Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
‘Are you having a hot flush?’ Katie grinned as I burst through the office door. ‘Unless…’
I shrugged off my cardigan. ‘Unless what?’
She afforded me one of her saucy winks.
‘I’m sorry I’m a bit late,’ I apologised, re-fastening the band at the end of my plait, ‘but Mason’s parents…’ Oh, good grief. I would be hopeless working in espionage. ‘I mean … I bumped into Mason and his parents.’
Katie strolled over. ‘Oh, yes? Over from Oz, then?’
‘It would appear so. I just got held up saying hello to them.’
Katie tipped her riot of curls to one side. ‘That must have been a long hello.’
‘Maybe you don’t believe me, Katie, because you’re a suspicious individual?’
She slid me a jokey frown before sallying off in her tie-dyed skirt to read some correspondence.
A couple of weekenders decided to drop in for a mooch around at that point, so I waited until they were debating over my chalk drawing of a rainy Port Starr main street, before speaking to Katie again.
‘I know I’m later in, but I need to take a slightly longer lunch break today.
I’ll make sure you get a long lunch tomorrow, to make up for it. ’
Katie dismissed it. ‘You go when you need to go. Don’t worry about me. If things get a bit heavy, Caleb can come and give me a hand.’
‘Thanks. I’ll leave just before twelve and will be back as soon as I can.’
Her mouth drooped at the corners. ‘I thought I was your best friend.’
I squeezed her arm. ‘Of course you are. You always will be.’
‘Then why do I get the feeling there’s something you’re not telling me?’
I steered Katie by the elbow towards the back of the office, where our kitchen area was. ‘The only reason I wasn’t going to say anything to you was because the more people that know, the more complicated it could be.’
‘Now you’re scaring me.’
I shook my plait. ‘No, it’s nothing terrible, just me being an utter idiot.’
Katie was doubtful. ‘Well, what is it?’
I bit my bottom lip. ‘Mason and I are pretending that we’re a couple.’
Her pale-pink mouth moulded into a suggestive smile. ‘Oh. I see. Is this some sort of kinky thing?’
‘What? No! It most certainly isn’t!’ I said that much louder than I meant to, drawing curious stares from the weekender couple. I told her about Mason’s brief marriage to Geri.
‘Mason said his mother in particular is keen for him to meet someone else, and he was worried she was going to try to line him up with half the female population of Port Starr.’ I tried to look nonchalant.
‘It’s only for a couple of days, until his parents leave on their road trip to the Highlands. ’
‘Sounds fun – in a mad sort of way.’
‘Believe me, it isn’t. I’m terrified they’ll see through us.’ I went on to explain to her that Mason had promised to help me deal with Alex Lapley in exchange for me posing as his new girlfriend. ‘And that’s why I’ve got to disappear for a bit today. We’re having lunch with his mum and dad.’
‘Ooh! Should I start looking at big hats?’
‘Don’t you dare. It’s all a pretence.’ I heard myself say the words and felt a weird sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach. ‘As soon as his parents are gone, we can revert to how we were.’
Katie furrowed her brow but didn’t say anything.
The four of us slumped in our high-backed chairs.
Orla and Jack Cooper had offered to take us to Campella’s, our posh local Italian, but Mason and I had roundly refused.
I was carrying enough guilt as it was about our deception, without Orla and Jack remortgaging their home to pay for some expensive lunch.
Mason agreed with me when I suggested we go to the tearoom at McKerron Castle instead. ‘The forecast isn’t great today,’ I reasoned, ‘and if we go there, it will give you a chance to see some of the grounds.’
So, we opted for their traditional afternoon tea of petit fours and a selection of finely cut sandwiches of egg and cress, Scottish salmon, cucumber, and tomato and mozzarella, all washed down with copious amounts of Earl Grey.
Orla appraised the surroundings of the castle tearoom, with its stone-flagged floor, heavy tartan drapes at the windows and gleaming swords and shields hanging from the walls.
The tearoom was located on the ground floor, next to the gift shop in one of the turrets and boasted a soaring ceiling that had suspended light fittings that resembled giant raindrops. It was very cosy.
Mason insisted on paying, brushing away my contribution with one of his disapproving stares. Then the four of us stepped back out into the damp courtyard, where the morning rain had melted against the castle walls.
‘I’m so sorry I have to dash off,’ I apologised, ‘but hopefully I’ll see you later.’
Orla beamed through her slash of ruby lipstick. ‘That would be good, Poppy. Maybe we could drop by your office.’ She clasped her manicured hands around her patent handbag. ‘We’re leaving on Monday.’
‘Oh, I don’t think there’s any rush, love,’ piped up Jack beside her. ‘About leaving Port Starr as quickly as that, I mean. This is a gorgeous place, and you said you wanted to spend some time with Mason.’
Panic flooded through me. Oh, shit! Don’t tell me I’ll have to continue with this for another few days. I was already forgetting details of Mason’s favourite rugby-playing heroes and which Rolling Stones album he played over and over as a teenager.
‘Right,’ I forced. ‘That would be great. It’s just – I thought you were keen to see some of the northern landscape.’
I decided not to examine Mason for his reaction just yet. I could imagine his dark brows like storm clouds and the same surge of rising dread I was experiencing.
‘Oh, we are,’ Jack agreed, ‘but this place is even prettier than we thought it would be.’ He glided a hand over his snow-white hair. ‘And if we stay on a bit longer, it will give us more time to get to know you.’
‘Lovely,’ I said through a strained grin. ‘Isn’t that terrific, Mason?’ I aimed a direct comment up at my ‘boyfriend’ and did a double take.
To my astonishment, Mason was nodding and agreeing with them! ‘I think that’s a great idea, Dad. As I understand it, your holiday cottage is free for the rest of the week, anyway.’
When Orla and Jack spotted the gift shop and wandered off to take a closer look, I used the welcome distraction to pull Mason to one side. ‘What on earth are you doing?’ I hissed. ‘I’m an artist, not an actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company!’
Mason’s full mouth flickered. ‘You could have fooled me after that kiss this morning. Felt real to me.’
I scowled at him.
He silenced me for a moment with a killer grin. ‘Have you gone red?’
I fiddled with the strap of my shoulder bag. ‘I always look like this when I’m bloody angry.’
‘Oh, well, I’ll have to annoy you more. You’re even sexier when you’re flustered.’
I waited until a family drifted past, studying a map of the castle grounds. ‘Stop being such a smartarse, Mason. You said this ridiculous situation would only be a for a couple of nights.’
He shrugged lightly. ‘That’s what I thought too. But it sounds like my parents’ plans have changed.’
He gazed down and I looked away. None of this is real, I reminded myself. It’s all just an amusing diversion for him. Goodness knows where my common sense had got to. Whenever I was near Mason, all my logical reasoning evaporated.
I tried to keep my voice steady. ‘And while we’re wasting time playing Romeo and Juliet, we’re not progressing with the Scarlet Highwayman research.’
‘Ah. Well, that’s where you’re wrong.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Good afternoon, Ms Summers, Mr Cooper. Lovely day for it.’
We swung around, our game of verbal tennis interrupted.
Alex Lapley was striding towards us, not in one of his trademark sharp suits, but in a chunky black jumper and dark jeans.
Dismissing Mason with one cast of his pale eyes, he switched his sleazy attention to me. ‘Have you had any more thoughts about our predicament?’
‘What predicament?’ I bit back, the memory of his smug face and that letter reappearing in my mind.
Mason took a step towards Alex on the gravelly path. ‘Are you following us?’
Alex smirked. ‘As flattering as that would be for you, the answer is no.’
‘Then what are you doing up here?’ challenged Mason. His face was uncompromising and Alex tried to disguise his discomfort.
The watery afternoon light glinted behind him. ‘A complete coincidence, I assure you, but a good one nonetheless.’ He whipped his mobile out of his back pocket for a cursory glance. ‘I’m meeting my solicitor to discuss next steps.’
‘Which are?’ challenged Mason.
Alex let out a condescending snort. ‘First rule of business. Keep your enemies guessing.’
‘I’m not an enemy,’ I snapped. ‘I own the cottages.’
‘No,’ Alex replied slowly, as if addressing someone who was slow-witted. ‘You don’t own anything. My family does.’ He glanced down at his chunky TAG Hauer watch with ill-concealed boredom. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me.’
I could see Mason’s shoulders stiffen under the cotton of his shirt. A kaleidoscope of thoughts crossed his face. ‘We know who the Scarlet Highwayman is.’
Mason’s words, wrapped in his deep, Australian accent, made Alex stop.
‘What are you doing?’ I whispered under my breath.
Mason didn’t reply.
Alex turned around, his pointed face a mask of apprehension. ‘You’re bluffing.’
‘Am I?’
Alex hovered for a few moments. The sea breeze rippled through the castle battlements and around us. He walked closer, his jaw gritted. ‘What exactly do you know?’
Mason slid me a look. ‘First rule of business,’ he gloated. ‘Keep your enemies guessing.’
Alex’s fair brows bunched together and he grew pale. ‘Very funny.’
‘Oh, it’s not meant to be funny,’ insisted Mason. ‘It’s a fact.’ He stepped forward so that his dark profile was inches away from Alex. ‘We also know that you’re hiding something.’
Alex opened his slack mouth to speak, but Mason’s growl made him think otherwise. ‘If my career as a historian has taught me anything, it’s that past crimes always come back to haunt those who committed them.’
Mason took one of my hands in his and gave it an encouraging squeeze. My heart whipped up a frenzy in my chest.
Alex slid his eyes over both of us. ‘Good luck with that,’ he grunted, before stalking off.
Mason’s fingers tapered down my arms. I could feel them through the net sleeves of my blouse.
‘Are you all right?’ he asked.
I nodded through a shaky smile. ‘Yes, thank you.’
He turned and glowered towards the castle tearoom, where the silhouettes of customers wavered behind the draped curtains. ‘Did you notice his face when I said we knew the identity of the Scarlet Highwayman? We’re onto something big and he knows it.’
I looked up at Mason, whose attention was boring into Alex Lapley’s retreating figure. ‘But we don’t know who the highwayman is.’
‘Not yet we don’t, Poppy, but we soon will.’
‘There you are!’ exclaimed Mason’s dad, swinging a McKerron Castle-embossed carrier bag. ‘Sorry we took so long. Anyone would think your mother had never been to a gift shop before.’
Orla batted her husband’s arm. ‘Away with you! It’s not my fault if I’m a discerning shopper.’
I was only half listening as she rummaged around in her purchases, producing a candy-pink chiffon scarf embossed with the McKerron Castle crest – three black-and-silver roses on a circular coat of arms – a sea-blue silk tie with the Port Starr emblem for Jack, two boxes of clotted-cream fudge, various postcards featuring the harbour and a glass jar of cinnamon potpourri, topped off with a blue-and-green tartan ribbon.
‘We got these for Anna and Patrick and Maeve and Rory. They’ve all got such a sweet tooth,’ explained Orla, indicating the two boxes of fudge.
‘They’re Mum and Dad’s neighbours,’ supplied Mason in answer to my puzzled stare.
Orla surveyed us both from out of her dark, wide-set eyes. ‘Are you two all right?’
‘We’re fine, Mum,’ insisted Mason. ‘Poppy was just heading back to work.’
I nodded. ‘So sorry to dash off, but it is Saturday.’ I smiled at them. ‘I’m sure I’ll see you both shortly.’
Relieved that I’d brought Dad’s car and could gather my thoughts on the drive back to the cottages, I proffered Mason a small smile. ‘Thanks for just now.’
‘Poppy.’
I paused and turned around.
In two strides, Mason was in front of me. He hesitated, before pulling me into his arms and allowing his lips to move softly against mine.
I pulled back, disorientated. I finally managed to gather myself together. ‘Nice acting.’
Mason’s eyes looked every bit as surprised as mine. There was a glimmer of something that passed across his face that I’d never seen before. ‘Who said I was acting?’