Page 65 of A Recipe for Love
‘That sounds more realistic.’
‘It’s a date.’
The pub was in the old part of the village, nearest the stream that ran down into the loch. Flinty dropped them off in the Land Rover, ostensibly on her way home, but Bella remained slightly sceptical that Flinty ever actually went home. Whatever time you got up, she was already there, stove hot and kettle boiling.
‘It’s a long walk back if you don’t want to take your life in your hands,’ she pointed out.
‘We’ll be fine,’ Bella reassured her, but turned to Adam as she drove away. ‘How are we getting back?’
‘I’m not sure.’ He glanced back towards the water. ‘In my head it’s still a ten-minute walk over the Low Bridge.’
She took his hand. ‘Well if we have to walk the long way it’ll add to the adventure.’
‘I’m not sure an evening at the Mucky Duck has ever been described as that before.’
Inside, the pub was on the shabby end of traditional. The wood was darkened by years of tobacco smoke, and the velvet on the stools was a little threadbare. The hulk behind the bar was familiar. ‘Pavel!’
‘Bella.’ He grinned. ‘And Adam.’ He paused, a slight glint in his eye. ‘I’m sorry. M’lord.’
‘Bugger off, Pav.’
Pavel laughed. ‘How are you? I’m sorry I haven’t been up since the funeral. I figured you’d be busy with everything.’
‘I’m OK.’ He turned back to Bella. ‘So you two have met?’
‘At the village store. I thought you were a builder.’
Pavel nodded.
‘And personal trainer?’
‘That too.’
‘And lifeboatman,’ Adam added. ‘Water taxi operator.’ He frowned. ‘Fishing charter operator?’
Pavel nodded again. ‘It’s good to be busy.’
‘And barman?’ Bella asked.
‘Well since Mr Taggart died, Mrs Taggart was struggling a bit, running this place on her own, so I help out.’
‘He helps out every bloody night.’ Bella and Adam turned towards the voice. Hugh was sitting at the nearest table to the bar with a pair of men Bella didn’t recognise. ‘Will you two join us?’
Adam nodded, and Bella was delighted to see Queen Latifah snoozing at Hugh’s feet. She raised her head and accepted a little tickle as they installed themselves at Hugh’s table with pints of something bearing the McKenzie estate branding all over the tap. ‘Do they actually brew this themselves?’ Bella asked.
Hugh shrugged. ‘I doubt it. Tastes…’ He took a sip and paused. ‘Well it doesn’t taste like beer, but they tied the Taggarts into a contract and it’s the only pub we’ve got so… Anyway, this is Gareth, Netty’s husband, and Callum, their lad. And this is Bella and you know Adam, our new laird.’
Bella caught the slight tension on Adam’s face at the introduction. She jumped into the conversation. ‘You’re Netty’s husband?’
The man nodded. ‘Aye.’
The younger man piped up. ‘And you’re the famous Bella? I’ve only been home two days and I’m glad she’s on this sponsored silence because she won’t stop telling us about you on that bloody notepad. If she could talk my ear would be worn off by now.’
‘Oh.’ Bella smiled. ‘Well I’m glad I made an impression, I think.’
‘Don’t worry. It’s all positive. You’re a powerhouse, apparently.’
Bella didn’t know what to say to that. She’d always thought of herself as more of a drifter than a mover or a shaker.
