Page 34 of The Moon Sister
‘Aye, well, Caitlin has been planning the wedding for twelve years, so she’s had long enough.’
‘Congratulations, Cal, I’m really happy for you. And, really, you must invite her for supper at the cottage very soon. I only met her briefly on Christmas Eve, and I’d love to see her again.’
‘I will, Tig. Thing is, now that we’ll be wed in a few months, she’s given me a lecture, told me I must ask the Laird for a pay rise and an assistant tae boot. This job’ll be the death of me – or certainly my back – if I carry on alone.’
‘How about the vet’s son, Lochie? He seemed like a nice young man.’
‘Aye, he is, an’ he knows what he’s doin’ on the land too. I’ll give the Laird a buzz, get the okay, and then speak tae him.’
‘Don’t take no for an answer, will you, Cal?’
‘That I won’t. Tomorrow I’ll be up at dawn tae take the men out on a shoot an’ I spent this afternoon sussing out where the stags were hiding on the estate. Nothing shags the client off more than spending hours tramping through the glen tae not even get a sight o’ a deer.’
‘Serves them right for being so bloodthirsty,’ I said primly. ‘I shall use all my powers to make sure the stags hide themselves away.’
‘Don’t you be doing that, Tig, or I’ll just get earache from all o’ them. They want tae go home with their trophies and show them off tae their women like the cavemen they are, underneath all their fine clothes. Aye, with any luck, I’ll be blooding then boiling a few stag heads tomorrow night.’ He winked at me.
‘Enough, Cal. I know it’s the way of things and that the deer have to be culled, but there’s no need to ram it down my throat.’
‘Tae make you feel a little better, here’s my second piece o’ news for you.’
‘Which is . . . ?’ I was still cross with him.
‘Well, lassie, it turns out that the host o’ this house party – one Zed – wasn’t able tae make the tour o’ the estate with the others today, so he’s suggested that whilst I’m taking the rest o’ the party out with their guns tomorrow, you’d escort him on his own private tour.’
‘Surely he’d be better to wait a day and have you take him?’ I frowned. ‘You know the estate far better than me.’
‘I don’t think it’s the flora and fauna he’s interested in, Tig, more the guide. He insisted it should be you that drove him.’
‘And what if I don’t want to take him?’
‘Tig, you’re being obtuse. It’s only a couple o’ hours and as we both know, the Laird wants tae establish a reputation for pleasing his guests. There’s no doubt that the guy has got bags o’ money. The cost o’ renting this place for all his friends for a week was more than you and I earn in a year put together. Look on the bright side; yae might have bagged yourself a billionaire.’
‘Oh very funny.’ I grabbed his plate before he could see the heat that was rising to my cheeks.
‘So, will you do it? Beryl wants tae know.’
‘Yes,’ I sighed from the kitchen as I turned the tap on.
‘Perhaps you should wear your maid’s uniform from last night,’ he cackled.
‘Enough, Cal, please!’
8
As requested, I appeared up at the Lodge at ten o’clock the following morning. Beryl was in the kitchen, seasoning two enormous salmon, presumably for dinner that evening.
‘Morning, Tiggy.’ She gave me a tense smile. ‘Ready to play tour guide? He’s waiting in the Great Room.’
‘I just hope I don’t get lost, Beryl. I’ve never driven around the whole estate without Cal.’
‘I’m sure you won’t, and you’ll have your radio pack with you, just in case. There’s a flask of hot coffee and a tin of shortbread too in that basket over there.’
‘Thanks.’
‘Well now, you’d better be off. If it starts to snow heavily, come back immediately.’
‘I will.’
