‘I don’t even know how I knew what it looked like … not really.’ Sure, Gran had that old drawing on the wall, but it wasn’t very detailed. Somehow today, sitting here, Elle could feel it all around her.

Because you just know. The same way I knew, when I was a little girl. There are some things the soul never forgets.

For a long while Elle sat and listened to the quiet, feeling a contentment and peace she had rarely experienced before.

‘I’m not ready to do it yet, Gran … to say goodbye,’ she finally said.

I know, my love, but it has to be done. We came here for a reason.

‘But our trip isn’t over yet. There’s more to see.’

I’ve seen everything that was important to me. You brought me home.

‘But are you sure this is where you want to be?’ Elle looked around at the lonely ruins. ‘Who’ll visit you here? You’ll be alone.’

I’m not alone, Gran said with such contentment that Elle had a sudden rush of emotion. And you don’t need to visit me here to know I’m still with you. Your father needs to know that, Elle. He doesn’t trust enough to open his mind and believe. Make sure he knows.

‘I’ll tell him, Gran.’

The sound of a vehicle approaching made Elle turn, and she found herself grateful for Stuart’s arrival. ‘I know we have to do it, Gran, but not today,’ she said.

She knew that she wouldn’t be able to put it off much longer, but today wasn’t that day. This much she knew for certain.

TWENTY

Twenty

‘Did you get much done?’ Stuart asked as he set out a picnic blanket.

‘Yes. A bit. Did you finish what you needed to do?’

‘Mostly. There’s always more. Work never seems to end around here.’

‘Where did you get all this? There’s enough to feed an army here.’ Elle laughed as he put out containers of food from a seemingly bottomless basket.

‘Well, I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got … all of it.’ He shrugged, looking a little bashful, which made her smile more.

It was obvious he had made a special trip into town. The question was why. Did he do this kind of thing for everyone he entertained? Was this even really classed as entertaining? It seemed like a very generous thing to do for someone he hardly knew.

‘I’ll pretty much eat anything … except black pudding.’

‘No?’ He sent her a look of horror. ‘You dinna like black pudding?’

Elle always found it amusing that he seemed to slip in and out of his Scottish tongue. ‘I just can’t.’

‘You don’t know what you’re missing,’ he said, shaking his head slowly.

‘I’ll live with the regret,’ she assured him.