Malcolm, spotting the Land Rover from the dining room window, came to welcome them.

‘Good evening, kilted Highlander and beautiful lady, your table awaits.’ As he ushered them to a corner at the window, shimmering in candlelight, he told them that all the guests had been fed, so they had the place to themselves.

‘A bit more civilized than the last time you were here,’ he told Joanne as he helped her get seated.

‘Hope there’s food left?’ Greg joked.

‘We always cook from fresh, as well you know. Besides, Mum’s on duty in the kitchen tonight, and she taught me all I know.’

‘Tell Kath “hi” from me,’ Joanne said. ‘We had tea together the other day.’

‘She told me all about it. You might have a fan there,’ he added. ‘I know what Greg’ll choose,’ he told Joanne as he handed them the menus. ‘As for you, madam, I recommend the garlic crab claws provided you don’t mind getting your fingers covered in garlic butter.’

Joanne looked to Greg. ‘That’s what you’re having, right?’

‘Always.’

‘Okay, I’ll have them too. We can get messy together.’

Malcolm raised a suggestive eyebrow at Joanne and she laughed.

Greg and Joanne settled into easy chit-chat. He felt again that the earlier row and what had followed had cleared the air between them. He’d been both relieved and impressed by the way she’d dealt with Caroline.

Although furious at his former lover, he couldn’t make an enemy of her, particularly in the current situation. Plus he didn’t want to hurt her more than he had done already.

‘You okay?’ Joanne’s voice broke into his thoughts.

‘I was just imagining life once Stratton and his crew leave.’

‘Will that be soon?’ She looked eager for a ‘yes’.

‘He can’t stay on forever.’

‘What about me?’

‘I’m hoping you’ll stay a little longer, either as Joanne or Maya,’ he told her.

‘I intend to,’ she said.

‘Good. Then will you be writing about Blackrig?’

She looked surprised by the question. ‘You wouldn’t mind?’

He shook his head. ‘I’d rather you wrote about us than some of the bastards who covered the story of what happened during the pandemic,’ he told her.

She was silent for a moment. Then said, ‘And Ailsa’s story?’

‘That story has no ending as yet,’ he said. ‘I’d leave it alone for now, especially if you want to be accepted here.’

He’d tried to keep his tone even, but he could see that being told what she could or couldn’t write hadn’t gone down well with Joanne. He wondered if Caroline had included any of her thoughts on Ailsa during their conversation earlier, but couldn’t bring himself to ask.

As he pondered whether he should say any more on the subject, Malcolm appeared, his expression one of shock. Greg immediately asked him what was wrong.