Liv was laughing now she could see the hairy face was the young cow they’d told her about. It looked soaked as it methodically cleared the rain off the window. She looked at Fraser. He didn’t seem amused.
‘It’s just Ginger,’ he said.
‘I know that now,’ she said, her voice sounding all hoarse thanks to the whisky.
‘How much have you had to drink?’ He glared at her accusatorially.
‘One tiny measure,’ she croaked. ‘And it wasn’t very nice anyway.’
‘That is a Highland Malt. It’s one of the best whiskies made. It’s fifteen years old.’
Liv screwed up her nose. ‘Then it’s probably gone off.’ That would explain the taste. She stuck her tongue out in a futile attempt to get rid of the aftertaste.
‘And they call us heathens,’ he muttered as he shook his head.
She didn’t like his attitude. ‘What have I done now?’
‘Never mind. Let’s get you to bed. To your own bed,’ he said carefully. ‘Then I’ll round up Ginger and tuck her in for the night.’
He walked out leaving Liv to push herself up onto one leg and hobble from the room. ‘Are you coming?’ he called.
‘Bloody hell. Have some patience, would you? I’ve knackered my ankle.’
His head appeared around the door. ‘Did you want a hand?’
‘No thank you,’ she said as she clung to the cabinet and hopped her way to join him at the door. She didn’t want anything from Fraser Douglas. ‘I can manage just fine,’ she added.
‘So I see,’ he said and he left her.
Liv followed him out of the room and turned left, past a reception desk to where Fraser was waiting at the bottom of a sweeping staircase. Despite the worn patches on its carpet, it was seriously impressive.
‘This way,’ he said, taking the small steps two at a time until he was soon at the top.
Liv watched with her mouth open. ‘Do you not have a lift?’
‘No. The main building is seventeenth century with Victorian additions. They weren’t so big on lifts back then.’
‘Thanks for the history lesson. I’ll just crash on the sofa.’
‘What sofa?’ he asked.
Liv sighed heavily. ‘No sofa?’ He shook his head. ‘Anywhere downstairs I can sleep?’
‘Ten bedrooms…’ he began and hope bloomed inside her. ‘Are all on the first floor. Downstairs, there’s the library, dining room, kitchens, drawing room, toilets and snug.’
‘Maybe I’ll curl up on the window seat.’
‘Up to you but you’ll not be that comfortable and likely to fall off in the night if you roll over.’
He had a point. ‘Right.’ She set about taking the stairs slowly and one at a time. She felt ancient. Even her great-granny moved a lot quicker than this and she had an arthritic knee.
‘You may as well stay down there. At that rate you’ll not make it up here before midnight,’ he said, leaning his forearms on the banister at the top and watching her slow progress.
‘Have you thought about stand-up comedy?’
‘It’s been suggested before,’ he said, ‘but I quite like being a—’
‘Smartarse?’ she offered.
He did at least chuckle at her retort. ‘Are you sure you wouldn’t like me to help you?’
She was tired, grumpy and she ached all over. ‘Assuming you can’t perform levitation then yes, please.’ The last word she had to force out. It was hard to be polite to someone who had ghosted her. The whole situation was odd but she was a big believer in listening to her gut and whilst Fraser had done the dirty to her online she wasn’t getting any mad axe murderer vibes from him.
Fraser swept back down the staircase and without warning lifted Liv into his arms and set off back up to the first floor. ‘What the actual—’
‘You were taking far too long, this is the quickest option.’ He held her securely in his arms. Her wet-jumpsuit-clad body instantly heated up at the contact with him. ‘This way we can both get to bed. Separately,’ he added with emphasis as he put her down carefully at the top and she clutched the rail. The unexpected contact had winded her. Her senses were awash with the scent of him, which was a confusing mix of bergamot and garlic. ‘This way.’
He led her along a corridor with a deep red carpet and dim lighting. He opened a door and stepped inside. ‘Actually I’d forgotten there was a leak in here.’ Liv popped her head around the door to see water sploshing into a bucket from the ceiling. ‘I’ll empty that later,’ he said, more to himself than Liv. ‘It’s fine – there’s lots more to choose from.’
‘Ooh do I get to choose?’ This was starting to feel almost fun. The choice of bedrooms in a hotel wasn’t something you got offered every day.
‘I guess,’ he said opening another door and walking in. ‘This is smaller but the view is great because…’ Liv pointed at a picture on the wall. ‘What?’ he asked.
The dark painting was of a hunched woman all in black. The hooded eyes seemed to lock onto Liv and she felt a sensation like cold fingers creep up her spine. ‘Is that Janet the witch by any chance?’
‘It is,’ said Fraser sounding pleased. ‘It’s a copy of a famous painting. Well, famous in these parts.’
‘Can you move it please? Because I don’t think I can sleep here with Janet staring at me.’ Liv tried stepping a few feet to the left but the eyes were definitely following her.
‘Err, no I don’t think so. For health and safety reasons the pictures are screwed to the walls. Let’s look at the next room. Perhaps that will be to madam’s taste.’
‘Sorry,’ said Liv getting out of the way as Fraser turned off the light and came out. The next two rooms had either boxes of stuff on the floor or things piled on the bed, so Fraser quickly moved on to the fourth room where the bed had no mattress, making him huff a bit more.
He took her off down another corridor and opened the door to the next bedroom, switched on the light and stepped back so that she could look inside. The first thing she saw was a line of mounted stags’ heads above the bed.
‘I know you’re not going to like this and I’m really sorry to be a pain. But no way,’ she said shaking her head and turning around.
‘What do you mean, no way?’ When he repeated it in his accent it almost sounded comical.
‘I mean I can’t sleep in here with them. I’d be awake all night worrying about one falling off. And if one of those did fall on me I’d be skewered by its horns. That’s not how I want to die. No ta.’
‘Oh deer,’ said Fraser. She gave him her best withering look and he stopped grinning. ‘They’re not horns,’ he explained. ‘They’re antlers and, like Janet, they are firmly secured to the wall.’
‘Like the pointy stick thing once was? Still I won’t be able to sleep with butchered Bambi staring down at me all night.’
Fraser snorted a laugh. ‘Do I need to buck my ideas up?’
Despite all her aches she was quite liking the battle of the puns with Fraser. ‘I don’t expect you to be fawning over me, but if there’s somewhere else I could sleep that would be great.’
‘Fine,’ he said with a shrug. ‘That rules out a couple more rooms. But I think there’s some bats taken up residence in one of those so that probably wasn’t your first choice anyway.’ He wandered off and she limped after him. He opened another door. ‘Here you go. This is the last option. The lock doesn’t work but otherwise I think it’s fine.’
She had a tentative look inside. ‘No murdered animals, that’s a good start. But blimey it’s cold.’
Fraser marched over to where the window was wide open and there was a small puddle of rainwater on the floor. He pulled the window shut. ‘Dodgy catch, that’s all. I’ll get some bedding,’ he said. As he went off, Liv hopped into the room. There was a four-poster bed, which she couldn’t help but be a bit wowed by. Dust sheets covered all the furniture so she scooted over to the bed and began pulling sheets off the things nearby. First to be uncovered was a bedside table, then a plump-looking chair, followed by a large camera on a tripod.
Fraser stepped back into the room with an armful of white bedding. ‘What the hell is that?’ she asked.
‘It’s a camera.’
‘You don’t even deny it.’ She scratched her head. What sort of pervert was he? ‘Do you film people while they’re sleeping? Having sex? What?’
Fraser closed his eyes slowly and opened them again. ‘If that was what it was for, do you not think guests might notice? If I wanted to film people, which I definitely don’t, I’d go for one of those tiny spy cameras you can hide inside anything.’
She studied him. ‘I guess but why’s it pointed at the bed like that?’
‘It’s an antique from the golden age of cinema, and it doesn’t even work. But I’ll move it.’ He plonked his armfuls of bedding down, snatched up the camera and stomped out of the room. ‘Worse than the princess and the bloody pea.’
‘Thank you. I appreciate it,’ she called after him and she received a grunt as a reply.
He returned with some extra blankets and Liv tried her best to help him make the bed but he tutted at her as she was too slow moving around the bed. Eventually it was ready. She looked about her. ‘En suite?’ she asked.
‘You have one of those at home do you?’ he asked with a tilt of his head.
‘No, but this is a hotel so I assumed—’
‘It’s not a hotel if it’s not open and if guests aren’t paying. And you assumed wrong. Again the Victorians weren’t big on their plumbing but there is an alternative under the bed.’
Liv crouched down to see a large china pot. ‘Eww, gross.’
‘It’s for comedy value. Toilet is next door…’ He paused and seemed to be considering something. ‘I’m in the next room along after the bathroom. If there are any more cow, Janet or camera emergencies please do let me know.’ He tugged at his auburn fringe and made for the door.
‘I’ll be sure to do that. You’re on your way to a great star rating on TripAdvisor. Goodnight,’ she said and she shut the door behind him. Liv breathed a sigh of relief, then she had another thought. She opened the door again, and this time her tone was a bit more contrite. ‘I don’t suppose you’ve got a towel?’
‘I’ll bring you one in a minute.’
She stuck her head out of the door to see he was further along, standing with his back to her. ‘Thanks, and something to sleep in?’ She noticed his shoulders tense up.
He turned around. He didn’t look happy. ‘Would you like a nightdress or pyjamas?’
‘Ooh pyjamas would be great, thanks.’
He stared at her and shook his head. ‘Unbelievable. Completely unbelievable.’ He was still grumbling to himself as he walked away.
A few minutes later there was a tap on the door and Fraser handed her a large white towel, a pair of men’s underpants and a Meatloaf T-shirt. She took them.
‘Didn’t have you down as a Meatloaf fan,’ she said, thinking about how much Fraser’s profile had said he liked Mariah Carey.
‘Funnily enough we don’t carry nightwear for random passers-by but I’ll put it in the suggestions box. You can keep the trunks but I want that T-shirt back. Intact.’
‘I’ll try not to put bumps in it,’ she said with an overly enthusiastic smile. ‘Thanks. Goodnight.’ And she closed the door. Now she just had to find something to wedge underneath it. Fraser might be being all helpful now, but could she really trust him?
*
Despite the lodge being in the grounds of the Lochy House hotel, and Effie having a coat, she was still drenched by the time they got inside. Dolly wasn’t as wet because she always had her large black waterproof poncho with her; it was one of the many essentials she kept on the scooter along with a slab of Scottish tablet and a toilet roll. Once inside Effie helped her grandmother take off her poncho and Dolly’s old Scottie dog, Jock’O, came to meet them.
‘Hello, boy,’ said Dolly as the two greeted each other. Jock’O proudly presented his mistress with a sock and jumped onto Dolly’s lap – he loved to cadge a lift on the mobility scooter.
‘Hey, Jock’O, that’s one of mine,’ complained Effie trying to take the sock but he’d only growl if she tried to reclaim it. She’d have to wait for him to abandon it somewhere and snatch it then. Dolly headed off to the kitchen and Effie tried not to drip water everywhere. Effie took off her wet layers and went through to the kitchen where Dolly was making their night-time drinks.
‘What do you make of the English girl?’ asked Dolly.
‘I like her very much.’ Effie was pleased to have another female around, who was of a similar age to her. ‘I hope she stays.’
Dolly gave her a look that Effie was very used to seeing from a lot of people – a mix of pity and tolerance. ‘I’m afraid that once she remembers who she is she’ll be off.’
‘I wonder where she’s from. Do you think she’s foreign? She could have travelled thousands of miles only to get knocked over by Ginger.’
‘I doubt it,’ said Dolly giving Jock’O a stroke. ‘From her accent I’d guess Manchester or Liverpool. I always get those two mixed up.’
‘Still, that’s a long way away.’ It was further than Effie had ever been. She had dreams of going on epic journeys to far-flung places. The celebrity television travel documentaries were her favourite. Effie had plans. One day she’d do it. She’d be like her mother and leave Glendormie and see for real the things she’d only seen through a TV screen. But for now, Dolly needed her, so this was where she had to stay. She didn’t begrudge being her grandmother’s carer. There weren’t many jobs locally that she’d want to do. Most of them came and went with the tourist seasons. And as she didn’t drive, working from home was very convenient.
Effie helped Dolly make the drinks and they went through to the small living room. Jock’O made the short jump from Dolly’s lap to the sofa and while he settled down with his night-time biscuit, Effie stealthily repossessed her soggy sock.
‘Jings!’ said Effie as a thought struck her.
Dolly put her hand to her chest. ‘Goodness, Effie. You gave my pacemaker a start! What is it?’
‘We could have asked the girl to stay with us.’ Effie was thoroughly disappointed that she’d not thought of this earlier. ‘Should I call Fraser to bring her down here?’
‘And where would she sleep?’ asked Dolly blowing on her cocoa.
Effie mentally went through the house. There was Dolly’s room, which was the largest but it didn’t have a big bed. There was Effie’s tiny bedroom with a single bed. ‘There’s the sofa.’ The dog finished his biscuit and eyed her suspiciously.
‘And where would Jock’O sleep?’ asked Dolly, looking put out on his behalf.
‘He has a bed in the kitchen.’
‘And when has he ever slept in it?’ asked Dolly. ‘I’m sure the English girl will be just fine with Fraser.’ There was a brief pause. ‘I’m just not that sure how our Fraser will be with her.’
They both winced at the thought.