At this point Rhona noted that the board behind the bar was offering two cocktails for the price of one, which may well have prompted Chrissy’s suggestion.

‘Okay. Get me what you’re having.’

Rhona wasn’t planning to stay much past one drink to toast the happy couple, so taking a chance with Chrissy’s choice seemed okay.

While Chrissy got the drinks, Rhona sought out the couple, spotting them standing together in a corner. She headed their way.

Janice, seeing her approach, looked pleased, and immediately did the introductions. Paula, Rhona discovered, was from Inverness originally, but knew Skye well. In fact she’d been a locum in Broadford for six months.

‘You’re from the Misty Isle, I hear?’ she said.

‘My adoptive parents were,’ Rhona explained. ‘That’s where I got the MacLeod name.’ They chatted for a while, exchanging names of people they might both know, including Jamie, the undertaker, and the famous Blaze, the Border collie that had aided Rhona on her last case on the island.

By that time, Chrissy was back with two French 75s, which she assured Rhona was only gin and prosecco, ‘although it should really be champagne’.

They toasted the happy couple.

‘How did McNab take your announcement?’ Rhona said.

‘With complete mystification,’ Janice said. ‘Said he didn’t even know I had a boyfriend.’ She mimicked McNab’s surprise.

They all laughed.

‘And him a detective,’ Chrissy said, shaking her head.

‘I think he’s a bit perplexed that he never worked out the gay part. Seeing as he’s always right about everything,’ Janice said. ‘He was quite sweet, to be honest.’

‘I’m dying to meet this man who’s my partner’s other partner,’ Paula declared.

‘Not as much as he’ll want to meet you,’ Chrissy said. ‘In fact,’ she looked around for the umpteenth time, ‘where the hell is he? Surely he must be back from Stirling by now?’

There was a sudden silence as the three who knew why McNab had been in Stirling registered that they couldn’t speak about it. Not in mixed company. Perhaps, sensing this, Paula informed them she was off to the Ladies. ‘I’ll be there a while,’ she added.

‘You’ve got her well trained,’ Chrissy said, impressed.

‘I do the same thing when we attend doctors’ functions. Folk like talking about their work, but if it’s not your work, it’s a lot less interesting,’ Janice said.

‘So how’d it go in Stirling?’ Chrissy said. ‘Have you heard?’

‘Nothing since we spoke before he left,’ Janice told her. ‘However, I do know McNab didn’t like being summoned by former DI McCreadie, even if it was because he’d located Karen Marshall.’

‘It did sound a little convenient that he should be the one to find her,’ Rhona said.

‘D’you get the feeling the former detective likes to be just one step ahead of us?’ Janice ventured. ‘Even to the extent of managing the story?’

There was a murmur of thoughtful agreement on that.

At that moment, Chrissy spotted the subject of their conversation. ‘Here comes McNab in his biker gear. And he’s wet.’