Where the Heart Belongs (8 page)

‘Bessie's Kitchen? Well yes. But . . .'

‘The girl's there, Felix Langholme's daughter. D'you know anything about this?' He sounded accusing.

‘But why didn't Liz phone Tamsin's father?'
‘I'm
not getting involved in any of this, Shona. All I know is that her father has gone off somewhere, but no one knows where.'

‘But I was with him yesterday evening and . . .' She paused, horrified, wishing she could have bitten her tongue off before she came out with something so stupid. Now what had she done?

‘You shouldn't be mixed up in this, Shona. It's not your problem. Just leave well alone.'

‘I'll telephone Liz and find out the details.'

‘Do that if you must,' Jack said. ‘And join me in the office when you've done it.'

She did nothing for a moment but stared down at her mobile, her thoughts whirling. She had condemned herself out of her own mouth. Jack would be waiting to hear exactly why she had deserted her post when he had left her in charge and she must face the consequences. But first there was Tamsin to consider.

She dialled the number Felix had given her. He answered at once. ‘Felix Langholme.'

At the sound of his deep reassuring voice tears sprang to her eyes. ‘It's Shona. Felix, where are you? There's a problem.'

‘There is? Wait a minute, I'll turn off the TV.'

She had a moment to think of what to say so she didn't sound accusing. ‘Have you heard from Liz at Bessie's Kitchen? It seems that Tamsin has shown up there and you couldn't be contacted.'

He
gave an easy laugh. ‘So that's where she is? I was supposed to meet her at the station but she wanted to be independent and get herself home to Crag Cottage on her own.'

‘You were expecting her?'

‘Measles at the school. They've been sent home. I'll go and collect her now. And thanks.'

He clicked off his phone.

Shona went downstairs where Jack met her in the doorway of the office.

‘Everything sorted?' he said. ‘So what happened?'

‘Nothing happened,' she said. ‘Her father was expecting Tamsin. He's gone to pick her up now. He was at home.'

‘A false alarm then?'

‘So it seems.'

He smiled. ‘As I said, don't get involved, Shona. Obviously there was a mix-up somewhere along the line.'

She said nothing. Mix-up hardly described a deliberate ploy on Ingrid's part to stir up trouble. It was incredible that Jack hadn't worked out something of the sort himself.

Incredible, too, that he hadn't picked up on her admission that she had been with Felix when she should have been here at Ferniehope Castle.

JACK
COMES TO RELY ON SHONA

‘Here you are, lass,' said Liz, placing a glass of her favourite Coke and lemonade on the blue and white-checked tablecloth in front of Tamsin. ‘He won't be long.'

Tamsin leaned forward to pick up her glass, her loose hair falling over her face. ‘Thanks, Liz.'

The older woman relaxed a little. ‘It really is true that there's this epidemic at your school, Tamsin. It's not just one of your tall stories?'

‘Lies you mean?'

‘No one could blame me for wondering after last time.'

‘Oh that.' Tamsin grinned. ‘Don't worry, all parents and guardians were informed and asked to make suitable arrangements, but I didn't need that from Felix. I knew I could get home. On my own.'

Liz made no comment to this proud boast, but the expression on her face was of deep concern as if she thought that Tamsin was making all this up. But that was her problem, Tamsin thought as she watched the older woman return to her place behind the counter. And how was anyone supposed to know that Felix wasn't at home and couldn't be reached for a while? Where was he anyway when he was needed?

She
picked up her glass and sipped thoughtfully. She had got this far on her own anyway. Liz whom she had to admit had always been there for her, ever since she was little and Felix could think only of his pots and the setting up of his gallery. His daughter had always come a close second. She had known that for years.

Now, seated at a table out of sight of most of the customers, she was mature enough to understand the worry she must have been to him, always needing to be looked after when he was struggling to get things going. She could see him now with that slightly vulnerable look he had when something seemed to be defeating him and then the sudden lighting up of his face before he lunged at her and held her close. His soothing words of comfort had been for himself as much as for the little girl so close to his heart. She could see that now, quite clearly, and felt ashamed.

She swallowed the rest of her drink in a couple of angry gulps. Last time she hadn't had the sense to phone Felix instead of taking off from school in a panic and look where it had got her. Luck had been with her then. Luck that the woman who had found her half-dead at the gate had the sense to drive her straight back to school, no questions asked. Well, not many. Not that she had been missed anyway until she turned up again and then faces had been decidedly red and serve them
all
right.

There was a bustle at the door as two customers tried to get out at the same time as someone was coming in.

‘Felix!' Tamsin sprang up, nearly knocking over her empty glass in her haste to reach him.

‘Tamsin.' His face broke into a grin and he lifted her off the ground in a tight hug.

‘Oh, Felix.' She was so pleased he was here that tears welled in her eyes.

‘So where's your luggage?' he asked as he set her down again.

Tamsin glanced at her rucksack by the wall. ‘Travelling light?'

‘Not you. Come on, where is it?'

‘Back at the station being looked after. It'll be OK.'

He frowned. ‘You're too casual, Tamsin. One day you'll be in trouble, left stranded somewhere with your belongings stolen. And what will you do then?' Felix raised an eyebrow.

She smiled. ‘Dear Felix. You sound as if you cared.'

‘I'll settle with Liz and then we'll be off to collect your stuff.'

‘But that defeats my purpose,' she objected. ‘I wanted to do the whole trip home without bothering anyone.'

‘Least of all me?'

‘You could say that.'

‘I've let you down again, haven't I, Tamsin,
not
being where I was supposed to be?'

He looked so downcast that her heart softened.

*   *   *

Crag Cottage, when they got there at last, surprised her with its unfamiliar tidiness. No piles of old newspapers, abandoned crockery and cushions on the dusty floor anymore. Or jerseys slung across the backs of chairs and open suitcases left for the unwary to trip over.

‘What's this?' she said.

He carried in her suitcase and prepared to take it upstairs. ‘Thought it needed it,' he said, without looking at her.

‘But why now? Are you expecting someone else?'

‘Maybe, one day.'

‘Felix! We never have visitors.'

He paused halfway up the staircase, balancing the suitcase on the step above. ‘Doesn't mean to say we never will.'

‘Who is she?'

The short silence before he spoke felt threatening. ‘Someone I met,' he said quietly.

‘That's no answer.'

‘I invited her to come and see the studio. That's all.'

She knew it wasn't all but she didn't want to hear any more and wouldn't question him further.

He
shrugged, turning his face away from her. ‘It may not happen.'

‘Hurry up with that suitcase. I want to get unpacked,' she said. The sooner she had strewn her own belongings about the place to stake her claim to her own territory the better for her peace of mind.

*   *   *

Next day, Shona waved off the minibus with a feeling of relief even though she normally enjoyed looking after the comfort of the guests. Who would have thought that Rex would be such a pain, seeming not to know the first thing about leading a walking group? But today it was all planned for him and he and the group had pored over the route she had suggested and seemed happy with it all.

As soon as they had gone, Jack called Shona into the office. Ingrid was there, too, and looked up with a frown.

Shona looked at her thoughtfully. Today Ingrid's flushed face and jerky movements were totally unlike her usual calm exterior. A guilty conscience about something?

‘Ingrid's just off to the post office,' Jack said. ‘We need to talk, Shona.'

She swallowed hard. ‘Yes, Jack,' she said, her voice faint. He looked at her in concern. ‘Nothing wrong, is there?'

To her relief his voice was causal, friendly
almost.
Maybe she had nothing to fear after all. She managed to smile. ‘I . . . I hope not.'

She heard Ingrid close the door behind her and at once the atmosphere lightened.

‘Sit down,' Jack said.

She did so, smoothing her long skirt over her knees and trying not to feel guilty about something for which she was not to blame. She owed him an apology that was clear, but in justifying her actions she would have to land Ingrid in it. Maybe knowing that was the reason for Ingrid's strange manner.

Jack smiled, the lines round his eye crinkling. ‘No need to look so downcast,' he said, swivelling round in his chair to reach inside a drawer of the desk. He pulled out a file and opened it. ‘As you know we have the history group booked in the week after next and a watercolour course the week after that. Unfortunately the painting tutor is ill and has to pull out. I want you to run through the list of tutors here and see if any are available.'

‘But how will I know if they're any good?'

‘They will be. We only have the best and these are all tried and tested. The short notice might be a problem, but do your best.'

‘And if I can't find a replacement?'

‘We cancel the course. We don't want that if we can avoid it. Bad for business.' He replaced the list in the file and handed it to her.

She nodded as she took it from him.

‘Make it your first priority.'

‘Of
course.'

‘I'm off for a day or two so I'll have another little job for you but we'll go into that at lunch.' His sudden smile had her smiling too. ‘Ingrid's got a lot on her plate at the moment. I'm getting the small room next door fitted up for your office use as soon as we can to give you some privacy. Ingrid's been on to the local builder who says he can fit the work in between bigger jobs.'

‘That sounds good,' Shona said as she got up. ‘I'll get on to the tutor problem straight away.'

‘Use the phone in the kitchen for the time being,' he said.

Mags was rolling out pasty on the wooden table, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright. Shona smiled at her obvious enjoyment as she wielded the large wooden rolling pin as if it had done her an injury.

‘Apple pie,' Mags said. ‘Jack's favourite.'

‘I've got a job to do for him,' said Shona. ‘I've been told to use the phone here.'

‘Help yourself,' said Mags. ‘I'll make coffee when I'm done here,' said Mags firmly as she placed a sheet of pastry over a large enamel plate. She lifted it up and pricked up a knife to trim the edges.

‘You look expert at that,' said Shona.

‘Years of practice.'

‘I suppose. Mags, do you know anything about the tutors that come here?'

‘Me?'

‘I've got to find a replacement for one for the week after next. Watercolour.'

‘Ingrid's the one to ask about that.'

‘She's gone off to the post office.'

Mags frowned. ‘She didn't tell me. I've letters to go and Donald left in the minibus before they were ready. He'll do some business for Jack in Dumfries and back to the Forest Park to pick the group up at four o'clock.'

‘I'll take your letters when I've made some calls,' said Shona as she reached for the phone on the wall. She ran her finger down the list. No answer to the first number she tried, or the second. The third sounded hopeful but would get back to her this evening. She explained that she needed to know at once but would phone again if she hadn't found anyone.

‘Is one of them Mervyn Howard from Edinburgh?' Mags asked as she spooned apple on to the pastry. ‘Try him. Ingrid likes him. He might do.'

Shona smiled as she dialled the number, trying to imagine someone that Ingrid liked. Tall, dark and handsome? Quite likely. No, on second thought, medium height would be better and a liking for the same rather way-out clothes that Ingrid favoured. Flowing and artistic-looking. But whatever he looked like he sounded pleasant enough when he answered and was agreeable to standing in at short notice.

She
replaced the receiver with a feeling of a job well done and was glad to sit at the table while Mags made the promised coffee. Afterwards she walked down to the end of the drive with Mags' letters in her hand.

*   *   *

Shona joined Jack for lunch in the dining room and while they ate the sandwiches and salad Mags had prepared he told her of the Orchid Fair in Cheshire he was planning to visit. ‘I'll be away for about three days,' he said. ‘It's an important event.'

She nodded. ‘An annual one?'

‘It will be from now on. I'm hoping to pick up something really special. I'd like you, Shona, to keep an eye on my beauties while I'm gone as Ingrid's busy. Will you do that?'

‘Of course.'

‘Only a couple need frequent watering. The rest will cope till I get back. Ingrid has typed a list of instructions out for you so there's no problem. You'll find it in the folder. Thanks for sorting the new tutor.'

Mags brought in the apple pie and set it in front of Shona for her to serve.