Page 71 of The Midnight Secret

‘Wait, no! I wasn’t paying attention! I was talking to Jayne!’

‘Too bad.’

‘Thatdidn’t count,’ he said firmly, getting his arm back in position, his hand ready for her grip. ‘Again.’

Effie beamed. ‘Best out of three. But be prepared to lose.’ She looked into his eyes devilishly as she resumed the position, his hand twice the size of hers.

‘Piping,’ he said as they began to push their palms against one another.

Effie frowned, confused. ‘Eh?’ Her arm went down.

‘I win,’ he grinned.

‘Wait, no!’

‘What? You were distracted?’ he teased.

‘Oof,’ she muttered, eyes narrowed. ‘...Right. Final one.’

‘But you don’t know how to play, do you?’ Jayne asked over her shoulder as they began again.

‘Not yet. But Roddy MacRae has offered to teach me. I came across him mending his chanter reed the other day andwe got talking. It’s something that’s always interested me. I love the sound of them.’

‘Aye,’ Jayne agreed. ‘I mean, don’t get me wrong, the fiddle and Old Fin’s accordion are the sounds of home, but there’s something so haunting about the pipes.’

‘That’s what I think,’ David replied to her without taking his attention off Effie; she was staring into his eyes as if preparing to reach in and pluck out his soul. She was the Effie of old – or desperately longing to be, reviving the version of herself with an unscarred heart – but she could see he was wholly unperturbed by her intensity; she was his little sister in all but name and he was used to her competitive ways. ‘Obviously I wouldn’a be entering with any hopes of winning anything, but it would give me a target, something to strive for.’

‘Don’t be so sure you wouldn’t. I think you’ll be a natural,’ Jayne said.

‘You do?’

‘Aye. You always excel whenever you apply yourself to something. See how well you’ve done with growing the kale this winter?’

Effie’s eyes swivelled between them. Did they even remember she was here, mid-competition? ‘Only because you helped me with the transplanting.’

‘It was you,’ Jayne demurred. ‘You’ve got green fingers – and probably fast nimble pipe-playing ones too.’

Effie saw the smile grow on David’s face at the compliment and knew this was her chance. She went to swoop his arm down suddenly and she was halfway there when he locked back in and froze her attack. She felt her muscles strain as he grinned infuriatingly back at her, their arms at an impasse. His effort level was significantly lower than hers and sherealized, for the first time, that he was humouring her. That he could easily win this if he so chose.

Just then she heard the creak of the garden gate, footsteps coming up the path. She saw another expression come into her opponent’s eyes as he glanced over at Jayne, still working quietly by the stove.

Effie took her chance, slamming his hand down upon the table – ‘Yes!’ she cried victoriously, but David didn’t appear even to notice.

The puppies pulled themselves up to sitting position, eyes on the door as Norman appeared a moment later, frowning with displeasure at the curious scene in his kitchen. ‘David, what a surprise to see you here. Again,’ he muttered sarcastically.

‘Evening, Norman,’ David nodded. ‘I was helping Jayne set some mousetraps.’

‘Well, of course. There’s always something she needs help with, isn’t there?’

Effie glanced at David and saw him biting his lip, holding back hot words. It was true he was always over here, but so was she. There was now at least one bicycle per household and all the villagers darted in and out of each other’s homes like dragonflies, just as they had in the old days. Since returning from Skye, she had moved back in with her father to their old cottage down the lane; Sholto had arranged for their possessions to be brought back up to Lochaline and his driver had personally driven her father up here. They were a community once more and it was almost like old times. Almost.

Jayne turned from her position at the stove, her gaze searching for something on Norman. ‘...Did you remember the pork chops?’ she asked.

Norman winced, giving a hiss of irritation. ‘Me?...’

‘Aye, I asked y’ to pick them up on y’ way past this evening.’

‘Why are y’ adding to my list of things to do, woman? You know how busy my days are at the minute! What’s wrong with you getting them?’

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