Just one ‘auld acquaintance’—and he was going to do whatever it took to make sure that this time he would forget her.
‘Oh, my dear, you made it. I am so pleased.’
Nia smiled as Diane hurried towards her and kissed her on both cheeks. She held up a pile of books. ‘I thought I’d pop these back in the library. I borrowed them before I moved out.’
‘Well, we’re all in the library right now, just this moment stopping for tea. It’s going very well.’ Diane’s eyes were shining with excitement. ‘How was your trip to London?’
‘It was fine,’ Nia lied. ‘But I’m always happy to come back to the Highlands.’
Sometimes she met a friend for lunch or shopping, but after her meeting with the family accountant she hadn’t been in the mood for either small-talk or tapas.
Douglas McKenzie had known her grandfather. He was nearing retirement now, but he was still sharp and straight-talking.
‘Your parents’ personal expenses are not just ridiculous—frankly, they’re jeopardising everything you are trying so hard to prevent,’ he’d said, with typical bluntness. ‘If this carries on, you’re going to have to seriously consider letting out Lamington for longer. Two, maybe three years.’
It had been like a sharp slap. ‘Surely that can’t be the only option, Douglas?’ Two, maybe three years was too long to live in limbo.
Catching sight of her face, his expression had softened. ‘I’m sorry, Nia. I don’t want or need to scare you. You know what’s at stake. It’s your parents who simply refuse to deal with the reality of their finances.’ He’d hesitated. Then, ‘I know it’s none of my business, and I’m sure you had your reasons for turning down Lord Airlie, but he’s a good man and I think if he had the slightest encouragement from you…’
Breathing out slowly, Nia blinked as the library came back into focus. Through the long windows at the end of the room, she could see the distant heather-covered hills.
The Most Honourable the Marquess of Airlie—or Andrew, as she called him—lived just over those hills, in a castle that made Lamington look like a dolls’ house. He was one of the wealthiest men in Scotland, a handsome blue-eyed Highlander, and a kind and generous man.
When he’d proposed to her a year ago she had known that he would be a kind and generous husband. But she could no more marry him than she could marry Douglas McKenzie.
She felt a shiver run over her skin.
Her parents had been apoplectic with fury when she had turned him down. They had raged, threatened, pleaded with her, but she had been firm.
This time she had been firm.
Her mouth compressed.
After what had so nearly happened at the cottage with Farlan she had sworn to stay away from Lamington. He was only staying for a fortnight. She could easily avoid having to see him again.
Then, just as she’d been boarding the plane back, Diane had called and invited her to tea, and to meet Finn McGarry, the genealogist who was researching Tom’s Scottish roots.
The hope and warmth in her voice would normally have made Nia accept immediately. But even the thought of seeing Farlan again had made panic swamp her and, stammering slightly, she had started to make her excuses.
It was very kind of her, but they already had a guest staying, and Farlan was only over for such a short time—
Diane had laughed. Not so short, she’d said, that he couldn’t take himself off on a round trip to Inverness.
Nia had felt relief wash over her.
Apparently Farlan had arranged for some amazing supercar to be delivered to the house and would be heading off after lunch.
But just to make sure… ‘So did Farlan get off all right?’ she asked now, casually.
Or at least she had been aiming for casual.
Even just saying his name out loud made her skin heat, just as it had in the cottage when he’d reached out to her. She could still feel it now—the way the air had changed around them, how it had seemed to turn liquid.
Or maybe that was just her…
Her cheeks felt as though they were burning. It had been instant and un-tempered, and for a few glorious half-seconds she had forgotten the past as a dizzying rush of hunger had risen up, drowning out logic and the unchangeable fact that it didn’t matter how badly she wanted to reach out and stroke his face, or press her lips against his beautiful mouth, she had forfeited her right ever to do so again.
‘He did.’ Diane turned to her and shook her head. ‘But then he changed his mind. He got back about a quarter of an hour ago.’ She lowered her voice. ‘I don’t know what’s up with that boy. He’s been like a cat on a hot tin roof since he got here. Can’t seem to sit still for more than five minutes. Tom… Farlan,’ she called out as they walked into the library, ‘look who’s here!’