Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
IONA
“Hello, Maw!” I call, letting myself in.
Her front door wasn’t locked, which means she’s about. It’s a sunny, albeit rather chilly, Saturday afternoon, and so I had thought she might be out for a walk. She often enjoys a bit of air in between lunch and dinner service at the restaurant.
I find her in the living room, watching TV.
“Iona! Hello.” She smiles widely, but there’s something off, like she’s trying too hard to sound casual. “Is anything the matter?”
That’s odd too. Why would she assume something is the matter? I’ve not slept over in a while, but I pop in frequently to pick up things from my room. This is the first time that Maw, upon seeing me, has immediately concluded that something is wrong.
“Er, as a matter of fact, the shower in Lewis’s room has stopped working, so I came over here to wash. He was oddly insistent I should do so, even though I don’t normally shower in the middle of the day. I might have been offended had I not immediately guessed he was planning something and wanted me to look my best for it.”
I eye her suspiciously. “Now, though... I’m not sure there even was a problem with his shower. He just wanted to get me over here. Whatever is going on, it involves you, doesn’t it?”
She can’t hide the sparkle of mischief that dances across her features. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Iona. But by all means, go upstairs and have a shower. And afterwards, why don’t you put on something nice?”
I place a hand on my hip. “You’re a terrible actor, Maw. But fine. How nice are we talking?”
“Pretty but not ballgown fancy. Oh, and you’ll want to wear boots with it.”
Shaking my head at her complete lack of subtlety, I head upstairs.
A short while later, I come back down wearing a long-sleeved cowl-neck tunic dress patterned with autumn leaves. I’ve paired it with cosy leggings and have brushed my hair out so it flows in a soft cascade over my shoulders.
“Oh, beautiful!” Maw praises. “Funnily enough, there was a delivery for you while you were upstairs.” She hands me a purple paper heart on which a message has been handwritten.
Where the pigs refused to flee,
Your next clue waits for thee.
A small smile tugs at my lips. Is this a treasure hunt, like something out of the Highland Hearts and Hidden Treasures series?
“I suppose I’ll be heading off to Fergus Murray’s farm, then,” I say. That’s where, aged eleven, I opened a gate to free some pigs, only for none of them to move. “Will you be tagging along?”
“No, no. This adventure is for you alone, dear. Although... I may see you again at the end of it.” She winks.
“Okay. Love you, Maw.” I give her a kiss on the cheek.
As I head to my car, I wonder what exactly Lewis has planned for me, and just what treasure I might find at the end of this.
At the farm, Fergus, grinning from ear to ear, greets me with a piglet tucked under one arm. “Iona! I’ve got something for you.” He passes me a second purple heart.
Head to the place where our first kiss was shared,
Where dreams and confessions were openly bared.
“You know,” Fergus says, “I’ve never forgotten the way Lewis tried to take the blame when I caught you opening my pigsty gate. Even then, it was plain to see how much he cared for you.”
Thanking Fergus, I give the piglet a wee scratch behind its ears then take my leave and head to Loch Bannock. That’s where Lewis and I shared our first kiss, the night before I left for university.
By the shore, a swing once again hangs from the tree, and on it is Archie, my half-brother, now sixteen years old. He uses one foot to kick off the ground and maintain a slow, steady sway, just as I’d do when I was a teenager. He’s with Da and Da’s new partner, Kirsty. Lewis has really gone to some effort if he’s invited them through from Inverness.
There’s a fourth figure with them—Jamie—and when he spots me, he does a slow-motion run across the pebble beach, his arms spread wide, like something out of a film. “Well done!” he proclaims. “You found me!” Reaching me, he closes his eyes and puckers his lips, ready for a kiss.
I walk right past him and go see my da and his family, who I’m overdue a catch-up with.
“He always was a joker, that one.” Da nods to Jamie. “Anyway, good to see you, Iona.” He wraps me in a hug.
“You too, Da.”
I hug Archie and Kirsty as well.
Archie says, “I was telling Jamie about the time me and Da met up with you and Lewis in Inverness, at that burger place. I still remember it. We first knew there was something going on between you years ago. These Bannock folk, though”—he teasingly gestures to Jamie—“they only found out about it a few weeks ago, right?”
“Not true!” Jamie protests. “I’ve been making sex jokes about Lewis and Iona for close to a decade! Haven’t I, Iona? Tell him!”
Wow. These two barely know each other, but it seems they’re getting on just fine. They both enjoy winding people up.
I ignore them and turn to Da and Kirsty. “Does one of you happen to have a clue for me?”
Kirsty, smiling kindly, hands me a third purple heart.
Visit the spot where you broke the mould,
And your image turned from shy to bold.
This one is a little more cryptic than the first two, but the answer still comes to me pretty quickly. It’s a reference to the night at the Pheasant when Lewis and I sang “Comin’ thro’ the Rye”. Lewis thought that’d be a good way for me to reinvent myself in people’s eyes.
“I need to continue this treasure hunt,” I say to Da, itching to get to the next location, “but will I get to see you again before you head back to Inverness?”
“Aye, we’ll be waiting for you at the end.”
We hug again, and he squeezes me tight.
“I always did like Lewis,” he says. “I’m glad you two have sorted things out.”
A short while later, I walk into the Pheasant and am immediately pounced on by Maisie, who’s buzzing with excitement. Her hair is a bright pink nowadays, and the colour is quite the contrast to the dark outfit she’s wearing. Since that first girls’ night, she and I have been meeting up regularly, and I now consider her a good friend.
But there’s another figure here I wasn’t expecting to see.
“Cat!” I exclaim.
She bounces on the balls of her feet then takes my hands, beaming at me with dimples that remind me so much of Lewis’s. “This is so exciting! And just look at us: the Scottish Sirens together in person!”
I chuckle, remembering the name Cat picked for our group chat.
“We so need a proper girls’ catch-up,” Maisie says, “but we can do that later. Lewis specifically warned us not to keep you—you’ve got a treasure hunt to complete, after all!—so here’s your fourth clue.” She passes me yet another purple heart.
Go seek a MacDonald, where the food is a delight,
It’s the place we admired a dawn photo at night.
I can’t hold back a giggle at this one. The manager of the Glen Garve Resort is called Craig MacDonald, and so it’s clearly to the resort that I’m meant to go. But it’s the “dawn photo at night” bit that amuses me. During the fancy dinner Lewis treated me to, I briefly flashed up his Dick at Dawn picture on my phone. He’s rather cheekily worked that moment into a clue.
“What’s so funny?” Maisie asks.
If it were just me and her, I’d probably tell her, but I doubt it’s a story Cat wants to hear—not about one of her brothers.
“Oh, nothing,” I say vaguely. “Right, I should push on. See you later!”
The Glen Garve Resort is a vast place—complete with, among other things, an eighteen-hole golf course—so it’s helpful that Lewis’s clue directed me to seek out a MacDonald.
No sooner do I arrive in the car park than I spot Robbie MacDonald tinkering with his motorcycle. He’s Craig’s elder son and is the same age as Aidan and Ally, although, as lads, they did not get on with him. With tattoos, an eyebrow piercing, a leather jacket, and a bit of an attitude, Robbie is Bannock’s “bad boy”—or at least, that’s his reputation. I’ve never been convinced, possibly because I’ve read too many romances where the bad boy ends up having a heart of gold. But I suppose reality doesn’t always match fiction.
“Hi, Robbie!” I say. I’m a little surprised he’s getting involved in the treasure hunt—it doesn’t seem like his kind of thing.
He looks up, puts down a spanner, then rises to his feet. He’s tall—exceptionally so—and his icy-blue eyes match his generally frosty demeanour.
“Iona. Hi. How can I help?” His voice is low. Gruff.
“Do you, by any chance, have a clue for me?”
His brow furrows, a shadow of confusion passing over his face.
“Iona!” a voice calls from behind me. “Over here!”
I look around to see Johnny, Robbie’s brother, waving as he comes down the steps of the resort’s main entrance. Johnny is, in many ways, the polar opposite of Robbie—approachable, sweet, smiley, occasionally a little shy. With Johnny is his boyfriend, David, who’s dressed—as always—in bright colours, today a vibrant orange coat. David is carrying Callie, his gorgeous wee niece, who also happens to be my gorgeous wee niece. Behind him are his sister, Grace, and my brother, Aidan.
“Sorry!” Johnny calls as the group makes their way over. “Lewis asked us to wait inside, at the spot you met him when you went for dinner together. It was Grace who noticed you out here chatting with Robbie.”
I glance over my shoulder and flash Robbie an apologetic smile. “Sorry, wrong MacDonald!”
I head over to meet the others and give everyone a hug, except for Callie, who I give special treatment. I squeeze her hands and kiss both of her adorably chubby cheeks.
“You’ve almost reached the end, Iona,” Grace says.
“Aye. This is your last clue, sis.” Aidan passes me a purple heart then wraps an arm around Grace and draws her closer to him. Before meeting Grace, Aidan was something of a player, but now he only has eyes for her.
Where laughter rang and memories grew,
Seek the spot where home feels true.
“Have you figured it out?” David asks eagerly. “And by the way, it is so romantic that Lewis organised this for you. I would love it if someone planned something like this for me.”
Johnny, standing right next to him, rolls his eyes good-naturedly.
“It’s the Bannock Hotel, isn’t it?” I guess.
That place is the setting for so many happy memories, of joint dinners between the Stewarts and the McIntyres, of party games and laughter. Growing up, it always felt like a second home. I was as comfortable there as I was in my actual home across the street.
“Well done.” Smiling, Grace gently touches my arm. “You figured it out.”
“So...” I think this through. “Lewis kicked this whole thing off by pretending the shower in his room was broken and sending me over to Maw’s. I’ve spent the last hour driving around Bannock and the surrounding area, and now I’m heading back to the hotel, which is where I started?”
Aidan winks. “Well, he had to get you out of there and keep you busy so he could get things organised, didn’t he?”
Ah, I get it now. There’s a surprise waiting for me back at the hotel.
Aidan collects Callie from David then says, “Anyway, we’re going to go to our cars now. Could you give us a few minutes’ head start? We want to get there before you do.”
I wave them off, wait a couple of minutes, then get in my car and drive to the hotel.
At reception, Emily beams at from me behind the desk then comes out and gives me a hug. “You found your way back here!”
“Aye. I’m starting to feel a little nervous. I’ve no idea what’s about to happen.”
Emily squeezes my shoulder. “I think you’re going to like it.”
Ally emerges from the office, gently bouncing Ru and blowing raspberry sounds to make him giggle. I wrap an arm around him in greeting then kiss Ru’s forehead.
“Auntie Iona is hunting for treasure,” Ally says to Ru. “Just like a pirate. Arrr!” He does his best Long John Silver impression.
Of course, I’m not really Ru’s aunt—“auntie” is just a term of endearment since our families are so close. Growing up, I referred to Mairi as Auntie Mairi and Angus as Uncle Angus. But I suppose, if Lewis and I ever were to marry... well, I’d become Ru’s aunt for real.
“Are you ready?” Emily asks me.
“Er . . . I think so?”
“Great. I’d say you’re ready—you look amazing. Let’s go.”
She leads me into the function room, Ally and Ru following close behind. At the far end of the room are French windows that look out into the hotel’s garden, and... wow! There are a lot of people gathered out there. It almost looks as if Lewis has invited the whole town—or at least, as many folk as he could fit.
As I step outside, I take in faces. Everyone I’ve already seen as part of the treasure hunt is here, from Maw, who gave me the first clue, to my brother, who I saw at the last location. But there are plenty of other people here too: Morag from the bakery, Tom from the Coffee Bothy, Jenny from the Otter’s Holt... oh, and there’s Donald, the senior vet at the surgery.
Every single set of eyes is fixed on me, which is... somewhat intimidating.
Awkwardly I raise a hand and give a small wave. “Er, hi, everyone! Nice of you to come along to”—I flap vaguely—“whatever this is!”
Chuckles fill the air.
One person stands quite literally head and shoulders above everyone else. At the far end of the garden, the ground slopes up, and at its highest point is Lewis. It’s as though he’s on a natural stage.
I don’t need anyone to tell me that I’m supposed to go to him. That’s what everyone is expecting, and it’s what I want to do. It’s just... suddenly this all seems incredibly nerve-wracking. Whatever is going on here, it’s clearly a big moment, and... I don’t know that I am ready for it.
I remind myself of the resolution I made atop the wind turbine—to be brave. And so, squaring my shoulders, I squeeze my way through the crowd towards him. People greet me and pat my back as I pass.
When I reach Lewis and get a proper look at him, I see he’s in his sex outfit—by which I mean his kilt, of course. But he’s put on all the other bits and bobs that I’m less used to seeing, like a white shirt, a black jacket, and tall white socks with garter flashes in the same muted greens and blues as the kilt. I’m a huge fan of his usual, minimal, bedroom attire, but I’ve got to admit, he looks pretty bloody smart when he dons the full ensemble.
November sunlight glints off his chestnut hair, bringing out the reddish strands. He stands with one hand on either side of his sporran, strong emotion playing in his dark-brown eyes. One of his hands now reaches out to me, and I take it. He guides me to stand beside him, his gaze roving all over me.
“You look incredible,” he whispers so only I can hear.
“You’re not so bad yourself.” I bite my lower lip then, glancing around me, lower my voice even further. “But quick question: is this a proposal? Because... you’re kind of putting me on the spot here. I do love you, but we haven’t been back together that long...”
He smirks. “It’s more of a... declaration. Of your amazingness. No rings involved, I swear. One day I’ll go down on one knee—just try and stop me—but not today. No, today there are just a few things I want to say that I want everyone to hear. And don’t worry, they’re all good.”
His mouth curving into a dimpled smile, he inclines his head towards the crowd. “Literally everyone is watching us, so... would it be okay if I start?” He gives my hand a wee squeeze.
I squeeze his right back. “Well, if you’re just going to tell everyone how amazing I am, then yes, don’t let me get in the way. You may begin.”
With a wink, he turns to address those gathered. “Here she is! The one we’ve been waiting for, and the most beautiful person I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
These words are met by a cheer, and my face warms. Despite my outward embarrassment, inside my heart swells at the compliment. It’s a pretty good start, I’d say.
But then Lewis rubs the back of his neck, and his smile falters slightly. “I’d like to thank you all for coming here. There’s something I want to say, and... it isn’t easy. But it’s important, so I’m going to say it.”
A hush falls, and glances are exchanged. People were expecting a celebration, but Lewis’s tone is suddenly serious.
“I think you all know that, as children and teenagers, Iona and I were best friends—utterly inseparable. At some point, though, things became... strained between us. I won’t go into details, but it’s important I confess that... I messed up. I pushed her away—hurt her—at a time when she was trying to support me.”
There are murmurs of confusion, and a few people shift uncomfortably. I’ve no clue what to think or where this is going, but I wasn’t expecting this.
“Here’s the thing, though,” he continues. “Even when I did that—even when I drove a wedge between us—Iona continued to show me a loyalty I didn’t deserve. Rather than tell everyone what I did, she kept quiet about it so you wouldn’t judge me harshly. Because that’s the kind of person Iona Stewart is: loyal, compassionate, and much more besides. I think this woman deserves some recognition for being so wonderful, so... I’d like to tell you all about a wee treasure hunt I just sent her on.”
With these words, Lewis’s lips curl up, and it’s as if the air itself lightens. Everyone visibly relaxes—myself included—and the tension melts away.
Turning, he addresses me specifically now, although his voice remains loud enough for all to hear. “Iona, each of the locations I sent you to says something about your personality. First, you’re caring, which is why you work as a vet—a calling you discovered at Fergus’s farm. Next, you’re funny—no, hilarious. When we’d hang out at the loch as teens, you always kept me entertained. It didn’t matter whether you were talking about goings-on at school or... I don’t know, telling jokes about Star Wars and lightsabers.”
He shoots me a quick wink. Oh, cheeky! Fitting in an in-joke about glow-in-the-dark condoms in front of friends and family? Naughty, Lewis! But I like it.
“You also have a bit of a wild side, and you proved that at the Pheasant when you and I sang ‘Comin’ thro’ the Rye’. When we were younger, we always denied there was any sort of romance between us, but... well, I reckon the cat is out of the bag now.”
“It was never in the bag!” Jamie calls from somewhere. “It was out purring in plain sight for us all to see!”
A chorus of laughter breaks out at this.
Lewis grins. “Aye, well... anyway, when we were younger, ‘Comin’ thro’ the Rye’ used to be a theme song of sorts for me and Iona. We didn’t think it was anyone else’s business if we, er, kissed in the rye.”
He’s getting even cheekier! Stressing the word “kissed” like that in front of everyone? He really is being a naughty man today! We both know there’s an alternative version of the lyrics in which “kiss” is replaced by “fuck”, but other people might be aware of that too.
“Nowadays, I want everyone to know that I kiss you,” Lewis says, “and that only I get to kiss you.”
These words send a shiver down my spine. Is it kind of primitive and backwards for a man to lay his claim on a woman like this? Aye. But is it also kind of hot to hear Lewis do it in front of everyone? Absolutely.
“Finally, on our first formal date, which was at the Glen Garve Resort, you talked to me about being able to walk with kings without losing the common touch—words from Rudyard Kipling’s ‘If’. I think they describe you perfectly, Iona.”
Faces light up at this. Maw—who’s squeezed her way to the front row—clutches her hands in front of her chest as though never before in her life has she heard anyone say something so sweet. It’s probably a good thing Lewis didn’t mention the context of that conversation. I’m pretty sure we were talking about smutty historical romance books and dick pics at the time.
“Anyway, the final clue brought you here, so without further ado, I’d like to present you with your treasure.” One of his hands still clasping mine, Lewis opens his sporran with his other. “And just to warn you, it’s... er, more of a symbolic kind of treasure, rather than a literal one.”
He pulls out an old brass key and holds it out to me. I take it, curious.
“That’s a key to the hotel. Not that you need one, really—you’ve always been welcome inside. Plus, this last month or so... well, you’ve slept in my room every night.”
Chuckles ripple through the crowd. Even the oldest and most conservative of Bannock’s residents are no longer shocked by the thought of sex before marriage.
“This, Iona, is about making it official, if you’d like to do that. I’m asking you to move in with me and to make the hotel your home. If you accept, I’ll move all your things over from your maw’s. No doubt I’ll need to put up a new bookcase—nah, let’s be realistic, several new bookcases—to house your extensive book collection, but I’m happy to make any changes you wish. You name it, and I’ll do it. I want you to feel it’s your home as much as it is mine.”
Warmth floods my entire being as I gaze down at the key in my hand. Clasping it tightly, I flash Lewis a smile then announce loudly enough for everyone to hear, “Of course I’ll move in with you.”
A roar of approval bursts from those assembled, and applause breaks out. Lewis’s eyes shine with delight.
I squeeze his hand and add, “This is where you’re meant to kiss me. What are you waiting for?”
As the crowd erupts with laughter, Lewis beams and presses his lips to mine, sparking a chorus of whistles and cheers.