Page 7 of Heirs and Graces at Highland Hall
He shook her away as he switched his glare to his sister.
‘You knew? You knew she was coming and didn’t tell me? You all knew?’
He cast an accusing gaze across their friends.
‘I think this is something you guys should discuss without us,’ Eilidh said as she and Niall retreated to their table, leaving Lorna to handle Duncan.
‘I found out first thing,’ Lorna said. ‘A matter of hours ago.’
His glare didn’t waver. ‘You still could’ve told me. You should have told me.’
‘Hang on a minute,’ Bex said, interrupting. ‘Don’t have a go at her. If we’re talking about telling people things, why the hell didn’tyoutell me what happened to Fergus? Three days, Duncan. He died three days ago. Did you not think I had a right to know?’
The mention of Fergus’s name was all it took. In that instant, his demeanour changed, the anger washing away from him. In that moment, Bex saw how deeply it was all an act. How deeply the pain went. The girls were a distraction, but not from losing Bex. He had lost someone he had loved for far, far longer than he’d loved her, and it was a kind of love he would never be able to replace. A dull ache spread through her chest as she wished there was a way she could comfort him, but that was no longer her job.
‘I thought one of the others would’ve called you and let you know,’ he said quietly.
Bex blinked as a tear streaked its way down her face. Hastily, she wiped it away.
‘You should’ve told me,’ she said. ‘You should’ve told me. But for what it’s worth, I understand, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry for what you’ve lost.’
Duncan grunted before tipping his glass full of whisky into his mouth. ‘I don’t need your sympathy.’
Bex took a deep breath in through her nose, her nails digging into the palms of her hands as her compassion wavered. Being hurt didn’t excuse being an arsehole, and she was doing the best she could to stay calm, but he was pushing all her buttons.
‘Duncan,’ she said slowly. ‘I know you’re going through a lot, but we said we were going to be friends. Remember? We were going to try to be friends.’
‘Yeah, well, we said a lot of things,’ he scoffed. ‘And I didn’t know you were going to turn up on my doorstep.’
‘Look, I get that you’re going through a lot, but that’s no reason to act like a dick,’ Lorna said, squaring up to her big brother, despite the massive difference in their heights. ‘Now, we’re getting food. You do what you like.’
Then, without another word, Lorna grabbed Bex by the arm and dragged her over to the table where Niall and Eilidh had been watching.
‘Are you okay?’ Eilidh said, immediately pushing a full glass of wine into Bex’s hand. ‘I’m so sorry. We did try to warn you.’
‘It’s okay. It’s absolutely fine,’ Bex replied, taking a large gulp of her drink and wishing her hand wasn’t trembling quite so much, though whether it was from upset or anger, she didn’t know.
As the conversation settled over the table, mainly centred on what her friends had been up to since she had seen them last, Bex couldn’t help but keep looking at Duncan. She didn’t want to. She wanted nothing more than to be fully present in the moment, with Lorna and the others, but as the waiter brought their food over, she couldn’t help but notice how Duncan had moved over to the bar and was ordering himself the largest glass of whisky she had ever seen. Before he’d finished it, the Australians were on their feet and walking over, their hands all over him.
‘So,’ one of them said with a giggle. ‘What do you think? Are you going to come back to the hotel and see our suite? We’re sharing it. One double bed, but it’s massive. Definitely room for an extra…’
Bex’s heart clenched, tightening in her chest as if it refused to beat. She was going to pass out. Pass out or throw up. Those were the only options. With her food turning cold and her appetite gone, she sat there, lump in her throat, waiting to hear what Duncan said.
You don’t need to hear this, she said to herself, about to look away, but that was the exact time he turned and looked at her. His gaze briefly caught hers and in that moment, three words filled her head. Three words she desperately wanted to shout at him, as if they would somehow make everything all right. But before she could even open her mouth, Duncan turned back to the women.
‘Actually,’ he said, his voice louder than necessary, as if he wanted Bex to overhear, ‘I’m not in the mood today. Maybe another time.’
6
Bex was aware that staying at the pub all day wasn’t a great idea. Emotions were high, and she was exhausted. But it wasn’t like she had anywhere else to be. It was a Sunday and she wasn’t meeting the lawyer until tomorrow morning. Not to mention, it gave her a chance to catch up with people. Not just the group, but others in the village that she had grown close to during her months living there. Like Roddy, who worked various roles, from barman to taxi driver, and Moira, who was widely assumed the oldest woman in the village and still drank like a fish while she sat in the corner, knitting. The fact her eyes were still up to creating such patterns was, in Bex’s mind, no small feat; apparently her liver wasn’t her only strong organ.
And so, she stayed, sipping her drink, trying to stay focused on what people were saying. Unlike the others, she couldn’t blame her lack of concentration on an increasing blood alcohol level, though. She had switched to Diet Coke after the first glass of wine, partially because she needed to be clear-headed to meet the lawyer. Partially so she kept her wits about her when it came to a certain ruggedly attractive Scotsman.
It was a little after ten when Niall and Eilidh left together. One day, Bex was sure the pair would discover they were more than best friends, but when that was going to happen, she had no idea. She was about to ask Lorna if there’d been any progress on that matter yet, only to find her friend’s attention was fixed on the other side of the room.
Duncan could barely stay standing. His entire body weight was propped up on the edge of the bar and the sway that had been subtle before threatened to see him fall on his face any second.
‘I should get him home,’ Lorna said with a sigh. ‘You don’t need to deal with this. Why don’t I give you the keys to my cottage? You can go there and let yourself in.’
