking on two people rather than one, Olivia made the necessary calls.

The call was answered quickly. ‘Hello, Parker Duff speaking.’

Olivia straightened her spine and smiled. ‘Hi, Parker, it’s Olivia MacBain from Drumblair Castle.’

‘Oh! Hi! It’s lovely to hear from you, Lady Olivia.’

‘Now, I know you applied for a job as my PA, but I’m not actually calling to offer you that role.’

‘Oh, I see, that’s such a shame but thank you for letting me know.’ He sounded so disappointed so she had to clarify quickly.

‘No, but I am offering you a job as marketing assistant. Still answerable to me but taking on the task of publicity on social media, dealing with tourist agencies, etcetera. I feel that your degree would be put to better use that way. What do you think?’

There was a pause and Olivia chewed the inside of her cheek, worried he had been put off.

After a few seconds, Parker replied, ‘Sorry, I’m a bit shocked. Oh, my goodness, really?’

Relief flooded Olivia. ‘Absolutely. You came across very well at the interview and you seemed very enthusiastic and I think we could certainly use your experience and qualifications.’

‘I can’t believe it. That’s brilliant. Oh, and I accept. I can start as soon as you like too, no job to give notice at.’

Olivia was happy to hear the positivity in his voice. ‘Fantastic. It’s probably best to leave it until after the wedding. So shall we say Monday?’

‘But won’t you be going on honeymoon?’ Parker asked.

‘Oh, no, we haven’t planned anything yet. We may go later in the year.’

‘Okay, great. Then I’ll see you on Monday. Can’t wait. Thanks again.’

‘Lovely. Bye, Parker.’ She ended the call and exhaled a whoosh of air. ‘Thank goodness he said yes,’ she said to the empty room. ‘Now on to the next one…’

Esme Cassidy was delighted to be offered the PA role. ‘I can’t believe I get to work at Drumblair. I’ve loved that place since I was little and was so excited when I got to actually visit and do a tour last year. But to work there, wow, I can’t tell you how happy I am.’

‘Excellent! Parker, the new marketing assistant, will be starting on Monday so how about we say the same for you?’

‘I’ll be there! Thanks so much, Lady Olivia. And I hope your wedding goes wonderfully.’

‘Thanks, Esme, see you Monday.’ Olivia ended the call and breathed another sigh of relief.