‘What would you like to drink?’

‘Just a white wine thanks,’ Elle smiled, accepting the menu the woman whipped out from her apron and handed over.

‘I’ll be back in a jiffy,’ she promised before walking away, her ponytail swinging jauntily behind her.

Elle picked up the menu and read through the mouthwatering offerings, surprised to find so many Americanised dishes before deciding she really did fancy a big juicy hamburger and chips.

‘What can I get you?’ her waitress asked, returning with her drink and a notepad in hand.

‘I’ll have the Ultimate Burger, thanks.’

‘The … Ultimate Burger?’ the woman repeated, lifting her eyes from the notepad to look at Elle intently.

‘Yes, please,’ Elle said, a little unsure about having her choice of meal questioned.

‘It’s a very big burger.’

‘That’s okay. I’m starving,’ Elle said with more conviction. She really was hungry.

‘Okay then, but I hope you wore your stretchy pants,’ the waitress added doubtfully, before taking the menu and walking away.

Elle sipped her wine as she waited for her food to arrive. Eating alone wasn’t exactly the worst thing in the world. It gave her more time to observe her surroundings. The pub was cosy, with low ceilings and timber furniture. Apart from the modern Celtic-sounding music playing over the loudspeakers, the general sound of voices raised to speak over the top of it could have made this any pub in the world, even Jessup’s Creek. There were still a few empty tables, but it was busy, people in business suits and work attire making up a large portion of the clientele.

She smiled as she listened to the conversations going on around her. At the table behind her two men were conducting a job interview, while two tables across a group of women were laughing and getting rowdier by the minute. Her ears picked up on the distinctive rhythm of the Scottish brogue—the male version deep and rolling while the female accent was a little higher pitched but just as melodic.

‘Here you go,’ her waitress announced, depositing a plate with the biggest burger Elle had ever seen. ‘Enjoy.’

Oh, that does look good, Gran said with a wistful sigh. I’m going to miss food.

Elle hesitated, momentarily losing her appetite. It was sometimes easy to forget the facts: Gran was dead.

Elspeth Jane Kinnaird, you stop that.

Elle knew Gran really wasn’t happy if she used her full name.

We’re here to have fun. Now, hurry up and eat that burger before it gets cold.

Almost on cue, a tantalising waft of barbecued beef filled her nose and her stomach grumbled impatiently. Elle eyed the burger and tried to work out a plan of attack, but she was too hungry to worry about how much of a mess she was about to get into, and decided to just dive straight in.

As she finished the last bite and was wiping her fingers on her third paper napkin, she looked up when a glass of wine was placed on the bench in front of her.