He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. ‘I feel the same.’

For a moment, Marion thought he was going to kiss her lips too. It would be heavenly, she was sure – though it would be too awful if anyone saw them. She breathed in, waiting, her mind whirring, but George didn’t move. The moment passed, and he let her hand drop as he fumbled in his trouser pockets for his cigarettes and lighter.

‘Tell me about the job,’ she said.

George lit his cigarette and blew a perfect smoke ring. ‘It’s rather good, actually. A private bank in the city. Drummonds. Small and discreet, which makes it attractive to people with a lot of money. We give each customer a personal service and they can rest assured their money is in safe hands.’

‘You will be living in London, then?’ What did she say that for? She snatched at a long blade of grass to hide her embarrassment.

‘In time, yes, but I shall be mostly at the Aberdeen branch for a while.’ He stubbed his cigarette out. ‘Running it, actually.’

‘The manager?’ Marion was thrilled. To think that she had a bank manager as a suitor! Her mother would be beside herself with the very idea … If she found out, that was – which she wouldn’t. Not yet anyway.

And yet Aberdeen was such a long way away.

‘Something like that, aye.’

‘So how often will you be in London?’

‘To start with? Once a month.’

Marion hid her disappointment. ‘Oh, that’s wonderful. It will be very nice to see you more often.’ She felt herself flush.

‘I might be down more often, as the job progresses.’ He smiled. ‘And by the way, Mrs Bridie at The Highlands? She’s very nice, but the woman can’t stop talking. And all that tartan! And the stuffed animals! In the bathroom there is even a painting of Nessie – terrifying when you get in the bath!’ George laughed heartily. ‘Well, there’s only so much haggis and porridge a man can take at breakfast.’

Marion immediately felt foolish. She had thought the place perfect and Mrs Bridie a dear. How could she not have seen that tartan was indeed everywhere? She’d only seen one stuffed rabbit, dangling from the jaws of a rigid fox in the sitting room. It had seemed very like the decorations of Balmoral but on a smaller scale. She had actually liked it.

‘Oh dear. I’m sorry.’

‘Aye well. No harm done. You weren’t to know about Nessie, but did you not see the rest of it? The place gave me a laugh, but I can’t stay there again.’

‘I suppose not.’

He laughed. ‘Och, you weren’t to know.’

She quietly berated herself. She felt she’d let him down.

‘What’s the worried face for?’ He smiled at her. ‘You did your best. Don’t be silly.’

She checked her watch. ‘I’ll have to go in a minute.’

‘Duty calls, eh?’

‘Yes.’

He took her hand again. ‘Just stay a few more minutes. I haven’t seen you for so long and they see you every day, the lucky devils. What do you say, just ten more minutes?’