Page 20 of The Boathouse By the Loch

‘Are you looking at a map?’

‘Yes. I’ve got Mummy’s old map. She won’t let me use her laptop.’ There was a pause during which Jake heard the rustling of paper. He imagined she was unfolding the map on the kitchen table. He heard Natty say, ‘We are here, in London, and you are … are … hmm.’

It sounded to Jake as though she hadn’t been able to locate Aviemore.

‘It’s in Scotland – right?’

‘Yes, that’s right. I’m staying in a lovely guesthouse called Lark Lodge, in Aviemore.

‘Hey, I’ve found the Cairngorms. It says it on the map.’

Jake smiled. ‘Well done!’ He pictured her hunched over the map, her mum’s mobile phone in one hand, and a little finger tracing the distance between them. Finally, she said, ‘It’s a long way away.’

Jake sighed. ‘I know.’ Since arriving in Aviemore, he’d discovered he wasn’t particularly missing London. He’d forgotten how at home he always felt in this beautiful part of the world. But he was missing the two people he’d discovered he couldn’t live without. That was the reason he was keen for Robyn to get on with redecorating The Lake House. He knew that in his heart, when he’d thought he’d lost them, that he couldn’t possibly consider returning to live in his house. They were in London, and there was nowhere else he’d rather be than back there with them.

‘I don’t think you’re going to find Aviemore on that map, sweetheart.’ The village was too small for her to locate it on a map of the UK.

‘Oh.’ She sounded disappointed.

‘Jake?’

‘Yes?’

Jake heard Faye’s voice in the background.

‘Just one more minute!’ shouted Natty, ‘I want to ask Jake one more question.’

Jake stifled a laugh. Natty with another question! Who would have thought? He felt like asking her – only the one? But the sarcasm would have gone right over her head. Besides, she didn’t need any encouragement.

‘Only one, I promise!’ Natty yelled at her mother.

Jake shook in silent laughter. Faye knew her daughter too well.

When he had sufficiently recovered – Natty would be very cross indeed if she thought for one second he wasn’t being serious – Jake put the phone to his ear.

Her little voice said, ‘Jake.’

‘Yes, Natty?’

‘When are you coming home?’

Jake thought about this. The answer was that he didn’t know exactly. His return flight was in six days, but he might need more time. Then again, he might not, and might even rearrange his flight to return sooner. So, he used the classic adult ruse. ‘Soon,’ he said, dragging the word out, knowing that it wasn’t going to wash. ‘In a few days, maybe.’

There was a silence. Jake waited for the usual battery of questions that followed a vague answer he could never hope to get away with.

‘I miss you.’

Blown away by Natty’s unexpected reply, Jake was momentarily lost for words.

‘I miss you too, honey monster.’

‘I amnota honey monster,’ her tone very serious.

Jake could picture her standing right in front of him, folding her arms theatrically, cocking her head to one side and giving him that silent ticking-off that said,You’re not to call me honey monster; I amnota baby.

But to Jake, she was. He just wished she washisbaby, his child. ‘I know you’re not a honey monster,’ Jake conceded with a sigh.

‘Well, that’s good to hear,’ Faye’s voice answered.

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