Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
‘Oh, my goodness… This is a much bigger crowd than I expected.’ Heather got out of the car and looked around her in amazement.
When she’d driven past the site of the proposed golf course before, it had just been open land with a sign stuck incongruously at the edge.
There had been no one around apart from her and Blossom in the car; now, the moorland on both sides of the road was thronged with people.
They carried hand-painted protest signs in all shapes and colours: NO GOLF COURSE ON SKYE.
DEVELOPERS STAY OUT. WE DON’T NEED YOUR ELITE PLAYGROUNDS.
It was a cold day to be protesting: frost clung to the bare trees and the mountains beyond were topped with snow.
On the drive over, Heather had marvelled at the bejewelled glittering of frost on the heather; here and there, streams had iced over and there was the smell of woodsmoke in the air.
She’d wondered how many people would really turn out to protest a golf course on such a cold day.
Yet now that the sisters were here, Heather could see that the crowds had prepared for the cold – everyone was wrapped up in scarves, thick coats, boots, knitted hats. They were serious, and the cold wasn’t going to put them off.
‘Yeah. It got really big, really quickly,’ Bluebell said from the back seat.
‘I can see that,’ Heather said, shaking her head in wonder.
That morning, she’d got an email from one of her work colleagues at the animal charity, saying that they knew Heather was on leave for the wedding, but that she might want to know about the protest. Her colleagues were planning on attending later that day.
The email had panicked her. On one hand, she disapproved of the golf course development.
On the other, the demonstration made her nervous because the golf course development was a Campbell business enterprise.
Matty had helped his father with the legalities, so he said.
Did that make Heather an accessory to the whole thing?
It’s not like it’s a murder, she chastened herself. Not an accessory to, as much as she was involved in the golf course plan, even if it was unintentionally. The thought that she was involved, now, like it or not, made her feel really uncomfortable.
She hadn’t seen Matty that morning at breakfast; he’d texted her saying that he was busy with work.
Elizabeth hadn’t come down for dinner at all, and the other Campbells had seemed subdued, apart from Arthur.
He had chatted merrily to James and Evelinda about old times; Heather got the impression that Arthur lived in his own world and did what he liked, not worrying too much about the dramas his family was embroiled in.
She’d texted Matty before she went to bed last night.
Could we have some ‘us’ time? I could do with a cuddle. I love you.
I love you too, baby. I’ve got to be up into the night working though. Sleep tight. I’ll see you tomorrow, he’d replied.
This morning, she’d texted Matty to tell him where she was going. He’d replied with a worried face emoji.
Pointedly, she’d replied, I love you! Three days until our wedding x
He’d hearted her reply.
Bluebell, Primrose and Violet had come with her to check out the demonstration.
‘And this is a Campbell project, then?’ Violet said, getting out of the car and staring at the crowd.
‘Mm. Yes. They own a number of golf courses around Scotland, and for some reason, they want one here.’ Heather pulled on a pair of mittens and a knitted hat; her teeth chattered as soon as she got out of the car.
‘It’s not connected to the wedding, is it? The fact that you live here?’ Primrose asked.
‘I don’t know. I don’t think so… that would be really weird.’ However, Heather was beginning to understand that, as far as the Campbells were concerned, there was probably a lot that she didn’t know.
‘I mean… Matty’s been on the island a few months, on and off, right?
Seeing you? He might have seen the land and scoped it out while he was here,’ Primrose continued, rubbing her hands together.
She wore cargo trousers and a sweatshirt with the names of Santa’s reindeer on it.
‘Does he do that? Scout for locations for these things, for his parents?’
‘Not as far as I know. He’s been providing legal support. That’s what he said.’
However, now that Primrose had said it, Heather couldn’t not see the possibility that Matty might have helped coordinate the island as a likely possibility for the development.
How far in advance did these things happen?
she wondered. Was it likely that it would have just been a few months ago that Matty might have come to Skye to see her, and noticed the land, ripe for development? Or was it just a coincidence?
They started to walk down the road, into the crowd. Heather saw that people had set up trestle tables with tea and coffee and snacks for the protestors. Several people called out in a friendly way to the sisters as they walked by. Heather took a short video on her phone and sent it to Matty.
Seems like the locals agree with me about the golf course, she texted. She watched as Matty read the message. She could see he was typing a reply; she watched the dots for a few moments, but then they disappeared.
Hm.
‘Well, it seems friendly enough,’ Bluebell observed. ‘I don’t feel like anyone’s about to kick off.’
‘That’s something.’ Heather nodded. ‘I wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt. Are the police here?’ She looked around, anxiously.
‘Yeah, look. There’s Bill and Claire. Eating hot dogs.
’ Bluebell pointed to a middle-aged man and woman to their right; Angus and Catriona were friends with the local police on the island, as they were with so many people; when you’d lived somewhere all of your life – and especially when you ran a local business – you got to know people. People on Skye depended on each other.
‘Speaking of getting hurt, have you spoken to Blossom?’ Violet asked her twin in a low voice. ‘She is not okay right now.’
‘Yes.’ Heather frowned. ‘She told me things with Tom aren’t too good.’
‘Yeah. I had a chat with her last night. It’s bad.’
‘How bad?’ Heather whispered back, appalled. ‘I thought they just needed a bit of quality time together. Mum was going to take the kids for a bit while they’re here…’
‘I think it’s a bit beyond them needing a night off. Bloss is really at the end of her tether.’ Violet shook her head.
‘I feel terrible about it, but I don’t know what I can do,’ Heather said. Blossom and Tom had been together a long time, and they’d always seemed solid.
On paper, it was perfect.
‘I don’t think she wanted to depress you, given that you’re about to get married.’ Violet shrugged. ‘Kind of a downer.’
‘Bloss did say that, being home, it’s made her realise that she could move back with Mum and Dad at the Inn, with the kids, if she needed to. Especially now that your room’s going to be free,’ Violet said.
‘That’s true. Mum would want her home if she wasn’t with Tom.
Or at least nearby. Oh, I just can’t believe that it’s all going wrong.
It’s so sad.’ Heather thought back to talking to Blossom the other day.
Had Blossom held back, like Violet suggested?
Or, had Heather just not heard her sister’s full sadness, because she was so excited about the wedding?
‘Hello there, Balhennie clan.’ PC Claire McDougall sauntered over.
‘Hi, Claire.’ Bluebell waved. ‘Nice day for a bit of protesting.’
‘Ha. Indeed, it is a little chilly.’ Claire surveyed the crowd. ‘But they seem pretty well-behaved so far. Don’t anticipate any trouble. However, the press is here.’ She pointed to some nondescript white vans parked on the road nearby. ‘Nationals. Don’t usually get them this far up here.’
‘Why are they here?’ Heather asked, although she had a good suspicion as to why.
‘Didn’t say. Keeping themselves to themselves, but likely it’s a story about the Campbells, I’m guessing.’ Claire lifted an eyebrow. ‘Your new in-laws come with a lot of publicity, it seems.’
‘Yes. I’m learning that,’ Heather said, frowning.
‘I hear the big day’s coming up. Christmas Day, is it?’
‘Yes. At the castle.’ Heather eyed the crowd anxiously.
‘You’re both welcome to come up for drinks in the evening.
There’ll be a ceilidh.’ That was dancing that no one needed classes for.
Everyone she knew was familiar with a ceilidh, and, even if you weren’t, you could follow the caller’s instructions and everyone else.
Plus, no one was watching or judging. It was just fun, with people getting increasingly more inebriated as the night went on.
‘Ah, most kind, most kind. Your mum and dad have already invited us.’ Claire nodded. ‘I offered our services, seeing as you have some celebrities coming, apparently, but your mother says that there’s private security organised?’
‘Yes. I’m afraid so,’ Heather replied, feeling awkward. ‘It seems silly, doesn’t it? We’ve had plenty of parties at the castle in the past without the need for any security, apart from a couple of big guys to carry anyone out that had too many whiskies.’
‘But we’ve never held a wedding with the Campbells of Glenorchy present before, hen,’ Violet interjected. ‘Whole different ball game.’
‘Whole different sport,’ Primrose added. ‘You have to admit that the Campbells aren’t exactly a peaceful influence. First, we had the Campbells themselves, then the press, and now this.’ She gestured at the crowd.
‘No, they’re not exactly blending into the background,’ Heather admitted.
‘Not that we don’t have complete sympathy with the protestors – nobody wants a big, corporate golf course here.
I mean, as we all know, there’s a couple of lovely small, independent ones on the island.
Run very harmoniously with the wildlife and the landscape.
This is nowhere near the same. Have you seen the plans?
’ Claire finished the last of her hot dog.