At first, every time she dared think about her artwork selling, her default response was rationality. Don’t get your hopes up. Art is very subjective. Not everyone likes sketches. But lately she had started to question herself. Why can’t I get excited? What if people really love my sketches? What if art could be a career? It had only been a few days, so realistically, it could take some time before anyone actually bought anything, but it didn’t stop her checking her phone at the end of each day, hoping to see a message from Grace saying one had sold.

SEVENTEEN

Seventeen

The next morning, Elle pulled on her hiking boots, and grabbed a coat as she ran down the stairs. She booked another night’s accommodation, just to be safe, thinking that after a hike today she would most likely appreciate a bed to fall into later. She was grateful for Gran’s envelope, but she would soon need to sit down and make some decisions about how much longer she would stay in Scotland. Accommodation was expensive and her holiday money was being whittled down at an alarming rate. She had overslept and missed her alarm and now she was running late. She didn’t think Stuart, dressed in his business shirt and polished shoes, would be terribly impressed by tardiness.

As she pulled up at the house, just as she suspected, Stuart was waiting for her at the front steps, stroking two black- and-white sheep dogs. He was dressed more casually today in a pair of tan-coloured cargo pants and a long shirt, vest and pair of chunky looking hiking boots, similar to the ones she’d bought.

‘Morning,’ she said, deciding to just jump right in and hope for the best as she climbed out of her car, stuffing her hands into her pockets. ‘Sorry, I’m late.’

She watched him stand, gently pushing his two companions aside. ‘If you’re ready, we’ll get started?’

Elle frowned at his abrupt reply. So, she’d guessed right. He was big on punctuality.

‘Exactly what are we doing?’

He gestured towards an old Land Rover parked nearby. ‘I’m taking you to the ruins,’ he said, seemingly confused by the question.

‘Oh. I assumed when you said I wouldn’t get there by car, that you’d give me directions so I could walk there.’

‘I said you wouldn’t get there in your car. My car, however, will be fine.’

The dogs sniffed at her curiously, and she gave each of them a pat before Stuart whistled sharply and they jumped up into the back seat of the vehicle.

Elle watched him warily. Glenda from the pub hadn’t stopped raving about what a great guy Stuart was, but should Elle really get into a car with a stranger and allow him to take her to what he’d just told her was a hard-to-get-to location of a ruined castle?

It’s all right, darling. We can trust him. He has honest eyes, Gran said reassuringly.