Ashley Stanton was in a state of exhaustion and exhilaration compounded of twenty hours of non-stop negotiation with two publishing companies and a piece of good luck in obtaining the last seat in first class on an overnight plane flying to Glasgow.
Sleep was out of the question. She had an open laptop in front of her and several important records to update regarding the final financial settlement on the Art Book of Lawren Drake’s work.
She fervently wished there had been time to contact Anna in London, or Edmund in Oban, about her arrival, but circumstances dictated otherwise. Every single second had been consumed by her determination to drive a hard bargain for Anna. Her great–aunt’s courage in giving permission for this most precious of hidden material to be exposed to public view, was always a burden on Ashley’s own conscience. This selfless act of Anna’s had allowed her niece to claim a place in the exclusive world of publishing.
The personal biography about Anna and Lawren’s very private life had opened the doors to a future for Ashley and she was very much aware of the debt she owed that lady.
Because of this sense of obligation, she had neglected the man she hoped to marry for an unconscionable length of time.
Jeanette’s phone call had put matters into perspective that she should have been placing much higher on her priority list. She was returning to her second home in Scotland with the knowledge that she had much to make up for with Edmund.
A thrill of excitement passed through her from head to toes at the thought of their reunion, banishing any chance of sleep. She would sleep in Edmund’s arms secure in the peace and tranquility of a quiet small town life far removed from the stress and anxiety of recent months.
Home.
The arrival announcement woke her from a doze to find the sky over Glasgow misty and grey in the early morning. The last few minutes of descent into the airport were like a dream as the plane floated over the sea, the outer islands and the lowland hills. Her excitement rose when they reached the airport tarmac but she tried to temper the excitement by thinking of the hours of travel still ahead before she would see Oban again.
The taxi ride to Central Station went by in twenty minutes allowing her time to browse the newspapers and grab a breakfast bun and orange juice from Smith’s newsagent while she waited for the train to arrive.
She had a seat to herself in the First Class carriage and managed to eat a second breakfast, with tea from an enormous metal teapot and a delicious sausage roll such as she never saw in Canada. As she finished this feast, she realized she had not eaten a proper meal for days.
The effect of the food, the background hum of the train wheels, and the perfect peace of the carriage lulled her into much-needed sleep and it was not until she was awakened by the arrival announcement that she knew she had actually reached her destination and was no longer dreaming.
It was an afternoon of soft drizzling rain, such as the west coast of Scotland often provides.
Ashley took several deep breaths and decided to walk to the cottage. She needed the exercise and with only one case on wheels to handle, she hefted her carry-on bag over her shoulder and set out.
One glance at a clock on the station platform reminded her she was much too early to expect Edmund to be at home. She had a spare set of keys and time for a bath and unpacking before surprising him with her presence.
Everything was working out perfectly. She no longer felt as exhausted as she had at the start of the journey. Once she was freshened up, she would begin to think about food to welcome Edmund home after his long day at the surgery.
The key turned in the lock and the door swung inward. She was always delighted by the immediate access into the living room. It was so typical of the sparse cottage-style accommodations that reminded her of a doll house compared to the size of Canadian homes. She put her case and carry-on bag down, and they filled the entrance.
By the time she had closed the front door behind her she knew something was very different.
Edmund’s tiny house smelled of potpourri.
The bowl was set on the coffee table in front of the small sofa. She looked around and realized the mantelpiece above the fireplace where Edmund usually dumped his mail, was not only tidy but polished. The cushions were plumped up and a quick glance through to the kitchen revealed the kitchen table cleared of dirty dishes and set with a tablecloth.
A tablecloth? Edmund did not, to her knowledge, own such an item.
What was going on in her absence?
She rushed up the stairs to the only bedroom and was shocked to see the bed was made with hospital corners and the pillowcases were unmarked by either stray hairs or creases. There were no signs of a female presence, however, and that reassurance banished her worst fears and made her stop and think more clearly.
Jeanette or Fiona could have sent someone to housekeep for Edmund since she had been gone for such a long time. That seemed like a logical explanation, but potpourri? Who would leave that in a bachelor’s residence?
Her puzzled thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening from the street and the noise of female voices arguing loudly.
Had Edmund acquired a harem of women while she was gone?
She raced downstairs and found two women staring at her luggage blocking their way into the house.
She barely recognized Edmund’s mother, and after a moment or two she remembered Jeanette’s mother, Jean, who she had met at the Christmas feast in the castle when she and Edmund announced their engagement.
No strangers intruding then!
“What on earth?”
The same statement from both parties caused the laughter that broke the ice.
“Where did you spring from Ashley? I don’t believe Edmund knew you were here.”
“No, I just arrived from Canada and I didn’t expect to see you either, Christine.”
Jean, who was quickly sensing the importance of acting as a peacemaker, spoke up in a more welcoming tone of voice.
“Goodness, Ashley, this is a grand surprise for the doctor. Why don’t you go and unpack and we will put the kettle on for a nice cup of tea. You must be exhausted after all that travelling.”
Ashley did as instructed and found she needed the moments alone in the bedroom to gather her wits about her.
Edmund’s mother was here! No doubt, she was the one responsible for the potpourri and other housekeeping signs. At least there was no chance of her moving in. Three was definitely a crowd in this tiny cottage.
Could Edmund have invited his mother to come to Oban without telling her about it?
That was unlikely. He liked his privacy too much and his feelings about his mother were mixed at best. She had an unfortunate knack of reducing him to a little boy by her comments. One evening in her company, some time ago, had made that tendency abundantly obvious.
Ashley took a deep breath and summoned all her positive energy. This was no time to make an enemy of Christine Jansen. The last thing her fiancé needed was to arrive home and find the two women in his life arguing over territory.
She combed through her hair and washed her hands in the tiny basin set in a corner of the bedroom, then descended the stairs with a smile at the ready.
Tea cups and saucers were already set out on the kitchen table with a plate of digestive biscuits.
“Come and sit, Ashley! How do you take your tea?”
Jean was smiling at her in a sympathetic way, almost as if she understood how disappointing it was for Ashley to have her surprise arrival thwarted.
“Just a little milk, thanks.”
“Oh, I think you never had tea in my house. There wasn’t time for that, was there Ashley?”
“No, Christine. It was a flying visit. Both Edmund and I had so much going on then, but it was good to finally meet you.”
“So, are you here for a longer time now?”
“I am hoping so, Jean. I am a transplant from Canada like you, I suppose. There are quite a few of us here in Oban, by my reckoning.”
“Indeed! My Jeanette told me about your writing and the books you have brought into life for Anna Drake. It must be very difficult to achieve that. You must have missed your young doctor and he you, of course.”
“Yes, it has been very difficult for both of us to be separated for so long, but I am hoping all is settled now and I can pick up the threads of my life here with Edmund.”
Christine was listening avidly. She was learning about Ashley, not from her son, but from this comparative stranger. She quickly took the conversation back into her own hands.
“Well, you should have seen the mess this place was in when Jean and I arrived; dirty clothes everywhere and nothing in the freezer! It was a disaster zone!”
This was an overt criticism of Edmund, and of her. Ashley had to quickly rein in her natural response.
“You two ladies have done a marvellous job. Edmund must be delighted and I am relieved not to have to roll up my sleeves before I can get a night’s sleep.”
Ashley and Jean exchanged conspiratorial glances over Christine’s head. Ashley knew she had an accomplice to support her with this difficult and possessive woman.
“We will be off very shortly, Ashley. We came by to take a prepared dish out of the freezer. There’s enough there for two and I think you will find a bottle of wine in the cupboard above your head.
Christine and I had a lovely day walking and exploring around the area until the rain started, but I am sure she will be glad to get her feet up in her hotel room for the evening. The food there is very good and the manager has been most obliging.”
“Excellent! May I contact you in the morning, Christine? We have lots to catch up on.”
Christine Jansen sensed there was no point in objecting. Between them, the conspirators had arranged her life for the night and the next morning. She considered calling her son to warn him he had a visitor waiting at home, but she noticed Ashley had one of these smartphones on the table beside her. She would call Edmund before Christine could get to the hotel phone. Her tentative plan to occupy all Edmund’s spare time was rapidly dissolving. Now she would be relegated to third place in his affections, or so it seemed.
Perhaps the only way forward was to make a friend of this ambitious young woman with the fair hair and the knowing eyes who had captured her son’s heart. It was not exactly what she wanted, but it was better than nothing. Truth to tell, Edmund had not been overly glad to see his mother in Oban.
The one compensation in all of this was the friendship of several nice females who had rallied around to make sure she had a good time while in the town. There was talk of a boat trip to Iona and the young woman who owned the cottage had invited her to see a castle.
All was not lost. It was a wise woman who knew when she had lost a battle.
Christine Jansen decided to retreat and live to fight another day.
Edmund Jansen pushed aside the paperwork and stretched his shoulders back. At this rate he would be developing a hunch well before his time. He really needed a competent doctor to work with him. The girls in reception were wonderful and took as much of the load as they could. Together they were a good team but they were always lurching from one unexpected event to another.
He never thought he would look back on the days when he was assistant locum to old curmudgeon Connor Williams with affection. Two doctors could just about manage this busy practice. One doctor was left teetering on the verge of collapse almost every day.
The thought of going home was no longer as comforting as it normally was, now that his mother had made an unanticipated appearance. He mentally chided himself for his ungrateful attitude.
His mother was trying to be helpful. She prepared an evening meal for him, and she had cleaned the place up, but her constant chatter was exhausting when he really needed peace and quiet to restore his depleted energy. Since her arrival, he was staying even longer in the surgery after the girls left for the day. None of this was helping matters.
He stood and stretched his long frame and made his way to the entrance. The final task of the day was to set the alarm. Then came the breather. He left his car parked in front of the surgery in a dedicated parking spot. Then he walked back to the cottage through the street fronting on the bay with the busy docks to his left. Lights were on in the few shops still open and some of the locals passed him with a friendly greeting. He took deep breaths of the salty air and looked longingly out to sea. How long would it be before he could escape on a ship and be free of all these responsibilities?
He wished he could take flight across the Atlantic and end up in Ashley’s arms. It had been several days since he last heard from her.
Edmund Jansen gave himself a mental shake.
Enough of this dismal, defeatist thinking.
Spring was coming, his application for a locum must be successful soon, and Ashley would come home to him. Eventually.
He fished the old key out of his coat pocket and found the door swinging open before he applied the usual pressure.
Mother must still be inside waiting for me to tell her about my day! God help me!
There was the clattering sound of steps racing down the stairs. Before he could react, a warm, scented, lovely, woman threw herself into his arms and he was almost knocked off his feet.
“Edmund! At last! I was about to come to the surgery and winkle you out of there, my darling man.”
“Ashley? Are you real? I was just dreaming about you and here you are!”
She delivered a passionate kiss, full on his mouth, and his doubts were eliminated at once. This was his Ashley, all right. It was akin to a miracle. One he was not about to question.
Answers were for much later. For now, he joyously absorbed the healing strength she brought to him. His urgent task was to make sure she knew how much he needed her at this very moment.
Everything else was swept aside.