Page 52 of Christmas at the Scottish Lodge
‘Then you should have said it first, shouldn’t you?’ Kenna’s eyes sparkled. ‘I met this one on the stairs,’ she confided in Mairi. ‘Making a wrong turn towards your bedroom. Forsomeone who’s supposed to find people on mountains, he gets lost remarkably easily.’
‘I’m allowed to check on my sister,’ Quinn said, looking embarrassed.
‘She seems fine to me,’ Kenna said airily. ‘Perhaps there’s a message in there for you somewhere?’ She scanned his outfit. He’d obviously dressed quickly because his shirt was untucked. ‘Like maybe you should spend a little more time worrying about yourself?’ Her expression oozed sweetness, but there was meaning underneath.
‘You know I’ve got a lot of experience of working on the mountains.’ Quinn’s gaze flicked to the window to where large snowflakes were dancing in the wind. ‘It’s far easier to lose someone in a snowstorm than you might think. I know where all the bodies are buried.’
Kenna chuckled. ‘I love it when people make empty threats.’ Her smile was wicked. ‘Because it means I’ve really got under their skin.’
Her brother frowned. ‘That is not?—’
‘If you both want to help, could you check the dining room is all set for Christmas breakfast please?’ Effie suggested loudly, smothering whatever Quinn was about to say next. ‘Unless you’d like to continue this entertaining back and forth?’ She raised an eyebrow, telling them exactly what she thought about that. ‘Because arguing is not very festive.’
‘Consider it done, I’m bored of this conversation anyway,’ Kenna said easily, immediately striding from the room, stopping momentarily at the exit and turning to Quinn. ‘You should stay put. There’s no telling what will happen to your sister if you leave her on her own.’ Her eyes widened as she looked around. ‘There are so many glittery objects in here and sharp knives.’ She shuddered, then chuckled as she left.
Quinn stared at the empty space where she’d been for a moment, his expression so intense he could have smashed bricks in the creases on his forehead. Then he pulled a face. ‘That woman is doing my head in,’ he said before taking off after her.
When they were alone, Effie winked at Mairi. ‘Now that’s a lass who’s not afraid to say what she thinks,’ she said with a grin. ‘You might want to take a leaf out of her book.’
‘Are you ready for the big reveal?’ Douglas boomed as he stood at the entrance of Holly Berry Lodge after breakfast wearing a festive silver snowsuit covered in sparkles with his heavy tool belt swung low on his hips. Mairi noticed he’d added blue tinsel in between the various implements – in a nod to Christmas no doubt – and tried not to smile. He really was quite wonderful. Perfect for Effie, who seemed to light up every time he was in the room. In all the time Mairi had known the older woman, she’d never had a beau. She’d devoted her life to caring for others. It was heartwarming to see her interested in someone now.
‘We’re ready.’ Effie clapped. She wore a light pink snowsuit and had loaned Kenna one of her winter coats because the one she’d arrived in wasn’t suitable for the snow. Quinn stood behind her agent. He kept glaring at the back of her head and then looking away, his expression part annoyed and part puzzled. It was obvious to Mairi that he didn’t know what to make of her. But at least it was keeping his mind off of worrying about her.
‘I’m ready too!’ Scott declared. He’d insisted on joining them for Douglas’s surprise and had dragged his da along too. Only Greer had declined to join them and neither Margo nor the elusive honeymooners had appeared at breakfast, so they were missing too.
‘You probably ought to do it soon,’ Jed said from where he was standing behind Quinn. He’d appeared at breakfast and had given Mairi a chaste peck on the cheek because they were in company, and they’d had no chance to be alone since. ‘It’s getting cold,’ he added.
‘Aye and I’ve got a turkey to baste,’ Effie said. ‘And roast potatoes to prepare.’
‘After three then!’ Scott shouted. ‘I’m ravenous.’
‘You’ve only just had breakfast,’ his da sighed.
‘Aye, lad, you’d better count me in,’ Douglas agreed, snapping his fingers. ‘I’m getting peckish too.’
‘One, two?—’
‘Three!’ Douglas yelled merrily and flicked a switch on a panel he’d secured to the front of the building. As he did an array of lights flickered on – an astonishing display of gold, green, red and white bulbs. They sparkled, their colours brilliant, making the whole facade of the lodge twinkle like a grotto.
‘That’s remarkable – I’ll bet you could see the lodge from the moon!’ Scott hopped from foot to foot as everyone else gasped and cooed in agreement.
‘That’s not everything, lad,’ Douglas said proudly and he flicked another switch on the panel. As he did, a miniature Santa’s sleigh appeared from around the side of the building tugging five mini red carriages – Douglas had somehow suspended them all on a tiny rail in between the lights so it looked like it was flying. It slowly travelled under the hovering track until it was just above the entrance to the lodge.
‘It’s absolutely brilliant, Douggie!’ Effie declared, her voice filled with wonder and Mairi heard Jed let out a surprised cough. ‘People in the village are going to love this. Even Greer is going to be impressed, how couldn’t she?’
‘It’s a triumph! Effie, you should consider getting the local press to do a feature on it,’ Adam said loudly. ‘I can’t help fallinginchoo-choo…’ He broke into song in the style of Elvis again and Scott groaned.
‘Ach, I’m so pleased it worked, I was really nervous something was going to go wro—’ Douglas began just as a massive white spark erupted from the panel accompanied by an ear-splitting bang and a loud hiss.
Mairi watched, her heart in her throat, as the sleigh jerked to a stop and then crashed to the snow-covered ground along with the carriages. Then the illuminations went off too, followed by all the lights inside the lodge…
24
MAIRI
‘My lamp went out; my printer won’t work and my computer’s stopped charging!’ Greer Abernathy was standing in reception with her fists clenched as everyone rushed in through the lodge’s entrance. ‘It’s very important that I have enough battery life. I’ve got writing to do!’
‘Aye, lass, I’m so sorry but we have a…slight technical hitch with the power.’ Effie stopped and cleared her throat, eyeing Douglas as he raced into the kitchen like a silver flash heading to where the fuse box was located. ‘It’ll only take a wee moment to get it sorted,’ she promised, her voice wavering. ‘A very Merry Yule to you by the way.’
