CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Skye rummaged through her sewing basket and pulled out her large pom pom maker.
‘The big pom pom maker. Should I be worried?’ Holly teased her.
‘All the better to hide the little battery pack,’ Skye explained. ‘I’m going to knit the pink woolly hat with the new yarn and add a set of fairy lights.’
‘To distract Innis during the sledging challenge?’ Holly clarified.
‘That’s the plan.’
‘Do you think it will work?’
‘I have no idea, but I’ll certainly look Christmassy.’
They giggled.
‘What will you do with the other set of lights?’ said Holly.
‘Wear them too or drape them on the sledge.’
Ailsa interrupted their scheming. ‘It’s arrived,’ she said to Skye, popping in for a moment. ‘I’ve got it hidden in my shop. Pick it up around closing time.’
‘Thanks, Ailsa. I’ll do that,’ Skye confirmed.
Ailsa glanced at the new dresses and held up her hand. ‘No, don’t tempt me with any more lovely ball gowns. I spent last night sewing a load of sequins on to mine. It now sparkles like a night sky. I don’t need two dresses for the ball.’ With that comment, she hurried away.
Ailsa had opted for a deep royal blue ball gown that had a velvet bodice and cascading layers of tulle bedazzled with blue sequins. Everyone agreed that it was perfect for her when she tried it on in the shop the previous day. With her dark hair, pale complexion, blue eyes and lovely figure it was definitely the dress for her.
‘What has Ailsa got hidden for you?’ Holly gave Skye a suspicious look.
‘A wee sledge. Nothing fancy. One that I can use for practise.’
‘Where are you going to practise?’ The mild concern sounded in Holly’s voice. ‘Innis will see you if you go anywhere near the castle’s estate, and that includes thistle loch.’
‘I’m not traipsing all the way to the loch. I don’t need to. I’m heading up the hill tonight unless there’s a blizzard.’
Holly gulped. ‘You’re going at night?’
‘No one will be up there in the evening. I’ll be able to whiz about and get the feel of sledging in the snow.’
Holly frowned. ‘But the hill is steep. The slopes at thistle loch are tame in comparison.’
‘Exactly. If I can whiz down the hill, the slopes will be a skoosh.’
‘I’ll go with you to make sure you don’t come a cropper.’
‘No, you’re baking tonight. Don’t change your plans. I won’t be up there long. I just want a wee go at it to see if I can handle sledging. Besides, our house is on the hillside. It’ll be like popping out into the back garden, only a bit higher up. And it’s nothing but soft snow over grass and heather.’
Two customers came in, curtailing their conversation.
‘That’s a smashing ball gown in the window,’ one of the women remarked. ‘I see it’s not for sale, but do you have any others like it?’
‘We do.’ Holly showed them the rails of gowns and watched their faces light up.
While Holly served them, Skye pushed on with the sewing, mending and alterations while mentally planning her exciting evening excursion.
Innis finished icing the Christmas cakes. He’d baked the traditional fruit cakes, infused with whisky, covered them with a layer of marzipan and then smoothed white icing on top. Fondant holly and berries added a festive touch along with red ribbons tied around the edges.
He tidied up, turned the main lights off, leaving the window display aglow, locked the cake shop for the night and, taking the dress for Merrilees with him, he drove home to the castle. He’d thought about taking a walk up the snowy hill to clear his thoughts, but there was too much work to do. The chocolate orders were piling up and he planned to tackle those in the castle kitchen.
The snow had called it a day as he drove up from the coast to the forest road. Everything, including the castle peering over the tall pines, looked like it was encrusted with snow crystals in the bright moonlight.
He opened the car window to breathe in the cold, fresh air, after a hectic day of baking in the cake shop. The scent of a crisp, snowy night was something he wished he could capture and bottle.
And he thought about Skye, wondering if she was sewing or knitting at home. He’d seen that the dress shop’s main lights were off and they’d closed the shop. They didn’t appear to be working late there, so he pictured Skye and Holly would be cosy at home. Maybe Skye would be adding those extra fairy lights to their Christmas decor. He smiled to himself, and a familiar warmth filled his heart just thinking about her.
‘Wheee!’ Skye squealed as loud as she wanted because there was no one on the hill to hear her. She had it all to herself. She pictured that everyone sensible was at home by the fireside, not whizzing down a snow slope on a cold, wintry night.
But they didn’t know what they were missing. This was fun! And quite a workout. Wearing leggings, boots, a thick jumper and padded sports jacket with a woolly hat and gloves, she was well kitted out. She hadn’t started knitting the pink hat, so she wore a red one she’d made from the same yarn she was using to knit her jumper.
The pattern for the hat was an easy one she’d made a few times, and she was a fast knitter and knew that the pink yarn would knit up well. She planned to work on it in any spare moments. But right now, it was time to trudge back up the hill with her little sledge for another whiz down the snowy slope.
Holly huffed when she looked at her crumbly fruit scones. She’d done something wrong. Checking the recipe, she couldn’t figure out what it was. And why was her dried fruit not as plump and delicious as Lyle’s?
He’d told her to phone him if she needed baking tips. But it was getting late. While she swithered what to do, another message came through from Skye letting her know she was okay.
Holly was happy for Skye, but less than pleased with her scones. She went to put her phone away and then wondered...
Lyle was locking the front door of his tea shop when his phone rang. He smiled when he saw that it was Holly calling him.
‘Holly, what can I do for you?’
She rattled off what was wrong with her scones.
‘I’m on my way,’ Lyle said, figuring he’d drop by and show Holly how to improve her scones and plump up her sultanas.
It was her own fault. Skye sighed wearily as she lay prone on the snow. Trying to spin the sledge while sliding down the slope didn’t work out as planned.
Spluttering and muttering, she picked herself up and brushed as much of the snow off as she could, but she was covered in it. She felt like one of the snowman cookies Holly had baked and dipped in white icing and crystallised sugar.
Innis handed the bag containing the ball gown to Finlay at the castle’s reception.
‘Skye gave me Merrilees’ dress.’
Finlay was pleased. ‘I’ll call her. She’ll be pleased it’s here. She plans to get dressed for the ball at the castle rather than at the cottage. I’m keeping it for her in my wardrobe.’
Murdo walked by loaded with lanterns. ‘I’ll put these in the storeroom ready for the lantern walk.’
‘Thanks, and can you make sure we’ve got extra candles to put in them,’ said Finlay.
‘Will do,’ Murdo assured him and hurried away.
‘Are you going on the lantern walk?’ Finlay said to Innis.
‘I hadn’t planned to.’
Ean joined them, overhearing their conversation. ‘Ailsa and I are going, and she says that Holly and Skye have bought their lanterns.’
Innis changed his mind. ‘Okay, I’ll go if we’re all going.’ Ignoring the smiles exchanged between Finlay and Ean, he headed through to the kitchen to work on his chocolates.
‘I steep my dried fruit in an infusion of cold, strong tea,’ Lyle told Holly as they stood in her kitchen. ‘It plumps up the fruit and adds to the flavour.’
‘I’ll try that,’ Holly said as he went over the scone recipe with her.
‘Did you sift your flour?’
‘Yes,’ she said firmly.
‘Was your butter cold?’
‘Hmmm, I’d sat it out when I was buttering toast for Skye. I’ve mastered making my own butter, and I wanted her to have something to eat to keep up her energy when she—’ She cut short what she was saying and buttoned her lips.
‘Is Skye up to mischief?’
‘It’s a secret.’
‘I won’t tell anyone. You can trust me.’
Holly felt the warmth of their growing friendship. She did trust Lyle.
‘Promise you won’t tell Innis.’
He held up his hand. ‘I promise.’
As Holly began to explain about Skye’s derring–do up the hill with her sledge, a walking icicle came crunching through the back door into the kitchen.
Skye saw Lyle standing there with Holly, but she was so freeeezing cold she didn’t care to question why he was there.
‘Oh, dear.’ Holly rushed over to her.
‘I’m fine. Everything went well until the last slide down the slope. I tried a tricky technique and...’ She shrugged, letting her appearance explain.
‘Come on, let’s get you out of those clothes.’ Holly ushered Skye through to the hall, leaving Lyle in the kitchen.
While Holly helped Skye off with her jacket, hat, mitts and boots in the hall, fetched her cosy slippers and a blanket, Lyle knew his way around any kitchen and rustled up three mugs of tea.
‘Get a heat by the fire.’ Holly sat Skye down by the fireside and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. ‘Your hair will defrost in a few minutes.’
‘Thanks, Holly. I don’t mean to be a bother. Or interrupt your night with Lyle,’ she whispered.
‘I had a baking emergency,’ Holly summarised.
Lyle walked in with a tray of tea and sat it down on the table by the fire. ‘Holly’s butter wasn’t cold enough and I think she’d overmixed her ingredients.’ He handed a mug of tea to Skye. ‘Take a wee sip. I’ve added extra milk so you can drink it now.’
‘You’re so thoughtful, Lyle.’ Skye smiled up at him, and then glanced at Holly standing close beside him. And in that instant, she saw the happy couple they were going to be and smiled again. She sipped her tea and relaxed. ‘I can feel my cheeks start to thaw.’
‘What about your face?’ Holly teased her.
Skye laughed.
Then the three of them sat by the fire, drinking their tea and chatting.
Innis worked on creating his chocolates in the castle kitchen. At first, Nairne and other staff had been there, but now he was on his own after they’d finished catering for the guests that evening.
Ean came in with an offer for Innis. ‘Finlay is helping Merrilees practise sledging near her cottage at thistle loch tomorrow night. Ailsa and I are joining them. Would you like to come along? Maybe invite Skye?’
Innis liked the feeling that they were starting to be considered as a couple. ‘Okay, I’ll phone her. Thanks, Ean.’
‘Is that some of your new festive chocolates?’ Ean lingered, eyeing up the truffles.
‘Help yourself,’ he gestured to a selection on a tray. He’d boxed the others and the luxury quality of them was evident. ‘I’m on a roll tonight. I’ve caught up with the orders.’
‘I don’t want to leave you short.’
‘These are extra. Take a couple, and Finlay likes the ones with the milk chocolate.’
Ean popped four chocolates on a napkin and bit into one as he left. ‘Cheers, Innis’ he mumbled.
Taking out his phone, Innis called Skye. Be direct, he told himself. She was a night owl, like him, and a lark, so he thought she’d still be up.
Skye’s phone rang. She’d tucked it beside her on her chair by the fire while she knitted. Thawed out, she’d made a start on her pink woolly hat, casting on the stitches and working the first few rows.
‘It’s Innis,’ she told Holly and Lyle.
They looked surprised. Had he found out about her escapade earlier?
‘Hello, Innis.’
‘Merrilees and Ailsa are planning to practise sledging near thistle loch. Finlay and Ean will be there too. We’ve been invited. Do you want to go?’
Skye’s heart answered an immediate yes. ‘When?’
‘Tomorrow night, if you’re free.’
Her heart sank. ‘I’m going to the tea shop tomorrow evening. Holly and I have booked a table for Lyle’s special traditional festive event.’
She felt his disappointment reverberate across the distance between them.
‘It’s fine,’ he said.
‘I would’ve loved to have gone sledging with you,’ she insisted.
‘Another time, Skye. Enjoy your evening at the tea shop.’ He tried to sound polite.
She shared his disappointment, but she didn’t want to cancel her previous engagement.
Thinking his call was too abrupt, he attempted to chat for a moment. ‘What are you up to?’
‘Knitting by the fire.’ This wasn’t a lie, but it gave the wrong impression that she’d been behaving herself all evening and having a cosy night in. If he knew what she’d really be up to...
‘I’ll let you get on with your knitting. Goodnight, Skye.’
Sighing, she clicked her phone off.
‘Bad timing,’ Holly commiserated.
‘Or maybe great timing.’ Lyle tilted the balance in Skye’s favour.
Skye and Holly frowned at him.
‘If it’s skulduggery you’re planning, perhaps you’re better not playing your hand. Enter the sledging challenge as a wildcard. Innis won’t know what to expect.’
Skye brightened at Lyle’s reasoning. ‘You’re right. A wildcard move is more my style.’ Feeling better at turning down a sledging date with Innis, she continued knitting her hat.
‘I’d better be on my way.’ Lyle stood up and stretched. ‘Mischief and bamboozlement aside, I had a nice time.’
‘Thanks for coming to rescue me and my wonky scones.’ Holly walked him to the front door. ‘And for helping me bake better in our ordinary wee kitchen.’
Lyle turned up the collar of his warm jacket and stepped outside. ‘Remember, in an ordinary kitchen you can bake extraordinary things.’
The freezing cold air blew in, rising up from the sea to where the house was perched halfway up the hill. Ailsa’s cottage was nearby, and Brodrick’s property.
‘Close the door,’ Lyle insisted as he hurried to his car. ‘Don’t let all the heat out.’
Holly closed it and ran through to wave to him out the lounge window.
‘You really like him, don’t you?’ Skye said, knitting another row of her pink hat.
Holly watched the tail lights of Lyle’s car disappear into the night. ‘A wee bitty.’
Skye’s knitting needles worked at speed, clicking in the quietude. She gave Holly a knowing look.
‘Okay, maybe a smidgen more than that,’ Holly admitted.
‘I’ve given Geneen and Murdo the night off so they can attend the ball,’ Finlay said to Innis, wandering into the kitchen eating one of the milk chocolate truffles.
Innis was tidying away his chocolatier work and planning to head up to his suite.
‘I’m glad. They seemed like they were going to be a couple when they were paired up at the fashion show.’
‘When I told Murdo a few minutes ago, he dashed to talk to Geneen before she finished up at reception for the night. I overheard him invite her to go with him. And then he bounded away to the storeroom. Geneen assumed she’d be on duty for the ball. Now she’s planning to buy a dress from Skye and Holly’s shop.’
They smiled.
Innis told him about Skye not being available to go to the practise sledging.
‘We could arrange it for the night after that,’ Finlay suggested, willing to reschedule it.
Innis shook his head. ‘Lantern walk.’
Finlay sighed. ‘The time is going in so fast until we have the ball on Christmas Eve.’ And then he added. ‘At least you’ll see Skye at the lantern walk. And at the challenge on the slopes.’
‘Yes, and at the ball.’
‘Are you wearing your dress kilt? The ones we wear for weddings and special events?’ Finlay said to him. He planned to wear his.
‘I am.’ The entire outfit was hanging in his wardrobe.
‘So is Ean.’ Finlay started to walk away as Innis turned the main lights off, leaving a few spotlights on for the night porter to use the kitchen for himself and for the needs of guests.
‘Are you buying Skye something special for Christmas?’ Finlay said as they walked upstairs.
‘A Christmas present?’
‘Yes. I’ve done my Christmas shopping and I’ve bought a few things for Merrilees. Ean has done the same for Ailsa. I just wondered...’
‘I haven’t bought Skye’s present yet. But I plan to soon.’
Finlay looked impressed. ‘You sound like you have something special in mind.’
‘I do.’
Finlay knew when not to pry. ‘I hope this Christmas works out for you and Skye.’
‘So do I. I’m not buying her a ring if that’s what you’re thinking. I don’t want to get ahead of myself and take things too far too fast.’
Finlay appreciated knowing this, but there was still an underlying plan that he sensed Innis was up to. Whatever it was, Christmas was a time when wishes came true. He wished for happiness for all of them.