He was conscious now of the dwindling signs of settlement and the increasing emptiness as they headed west. He decided not to pester her by talking, but left her to gaze silently out of the window at the beautiful but daunting landscape.

Eventually she said, ‘This is amazing.’ She turned a stunned gaze on him. ‘I had no idea that it was so beautiful.’ She shook her head. ‘Of course, I’ve seen lots of photographs, but they don’t do the Highlands justice.’

He smiled his joy at that. ‘Wait until you see the view from Beanach.’

‘That’s your home. You told me Beanach was Gaelic for “blessing”.’

‘I’m impressed you remember that part of the evening,’ he said honestly.

She laid a hand on his thigh. ‘I remember all of it.’

After that he’d given her a running commentary on the hills, lochs, rivers and hamlets they’d driven through, which she seemed truly interested in. When they took the final turn-off towards Blackrig, he explained that the main road ended at the village. ‘There’s no other route in.’

He slowed as they reached the English–Gaelic sign for Blackrig. Laughingly, she attempted the Gaelic version, An Druim Dubh, with little success.

He corrected her. ‘You’ll have to learn to roll your Rs and ignore half the letters,’ he added with a smile.

As they passed the now-discarded road barriers sporting the words KEEP OUT, PANDEMIC and LOCKDOWN, he explained.

‘We had problems with campervans, and folk from south trying to outrun the virus,’ he said. ‘Hence the barriers, which were manned twenty-four seven.’

‘And did it work?’

‘Up to a point,’ he said.

Entering the village, he gave her the short, express tour. ‘On the left, the church and the village hall. On the right, the Blackrig Arms, our local hotel and pub, and the primary school. The older pupils have a bit further to travel, back the way we came. Plus the all-important village shop, which saved us during the pandemic when we couldn’t get to the supermarket in Inverness. I need to stop for milk,’ he added, drawing up outside the little shop, where a large chalked sign displayed the message: VISITORS TO BLACKRIG MUST WEAR A MASK AND SANITIZE HANDS BEFORE ENTRY

Joanne looked askance at it as she climbed out of the vehicle. ‘Maybe I should just wait outside?’

‘No, I need to introduce you to the village and this is the quickest way.’

He kissed her firmly on the mouth before putting her mask on. Then, squeezing some gel into his own hands, he massaged hers and led her inside.

He knew there was every chance that Caroline would be behind the Perspex screen, and he wasn’t wrong. She looked up on his entry and gave him a big smile, then she caught sight of the masked Joanne.