Coming Home to the Highlands, page 7
He walked towards her and rubbed his hands down his jeans. ‘I’ve changed a wee bit. And you were taller than me the last time I saw you.’
The closer he got, the more realisation began to set in. ‘No way,’ she whispered and her heart skipped as she wondered why on earth she hadn’t put two and two together before now.
‘Aye, and I’ve a few less spots these days, thankfully.’
‘Brodie MacLeod?’ she asked without trying to hide the disdain in her voice.
His expression crumpled. ‘You needn’t sound so happy about it.’
‘I can’t say I am happy. I’d heard you were back but… you’re right, you’ve changed.’
‘For the better, I think,’ he said with a stroke to his chin and one eyebrow raised.
Olivia curled her lip. ‘Only externally, I see.’ She turned to walk away.
‘You’ve changed too,’ he said, and she stopped in her tracks, possibly out of some idiotic hope that he might say something nice. ‘I think you must have stopped growing not long after I saw you last. No more giraffe legs, eh?’
Okay, so she was expecting too much. What do they say about leopards? She huffed and stormed off in the direction of the gate, closely followed by Marley, of course.
‘Hey, come on, I’m only joking around. It’s good to see you. You look… well.’
‘Gee, thanks,’ she replied over her shoulder without stopping, unwilling to accept any kind of veiled compliment from such a hypocrite.
‘Hey! What’s wrong? Have I offended you somehow?’ he called after her, his voice tinged with a little of what sounded like hurt, but she chose not to reply. Instead, she decided to return to the garden later when she’d have more privacy. She wasn’t in the mood to be insulted and made fun of.
She was jarringly sent back to the time he had lived nearby and she was reminded of how that rat bag had broken her heart. Brodie MacLeod was someone she had lived without for fifteen years and she would be happy to continue that way.
At 8.30 a.m., Olivia sat on the bed in Harper’s hotel room as Harper checked her passport for the hundredth time.
‘So, he was your first love?’ Harper said, clutching her hands over her heart.
Olivia made an unladylike snorting sound. ‘Yeah, until I woke up and realised what a shit he was.’
Harper tilted her head. ‘Allow me to translate; you never got over him and your feelings for him have been hiding in the depths of your soul since you were fourteen.’
Olivia huffed. ‘Maybe.’
‘So, ask him out! How cool would that be? It sounds like he’s changed. Maybe this is your time?’
‘You’ve got to be kidding me. After the way he treated me? No chance. Some things are too hard to forgive.’
Harper ruffled Olivia’s hair. ‘Nawww. You definitely have the hots for him. It’s so clear in the way you talk about him.’
‘I certainly don’t. He’s the last person I’d fancy. Even if he does look like Keanu Reeves and have dimples when he smiles.’ She flopped back onto the bed. ‘Oh god, Harper, it’s useless. Why is he here? He really did break my heart and when you’re fourteen, that has a massive impact on your life.’
Harper tapped her thumb to her chin. ‘Carrie Cohen was mine. We were both fourteen. And yeah, you’re right, you never truly get over it. But she’s married with three kids now and she’s so wrinkly and real angry looking. I think I’m well out of that.’ She laughed. ‘Seriously, though, the guy had the decency to attend your mom’s funeral. Maybe he’s trying to make amends.’
‘I doubt that. Anyway, enough about Brodie MacLeod. Give me a hug.’ Harper sat and embraced her. ‘I wish you’d have stayed at the castle. And I wish you could stay longer,’ Olivia said, fighting back tears.
‘It didn’t feel right to stay there. I know I’m always welcome, but it felt like you needed to be there to grieve. And Kerr hates me. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m gay or American. Or maybe it’s that I’m a gay American. Anyway, when are you coming home?’
‘I’m coming home as soon as I possibly can. I’m already missing work. And I’ll miss you more.’
Harper rested her forehead on hers. ‘I know, sweetie. I’ll miss you too and I wish I could stay longer but Nina needs me back to shoot the fall accessories collection, you know how far in advance these things need to be done. You’re needed here for now and Nina totally gets it, so don’t go worrying about rushing back, okay?’
Olivia nodded. ‘I know but I want to come back soon. You’ll call me when you get home, won’t you? No matter what time it is.’
Harper placed a hand on each of Olivia’s shoulders. ‘No matter what time.’ She crouched before her. ‘Will you be okay here on your own? I mean, I know Bella and Skye are in the city but… Will you be okay?’
Olivia smiled. ‘Now who’s worrying? I’ll be fine. The will reading is tomorrow and then I’ll be booking my flight home. I’ll stay a few days to catch up with Skye and Bella, but I can’t imagine there’ll be much point me staying here for longer than a week. I can’t say I’m thrilled about the prospect of watching my brother make plans to demolish the castle.’
Harper’s eyes widened. ‘You don’t truly think he’d do that, do you?’
Olivia wished she could confidently answer in the negative, but the truth was she wouldn’t put anything past him. ‘I think he will do what he thinks is best for him and sod the rest of us. That’s why I’ll be back to New York as soon as I can get a decent flight.’
The phone on the nightstand rang and Harper answered it. ‘Sure, thanks. I’ll be right down.’ She hung up and turned to Olivia. ‘My cab is here.’
The sinking feeling that had become all too familiar to Olivia happened again. ‘What time is your flight?’
‘Ten after eleven. Then from Heathrow to Boston and onto New York. It’s going to be a long-ass day.’ She huffed. ‘And I’ll no doubt look like death when I get back to the office. Jet lag is bound to kick my ass at some point, even after such a fast turnaround.’
Olivia stood and hugged her best friend tightly once more. ‘I know and I’m so sorry you’re having to make this journey again so soon. But I really appreciate you coming over to be with me.’
Harper reciprocated the hug. ‘Hey, I didn’t mean to lay a guilt trip on you, sweetie. I wouldn’t have let you go through this alone. Sisters from another mister, right?’
Olivia smiled as she pulled away. ‘Absolutely.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘I’d better get back to Drumblair anyway. Mirren might need her car.’
‘How come you’re in Mirren’s car?’
‘Ugh, because I didn’t want to get the driver to bring me in Mum’s. I’m not performing a state visit. And I never liked driving Dad’s Land Rover. He adored that car but it has no power steering and I don’t have the muscles for it.’
Harper nodded. ‘Fair points.’
The friends walked down the stairs to the reception area and hugged a final time.
‘Take care of you, okay?’ Harper said as she tucked Olivia’s hair behind her ear. ‘And be brave.’ The driver took her case and put it in the boot of the taxi.
Olivia nodded and wiped escaped tears from her cheeks. ‘I will. I love you.’
‘I love you too,’ Harper replied before climbing into the car.
Olivia watched and waved as the taxi pulled around the hotel’s sweeping driveway and disappeared into the distance, then she walked across the car park to her borrowed vehicle, Mirren’s racing green mini. She climbed in and started the engine. As the car’s radio sprang to life, she was greeted by Snow Patrol’s ‘Run’. The lyrics hit a little too close to home and all she could see in her mind’s eye was her mother’s smiling face. The pain in her heart was too much and stole her breath. She had to sit for a while and allow herself to cry, to let out the anguish and emotion she had been desperately trying to keep in check but failing miserably to do so. Feeling more alone than she ever had, she released the handbrake and put her foot on the accelerator.
It was time to go home.
5
At 11 a.m. the following day, Olivia sat in her father’s study, a room she hadn’t much been in since his death. Uncle Innes walked in with the family lawyer, Alasdair McKendrick, who had travelled all the way from his office in Edinburgh. Shortly after, Kerr walked through the door, closely followed by Adaira. Olivia glanced up at Uncle Innes and Alasdair, who were exchanging annoyed glances.
Alasdair cleared his throat. ‘Mr MacBain, may I speak with you in private?’
Kerr smoothed down his tie and looked at Adaira, who stood to his left. ‘No need. You can say whatever you wish in front of my Adaira.’ Adaira glanced around the room smugly.
Uncle Innes stepped forward. ‘Kerr, this is a family matter. That is immediate family only.’
Kerr snarled, ‘So why are you here?’
Uncle Innes’s nostril flared. ‘You know very well I’m the executor. And I’m afraid Ms Wallace is not immediate family so cannot be a part of this meeting.’
Adaira smiled sweetly at Innes and fluttered her eyelashes. ‘I won’t make a peep. You won’t know I’m here. I’ll sit—’
‘Look, I’m sorry, Ms Wallace, but you need to leave,’ Alasdair said quite forcefully. ‘Anything that Kerr wishes to tell you after this proceeding is entirely up to him, but please could both of you have respect for Olivia? This is a family matter and as you are not yet married, that does not include Ms Wallace.’
Adaira huffed and stormed out of the room. Kerr’s attention followed her, and once she had gone, he barked, ‘Well done! That was completely unnecessary! We already know the outcome of this stupid meeting, so all this is is a confirmation of the obvious. I had no issue with her being here and I’m the beneficiary, so what has it got to do with all of you?’
‘Please, Kerr, just sit down and let’s get this over with so you can go back to Adaira,’ Olivia pleaded.
He glared at her for a moment and then took the seat beside her.
Kerr huffed and mumbled, ‘Feels like we’ve been summoned by the bloody headmaster.’ No one replied or acknowledged his petulant comment.
Uncle Innes took a seat behind her father’s desk and Alasdair sat on a leather chair slightly further back than her uncle and to the right. Father’s old TV still remained on its dark oak stand in the other corner, a TV on which Olivia had watched old family movies from her father’s lap. Innes proceeded to spread some documentation across the table, a serious, stoic expression on his face.
‘Look, is this going to take long? I’m a very busy man,’ Kerr insisted.
‘It will take as long as it takes, I’m afraid, Kerr,’ Innes replied, fixing him with a determined glare.
‘And why is the lawyer here? Surely this is all a formality. As I said, we all know what’s in the damned will anyway. This all seems a bit pointless.’
Olivia watched as Alasdair’s jaw clenched ever so slightly, almost imperceptible to the naked eye. ‘Mr MacBain, I understand you have things to do and so we will keep things as brief as we can, but this is not as straightforward as first expected.’
Kerr rolled his eyes but quietened down and pulled out his mobile phone. He began to tap away at the screen and chuckled every so often at whatever he was looking at. Olivia thought him rude but then he had always been so.
‘Okay, so…’ Innes began. ‘This is a little unusual and frankly something I have only ever seen in films, but along with her signed and witnessed will, Freya has left a recorded message that she has requested you watch first.’ He gave a wry smile. ‘Of course, it’s on DVD and my laptop doesn’t have a DVD slot so…’ He gestured towards the TV on the stand. ‘Anyway, the video contains the same information as the will itself, but Freya felt she wanted to explain her decisions directly. This was filmed last year, just before Christmas, at your mother’s request. Once the camera equipment was set up, Freya was left alone to record the message.’
At this point Alasdair interjected. ‘Now there is no such thing as a video will here in the UK, so this is simply a message of explanation. The will documentation is what’s legally binding and I can confirm your mother took all the necessary steps to ensure the legality and authenticity of the document.’
Kerr huffed again. ‘Good grief, anyone would think you were right, Olivia, and that she’s left the lot to charity!’ He chuckled and shook his head. ‘I mean, seriously, why all this nonsense?’
‘I’d like to see Mum,’ Olivia said in a small but firm voice.
Innes smiled. ‘Of course.’ He picked up a remote control and pointed it at the old TV. It sparked to life and the beautiful face of Lady Freya MacBain could be seen, smiling from the screen. She wore her favourite Nina Picarro dress in deep blue that Olivia had gifted her with her first month’s pay cheque. Her Titian hair was streaked with grey and as neatly styled as always. Her make-up was subtle, and she looked every inch the lady that she was. She was seated on the red leather Chesterfield couch that sat in the window of the very room they were in, and Marley was curled up in the seat beside her. Olivia glanced over to the couch and longed to see her mother there now. But, of course, that wasn’t to be.
‘My darlings,’ Freya began with a smile. ‘I’ve seen things like this done on those American movies and always thought it seemed a bit melodramatic, but perhaps this is my way of achieving the dream of being a movie star…’ She smoothed down the lap of her dress and her smile faltered before she clasped her fingers together. ‘Anyway… I shouldn’t joke because if you’re watching this, then I’m gone.’
An involuntary sob escaped from Olivia’s chest as her heart ached at seeing her mother alive and well, despite her words. She longed to hug her one more time and to see that smile in real life. Tears streamed down her face, and she swiped them away quickly, trying to eradicate the blurring they caused so she could see her mother more clearly. Uncle Innes stood and walked around the table to hand her a pristine white handkerchief. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
Her mother continued. ‘Now… you should have been informed that this is not the legal will but simply a message I wanted to relay to explain my reasons and the difficult decisions I’ve had to make.
‘First of all, you will no doubt soon discover that the castle is in a terrible state of disrepair. I want to apologise for not being more honest with you both on this matter. I didn’t want you to worry, you see. This is your family home, and you should always be able to return here; to have a roof over your head, no matter what. But these last few years have been the most difficult. There are things that need to be done to the castle to ensure the MacBain legacy carries on. I was hoping to be able to deal with this myself, but I feared that I might not live to see it happen. At the time I’m recording this message, I have just been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Apparently, stress doesn’t help, but how do you run a castle without stress, that’s what I’d like to know? Anyway, I’ve been ordered to take things easy but, of course, I won’t be doing that. This old place meant the world to your father, and it must remain intact. It simply must.’
Olivia glanced sideways at Kerr as he tugged at the collar of his shirt and fidgeted in his seat. He was clearly feeling a certain amount of discomfort, knowing his own plans for the place, and the changes he had already begun to make.
‘Now… Kerr, my dear. I know how much you love Drumblair Villa, and you have made a home there. So, of course, that house and all the furniture is now yours. I hope that you will continue to live there happily and that perhaps one day you may even have a family of your own, so the corridors and rooms are filled with as much love and happiness as we’ve had there ourselves.’
Kerr smiled and looked across at Olivia. He reached out and patted her hand. ‘Sorry, Olivia. I really thought it was going to be yours. But this makes things a little more straightforward, at least. You know you’re always welcome to come and stay when you come over to Scotland…’ he shrugged, ‘if you ever come back over, of course.’ He turned back to face the TV.
‘Now, my dear Olivia… you always made your father and me proud with the way you stood up for what you believed in. We admired the way you fought for your dream of working in fashion. And we know that’s where your true passion lies. So, through a trust fund that was started when you were a child, we have made provision for you to have your own place in New York. The policy matured a while ago and just recently I employed a realtor to find a place. The timing couldn’t have been better. I think you’ll love it. It’s a duplex on the Upper East Side which we were informed was the best location for you to be. Because I don’t know at what point you will be watching this, the place may have been sitting empty for a while, but it has been looked after. And this way, you get to continue your dream…’
Olivia gasped and covered her mouth. Her own place just handed to her? That’s not something she had ever asked for, nor expected. She wasn’t like Kerr at all. She knew the world didn’t owe her anything. When she left for New York, she did so without accepting the handouts she was offered by her parents. Her mother had tried to insist she bought her a home, but Olivia refused, telling her mother to use the money for something she wanted. Now she knew where the money was going to come from, and things fell into place. But Olivia had always wanted to make it by herself and had achieved so much more than she had ever expected to. She wasn’t sure she wanted this.
Freya leaned towards the screen. ‘Now, Olivia, I know you’re going to be cross with me over this. Your father and I always admired your tenacity and willingness to stand on your own two feet and we were happy to allow this until we were no longer around to support you if you did ever need us. But now we are both gone please, allow us this little indulgence. We will rest easier.’ There was a pause as Freya inhaled a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. ‘Because it may only be temporary if things go according to plan.’
Olivia scrunched her brow. What did her mother mean by that? It seemed a little cryptic.
