Where the Heart Belongs Read Online Free Page B

laden tray from the sandy-haired girl who stood stolidly staring at them. ‘Ingrid, this is Shona.’
    Ingrid sniffed. ‘Good morning,’ she said in the same rasping tone as yesterday.
    Jack placed the tray on one of the small bamboo tables and then sat down again. ‘Thank you, Ingrid. That’s great. You won’t need to hang around much longer, but I’ll need you to show Shona to her room before you head off.’
    Ingrid threw Shona a look of dislike before she retreated.
    â€˜You’ll welcome the conference delegates on arrival, Shona,’ Jack said. ‘See to their comfort in all matters and generally be at hand all the time they are here to deal with any problems that arise. How do you like your coffee?’
    â€˜White please, no sugar.’
    She watched him pour and then took the mug from him, noticing the design of yellow orchids decorating it. As she put it down on the small bamboo table at her side she saw a crack above the handle that he obviously hadn’t noticed. His own, with a pink orchid appeared undamaged. Surely Ingrid hadn’t made up her mind to dislike her before they had even met and was showing her in this small way that she was unwelcome here?
    Jack proffered a plate of shortbread and then took one himself. He downed his coffee swiftly and she had the impression that her mini interview was over and that he had more important things on his mind now. Her mouth burning from the hot liquid, she drank as quickly as she could. He stood up as she replaced her empty mug on the tray.
    *   *   *
    Shona was expecting a small room to be allocated to her somewhere at the top of the building but the apartment Ingrid showed her on the first floor almost took her breath away.
    â€˜It’s perfect,’ she gasped, gazing in awe as Ingrid threw open the door to reveal a comfortably furnished sitting room in subtle shades of blue and green. Ingrid stumped across the pale green carpet to open the door into the bedroom.
    Shona, following her, saw a patchwork quilt in various shades of pink edged with cream lace that matched the colour of the carpet. Deep rose velvet curtains framed the long window that, like the sitting room, looked out over the front lawn.
    â€˜It’ll do,’ said Ingrid grudgingly.
    Shona turned to her, smiling, but Ingrid’s frosty expression didn’t change. She edged towards the door. ‘You’ll need to find your own way down,’ she said.
    â€˜No problem,’ Shona said as Ingrid left her to explore the apartment on her own. She discovered pink towels in the ensuite and a selection of bath oil, shampoo and liquid soap on the glass shelf. Someone wanted her to feel welcome at Ferniehope Castle, but definitely not Ingrid.

‘WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HER?’
    â€˜Where are you now, Shona? Somewhere exotic . . . dining in style at Culzean Castle with Felix? Tell him from me to make the most of the present moment even though you’ve a lot of catching up to do.’
    Shona laughed at her cousin’s nonsense, glad that Jodie sounded happy and relaxed on the other end of the phone.
    â€˜I’m not too far from our old haunts,’ she said, glancing out of the dining room window at the reddening sky behind the belt of trees to her right.
    â€˜So have you met Felix yet?’
    â€˜Of course not, Jodie. Be realistic.’
    â€˜You will, given time. I hope you’re not thinking of moving on already?’
    Shona smiled. ‘No way. I’m enjoying myself too much.’ And so she was, learning from Jack all that was expected of her. Not much today, of course, as the Roddon Rambling Club wasn’t arriving until tomorrow and everything was in hand. It was just a question of familiarising herself with the layout of the castle and getting to know the rest of the staff. She had met Mags, Ingrid’s mother, after lunch when she was investigating the rooms at the back of the house