‘Bit of both! Pity, though – there’s just that hint of darkness about Christopher that made me think he’d be the perfect antidote to darling Adam! Shame really – I was all set for the grand passion and had cast him in the role of an irresistible force to sweep me off my feet, instead of which he and Marnie have gone and fallen for each other big time! Not what I hoped at all!’

Though her tone was light and mocking, Isobel guessed at a despondency under the banter that disturbed her because it was so uncharacteristic of Louisa. I thought she was just looking for a light flirtation, she thought. I may have got it wrong. Aloud, she said, ‘Oh well, I’m glad you and Marnie aren’t going to fight over him. I don’t want any blood on the carpets here and I’d hate to add murder to the list of entertainments Glendrochatt can produce. We’d better order a different “irresistible force” for you – and hope he turns up soon!’

‘You do that,’ said Louisa cheerfully. ‘After all, sticking with hope against the odds has stood me in pretty good stead in my life so far!’

‘Yes, it certainly has,’ said Isobel soberly, remembering how much they’d admired the younger Louisa, how gutsy and determined she had always been. ‘All the same,’ she said, giving Louisa an affectionate look, ‘I’m relieved to know you’ve given up on this particular challenge.’

‘I said I was thinking of it. Anyway we’ve all agreed to meet and have dinner together in London in a few weeks’ time – provided Christopher’s probation officer lets him off the hook, that is – but Marnie says Christopher thinks he’ll almost certainly be given permission to go to London to see Jonathan Mercer’s literary agent in view of the interest they’ve expressed in his book. We want to swap photographs of the budding authors at Glendrochatt and I want to see pictures of Eilean Dobhran, if they find it, and be brought up to speed with the latest episode in Marnie’s missing-castle saga! Perhaps I should ask Adam to come too to make it a foursome?’

‘Louisa, you’re incorrigible! You’re not to give poor Adam false hopes.’

‘Poor Adam nothing!’ said Louisa indignantly. ‘We’ll always be friends, for God’s sake! He said he’d speak to me again soon when he rang me last week and there hasn’t been a squeak out of him since.’

‘Oh, Louisa!’ said Isobel again, half-amused, but also feeling sorry for Adam Winterton, though she couldn’t help wondering if Louisa’s break with him was really as final as she claimed.