Chapter Six
Mats stared at Thea. ‘What did you say?’ he asked slowly. The only competition for their voices came from the wind rattling dead leaves along the ground and mewing seagulls swooping above.
Thea’s chin was set and her eyes were defiant. Red ear defenders dangled from her fingers and a leaf blower leant against her because she’d been clearing a pathway. She was perfectly white. ‘If the Garden Gladiators people come, then I go,’ she repeated flatly. But then her eyes filled with tears. ‘I left that life behind,’ she choked, then turned and blundered away between the hall and the west lawns, the leaf blower swinging wildly in her grip as she rounded the back of the grey-stone building.
He stared after her in disbelief. What was it with these Wynter sisters? Had nobody taught them the value – the common courtesy! – of explaining themselves? Slowly, he became aware of the wind cutting through his running gear, chilling the sweat on his body from his run. He turned towards the hall but headed for the front doors.
He crossed the lobby. Ezzie’s office was empty, so he couldn’t seek clarification from her.
Entering the family quarters, he jogged up to his room, dumped his sweaty workout clothes and stepped into a hot shower, soaping himself with quick, angry movements. He was hardly out and dressed when he heard a vehicle outside. A glance through one of the enormous windows showed him that his family and Josefin had arrived home, and he ran downstairs to meet them.
‘Pappa, Pappa.’ Astrid and Alvin raced towards him up the broad downstairs corridor.
He swooped them up, replying in Swedish despite his own best efforts to stick to English in the UK. ‘Had a good time?’
‘We went to the beach—’
‘There’s the sea and—’
‘Alvin put his foot in a pool—’
‘I put my foot in a pool,’ Alvin confirmed, and he and Astrid dissolved into giggles, while Josefin and Grete pulled off their coats.
Mats put the warm, breathless children down and turned them gently towards Josefin. ‘You go with Josefin for a few minutes. I have to talk to Farmor.’
Grete had been turning away, but now she paused and raised enquiring eyebrows.
While Josefin helped the children with their coats, he ushered his mum along the corridor to the home office at the front of the house, most often used by Erik to keep his finger on the pulse of his empire during visits to Rothach, and where there was a computer and printer.
Mats waited for Grete to take the chair behind the wooden desk. Between them, the Wynter sisters had rubbed him up the wrong way and he felt better pacing the floor. ‘I can’t understand some people,’ he snapped, barely giving Grete time to seat herself.
‘Your father again?’ she answered in dismay. ‘I had a long talk with him this morning and thought he was beginning to see why we need time away.’
Mats halted. ‘Pappa?’ he asked blankly. ‘No. Not him. Something that’s just happened.’
Grete relaxed back in her chair. ‘Tell me. If you can stop running around the room long enough,’ she added drily.
He took a deep breath. ‘We’ve been approached to use Rothach Hall’s gardens as a filming location for a gardening programme – for a fee that would mitigate some of Rothach’s running costs and probably increase visitor numbers. Did you know that Thea Wynter was a star of this show in the past?’
‘Yes,’ Grete answered hollowly.
Mats resumed pacing. ‘I mentioned it to Ezzie, and she looked at me as if I’d turned into a snake. She said – rudely – that her sister wouldn’t do it. So, I asked Thea myself and she was just as disrespectful, saying that if the filming people come, she’ll leave.’
‘Oh, Mats. ’ Grete’s hands flew to her face. ‘You should have spoken to me first. Last summer, Thea was stalked and harassed, here on our property , and it was linked with that show. We told you about it. Don’t you remember? Tavish was involved, which is why it was considered best if he left.’
Mats halted. He stared at Grete, a sinking feeling in his chest. ‘Remind me,’ he suggested quietly, and dropped into a chair.
Grete folded her hands. ‘Some time ago, Thea appeared on a popular reality gardening show located where she worked then. She crossed swords with a social media influencer, who followed her all the way to Skye. When she refused to co-operate with him on some campaign, he rallied social media against her. Erik threw the man off the estate and threatened him with the police. I know you’re impetuous, Mats, but Pappa and I protect our employees,’ Grete reproached him.
‘Oh. Shit.’ He winced as he remembered jumping on his high horse when Ezz and Thea didn’t immediately love the news he’d thrust at them. He rubbed his hand through hair, still damp from the shower. ‘Like the financial officer I am, I followed the money.’
Grete hesitated. ‘True. But employees are people. And … Mats? They’re not your employees. Rothach isn’t like Larsson Fiskeri, where you’re on the board. Rothach Hall belongs to Pappa and me.’
‘Shit,’ he groaned again, remembering the horror in Ezz’s blue eyes and the tears in Thea’s dark ones. ‘I overstepped. I’ll talk to them.’ He rose and rounded the desk to give Grete an apologetic hug.
But she hadn’t finished with him yet. ‘No,’ she said decisively. ‘It would be better for me to do it. Not only are they excellent employees of long-standing, deserving our consideration and respect, but, between them, they run this place. If we lose the Wynter sisters, it will be a disaster. I need to talk to Ezzie anyway, so I’ll explain that you didn’t have the full story, and she and I can speak to Thea together.’
Mats stared at his mother. ‘If it’s going to be a difficult conversation then I should stay,’ he objected, feeling worse by the second. ‘You don’t trust me?’
For once, Grete’s smile was nowhere to be seen. ‘I’m the best person for the task.’
Mats was left feeling like a naughty boy as she strode briskly out.
The gardeners’ room smelt of compost and chemical fertiliser. It was barely warmer than outdoors, but at least they were out of the freezing rain and blustering wind. Not having grabbed her coat before running out in search of Thea, Ezz huddled into her jacket. ‘If Mats insists on talking to the Garden Gladiators people, I’ll go over his head to Grete or Erik.’
Thea’s dark eyes were stormy yet fearful. ‘Don’t. I’ve already been rude to him, but there’s no reason for you to compromise your job as well. I’m not going on the telly ever again. I’ll just leave Rothach Hall.’
Ezzie’s stomach turned over. She didn’t treat Thea’s threat as idle, even knowing that abandoning the gardens she’d worked so hard to establish would break her heart. ‘If you go, I go,’ she promised grimly. ‘I know the family has only been on this winter visit for a couple of days but there’s a funny atmosphere. I’ve hardly seen Grete and, gorgeous or not, Mats seems every bit as entitled as his ex-wife.’ She wished now she hadn’t let his attractions even enter her mind, because now it felt like a lack of judgement. Bitterly, she added, ‘Feeling safe here hasn’t lasted long, has it? Bloody Mats Larsson’s like Tavish was – grab an idea and sod how anyone else feels.’
Thea nodded, expression bleak. ‘Erik might be blunt, but he’s caring. He gave me support when I needed it.’
The wind rattled the door latch as if trying to get in. Ezzie sighed. ‘We’d better get back to work, or we’ll be sacked anyway.’ She scooped Thea into a wordless hug, exchanging comfort with the one person who understood absolutely everything about her.
Then Ezz opened the door, careful the wind didn’t bash her in the face with it, and dashed across the rear courtyard with her head dipped against needle-like rain. Once indoors, she paused to straighten her jacket and smooth her hair before crossing the lobby. Orla looked up with her customary pleasant smile, her grey cardigan and skirt teamed with a smart white blouse, her light brown hair drawn back in a tight ponytail. Ezzie paused, trying to recover her usual easy interaction with staff members. ‘I’ve not found ten minutes to chat today. Did you and your husband enjoy your time off?’
Orla’s eyes brightened. ‘Aye, we stayed in Drumnadrochit, where the Loch Ness monster tourist stuff’s based. We loved it. It’s very pretty.’
‘It sounds as if I ought to put it on my list of places to visit.’ They chatted for another minute, Orla visibly buzzing after her winter break, then Ezzie returned to her office and tried to concentrate on the Rothach Hall website, intending to discuss updates with the designer. Instead, her attention strayed to the view through the tall, imposing windows, a vision forming of cameras and boom mics stalking Thea over the lawns like cats after a rat. Though it had once been an odd kind of thrill to see her composed, compact little sister on TV, chatting with another presenter or encouraging contestants in the gardening competition, that had been a different Thea, one who wore facial piercings and coloured streaks in a zany hairstyle. The idea of a more mature, natural Thea in the same role felt bizarre.
Never before had her personal loyalties intruded into her professional life, and she was frightened. Was their time on this glorious island to end? Wouldn’t Thea be here to see the flowerbeds bloom? Would Ezz soon be clearing her things from this burnished walnut desk? Would they move from Rothach village in search of new positions? The prospect of them finding jobs together again seemed slim. It had only happened here because Rothach had been recruiting hard after refurbishment.
A voice from the doorway made her jump. ‘Ezzie?’
Startled, Ezzie leapt to her feet, catching her elbow painfully on the desk. ‘Grete. I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you come in.’
Grete smiled, though her eyes behind her glasses were serious, her silver fringe sweeping her forehead. Carefully, she closed the door behind her and then pulled up a chair, seating herself before gazing expectantly at Ezzie.
Slowly, Ezzie sat too, her thoughts awhirl. Was Grete here to finally discuss Christmas? Ezzie’s pad was already full of suggestions about the Christmas visitor activities Grete had once seemed so keen to try out. Or was it camera crews? Was Ezzie going to have to take a stand against Garden Gladiators that would make all her fears come true? A lump lodged in her throat.
‘You must not worry,’ Grete began softly. ‘I will tell the television company that we at Rothach are not interested in their show.’
Keyed up to hear the worst, Ezz could scarcely believe her ears. Hot waves of relief made her dizzy. Her vision blurred with boiling tears.
Grete, clearly understanding the choked silence, reached forward to pat Ezzie’s hand. ‘Mats did not know the story. Erik sometimes grumbles about the costs of Rothach and the accountant in Mats responded.’
Ezzie nodded, in an agony of embarrassment at being unable to offer a business-friendly smile and her usual ‘Of course.’ Instead, she rose unsteadily and crossed to the coffee machine in the corner. Searching through the pods for the cappuccino she knew was Grete’s favourite, she managed to grab a handful of the tissues and discreetly mop her eyes, glad of waterproof mascara. She made two cappuccinos and, by the time she returned to her desk, was in command of herself.
Taking her cue, Grete proceeded as if the last few minutes had never been. ‘If we are to offer Christmas events this year, we must approach hotels soon.’
Ezz pulled her pad closer. ‘I’ve selected six good hotels on Skye that offer Christmas breaks. And a list of activities that could be arranged in the time available, like a lantern walk with a special café menu to follow.’
They discussed their ideas, but, finally, Grete sat back with a grimace. ‘We have left it late to persuade people to travel here for a walk in the dark and haggis.’ She twinkled ruefully. ‘It is better left for next year. But I would like to see more of Rothach Hall dressed for Christmas. It is our first Scottish Christmas. A tree in the lobby, and another in the family lounge. A lot of lights.’ She swept an arc with her arms, as if encompassing a host of bling.
‘I’ll ask Thea to choose the trees from the grounds,’ Ezz agreed, unbalanced by how suddenly the usually rational Grete had dropped her business ideas for this year.
Grete’s expression lightened. ‘And ask Thea to join us now. Telephone her, please. Perhaps more cappuccino?’
Ezz made the call and in three minutes, Thea was knocking on the door, a polite mask not doing a great job of disguising her apprehension and anxiety.
Grete rose, looked straight into Thea’s angry, fearful eyes and apologised simply and sincerely, as she had to Ezz.
‘Oh,’ said Thea, every muscle in her body visibly relaxing. ‘Um, thank you. That’s a massive relief.’ The look she threw at Ezz was full of astonished delight. In no time, they were sipping cosily and discussing Christmas trees.
‘I look forward to a big family gathering in December,’ Grete said. ‘You have Christmas plans together perhaps?’ She motioned between the sisters with her finger.
Aware that her time off over the festive season bore a hovering question mark, Ezz just smiled, but Thea put down her cup and beamed. ‘Our sister Valentina will be here, and then we’ll go to her home for Hogmanay. We’re very excited because she’s bought a cottage in the village as a holiday home. She’s visiting one weekend soon, isn’t she, Ezz?’
Reminded that she hadn’t yet talked to Grete about having a weekend off, or to Orla about making herself available to fulfil any family requests, especially as Orla was presently rostered off on Sunday herself, Ezz answered, ‘That’s right.’
When Thea’s role in the tree discussion was over, Ezz was left with Grete. It seemed a good opportunity, though her online course hadn’t prepared her for this exact situation. She took a breath. ‘I’m hoping to ask your view on something.’ Then the planned explanation of the downtime situation tumbled out in an awkward rush.
Grete’s silvery eyebrows rose above her glasses in dismay. ‘Of course, you must take your time off. I am sorry this was never discussed.’ Embarrassed colour stained her cheeks. ‘I have been wrapped up in our arrival and did not realise you were here too much. It will be good if Orla could cover your absences, but we will need very little apart from housekeeping.’ Grete rose, her usual twinkle back in place. ‘A little more money for Orla, I think. Let me know what is appropriate.’
‘Of course.’ Ezz beamed in relief, rising to walk Grete to the door, grateful that her world felt back on its axis. She waited for the family door to close behind Grete, then, feeling ten times lighter than a couple of hours ago, smiled at Orla, sitting behind the reception desk. ‘Can you come into my office a moment, please?’
Orla looked anxious but hurried to follow as Ezz settled herself behind the desk. Ezz began, ‘I’ve been speaking to Mrs Larsson about arrangements while the family’s here. As we don’t have our new assistant manager yet, I’m hoping you can cover my days off. It will mean a small salary increase—’
But she got no further. Orla clasped her hands and blurted, ‘Ezz, I’m sorry. I’m to hand in my notice. We visited Drumnadrochit so my husband could attend a job interview. He’s just heard this morning that he was successful. His new boss’s husband works at the Loch Ness Centre and thinks there might be a vacancy for me. We’re to leave before Christmas.’
Ezz’s buoyancy faded into a second of dismayed silence. With an effort, she summoned a smile. ‘That’s a surprise, but congratulations. I hope you’ll both be happy in your new jobs.’
But this news, on a day of seesawing emotions when she’d crashed from anger at Mats Larsson’s big ideas, to fear she’d have to leave her job, and then into relief that Grete’s calm hand of authority had prevailed.
For once, she just wanted to go home and shut herself away.