The Secrets of the Glen (Scottish Highlands #2)

Chapter 37

The doorbell rang. Robyn had already heard the sound of excited children’s chatter as they ran up to the front door; the party guests had arrived.

Evie clambered off David’s lap and shouted out, ‘I’ll answer the door!’ The book he was reading to her was instantly forgotten. David looked up and caught Robyn’s gaze. ‘What is it?’

She’d been wrong about David – that was what was on her mind after she’d spoken to Annie, who had told her what had really happened on the night he’d come across the burglars.

Robyn opened her mouth to say something when Annie and Joe appeared in the room.

‘Where’s Evie?’

David looked over at them. ‘Her friends have arrived. She’s gone to answer the door.’

Joe smoothed down his hair and tucked in his shirt. He’d changed into beige chinos and a light blue shirt for the party.

Annie hastily removed her apron. She looked down at her dress, presumably checking for any signs of flour, icing sugar or other ingredients she might have spilled down herself while preparing for the party.

She turned to Joe. ‘Do I look okay?’

Robyn noticed she’d even slipped on some heels.

Joe smiled at his wife. ‘You look gorgeous, as ever. But …’

‘What is it?’ Annie asked, studying his face.

‘You’ve got a little bit of flour right here.’ He licked a finger, and gently wiped it away from her cheek.

‘Oh, Joe – now I’ll have to go and reapply some foundation.’

‘Sorry.’

David stood up as Annie left the room. He’d also dressed for the occasion. Robyn hadn’t realised that he must have nipped up to their room and changed out of the clothes he’d been gardening in while she was eating breakfast with Gayle, just before Joe had arrived that morning.

Robyn found it faintly amusing and quite sweet that all the adults were acting as though they were at a job interview. Even David was standing to attention, ready to greet Evie’s friends.

Robyn looked down at her dirty, faded dungarees. She had glue on the trousers and icing sugar down her top. And her fingers were covered in yellow crayon where she’d been helping Evie colour in the angels. I’m a mess , thought Robyn.

Just to make her feel even more self-conscious over what she was wearing, Annie reappeared; she’d put on some jewellery – a nice set of beads and a matching bracelet. Robyn sighed. Why hadn’t she thought to bring anything with her to change into?

She glared at David. It was all his fault. If they hadn’t rowed that morning …

She caught Annie looking anxiously at her.

Robyn threw her a reassuring smile. She’d promised that she wouldn’t repeat what Annie had told her in the kitchen. It was their secret. Hers, Annie’s and David’s. There was just one adult in the room who had no clue what had really happened during that burglary. No wonder Annie had scooted her husband out of the kitchen before Robyn said anything more. Joe was the only person in the dark about that night.

Robyn stole a glance at David. The question on her mind was whether or not to tell David that she knew.

She’d be telling Melissa – but not what she’d found out; she couldn’t do that. She’d get David and Annie in huge trouble. Annie had no clue that Robyn had a friend, a budding lawyer, keen to look into the case . But now Melissa didn’t have to. There was just one thing bothering Robyn – David had good reason to keep his past to himself, but she had a feeling that Melissa wasn’t the sort of person to back down once she had her claws into something. I’ll just have to persuade her to let it go , thought Robyn. She knew Melissa wanted to return the favour after her makeover, which had done the trick, getting her a date with the man of her dreams. Perhaps something else would crop up where she’d need a lawyer and some legal advice in the future. Robyn hoped not.

Evie ran into the lounge, followed by several small children from her class at school, all carrying presents for Evie.

Robyn realised something with a jolt. Oh, god! I forgot to bring Evie’s present .

She looked around in dismay and spotted the large fabric bag, which had been all but forgotten on the chair in the corner. She grabbed it, along with the small bag containing the tongs – perhaps she could at least do something with her hair. She sidled out of the room. She doubted, with all the commotion of girls running around, and adults trying to calm them down, and parents – looking equally well turned out – walking in, that she’d be missed. She ran up the stairs, praying that Gayle had miraculously provided some unexpected gift for Evie.

Opening the first door she came to, Robyn stepped into what was the main bedroom. Robyn flung the bag on the bed and prised it open. At first, the plastic bag appeared to be empty. When she looked inside, all she could see was black nothingness. Robyn sunk her arm inside and fished around the bag. She touched something soft. Pulling it out, she breathed a sigh of relief. Gayle had somehow found something for her to give to Evie as a present in lieu of the doll she’d already bought but had forgotten in the rush to leave.

Robyn pulled out the soft, silky item. ‘What the ...?’ She held it up. ‘This can’t be right.’ It was a dress, and it wouldn’t fit Evie, surely. It was too grown-up. Robyn frowned. What was Gayle thinking?

Robyn clutched the dress to her chest and turned around to see herself reflected in a long mirror standing in the corner of the room. ‘Oh, I get it.’ she said aloud, realising that it wasn’t for Evie at all, and thinking back to Gayle eyeing her up and down, taking in her dungarees and oversized t-shirt before she left.

Still holding the dress over her dungarees, Robyn turned sideways, not taking her eyes off the mirror, wondering what it would look like on. ‘It kind of suits me.’

Robyn took off her dungarees and t-shirt and slipped on the dress. It wasn’t a perfect fit; it was perhaps more suited to someone with a fuller bosom, but it was the colour that made it special – it was a deep purple satin material that gave off a different hue depending on the light. It was very flattering, hugging her figure in all the right places, apart from her chest, but she could do something about that.

Robyn scooped up her clothes and scooted out of the bedroom and into the bathroom next door. She tore off some handfuls of loo paper and stuck them down the dress. Popping her dirty clothes in the bag to take home, she returned to the bedroom and did some adjustments so that the unseen filler was even on both sides.

She did a twirl in the mirror. The dress fell just above the knee, and one strap hung off the shoulder, which she imagined was the style.

Is it too much for a children’s birthday party? That was the question. Robyn glanced at the other bag. If she was quick, she could do her hair too and apply a little bit of makeup.

She raced over and took the other bag with her back into the bathroom. She laid out the tongs and makeup samples. And there, in the bottom of the bag, she discovered a small package wrapped up in children’s wrapping paper. Robyn didn’t recognise the package, but the tag said it was from her. ‘Oh, Gayle. You are amazing!’

Robyn applied the makeup, and used the tongs to create soft waves. Back in the bedroom, she did another quick twirl in front of the mirror, turned left, then right, and finally looking over her shoulder at her outline. ‘Not bad.’ She grinned at her reflection. ‘Even if I do say so myself.’ Then her eye caught something in the mirror that did look bad. She looked at her feet. On the floor, where she’d slipped them off to try on the dress, were her dirty old trainers.

‘Ah well.’ Robyn said, resigned to wearing her dungarees at the party. She couldn’t possibly wear such an amazing dress with those. It was a nice thought while it lasted . She started to unzip the dress, feeling disappointed that she couldn’t wear it after all. Then her eyes roved to the bag. It was a big bag, but surely there wouldn’t be a pair of shoes inside. Once again, she felt inside, and to her surprise withdrew a pair of strappy, heeled black shoes. ‘I don’t bloody believe it.’

But they won’t fit, will they? Robyn held them up in front of her. Tentatively, she put one on. It was a little tight, but they would do. ‘Gayle, I could kiss you,’ Robyn said as she put the other shoe on. She stood in front of the mirror and did the zip of the dress back up. She fiddled with her hair a little, running her fingers through it, and leaned in towards the mirror, taking in her barely-there makeup. At least she had good skin.

She took one last look in the long mirror. The dress was still a little big on top, the shoes a little small. But despite that, she felt sexy. She felt like a real woman. She laughed at that thought. It made it sound like she had just been pretending to be one all this time.

Robyn flicked her hair again, and pouted her lips. The bright red lipstick was rather nice. At least she would look as though she had made an effort for Evie – that was what was important.

Robyn left the room, carrying Evie’s present, and closed the door behind her. Then she lost her nerve. She was about to rush back into the bedroom when she heard young children singing Happy Birthday , accompanied by some adults. She hurried along the upstairs hall. She did not want to miss Evie blowing out her birthday candles and making a wish.

She kicked off the shoes and picked them up, holding them in one hand with the present tucked under her arm and holding the stair rail with her other hand, just in case she tripped over her own feet. She walked briskly down the stairs, hoping that in the furore of the party, no one would notice her slipping back into the room.

Robyn slipped on the strappy black sandals, straightened her dress and ran her fingers through her hair – checking her appearance just in case someone did see her slip back into the room – and then pushed open the door.