The Secrets of the Glen (Scottish Highlands #2)

Chapter 16

She had gone in there to ask Mr Gillespie to help David out, to pay for his tuition for college, thinking that perhaps Rose was right – Mr Gillespie had money tucked away somewhere that he hadn’t told David about. But what Rose didn’t know was that Mr Gillespie had a gambling problem. He’d lost his house, and was now living with his son. How could he come up with tuition money? It was a stupid idea.

But there was something he could do for his son.

‘He loves ice hockey; he told me himself, whatever he’s told you. I know it’s his life. But he has to move on, and so do you.’

Mr Gillespie stared at her.

Robyn couldn’t believe she was talking to him like this. She was sure that any minute, he was going to tell her to shut up and mind her own business. But David was her business. She was in love with him, and whatever Mr Gillespie said, she was going to fight his corner. ‘He’s lost without hockey, but he can’t stay here, working in this store.’

‘Do you think that’s what I want for him? Do you know why I encouraged him into hockey when I realised he had a serious talent?’

So that you could get back at your ex-wife. Robyn kept her mouth shut.

‘To get him out of this town.’

Robyn stared at him. That was not what she’d overhead him tell David in the hospital.

‘I wouldn’t even let either of them work here on a regular basis when they were growing up, apart from helping me out with Christmas deliveries. I didn’t want them to get stuck in a rut like I had.’

‘But you could have just left.’

Mr Gillespie shook his head. ‘She wanted me to help out her parents, so I did, and then we had kids …’ he shrugged.

And you became a bitter old man . Robyn didn’t want to voice that thought. She imagined that this wasn’t the life he’d really wanted, and that was why his marriage had failed – he’d taken out his anger and frustrations on her. It was little wonder she’d run away. I’d run away too if I was with someone like you – not a very nice man, she thought.

Robyn stared at Mr Gillespie. Was that what had been happening on Christmas Day – she’d been running away from a man who was not good to her?

‘Are you all right?’

‘Yes, I’m, er … fine.’ She was still staring at Mr Gillespie, willing him to continue his story.

‘Then she decides the life we’d built together, here, taking over her parents’ store, wasn’t what she wanted after all. But by then, this was all I’d known. This was my livelihood. And I had the boys to raise. She met someone else, skipped town.’

‘Met someone else?’ Robyn shook her head. ‘David never said that,’ she blurted.

He stopped short, and pointed a rude finger at her. ‘Look, whatever he’s told you – and I know he thinks I pushed him hard as a kid, and he blames me for his mother leaving, thinks I drove her away, and that she wanted to take him with her – none of it is true. Well, driving him hard to achieve big, something I hadn’t achieved with my life – that’s true. Who could blame me? But his mother … that’s a different story. She didn’t want to take them with her. I just let him believe that. Out of the two of them, David, who was older and had a close relationship with her, was hit the hardest by her leaving. Sometimes a lie is better than the truth if it saves the ones you love from heartache. And you know what? Ice hockey saved him, saved us both. It gave us something to focus on other than …’ he trailed off.

Robyn wondered why he was opening up to her like this. It wasn’t what she’d expected at all; certainly not from the reception she’d got when they’d first met. She had to ask, ‘Why are you telling me all this?’

‘Because you have given David something to focus on. At first, when we met at Hogmanay, I thought David could do without getting involved with someone right now. He’d got enough on his plate, losing his career. And you’re an out-of-towner. I thought you were having a little holiday fling, whereas I could tell immediately that his feelings for you were serious. Too serious for a holiday fling. For him to want me to meet you, well, he’s fallen for you – hard.’

Robyn could feel butterflies in her stomach. He really loves me.

‘You’re good for him. I see it now. And I see you’re not going anywhere. And the fact that you’re here, talking about his future, it means a lot. Young girls these days just seem so … so self-absorbed – it’s all me, me, me. You’re different. You’re kind in nature. You’re just what he needs. Annie told me that it was you who encouraged him onto the ice to coach those kids when the accident happened.’

‘It’s all my fault, I know it is. That’s why I’m here. I don’t want him going back on the ice. He needs to do something else.’

He shook his head vigorously. ‘I disagree. I think it’s a bloody good idea. So, he fell on the ice. Since visiting Davie in hospital, I’ve had a chance to mull things over. Despite what he says, he still needs ice hockey, and what better way to stay in the game than to coach? You’re right, he’d make a great teacher – but not history. He could do it was a hobby, but hockey will always be his game.’

‘So, you don’t blame me for what happened?’

‘Not at all. And Annie shouldn’t blame you either – that’s very wrong of her. But like me, she’s just wary of you, Robyn, because she doesn’t want David to get hurt again – and neither do I.’

‘Like your ex-wife hurt you.’ Robyn understood now.

‘You loved her, didn’t you? So much.’

‘Of course I did. Why on earth would I have stayed here, helping her parents run this store? I had dreams. Big dreams. But they all ended here – with her.’

Robyn didn’t know what to say. ‘Is that why you started your gambling habit?’ she said in a small voice.

‘Pardon me?’

Robyn looked at him sheepishly. ‘David told me that you’re living with him.’

‘Did he now?’

‘Yes.’

‘None of us knew you, what your intentions were. You just appeared one day.’

Robyn looked at him. He’d abruptly changed the subject. She just shrugged, not wanting to get into that question – the elephant in the room; what was she doing there?

Mr Gillespie continued, ‘You see, before you came along, Davie was falling into a deep depression. He wasn’t sleeping properly, eating properly. I knew I had to do something. I wanted to move in with him, keep an eye on him. But he’d never let me do that. Unless … I had to.’

Robyn stared at him. ‘Are you saying that you made up the gambling debts?’

‘I’m not proud of that.’

‘But you sold your house. That’s a bit extreme.’

‘I had to.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘My store, it’s going under. My sons aren’t aware. I’m mortgaged up to the hilt. The supermarkets that have moved into town have taken a lot of my customers – the visitors, skiers and holidaymakers. It’s mostly only the old folk who shop here now. But after all these years, I’m attached to the old place. I mortgaged the house, took a gamble – so yes, I did gamble; with saving the business. And it didn’t work out. The shop is haemorrhaging money.’

‘Why didn’t you tell David this? Ask him for help?’

‘You mean ask him for money? I’d never take a penny from him. That’s his money. But you see, it worked out – I got to move in with him.’

Robyn frowned, casting her gaze around the shop. ‘But what about your store?’

‘Well, unless I win the lottery, or some anonymous benefactor steps in and saves my bacon, the old place will have to close, and then I’ll be letting down all my loyal customers, the old folk who’ve shopped here for decades.’

Robyn glanced over her shoulder, thinking of the young man dressing the mannequin. ‘How can you afford to keep on the shop assistant?’

‘I can’t. But he is one of my customers’ grandsons whose mum has fallen on hard times, and they need the money.’

‘But you need money too.’

‘Yes – I know that!’

Robyn looked at the pen in her hand and thought of the wads of cash she’d found in her bag. She could help him out – if the money wasn’t fake. She also had a load of money in her savings account – when she could work out how to access it without ID. But she knew he wouldn’t take her money, although she could do it anonymously. But Robyn had a feeling that if she did that, he’d think she’d told David about his predicament, and it had come from him.

Why should I help him? she wondered. Because, despite first impressions, and what she’d overheard between David and his father in that hospital room, all he wanted was to do right by his son. He’d certainly gone about it the wrong way. He shouldn’t have been so hard on David. Then maybe David wouldn’t be so full of resentment towards his father. But she now understood why he’d done what he’d done – all he’d wanted was for his sons to succeed in life. What about happiness, though? she wondered.

Robyn shook her head, turning her thoughts to his business. She thought of the ski wear and fishing items he was stocking in a large area at the back of his store. ‘I noticed all that ski and hiking gear, along with the fishing equipment.’

‘Yes – do you want to buy something?’

‘No, but I’m wondering what it’s there for.’

‘To sell – what do you think?’

Robyn ignored the sarcasm. ‘Does it sell?’

He breathed a heavy sigh, and shook his head.

Robyn didn’t think so. Not wanting to state the obvious, she said, ‘But this is a grocery store.’

‘I was trying to attract new customers – skiers, walkers. There are loads of tourists who come here. I thought if they stopped here to buy some of that stuff, they might get their groceries too.’

‘But they don’t even know you sell that sort of thing.’ Robyn had seen the window display – it was all food. ‘Perhaps if one of your windows had some ski wear, and hiking gear …’ she trailed off.

‘Do you think that would help?’

‘Can I be brutally honest with you?’

Mr Gillespie cocked his head to one side. ‘You have so far – why stop now?’

‘Sorry.’

‘Why are you apologising? I like it. No beating about the bush.’

They exchanged a smile. ‘Well, go on …’

In the course of the conversation, Robyn had grown accustomed to his curt manner.

He cast his gaze over her head to the back of the shop. ‘So, you don’t think a window display would help.’

‘Probably not. There’s lots of shops in the town selling hiking and skiing equipment, specialising in that sort of thing. Why would they come in here to browse your small selection when they can get so much more choice at one of several shops just down the road?’

He sighed heavily. ‘You’re right. I just had all that free space, and took a punt. But it’s not working out. I need some way of saving my store.’

She had a feeling that Mr Gillespie would be lost without his shop. It was more than a job, a livelihood – it was his life. And perhaps a little part of him was hanging on to the place because it was all he had left of the woman he loved.

Robyn actually felt sorry for him. Behind that gruff, abrupt exterior was a man who deeply cared; about his old, loyal customers – his community – and about his sons. In a high street full of modern shops, catering mostly to tourists and visitors, this shop, with its old-fashioned store front, like the old bookshop, was probably one of the few remaining stores that had been there before Aviemore became a huge tourist destination.

Robyn wanted to help, but she couldn’t just hand over money to this proud man. However, she did have the most unexpected idea that could help them both out …

Robyn grinned.

He frowned at her. ‘What’s so funny?’

What was funny was that she’d walked in there wanting David’s father to help him out, and now she was thinking of helping out Mr Gillespie instead – and herself.

‘I’ve got an idea that might help you, and your shop.’

‘Oh, yeah?’ he said sceptically. ‘And why would you be at all interested in doing that?’ He narrowed his eyes. ‘What’s in it for you?’

‘Do you want to hear my idea – or not?’

He leaned on the counter. ‘Have I got a choice?’

She’d just finished telling Mr Gillespie her brilliant idea when she heard the tinkle of the bell above the door. When she turned around to see who had walked in, it was Gayle, her face a picture of concern.

Robyn smiled as she approached.

‘Robyn – are you okay?’ Gayle threw a suspicious look in Mr Gillespie’s direction. ‘You were such a long time, I started to worry.’

‘I’m fine. More than fine.’

Mr Gillespie said, ‘Shall we shake on it?’

Robyn turned to her new business partner. ‘Oh, yes.’ She held out her hand to shake hands with Mr Gillespie and out of the corner of her eye caught Gayle raising her eyebrows in astonishment.

Robyn accompanied Gayle out of the shop. As they walked back to the car, Gayle said, ‘What was that all about?’

‘Remember the conversation we were having on the way here? What you said after we’d left Rose’s house – had I thought about a shop to run my business from?’

‘Yes.’ They stopped by the car and got in.

‘Well, I’ve found somewhere.’

Gayle was about to switch on the car engine. She turned in her seat to look at Robyn. ‘You’re not talking about Mr Gillespie’s shop – are you? He’ll never sell that place.’

‘I know. And he doesn’t have to. Look, when do you think a shop is going to come up in this small town? And if one does – it’s going to cost a fortune to buy the lease in such a popular tourist destination in the Cairngorms.’

‘Yes, I suppose you’re right.’

‘But there’s space in his store to set up my business.’

‘How is that going to work? I don’t think you’ve thought this through, Robyn. It’s a grocery store.’

‘Yes, I know. But it’s a double-fronted property, which means …’

‘You can display your business in one of the windows.’

‘Exactly! And I don’t have to buy or lease a whole shop, which I won’t be able to afford.’ She didn’t add that she’d be helping David’s father out too, by sharing the costs of running the whole store because he desperately needed the money.

Robyn had thought Gayle would be pleased that she’d taken her advice to find premises for her business, but Gayle’s expression told her otherwise. ‘What is it?’ she asked. ‘I thought you’d be happy for me.’

Gayle scratched her forehead. ‘Are you sure about this? You do know you’ll be in a shop all day with that horrible, curmudgeonly old man.’

Robyn breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, she’d thought Gayle was going to tell her something she didn’t know. She grinned. ‘Yes.’

‘But I thought you didn’t like him.’

Robyn considered her reply, thinking of what Gayle had also said to her on the way there. ‘Let’s just say that like you, I believe things happen for a reason.’ She was thinking of David and his accident on the ice. Now she didn’t feel bad about that at all. If that hadn’t happened, she’d have never found the gumption to walk into Mr Gillespie’s store to talk about David’s future. As it had turned out, she’d talked about her future instead, with a man who was not at all what she’d first thought. She wondered what David would think when he found out.

As they passed by Mr Gillespie’s store on their return journey to Lark Lodge, Robyn said, ‘People can surprise us – in a good way.’