CHAPTER TWO
Innis locked his cake shop up for the night. He’d left the Christmas lights on along with a few spotlights that illuminated the cakes and chocolates on display. Beautifully iced cakes decorated with flowers made from fondant icing had festive bows tied around them. Some were traditional fruit cakes while others were vanilla sponges filled with buttercream, and strawberry cakes. Glacé fruit cupcakes were popular for Christmas and the red and green cherries and other fruits glistened under the lights. His chocolate Yule logs were rich with chocolate icing and decorated with fondant holly.
The cake shop exterior was painted pale vanilla with touches of soft pink, creating a pretty pastel look. Hanging baskets were filled with flowers during the warmer months, but were taken down in the winter and lanterns were hung up that gave a welcoming glow to the shop.
He got into his car and drove off, glancing at the knitting shop lit up and sensing the buzz of activity at the back of the shop where the bee nights were held. Skye would be there.
It was after seven o’clock and he’d worked late baking cakes for the following day and inevitable early start. Fortunately, he loved baking and making chocolates so he felt no hardship in his schedule.
Often he liked to walk up to the highest hill after closing the cake shop to admire the view of the small town and distant villages along the coast and glistening sea. The fairytale castle and its estate, that included thistle loch and forget–me–not waterfall, could be viewed from the hilltop. Lights from the outlying islands twinkled far off in the distance. The golden hour skies with their amber, pink and lilac glow created mellow twilights where he enjoyed unwinding before heading home to the castle. He could’ve done with this tonight, to think what he wanted to do regarding Skye. But there was no time to meander up into the hills.
Driving home to the castle along the coast road, he thought about the meeting he had that evening with his brothers to decide about the ball. Skye’s comments replayed in his mind, and the way her trusting blue eyes had looked at him, hopeful that there would be a Christmas ball, made his heart ache. Instead of time easing the intensity of his feelings for her, the past few weeks of being separated due to work had increased his longing to be with her.
Glancing out the window, the shimmering flat calm of the silvery sea made the outlying islands look so far away. They were part of the reason why the island enjoyed a temperate climate, sheltering it from the fierce winds and rain. Mild springs and warm summers were followed by glorious autumn days, before the winter kicked in. Frosty days at best. Rainstorms at their worst. Smirry rain that blanketed the coast in ethereal grey mist, and hailstones that penetrated everything except the depths of the forests. The warrior trees, as they were known, the tall, dark pines around the edges of the castle gardens, looked like silhouettes of ancient warriors guarding the castle from invaders, shielding the castle from the worst of the rain.
But nothing could shield the island, or the castle, from the depths of the winter snow. Plenty of snow fell throughout December and January, ensuring a winter wonderland for the festive season.
Once the first flurry sprinkled the island with a light dusting of flakes, it was a whiteout all the way to the New Year and beyond. Rain would inevitably dent the white perfection when it dowsed the land in torrents, but the snow soon filled in the gaps, resulting again in the perfect festive snow scene.
Heading away from the coast and up into the depths of the forest road that led to the castle’s estate, he wondered if he should forgo getting involved with Skye. His feelings already ran deeper than he’d ever felt, and seemed to build as time went on. Seeing her earlier made him want to ask her to have dinner with him...and take it from there. He knew where it would lead him. He thought he knew where it would lead her. And that was the problem. Don’t break her heart was a warning issued to him throughout his adult life when it came to dating.
He wasn’t the type to flirt and play around a lot. But he’d unintentionally broken a fair few hearts, and had his broken once three years ago by a woman he thought he could trust, until she cheated on him then upped and left him and went home to the city, citing that island life, especially with him, wasn’t for her. His heart had mended and he realised that his ex–girlfriend hadn’t been the one for him.
But where did that leave Skye? And him?
He shrugged off his doubts and inner turmoil as he drove up to the castle that was bordered by the warrior trees silhouetted against the wintry night sky filled with stars.
The fairytale castle glowed with lights and activity. A festive dinner was being held for guests in the function room. Lit with chandeliers, it had an expensive ballroom quality to it.
Hurrying past reception and side–stepping guests milling around and heading in for dinner, he ran up the private staircase that led to his suite of rooms that he called home. Along the hallway on the same upper floor, Finlay and Ean lived too, with Ean housed at the back of the castle, while Finlay and Innis had a view of the coast and the sea from their windows at the front of the castle. Finlay had the added benefit of access to one of the turrets. The other turret was part of his parents’ accommodation.
The castle’s decor was stylish, tastefully designed, with plush tartan carpeting in shades of dark grey and black. Oak beams were set against the white and beige walls, and table lamps created a welcoming glow.
Paintings depicting the castle and estate hung on the walls. The countryside and seascapes in both oils and watercolours dated back to the original pieces owned by the castle, but other recent work, including those painted by Ean, brought touches of modern classic art to the decor.
Innis’ private quarters consisted of luxury furnishings in shades of winter grey, white and beige. The living room had a plush, pale grey carpet, stylish couch and chairs, an oak desk where he kept his silver laptop and business paperwork, wall–mounted television, and lamps strategically placed to create a relaxing ambiance.
The view from the window stretched all the way from the gardens at the front of the castle to the sea and distant islands way beyond. He liked to look out at it at the end of a hectic day, or when his thoughts troubled him. It was a well–used view.
A door led through to the bedroom with its en suite bathroom, both sizeable and luxurious. Grey silk sheets adorned his double bed, and antique style wardrobes housed his plentiful suits and expensive casual wear.
His kilts and accoutrements including two sporrans — one with a silver chain, were kept in a separate wardrobe. He had ghillie shirts in white, cream and black that laced up the front to reveal his strong chest. There were other dress shirts, waistcoats and cropped jackets, and skean dhus that tucked into his thick woollen socks.
Innis changed out of his chef’s baking attire and into expensive trousers, shirt and tie. Often he’d wear his kilt, especially for the ceilidh nights, but this evening his suited look was fine. With guests being in the castle on a permanent basis, Innis and his brothers didn’t do casual when it came to clothes. They dressed well whenever they were likely to encounter the guests, particularly in the evenings for dinner and parties.
He looked at himself in the mirror as he straightened his grey silk tie — and thought about Skye. Yes, the problem was he liked Skye, really liked her. She was a lovely, kind, sweet, fun–loving, hardworking and beautiful young woman.
The warning played again in his thoughts.
Don’t break her heart...
‘A box of luxury chocolates!’ Elspeth exclaimed as the tea was being made in the knitting shop’s small kitchen area. The room at the back of the knitting shop was set up with tables and chairs for the knitting bee night. The patio doors leading on to the garden were closed to keep the room cosy. ‘Is Innis trying to sweeten us up?’
Elspeth wore her blonde hair in a neat ponytail, and her trim figure suited the blue jeans and white jumper she was wearing. Her Aunt Morven was at a whisky tasting evening with her boyfriend, Donall. But there were plenty of bee members to help set up the tables and chairs for the knitting bee, and make the tea. Everyone joined in and there was always a happy and lively atmosphere with lots of knitting and crafting along with the tea and chatter.
‘Innis can ply me with chocolates all he wants.’ Rowen picked a chocolate truffle and popped it in her mouth. Her long red hair hung in silky waves around her shoulders and her pale complexion and green eyes suited the lilac, hand–knitted jumper she was wearing. She’d been dating Rory, a local builder in his late twenties, since they’d both taken part in the fashion show. Neither of them had experience in modelling, but they made an attractive young couple, and had been dating since that night.
The knitting bee members shared their skills and craft items — everything from new yarn to fabric for quilting, and patterns and techniques.
Elspeth and her Aunt Morven lived above the shop in the converted two–storey property. The shop stocked an extensive range of yarns, knitting needles and other haberdashery accessories. Like her aunt, Elspeth was an expert knitter, but the bee nights had encouraged her to get back into sewing, quilting and dressmaking.
Knitting jumpers, hats and scarves for the winter were a popular choice during the evening.
Rowen had brought along samples of her new yarn. She spun her own range of yarn that she sold from home and in the knitting shop. The samples were enough to try out the texture and quality of the double–knitting yarn.
Ailsa came hurrying in. ‘Sorry I’m late. I was dealing with orders at my shop.’ Ailsa owned the local craft shop nearby, and modelled knitwear and fashion part–time to boost her shop earnings. She had a long, dark bob, a lovely pale complexion and azure blue eyes. Ean had been in love with her for a while and she’d recently started dating him. She shrugged her coat off and hung it over the back of her chair, flopping down, and pulling the embroidery she was working on from her craft bag.
Rosabel and Primrose carried two trays of tea and cakes through and sat them down for the ladies to help themselves.
Primrose had been knitting a Fair Isle jumper. ‘I usually have my winter jumpers knitted by now, but we’ve been so busy this past wee while looking after the cake shop while Innis was away. Not that I’m complaining. We ran our own bakery shop for over thirty years, so it was fun running the shop by ourselves.’
‘We even added a couple of our secret recipes, ones that even Innis doesn’t know about, to the cakes on offer,’ said Rosabel. ‘Customers liked them.’
Skye helped serve the cakes and chocolate scones she’d contributed, while other ladies had brought home baking to the bee.
‘I heard that Innis ran after you with the box of chocolates,’ Nettie said to Skye. In her forties, Nettie was knitting a jumper for her husband Shuggie, a local taxi driver.
‘He said the chocolates were for the knitting bee night,’ Skye explained. ‘They’re his latest selection. I think he’s looking for feedback, so remember to tell him if you like them when you’re in his cake shop.’
‘Did he ask you out?’ Rosabel said to Skye, eager to know what happened between the two of them.
‘No!’ Skye fussed with the tea and cakes and tried not to blush. ‘Nothing like that.’
Primrose frowned. ‘He ran after you fast enough.’
‘Well, he didn’t even hint at asking me out,’ said Skye.
‘What happened between the two of you?’ Nettie said to Skye. ‘It was obvious he had a fancy for you at the fashion show.’
‘Nothing happened,’ Skye told her. ‘After the show Holly and I had invited some of our friends who’d attended the show to come back to our house for a girls’ night, a sleepover. We’d promised them we’d do that, so I couldn’t waltz off with Innis even if I’d wanted to. And then the following day my phone was ringing off the hook and offers for modelling work were coming in.’ She sighed and shrugged. ‘So I grabbed the chances that were offered. So did Holly.’
‘We took it in turns to go away on assignments while one of us stayed to look after the dress shop,’ Holly told them.
‘Then with Innis being away on his chocolatier business, the closeness was lost,’ said Skye. ‘And you all know what he’s like. Innis isn’t one for showing his true feelings unless he’s being grumpy. He’s quite prickly at times.’
‘Take it from us, Skye, he really likes you,’ Primrose assured her. ‘The two of you just need a chance to get close again.’
‘What about the fairytale ball?’ said Elspeth. ‘Is the gossip true that Innis and his brothers are holding a ball this Christmas at the castle?’
Skye shook her head. ‘I asked him, but it doesn’t seem likely. He’s meeting with Finlay and Ean tonight to discuss it.’
‘A ball would be great,’ Holly said, looking hopeful. ‘We’ve got the offer of wonderful ball gowns from one of our suppliers. A job lot, so we’d be able to sell them as real bargains.’
‘They have this gorgeous pink ball gown,’ Skye enthused.
‘I’ve never been to a ball,’ Elspeth told them.
None of them had.
Skye picked up the red jumper she was knitting and started working on it while they all chatted.
‘How are you and Brodrick getting on? Any hint of an engagement?’ Rosabel said to Elspeth.
A blush rose in Elspeth’s cheeks. ‘No, but we’re getting along fine.’
‘The two of you really hit it off,’ Primrose commented. ‘We’ve been thinking that a Christmas engagement could be in Brodrick’s plans.’
‘No,’ said Elspeth, though she wished this was true. ‘Brodrick’s been busy with his cafe bar and even busier now during Christmastime.’
Brodrick’s cafe bar was next door to the knitting shop, and after the bee nights, Elspeth always popped in for a late night supper with him.
The conversation circled back round to Innis and Skye when a voice interrupted their evening.
‘Knock, knock!’ Lyle called to them seconds before his cheery face appeared from the front of the shop. ‘Can I come in, ladies?’
‘Yes, come on in,’ said Elspeth.
Lyle owned the popular vintage style tea shop nearby. He was in his late twenties, fairly tall, a fine looking man with light brown hair and hazel eyes with a mischievous twinkle. Having trained as a patisserie chef, he’d taken over the tea shop when his grandparents retired, and so far he’d made a success of it with his new recipes and sheer hard work.
‘I come bearing fairy cakes,’ Lyle announced. He wore a white shirt, black trousers and a chef’s apron, and was carrying a large white box filled with cakes. ‘I wanted to ask a favour. These are my new recipes for Christmas. Would you try them and tell me if you like the flavours? I’ve added gingerbread spice, apricot brandy and various other festive flavours.’
Elspeth pretended to sigh wearily. ‘I suppose we could force ourselves to try your new recipes.’
Giggling, the other ladies joined in the fun and helped themselves to the cakes.
‘Was that Innis I overheard you gossiping about when I came in?’ said Lyle, determined to hang around.
‘We were just talking about him and Skye,’ said Rosabel. ‘We’re hoping he’ll ask Skye out on a date.’
‘Rosabel!’ Skye playfully scolded her.
‘Well, it’s true,’ Rosabel insisted. ‘We think he’s too stubborn to ask her out and needs some encouragement.’
‘It’s a tricky situation,’ said Lyle. ‘We think—’
‘We?’ Skye cut–in.
‘Yes, me, Rory, Brodrick, Shuggie, and a few other men,’ Lyle explained.
The women looked surprised.
‘Don’t look so surprised,’ Lyle told them. ‘We gossip as much as you lot do.’
‘So what do you think?’ Skye prompted him.
Lyle saw a light flash outside in the back garden, but distracted the women with his conversation, hoping they hadn’t noticed it.
‘Well...’ Lyle began, ‘we think that Innis won’t ask Skye out because he likes her.’
Holly frowned. ‘That makes no sense.’
Ailsa agreed. ‘Why wouldn’t he ask her if he likes her?’
‘Because he doesn’t want to hurt her if things go awry. He could break her heart, and we think he doesn’t want to do that,’ said Lyle. ‘With a man like Innis, it’s all or nothing.’
Skye wanted Lyle to clarify. ‘You mean...’
Lyle nodded. ‘If Innis asks you out to dinner, a romantic dinner date, he’s in it for the long haul. No half measures in his world.’
Rosabel and Primrose agreed with this.
‘He’d be looking at marriage,’ said Primrose.
‘We think he’s ready to settle down,’ Lyle added.
Before they could discuss this further, Rory bounded in, looking fit and strong, all broad shoulders under his denim shirt, and lean–hipped in pale blue denim jeans — and then announced, ‘Sorry, knock, knock.’
The women laughed.
‘Come away in, Rory,’ Elspeth beckoned him.
Rory had pale blue eyes that matched the denim he was wearing, and thick sand–blond hair. His features were as well–defined as his build, a handsome young man with a friendly, quicksilver quality about him.
Slightly taller than his cousin, Lyle, he was in his late twenties, and was a self–employed local builder. He’d recently helped convert Lyle’s tea shop, building the upstairs level of the two–storey shop to extend the premises. The work was finished by the autumn, and although the shop had remained open during the upstairs work, Lyle held a special party event to launch the extension and promote his new menus.
‘How is the cake tasting going?’ Rory tucked his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans and stood there smiling at the ladies.
‘Deliciously well,’ said Ailsa.
Rory looked at the patio doors and then distracted the ladies by admiring their knitting. ‘Nice jumpers you’re knitting.’
Lyle gave Rory a secret glance to calm down and not give the game away.
‘As we seem to have Lyle and Rory joining us at the bee,’ said Elspeth, ‘can I offer you both a cup of tea?’
‘Yes, thanks,’ Rory piped up.
Lyle nudged him.
‘But not a cup of your tea, Elspeth,’ Rory said quickly, trying to undo his mistake. ‘I’d like a cup of Rosabel and Primrose’s tea.’
Elspeth’s cornflower blue eyes blinked at his comment, and the ladies gave a low gasp.
‘Is there something wrong with the pair of you?’ Rowen spoke up. ‘You’re acting very—’
‘No, nothing strange about our behaviour,’ Lyle cut–in.
‘Nope. We’re hunky–dory,’ Rory added, backing him up. ‘We’re not up to anything.’
Another scolding glance from Lyle was directed at Rory.
‘I’ll make my own tea.’ Rory went to bound through to the kitchen area.
‘No, I’ll make you a cup of my tea,’ Rosabel insisted, wondering what on earth was wrong with Rory and Lyle tonight.
‘Did you see that?’ Nettie gasped and pointed towards the garden outside the patio doors. ‘There was a flash of lights.’
Lyle jumped in to explain away Nettie’s suspicions as other members turned to stare outside. ‘I never saw anything and I’m facing the patio doors. And so is Rory and he never saw anything either. Did you?’ he prompted Rory.
‘I saw nothing,’ Rory agreed. ‘It was probably just a reflection from all the activity going on in here.’
Seeing nothing untoward, the ladies turned away again and got on with their knitting and enjoying their tea and cake.
Moments later, Lyle caught a glimpse of a light outside. It was there and gone in a second. Smiling tightly, he hissed at Rory standing next to him. ‘Do something. Cause a distraction.’
Panic flashed across Rory’s face that he was responsible for saving their plan, so he did the only thing that came to mind.
‘Oh, would you look at that,’ Rory announced to the ladies. ‘I’ve got a dangler.’ He tugged at one of the buttons on his denim shirt, causing it to dangle from his cuff. ‘Would any of you ladies be able to sew it back on for me?’
There were plenty of helpful takers, including his girlfriend, Rowen.
Without hesitation, Rory unbuttoned his shirt and whipped it off to reveal a lean–muscled physique, honed from his building work. Broad shoulders tapered down to a taut torso.
A gasp rippled through the bee members as Rory stood there for all to see in his tight jeans that emphasised his long legs.
He ran an anxious hand through the front of his blond hair and forced a smile.
‘Rory!’ Rowen exclaimed. ‘You don’t need to take your shirt off. I could’ve sewn the button on your sleeve cuff without you stripping it off.’ She looked embarrassed. She knew Rory was a confident man, up for a laugh, easy going, and it’s what she liked about him, but this... She shook her head in dismay.
Rosabel popped her head round from making the tea in the kitchen area, wondering what had caused the gasp and giggles. Seeing Rory standing like there, rugged and ready, made her gasp too. And then she laughed.
Before any further chaos erupted, a message came through on Lyle’s phone. The relief showed on his face as he read it. He nodded firmly to Rory.
‘What’s going on with the two of you tonight?’ Skye said to them.
‘Nothing,’ Lyle lied.
‘Not a thing,’ Rory added.
The men smiled, convincing no one.