“Well, the earlier part of the week would be best. I’m going to be away all day tomorrow, but Tuesday would be good.”

“Right. And what’s the best way of getting to where you are?”

“Did you say you were based in London?”

“Yes.”

“Well, there’s an overnight sleeper that goes direct from Euston to Fort William. That gets you here at about a quarter to ten in the morning. Or you could fly to Glasgow, and then take the train. Either way, if you call this number when you get to the station, I could get someone to meet you.”

“Okay.” Dan took a deep breath. “So Tuesday’s fine with you?”

“Absolutely. I look forward to meeting you . . . er . . . sorry, what was your name again?”

“Dan Porter.”

“Right . . . Dan. And, as a matter of interest, what was the magazine again?”

Dan walked over to the table and flipped it over to the front cover. “Woman’s Weekly.”

“Oh, all right then.” Her reply seemed flat, almost registering a slight air of disappointment. “I’ll see you Tuesday, then.”

The telephone call to Battersea Gran was brief. She was quite happy to look after the children for a couple of days, but for once she kept the conversation brief, being engrossed in her regular Sunday night viewing of Monarch of the Glen. Dan put down the receiver with a wry smile on his face. If she had but known that he was heading off to a place that had to be similar in many ways to the untamed wilds of Glen Bogle, then she would have gleaned from him every last bit of information about his motives for going—as well as asking him to get Susan Hampshire’s autograph while he was there.

Dan left the kitchen and ran up the two flights of stairs to his office. He pressed the START button on his computer before returning to the landing.

“Josh?” he called down the stairwell.

He heard a splash from the bathroom.

“What?”

“Come up to my office when you’re finished, would you?”

He went back into his office and sat down at his desk, simultaneously clicking the mouse on the Internet icon. By the time Josh appeared, still dripping wet with a towel wrapped around his lower torso, Dan had the train schedule from Euston to Fort William up on the screen.

“Yeah?” Josh asked.

“Listen, I’m going up to Scotland for a couple of days,” Dan said, without taking his eyes away from the screen.

“You’re what?”

Dan laughed. “I’ll be back on Wednesday or Thursday, depending on train times. I’ve called Battersea Gran and she’s coming over to look after you all until Mum gets back.”

“Why on earth have you decided to go up to Scotland?”

Dan bit on his lip, then turned to Josh. “I’ll tell you only if you promise that it won’t go any further.”