Where the Heart Belongs (10 page)

‘I see.'

‘Any problem with that?'

‘It
sounds good,' she said. She wasn't sure that Jack would approve if he knew about the commercial angle, but Felix's plans sounded excellent in the circumstances. Rex and the group wouldn't get lost and hopefully would have a great day out into the bargain. Who was she to object?

A PIECE OF THE PAST RETURNS

Tamsin emerged from the side of the house as the minibus drove off. ‘I thought you'd gone with them,' Shona said in surprise.

Tamsin shrugged her thin shoulders and looked so forlorn standing there in her scanty clothes that Shona felt a rush of compassion for her.

‘Come inside and let's have some hot drinks to set us up,' she said, moving towards the open door.

Tamsin looked at her suspiciously. ‘Set us up for what?'

‘I'll be glad of your company, Tamsin.'

‘Why?'

‘Why not?'

Shona would like to have said that she was sorry for her, that she was uneasy about what Ingrid would do next, that she needed some company to take her mind off Rex and his group. She couldn't help dwelling on where
Felix
was taking them today, either. Leckie Shore was the place she most wanted to be with him and she resented him being there with others. How selfish was that?

Aware that Tamsin wouldn't want to hear these things she kept silent.

‘I'm cold,' Tamsin said suddenly.

In the kitchen Mags tut-tutted when she saw them. ‘You look half-starved, lassie,' she said, moving the kettle on to the hot plate of the stove where it immediately came to life, bubbling away joyfully. ‘Didn't you bring anything warmer with you?'

‘In the van,' said Tamsin, shrugging.

‘Silly lass. What's it to be, hot chocolate like your father?' Tamsin shuddered as she hooked out a chair with her foot and plonked herself down at the table. ‘No way. Tea please.'

‘Me too,' said Shona. ‘I'll be back in a minute.'

When she returned with the brown folder they were both at the table, the large brown tea pot between them. Mags poured a third cup and passed it to Shona. Already Tamsin was looking less pinched.

‘Jack's asked me to look after his orchids,' Shona said. ‘I've got the instructions Ingrid typed out for me. Would you like to give me a hand, Tamsin?'

‘She's going to keep you hard at it today then,' said Mags, a broad smile creasing her pleasant face.

‘Better
than tramping about the countryside with that boring lot,' said Tamsin.

Shona relaxed a little as she drank her tea. Tamsin's words sounded bitter but the girl was smiling too.

‘I'll do us a nice lunch,' Mags promised.

‘Spaghetti Bolognese?'

‘Do you still not get that in that fancy school of yours?'

‘It'll always be my favourite,' said Tamsin, staring dreamily into her empty cup.

Shona, watching her, thought how pretty she looked when she let herself loosen up.

‘Come upstairs with me and I'll lend you something warm,' she said. ‘The orchids can wait for five minutes.'

‘Wow,' said Tamsin as Shona unlocked her door and stood aside for Tamsin to enter before her.

‘Nice, isn't it?' said Shona.

‘Nice? What kind of word's that?'

‘Splendid then,' said Shona laughing. ‘Marvellous, wonderful.'

‘Fabulous, impressive, superb,' said Tamsin dancing into the centre of the room and doing a twirl.

Shona found a navy sweatshirt for Tamsin and the girl put it on, still in raptures about the two rooms.

‘I know I'm lucky,' said Shona as they went downstairs again.

Tamsin's face clouded. ‘You should see our
place.
Felix is always saying it needs a lick of paint but he doesn't do anything about it.'

‘Why don't you have a go?'

‘No way. I've a feeling it won't be my home much longer, not like it's been before.'

She sounded sad and Shona didn't want to pry. One day she might see for herself.

*   *   *

‘But this isn't the frilly-leafed one like you said,' Tamsin objected.

‘It isn't? Are you sure?'

Tamsin stood on one foot and leaned far forward to peer at the orchid in its pot hanging from the glass roof of the conservatory. Poised there, she looked like a ballet dancer on long thin legs.

‘Mind you don't fall,' Shona warned.

Tamsin spun round, both feet on the ground now. ‘You've got it wrong.'

Shona looking, reached forward and extracted the label from the pot.
‘Pleione formosana,'
she read in bewilderment. ‘This wasn't in this position the other day.' She replaced the label and ran her finger down the list until she came to the name. ‘Direct light. Water freely,' she read out.

‘I'll fill the small can,' said Tamsin.

‘Not so fast,' said Shona. ‘They don't all need watering. Give me a chance to check.'

Tamsin was peering at the labels of the
orchids
on the windowsills now, exclaiming at the beauty of an orange one in full flower. ‘This one's pretty,' she said. ‘What a shame they're not all in bloom.'

Shona frowned as she picked up the green demister can from a shelf near the doorway. ‘I know that one of them has to be misted with this thing every morning but where is it?'

‘What's it like?'

Shona remembered the Latin name suddenly, the only one she could remember because both words began with the letter C and Jack had made a joke about it. ‘It's a pretty white one . . . I've found it on the list.
Coelogne cristata. Likes full sunlight,
it says here. Soak the roots in water every other day. But that's not what Jack said.'

‘So someone's got it wrong?'

‘Not Jack,' said Shona. ‘He showed it to me when it was hanging up. It's one he likes best. He told me its common name, a pretty one. I can't remember what it is at the moment.'

‘So whose fault is it then?' Tamsin said, looking at her expectantly.

‘I'll have to check this,' said Shona.

‘So where's that woman, the secretary?'

‘Ingrid. You don't think . . ?'

‘Who else?' said Tamsin, her eyes alight with interest. ‘You said she left the list for you.'

‘Stay here,' said Shona. ‘I'll find her.'

‘I'm not going to miss this,' said Tamsin.

The office was empty. Shona checked the
other
rooms and then pushed open the kitchen door to ask Mags if she had seen her.

‘Gone to the post office,' came Mags' voice from the walk-in larder. She emerged with a string bag of carrots which she dumped on the draining board. ‘There's a job here for you, young Tamsin, if you want one,' she said.

Tamsin grinned at her. ‘No way. We've a mystery to solve. More interesting than carrots.'

‘Be off with you then,' said Mags, no way put out.

‘Come on,' said Tamsin, darting out of the kitchen and making for the office. ‘We've got to do something quick. Which computer's hers?'

‘Oh no, you can't . . .'

‘Just watch me,' said Tamsin, sounding jubilant.

‘What are you doing?' said Shona in alarm as Tamsin strode over to Ingrid's laptop.

‘Investigating, of course,' said Tamsin, peering forward as Google came up on the screen and she typed in the words she wanted. ‘Tell me the spelling of the one we want. Coe something.'

Shona did so, her throat dry with her dread of Ingrid's untimely return.

‘We'll print this out now,' said Tamsin. ‘I've got all the info we need for this little chap. The right info of course.'

The printer came to life and Shona
marvelled
of the girl's knowledge and self-possession. Sitting there with her slim hands on the keys of a strange laptop she seemed perfectly in command of it all and much older than her fifteen years.

‘Now we need a print-out of that list she gave you,' said Tamsin. ‘Wait a minute and I'll find it.'

A few moments later they had two of them, a copy of the instruction list in the folder and another, the correct one, as well.

‘OK?' said Tamsin as she handed them to Shona. ‘We've got all we need. Got a spare memory stick? I'd better back it all up.' Shona passed her one.

‘Thanks. Now we'd better get out of here before the dragon returns.'

Back in the conservatory again Shona let out a huge breath of relief. Tamsin took the three sheets of paper and handed back the one with the information from the internet. She sat down on the stool and with her tawny head bent, compared the two lists of instructions.

‘Ingrid's sure got it in for you too,' she said.

For a moment Shona failed to pick up on the implication. Then it sank in. ‘You mean she doesn't like you, either?' she said.

‘Like I care,' said Tamsin.

‘But why not?'

‘I'm not talking about it. I want to get to the bottom of this. Here, take the lists. You know more about orchids than I do.'

Shona
sat down on the stool to study them. ‘Look what she's done,' she said. ‘She's moved the instructions for the orchids one place down. Now it makes sense.'

‘So that's her trick. They've all got the wrong information so you'll water the wrong ones and leave the wrong ones dry. But we've got the proof we need to get her. She can't argue with this. Show this to Jack and she's finished.'

Shona got up slowly. ‘Not so fast. The orchids come first.'

‘Then Ingrid.'

‘I'm so grateful to you,' said Shona, still feeling weak at the knees at the thought of what she might have done to Jack's precious orchids. His reaction would have been horrendous.

Tamsin looked determined. ‘You've got to get Ingrid for this,' Tamsin said. ‘It's not fair. If you don't get her I will.'

*   *   *

‘And did you?' asked Liz with interest. Shona shook her head. They were seated side by side on the swing seat on the grassy mound at the back of Ferniehope Castle on Saturday evening. Rex and his group had left for home soon after breakfast and she had spent the intervening time supervising the cleaners as they prepared the rooms for the next influx
arriving
on Monday. Now she could relax in Liz's company.

‘I haven't seen Ingrid since,' she said.

‘Lying low?'

‘Seems like it. Thanks for coming, Liz. I needed to talk.'

‘It was a perfect evening for a walk.' As Liz leaned back in a reclining chair, a waft of flowery perfume floated in the calm air.

Shona gazed across the shadow-rippled grass to the bed of early tulips near the wall, highlighting the rough stone. ‘Jack would have blown his top if I'd killed off any of his precious orchids. Tamsin saved my life.'

‘Tamsin's a good child with a head on her shoulders,' said Liz, rocking gently.

‘I'd do anything for that girl at the moment. Mind you, I had to leave the place unattended while I drove her home. I had my heart in my mouth, I can tell you, in case a crisis occurred while I was away.'

‘What did Felix say when you showed up?'

Shona frowned. ‘Nothing. He wasn't there. I just left her and got back. She said she's used to it.'

Liz laughed, smoothing down her pink fluffy cardigan over her ruffled blouse. ‘I feel sorry for her with that father of hers always off on some mission or other.'

‘Felix has been helpful to me too,' said Shona. ‘He suggested a good trip out for the clients yesterday, sightseeing and shopping. It
took
a load off my mind. And now they've gone.'

‘And Jack's not back yet?'

‘Home tomorrow.'

‘And will you tell him what happened with the orchids?'

‘I'll confront Ingrid first.'

‘Good luck.'

Shona gave a little shiver though the evening air was mild. ‘Tamsin made me promise to hide the brown folder away so Ingrid can't replace the instruction list with the right one.'

‘Her father's made a good job of bringing Tamsin up for all his erratic ways. He used to work here, you know. Ran a ceramics workshop, but of course it didn't last what with him being so resentful of Jack.'

‘He was? But why?'

‘You know Felix's aunt once owned the castle?'

Shona leaned forward. ‘She did?'

‘Her will was complicated and Felix was left only part owner of Ferniehope and so it had to be sold. Jack could see the potential of the place even though it was in a dilapidated state when Miss Agnes Langholme died and needed thousands spent on it.'

‘Aunt Aggie!' said Shona in amazement.

‘You knew her?'

‘Felix used to talk about her when we were young. So Rich Aunt Aggie really existed?'
Shona
leaned back in her chair. Just wait till she told Jodie when she phoned her this evening!

‘They were close, Felix and his aunt,' said Liz, shifting a little in her seat. ‘It's hard for him knowing that the castle is no longer in the family. He grew up here, you know.'

Shona looked thoughtfully at the castle building, in shadow now as the sun sank behind the trees.

‘He must have loved it so,' she said, a lump in her throat. ‘What must Felix have felt like watching Jack Cullen pour money into the place to change it from a family home to a smart conference centre for strangers?'

Liz gave a deep sigh. ‘Och well, that's the way things go. Always change and moving on. And so must I. It's getting late.' She struggled out of her chair, buttoning her cardigan to the neck. ‘It's been a grand evening for a talk, Shona, and I'll be thinking of you tomorrow and your fight with Ingrid.'

‘Fight's a good word,' said Shona, laughing. ‘And Ingrid's not going to win this one.'

‘TELL ANYONE AND YOU'RE DEAD.'