Thank goodness for the excuse of her cuts and bruises. She didn’t feel that sore, just tired, but it had been a plausible excuse. Noddy had done her a favour with his surfing antics.

She sat down, let out a sigh and put her head in her hands. She would have to move on soon. It would be hard to keep coming up with excuses for not accepting the relief teaching role. If they were short, she was sure to be asked again and next time she might not have a good reason for saying no.

She wasn’t in a hurry to go up to the house either, now there was the added complication of Kat sharing Flynn’s bed. Keely didn’t want to see them together. In some ways she wished Kat was an awful person so she could at least dislike her, but she wasn’t so she didn’t. Kat had been nothing but kind to Keely and in other circumstances Keely felt they could have been good friends.

Keely gripped her coffee cup, absorbing the warmth. Her time was running out. After this weekend she would have no more need to stay at Levallier Dell and she could head north, where no one would know her.

* * *

Euan had just hung up the phone when Flynn came into the family room.

“Who was that?” he asked.

“Ken rang to see if Keely could teach today but she’s not up to it.”

“Is she okay?”

“Just tired, she says. I have to go into the village for a few hours. I said you’d be around if she needed anything.”

“You and I need to discuss the arrangements for the Divine Wine and Dine weekend.”

“I know. It will have to wait till later.”

“It’s this weekend.”

“I’ve got other things to do. I’ll be back by lunch.” Euan picked up the keys of the old Volvo then changed his mind. If he was going to meet Dianna, he wanted to do it in style. “I’ll take your new car for a run if you’re not using it.”

“Take it whenever you like. It’s a business car, not mine.”

Euan decided to leave that topic alone. It could prove useful to have a good vehicle on the place, after all. “I noticed the little red car is still here.”

“Kat stayed the night.”

Euan watched Flynn square his shoulders as if he was preparing for a fight. The party had gone well the night before. They’d had a happy, relaxed time. Even Noddy’s accident hadn’t been too bad but already Flynn was taking on his defensive manner again.