Page 100 of The Boathouse By the Loch

‘Mummy helped me choose it.’

Five minutes later, there was a crowd of people in the kitchen, all talking at once and handing Robyn more presents. They started to take their seats around the table. ‘Fancy,’ said Duncan when he picked up the little card with his name on. ‘I feel as though I’vejust stepped into an episode of Downton Abbey. I hope this is silver service and I’m going to have my own personal waiter,’ he joked.

Robyn rolled her eyes at him as he guffawed and took his seat next to Alec. Joe and Annie pulled out a chair and were joined by Melissa and Brodie, all taking their seats on one side of the table.

Marty and Nick sat down the other side of the table, joined by Gayle and Doris. Judith appeared in the doorway, looking a bit overwhelmed.

Robyn immediately stepped forward. ‘Judith, come and sit here.’ She showed her the seat next to Gayle. That left four empty chairs – hers and David’s at either end of the table, and two for the mystery guests.

‘Oh, Evie, darling,’ said Robyn, ‘You’re sitting at this little table just over here.’

‘But I don’t want to sit on my own.’

Robyn glanced at David.

He looked at his watch. ‘I’m sure they’re going to be here any minute.’

‘Who?’ said Duncan.

Robyn replied, ‘Apparently we have three mystery guests.’ She turned to Evie. ‘I heard one of them is a little girl not much older than you.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, would you like to make a new friend?’

Evie shook her head up and down.

‘Great.’

Evie took her place at the little table while David looked out of the kitchen window and frowned.

Robyn joined him while everyone chatted at the table. ‘Well,where are they?’

‘I don’t know.’ He turned around. ‘Gayle, they definitely said they’re coming?’

Robyn whirled around. ‘You’re in on this?’

Gayle grinned. She looked at David. ‘They’re guests at Lark Lodge. They haven’t long arrived. I was going to pick them up at the train station this afternoon, but they’d managed to hire a car in Aviemore. They’d just settled into their rooms, but left before me. I think they were quickly stopping off in Aviemore. I suspect they’re buying Robyn a present.’

‘Wait – did you just say they are guests at Lark Lodge?’

Gayle nodded.

‘Who are they?’

‘You’ll see!’

Robyn turned to Marty and Nick, who were avoiding her gaze. ‘You two know too, don’t you?’ Robyn rolled her eyes. It was a stupid question. Of course they did. They lived there too.

At that moment, another car turned up outside the house.

David grinned. ‘They’re here.’

Everybody got out of their seats.

Gayle said, ‘Hey, everyone stay seated. You’ll see who it is soon enough.’

Robyn held back, lingering in the kitchen. She did not like surprises.

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