Page 67 of Surprises on the Scottish Isle

After he kissed her goodbye this morning, Tara made another coffee and took it outside to drink. Skye was living up to its non-official name of the Misty Isle today, as low clouds obscured the mountains and a mist shimmered over the loch. The air was damp, and Tara’s hair and clothes were soon coated in tiny droplets. She didn’t mind. She’d be showering shortly and changing into her paint-daubed jeans and an old T-shirt. However careful she was, she always managed to get some splodges on her.

Since she was up early, she’d do what she had done all this week – go to the studio and work on Bonnie’s doll’s house. A few days ago, another commission had come in, so she needed to start on that, as well as make some more of the bread-and-butter houses she sold online.

Tara was busier than she could ever remember being, and she adored every minute of it. Her days were full of doing what she loved, and her nights were full of being with the man she loved. Two months ago, when she’d been faced with selling the house in Edinburgh and finding somewhere to live, she could never have imagined how brilliant her life could be.

A short while later, Tara was opening up the studio when she saw Gillian waving to her.

‘I’ve got some scones fresh out of the oven,’ the cafe manager announced. ‘In case you fancy one. Mark my words, they’ll be all gone by lunchtime.’

‘Ooh, yes please. If you don’t mind, I’ll take it back to the studio and eat it later.’

As Gillian packed up a scone, adding a small pot of jam and a ramekin of thick cream, she asked, ‘Are you all set for your workshop next week?’

‘More or less. I still can’t believe I’m running one. What if people don’t like it?’

‘Of course they’ll like it. How many have you got booked in?’

‘Eight.’

‘A nice number. Any more, and you won’t be able to give them the attention they deserve. Believe me, you’ll take to it like a duck to water. You’re a natural teacher.’ She handed the stone to Tara. ‘Bonnie showed me the tea set she made. Are you going to run any workshops for children?’

‘Probably. Everyone else is.’ Several events were planned for over the summer, and Cal was pleased with the sign-up numbers. Two of these were taking place in the next few weeks, as well as the adult-based residential workshops that Coorie Castle was becoming famous for. Tara was incredibly excited to be part of it, even if she was nervous about delivering a workshop of her own.

Thanking Gillian for the scone, she hurried back to the studio, anxious to begin work. She had such a lot to do, and now that she was spending her evenings (and some days as well, she thought, smiling as she remembered the amazing visit to the Fairy Pools) with Cal, she had less time to focus on her business. However, with this being Cal’s turn to have Bonnie for the weekend, Tara would be able to catch up tonight and tomorrow – unless Bonnie insisted on her joining them for supper and board games.

It was hard hiding her feelings for Cal from Bonnie, and even harder not being able to kiss him, but she would survive. Absence – or abstinence – was supposed to make the heart grow fonder, and she was looking forward to Sunday night after Bonnie had gone back to her mum. Tara was already tingling at the thought.

A few minutes later, seated on the stool at the workbench, the tingling had disappeared as she concentrated on laying the flooring in Bonnie’s little house. The construction, although not the traditional single front opening, hadn’t taken long, and neither had the exterior details, and Tara was now busy working her magic on the rooms themselves.

This was the fiddly bit, and where her attention to detail came into its own.

She had her head down and was concentrating hard when the studio door opened. People often came in for a gander, wanting to watch the crafters at work, so she didn’t look up immediately, calling out a quick ‘Hello’ instead, before having the awful thought that it might be Bonnie. She’d been so careful to hide the doll’s house from her that she’d feel dreadful if she spoiled the surprise now.

A glance told her that it wasn’t Cal’s daughter who had entered her studio.

It was his ex-wife. And the woman didn’t look happy.

‘I guessed as much,’ Yvaine declared, scanning her up and down with disdain.

Tara was equally as unhappy. It had never occurred to her that Yvaine would walk into her studio, despite being aware that Bonnie’s mum sometimes dropped her off at the castle.

If Tara was honest, she’d been hoping she wouldn’t encounter Yvaine at all for some time yet. To see her standing in her studio, glaring at her, was rather a shock.

Tara didn’t know how to respond to Yvaine’s comment, so she said nothing.

‘I had to see for myself,’ Yvaine continued. ‘Prince Cal and Princess Tara, indeed!’

Tara found her voice. ‘Excuse me?’

‘I would say he’s all yours, but he’salways been all yours, hasn’t he? I was always second best.’ Yvaine spat out the words, and Tara flinched. ‘I bet you’re pleased with yourself,’ she added.

The power of speech deserted Tara once more as she stared at the bitter expression on the woman’s face.

Yvaine said, ‘I hope you’ll both be very happy, but don’t count on it. He dumped you once, he could dump you again.’ And with that, she turned smartly on her three-inch heels and marched out the door.

Open-mouthed and shaking, Tara tracked the woman’s progress towards the car park. When she could no longer see her, she got slowly to her feet and pushed the door closed, locking it for good measure.

Yvaine’s visit might have been unexpected and unpleasant, but it confirmed something: Cal had been telling the truth when he’d said that he’d never stopped loving Tara. However, she gained no satisfaction from the knowledge. Instead, all she felt was pity for Cal’s ex-wife. She also felt guilty. Poor Dougie… In hindsight, it must have been obvious to him that she hadn’t loved him as deeply as she should have.

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