Love Heart Lane Series

Isla looked horrified at the thought. ‘Has Fergus said anything to you about Drew’s moods?’

‘Only that he didn’t seem himself at the moment … moody … a bit short-tempered, but he just put it down to interrupted sleep, with a new baby in the house.’

‘Believe me, his sleep is far from interrupted.’

Isla knew that they usually managed to communicate without conversations escalating into rows, but recently she did feel like she was treading on eggshells around her husband.

‘I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about, we all have off days and with a new baby in the house, however adorable, it must put a strain on things,’ said Felicity reassuringly, as she reached over and squeezed her friend’s hand. ‘Now go and give your face a quick wipe and I’ll get you a fresh pot of tea.’

‘Thanks Flick, for listening to me.’

‘Don’t be daft, what are friends for.’

As Isla disappeared into the bathroom, Felicity stood behind her mum, who seemed deep in thought.

‘Penny for them,’ said Felicity tentatively, watching her mum closely.

‘I was just thinking about this place, how many people have passed through that door over the years, how many cups of tea have been served and how many cakes have been devoured since Mum opened up all those years ago.’ She smiled, ‘I’m so glad you came home, and we are here … together.’

‘Me too,’ replied Felicity, grabbing the tea towel and drying the plates on the draining board. ‘It must have been thousands of cups of tea,’ she said and smiled at her mum.

‘And you best turn that sign around, otherwise we’ll have no customers today.’ Rona nodded towards the door. ‘Is Isla okay?’

‘She will be,’ answered Felicity, walking towards the door.

As soon as she flicked the sign over to ‘Open’ and returned to the kitchen, the old-fashioned bell chimed to signal a customer. Rona was expecting an influx of customers today, as Julia who ran the village’s B&B had informed her she was already full to the brim this week with a rambling club all the way from Staffordshire. As soon as the weather became warmer the teashop was always busy with hikers grabbing a packed lunch before setting off on their trek over the Scottish Highlands.

‘I could murder a cuppa and a slice of toast.’

Immediately on hearing the voice, Rona screwed up her eyes and stared, ‘No way! It can’t be …’

‘Yes, way!’ There in the doorway stood an elderly woman, wearing a shabby green coat that hung from her tiny frame, thick black tights that were laddered at the knee and a pair of chunky Doc Martens shoes. She looked around seventy, short and plump with her grey wispy hair wound up in a bun, and she had a huge beam on her face.

Immediately Rona stood up and flung her arms open wide and hugged the woman. ‘Martha Gray! Where the hell have you been? How lovely to see you! It must be at least …’

‘Too long to remember,’ interrupted Martha.

Felicity was scrutinising her mum’s face for clues to who this woman was, as Rona turned towards Felicity.

‘Martha … it’s Martha … Isla’s grandmother, your Grandmother Bonnie’s best friend,’ said Rona. But by the time Rona had jogged Felicity’s memory, Martha was already kissing her on both cheeks.

‘Oh my, so it is!’ Felicity hadn’t seen Martha since she’d moved away to London eight years ago. She’d lost a lot of weight and seemed shorter than Felicity recalled. She remembered her working in the teashop alongside her grandmother years ago.

‘Well … where is she?’ said Martha, straining her neck and casting a glance over the teashop. For a second Felicity thought she meant Isla until she added, ‘My old partner in crime, surely she hasn’t taken the day off … I’ve never known Bonnie Stewart to take a day off before.’

Rona felt puzzled and looked towards Felicity as the penny dropped. Rona swallowed a lump in her throat and took a deep breath. ‘She’s gone, Martha … she’s gone.’

‘What, to the shops? … Over to Glensheil for the day?’

Rona shook her head, ‘No, Martha … there’s no easy way to say this … Mum passed away.’

As the words registered, Martha slumped into a chair and unbuttoned her coat. ‘I can’t take this in … when did this happen?’ She gulped back a sob, dabbing her face with a tissue from her pocket.

‘Christmas time,’ replied Rona, taking her coat and hanging it on the stand in the corner of the teashop.

‘I’m so sorry for your loss. I know I’ve not been around for a while, but she was always my best friend, you know. I had visions of us running riot over in Glensheil on my return. Surely the nightlife is still the same over the bridge … gin nights and late-night parties are all the rage nowadays, knit and natter is so last year and way too tame these days.’

‘I’m sure if she was still here, she wouldn’t have hesitated to join you.’ Rona couldn’t help but smile. Martha had always had a zest for life and lived every day like it was her last. It didn’t matter how long Martha was away from Heartcross, she always slotted straight back in, like she’d never been away.

Many years ago, Bonnie and Martha had been inseparable, thick as thieves, and for a short time Martha had worked in the old teashop alongside Bonnie when the rambling trade was soaring. The teashop was the last stop on Love Heart Lane before the stile that led the ramblers over the heather-wreathed glens, beautiful waterfalls and majestic mountains. The climb was one of spectacular scenery.

Martha had last been seen in the village last spring. It had been a fresh, crisp morning when a gang of ramblers had fallen into the teashop before a five-hour hike. And that’s when Martha had met Walt, in the teashop over eggs benedict. Later that evening he’d changed his walking trousers and boots to an outfit of brown tweed jacket, checked shirt and navy corduroys … and that had been that. After their very first date she’d stepped down as chair for the Women’s Institute, had removed herself from the parish council and had done a moonlight flit with Walter, leaving Isla to report her as a missing person until a postcard had landed on her doormat all the way from a Caribbean cruise.

‘Taken too soon,’ Martha was muttering over and over again.

‘Let me get you a coffee?’

‘I need something stronger, I’m in shock.’

‘Nothing changes,’ Rona mouthed to Felicity.

‘Sherry,’ said Martha, ‘or whisky?’

‘Go and pour a whisky from the decanter on the sideboard,’ Rona whispered.

Felicity nodded and soon returned with the amber-looking liquid in a crystal glass.

‘Rest in peace, dear Bonnie,’ Martha said, swirling the whisky around in the glass before necking it in one gulp.

Felicity winced at the very thought of the burn in the back of the throat.

‘Does Isla know you are coming?’ asked Felicity, taking a swift glance towards the bathroom door, thinking that Isla hadn’t mentioned her grandmother’s return.

‘I thought I’d surprise her,’ answered Martha.

They were both in no doubt that Isla would be in complete surprise, especially after Martha had upped and left the village to live life to the max.

Martha had been Isla’s only real family left in Heartcross. Years ago, Isla’s parents had emigrated to New Zealand, but Isla hadn’t wanted to leave the village or Drew and had moved into the farmhouse with his family.

‘You do know you have two great-grandchildren now, don’t you?’

‘What … two … When did that happen?’

Rona nodded her head towards the sleeping baby in the pram. ‘When you were travelling around the world …’ said Rona, raising her eyebrows. ‘Or doing whatever you’ve been doing all this time.’

‘Two boys,’ chipped in Felicity. ‘Finn has a brother, Angus.’

Martha peered inside the pram, ‘And this is him?’ she said, overwhelmed.