Page 88 of The Boathouse By the Loch

She looked over at David and smiled. She couldn’t thank himenough for her presents – one in particular, which was about to get her covered in loch water, yet again. ‘Oh no!’ The ball being dropped at her feet was always a precursor to what was coming next. She held up her hands to shield her hair from getting wet as Percy shook himself.

‘Oh, Percy, you silly boy! Why do you always miss the ball when I throw it, and it ends up rolling down the slope into the water?’

She’d learned that Percy loved water. When she threw the ball, he wouldn’t fetch it unless it went into the loch. Then he’d run into the water, nudging the ball that was floating on the surface, and have a lovely swim.

Robyn picked up the ball. ‘You know I’m going to have to stop throwing it in that direction.’

Percy barked.

‘Come here,’ she called.

Percy ran straight into her arms, and Robyn didn’t care if she got so wet she’d have to change her clothes. ‘I love you so much – do you know that?’

Percy wagged his tail furiously. She looked over at David and then whispered to Percy, ‘It was love at first sight when I met you.’

Percy woofed and licked her face.

Robyn laughed. ‘I know you feel the same way about me.’ She gave him more fusses. She whispered, ‘Now, it’s our secret. Otherwise, David might get jealous.’ That wasn’t far from the truth. Despite what Gayle had told David, which he’d passed on to Robyn – that Percy would be just as comfortable out on long walks, and accompanying David in his boat, fishing, as he would curling up on the sofa – it had turned out that Percy had immediately chosen his person the moment Robyn and David had walkedthrough the door of the couple who were hoping to rehome him. Percy had darted straight over to Robyn. And that was the way it had been ever since they’d brought Percy back to the boathouse. Wherever Robyn was, Percy wanted to go too. He was her shadow.

Robyn threw the ball towards the water again and thought of the pitstop David had mentioned he needed to make the previous Saturday after posting her letter. She hadn’t understood why they were stopping at some stranger’s house in Aviemore. Had he needed to make a last-minute delivery before he had a week off?

It had turned out that it wasn’t a delivery at all, but a pick-up – potentially, Sitting in the car, David had explained that they were there to meet Percy. He’d wanted to buy her a dog, a puppy, but then Gayle had told him about Rose and George’s friend, and a little dog called Percy who needed rehoming. He’d showed her the photo on his phone that Gayle had sent him. Her reaction when he’d told her all this was not what either of them had expected. Robyn had burst into tears. Ten minutes later, they had been in the car with Percy and all his things. He was wagging his tail and trying to climb into Robyn’s lap, licking her face and barking all at the same time. He was so excited that he couldn’t contain himself. Percy knew he was going to his new home.

As for Robyn, she’d sat in the back seat with him, absolutely stunned that she had a dog all of her own. All her dreams were coming true.

She found it hard to believe that it was only the Friday before that she’d returned from London and surprised David at Lark Lodge. Now, there she was, just one week later, having had a fantastic holiday with David, and the boathouse was all prepared for the party that evening. Party invitations had gone out earlier in the week, and everybody who’d been invited had replied to saythey were coming. The food she’d ordered online was laid out in the kitchen ready to go in the oven. Robyn was cooking her guests a meal. They would arrive after work. She had already baked a cake and a rhubarb crumble for dessert.

She looked up at the blue sky, with not a raincloud in sight, and sighed in relief. She hadn’t wanted to check the weather forecast in case it was not going to be kind. The plan was that after dinner, everyone would wander outside with a drink and watch the sunset over the loch. That was when the party would begin. Duncan had friends who were in a traditional Scottish folk band. The band were coming along some time after dinner.

Now, she had nothing to do but sit and throw a ball for her dog, and watch David finish off the decorations outside, while she waited until it was time to leave the boathouse and collect their very first guest from the airport. Her mum was flying home.

‘There – all done!’ David climbed down from the ladder and admired his handiwork. The back of the boathouse, fronting the loch, was now festooned with lanterns, along with the several strings of fairy lights stretching along the jetty where David’s small rowing boat was moored. He walked over and joined her on the grass in front of the loch. ‘You’re thinking about Judith, aren’t you?’

Robyn glanced up at the balcony overlooking the loch, outside the lounge on the first floor. The previous evening, she’d wandered out on to the balcony, a throw covering her shoulders, a glass of wine in hand. She’d been standing there, looking up at the stars, and thinking of David proposing on bended knee back in June, soon after they’d moved into the boathouse together. It was then that she’d finally realised something.

David had joined her, and before saying a word, she’d looked about her, seeing her dog asleep in basket. She associated having adog with being settled; with permanency. She’d turned to David and told him what she imagined he’d been dying to hear – not because it was what he wanted her to say, and she wanted to make him happy, but because she truly meant it. ‘I’ve got exactly what I want, David.’

He’d joked, ‘A devastatingly handsome fiancé?’

She’d shaken her head, surprising him, even though he’d said it half in jest.

His gaze had fallen on Percy. ‘A dog?’

She’d shaken her head again. ‘No.’

That was when he’d frowned. ‘A bike?’

‘Uh-uh.’

David had stared at her, looking worried.

‘A home, David.’

‘The boathouse?’

She’d smiled. ‘I love this place, but of course I love it more because my devastatingly handsome fiancé, along with Percy and Lottie are here.’

‘Who’s Lottie?’

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