Chapter 11
The farmhouse kitchen was cool, and Paolo was grateful for it. After dropping Hamish home, he had gone and joined Holly at a farm the other side of Eastercraig. He and Holly had sweated their way through a routine tuberculosis testing of a herd of cattle, and it had been sticky work, then rushed to another farm where a cow had fallen into a ditch.
‘Montepulciano,’ he said, by way of a greeting.
He held out the bottle to Chloe, who popped it next to the cooker.
‘Thanks! That looks delicious,’ she said, going back to the side, where she was slicing carrots. ‘And is Holly OK? I invited her and Greg, but she said she wanted some time for the two of them.’
Paolo leaned against the table. ‘Aye. She appears to be coping work-wise, but I think it’s impinging on time with Greg. Not that she’s admitted it to me yet. That woman is proud as.’
‘And how was the Belted Galloway?’
‘It’s back in the field, as if nothing happened. But we were on our way back to town when the call came in. Sorry I’m so late.’
‘These things happen, as we well know. Do you think we can eat outside? It’s still warm. Or too midgy?’ Chloe left the vegetables and clattered through some drawers in the dresser, dumping piles of cutlery on the table.
‘Midgy,’ said Paolo. ‘Unless you’ve got some super strength insect repellent. What about the conservatory?’
Chloe’s fluster evaporated as she considered the idea. ‘Fandabidozi. There’s a fold-up-table in there. Would you mind putting it up and chucking this tablecloth over it?’
‘Not at all, duck,’ said Paolo. ‘I’ll lay the table too.’
Chloe pulled out a large sheet of pink linen. Paolo carried it through and set up the table. He arranged the tablecloth over it and stood back to appreciate how it looked. Some holes had been darned, others left to fray further. It would give Chloe’s impromptu dinner a shabby-chic charm. He was tweaking the corners, when he became aware of movement outside. Glancing up, he saw Skye and Bear walking up through the farmyard, deep in conversation. Bear was gesticulating, and Skye wore a broad smile. Chloe came in behind him, and placed a tray of mismatched crockery and glasses on the table.
‘I think there’s something in the air,’ he said, under his breath, even though it was unlikely they could hear him.
‘Oh God! Is it cow muck? Or damp?’ Chloe squeaked. ‘I think I’ve got a scented candle in the bathroom.’
‘Not that. Them.’
He pointed through the window. Chloe followed his finger and then turned to look at him, a faint look of disapproval in her eyes.
‘No, Paolo. You can’t live vicariously through others forever. You were doing it last year with me, and with Holly.’
‘I’m not. I merely think someone has cracked the hard nut that is Bear Sinclair.’
‘Skye, the wildest child ever to grace Eastercraig, and Bear, the man for whom smiling constitutes a Herculean effort? Unlikely.’
‘Not necessarily. Opposites attract, after all.’
Chloe’s lips became a fine line. ‘I’m warning you, Paolo. He’s here, on a project which isn’t going well, and is rarely anything other than standoffish. She’s your famously explosive ex-boss’s treasured niece who is going through a personal crisis. Hardly smacks of potential. Mark my words, you’re going to end up causing trouble if you stick your nose in.’
‘Och, I’m not sticking my nose in anything. Besides, can’t you give them a chance?’
‘Absolutely not. And you shouldn’t either. Focus on your own love life for a bit before getting involved with other people’s.’
There was a knock at the farmhouse door. Chloe shot Paolo a warning look as she went to let them in.
He sat down on one of the chairs for a second, and stared out of the window. Aside from the number of men with their tops off, the other thing that dramatically increased in summer — the further north you headed — were the daylight hours. Right now, sunset was barely upon them, and it was not yet eight. The sky had a slight golden tinge, and the scudding clouds had turned a soft peach, and there was still plenty of light flooding the conservatory. It wouldn’t be properly dark for another three hours or so.
While the sound of Chloe and Bear chattering drifted in from the kitchen, Skye appeared in the doorway, a smug look on her face. ‘I’ve found out what makes Bear tick,’ she said in a low voice.
‘Is that why you were looking so happy a minute ago? When you and he were ambling back to the farmhouse.’
Skye looked surprised. ‘I didn’t think I was looking happy, was I?’
‘It’s not against the rules. You’re allowed to be.’
Skye laughed. ‘Turns out our friend likes nothing more than traditional Scottish architecture. He’s been telling me all about the buildings in the yard.’
‘Horses for courses,’ said Paolo. ‘Interesting.’
Skye nodded. ‘Yes, it is, actually. Ah, talk of the devil. He can tell you all about it.’
Bear came into the room, balancing serving spoons atop a huge dish of greens, and clenching a bottle of wine under his arm. ‘My ears are burning. As is this bowl.’
Paolo got up to unburden him. ‘Skye says you’re into traditional architecture?’
Bear nodded. ‘Aye.’
‘You ought to head inland. There’s an amazing blackhouse they’ve reconstructed, about an hour away. Sounds like it’d be right up your street.’
‘Blackhouse?’ Skye asked.
‘Like a barn dwelling, with the walls made of stone and earth, with thatch or turf on top,’ said Bear, his eyes lighting up. ‘You know, I think turf would be a great material to use here. It would mean changing the plans a bit, but it’s a traditional way of building. We’d use materials that are local, sustainable. It would be wonderful.’
‘What’s sustainable? What’s wonderful?’ asked Chloe. She placed a beautiful pie down on the table, steam rising from the fork-holes in the middle. ‘I think we ought to start, Angus is still busy.’
‘Local materials,’ said Skye, as they all sat down. ‘For your project. But I want to hear more about the blackhouse.’ She glanced over at Bear, smiling.
‘You two should check it out,’ said Paolo, ignoring Chloe’s glare.
‘Let me serve up some pie,’ said Chloe, before either of them could answer.
Paolo gave Chloe a mischievous grin as she handed him a plate. She might not want to see it, but he knew a connection when he saw it. And Skye and Bear definitely had a connection.