The Christmas Collection

by Victoria Connelly

  ‘I’m used to it,’ she said, shrugging her shoulders. ‘I know where to step and where not to step. Right, follow me.’

  They walked along another hallway and then took a staircase down a couple of floors.

  ‘I’m going to get lost here!’ Chrissa said.

  ‘No you’re not,’ Iain said, ‘because you’re not to go wandering off.’ As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he suddenly realised how grown-up and – well – boring he sounded. Hadn’t he just felt his own heartbeat accelerate at the simple pleasure of exploring a castle? And was he seriously going to stop his own daughter from experiencing something as thrilling as that?

  ‘What I mean,’ he added, ‘is that you’re to make sure you let me know when you’re going to do a bit of exploring, okay?’ Well, that wasn’t quite the free-spirited father he longed to be either but at least he was relaxing a little bit.

  Chrissa nodded.

  ‘How far is it to the nearest town?’ Lexi asked.

  ‘That would be Strathcorrie,’ Catriona said.

  ‘We drove through there on the way,’ Iain said.

  ‘That funny little place with the tartan shop?’

  ‘A Touch of Tartan,’ Catriona said.

  ‘That’s miles away!’ Lexi said, her eyes filled with horror.

  ‘A twenty-four mile round trip,’ Catriona said. ‘But don’t worry – we’ve got everything we need to enjoy Christmas without leaving the castle.’

  Lexi didn’t look convinced.

  They walked on through a carpeted hallway. This part of the castle felt distinctly warmer than the one they’d left behind and Iain noticed that there were paintings and photographs hanging on the walls and great silver sconces holding real candles.

  Catriona halted at a door on the left. ‘This is your room, Mr Mac–’

  ‘Iain, please.’

  ‘Oh, yes. Iain,’ she said as she led them into the room. ‘I hope you’ll be very comfortable here.’

  Iain took in the splendour of the large bedroom with its grand four-poster bed. The bed’s ornately carved oak posts were as thick as tree trunks and the bedspread was richly embroidered in jewel-like reds and blues.

  A tapestry in blues, greens and gold hung on the main wall. It depicted a stag in a mountain forest and Iain imagined that he’d be able to see such a scene if he only looked out of one of the castle windows as soon as it was light.

  A mountain of tartan rugs was neatly folded on a dark wooden chest and there was a little table on which sat a kettle, a tray and an assortment of tea and biscuits including his favourite Highland shortbread.

  ‘This is beautiful,’ he said, turning to his hostess.

  ‘Wow!’ Chrissa said. ‘It’s really cool, Dad.’

  Iain smiled down at Chrissa and then looked at Lexi. For once in her life, she wasn’t wearing an entrenched frown.

  ‘I don’t know what to say,’ Iain told Catriona. ‘Are all the rooms like this?’

  ‘Er, no,’ Catriona said. ‘It would be too expensive to keep all the rooms running, I’m afraid.’

  ‘That seems a shame,’ Iain said.

  ‘Ah, it’s just the way it is,’ she said. ‘The girls’ rooms are along the corridor. Come with me.’

  They left the master bedroom, following Catriona along the hallway and passing a series of small oil paintings of Highland landscapes.

  ‘I thought Chrissa might like this room,’ Catriona said, opening the door into a pretty room lined with floral wallpaper in pink and white which had a single bed heaped with cushions.

  ‘Do you like it, sweetheart?’ Iain asked and Chrissa nodded, her smile stretched across the whole of her face.

  ‘Thank you!’

  ‘You’re welcome,’ Catriona said. ‘You’re next door, Lexi.’

  They all went to see what lay in store for her.

  The room wasn’t as luxurious as the master bedroom, nor was it as girly as the bedroom Chrissa had, but it had a quiet elegance about it with its muted autumnal colours and beautiful Victorian metal bed.

  ‘Lexi?’ Iain prompted. ‘Do you like it?’

  ‘It’s okay, I suppose,’ she said.

  ‘That’s high praise,’ Iain quickly told Catriona.

  ‘But I’d rather be in LA,’ Lexi added.

  ‘LA?’ Catriona said, obviously puzzled.

  Iain sighed. ‘Lexi, for the last time, this is where we’re spending Christmas so get used to it.’

  She threw him an unhappy look and then walked into her room and flopped down onto the bed.

  ‘You’ve got your own ensuite and a wonderful view of the loch during the day from this window.’

  ‘So,’ Iain said, clearing his throat, ‘where are you if we need to find you?’

  ‘We’re in the east wing,’ Catriona said. ‘Down the hallway and turn left.’

  He nodded. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘I’ll leave you to settle in,’ she said, ‘but give me a shout if you need anything. Your bags will be with you shortly.’

  Chrissa ran back into her room and Iain was left alone with Catriona for a moment.

  ‘Is – erm – Lexi okay?’ she asked him gently in a whisper.

  Iain sighed. ‘She’s not happy about being here,’ he said, ‘and she’s making life pretty miserable letting us know that.’

  ‘Oh, dear,’ Catriona said. ‘How old is she?’

  ‘Sixteen.’

  ‘My Fee is fifteen. It’s a tricky age, isn’t it? So much going on in those teenage heads and we ancient adults can’t begin to remember what it was like – at least that’s what they think.’

  ‘Everything I say and do seems to be the wrong thing.’

  Catriona nodded. ‘Maybe she’ll get along with Fee.’

  ‘It might be good to introduce them to each other,’ he said.

  ‘Leave that with me,’ Catriona said and Iain immediately felt like a great weight had been lifted from him.

  *

  Catriona left the MacNeices to make themselves comfortable and returned downstairs to find Brody. He was in the kitchen and was in the process of helping himself to a cookie from the tin when she walked in.

  ‘Oh no you don’t!’ she said, wagging a warning finger at him. ‘Not until you’ve helped me take up the MacNeice’s luggage.

  ‘They’re here then?’ Fee said as she entered the kitchen. ‘I saw their posh car.’

  ‘Is it posh?’

  ‘Looks brand new to me.’

  ‘Anything looks brand new compared to our ancient Land Rover,’ Catriona said.

  ‘So, what are they like?’ Fee asked.

  ‘Why don’t you find out by grabbing a suitcase and helping me and Brody out?’

  Fee rolled her eyes. ‘I walked right into that one, didn’t I?’

  ‘You certainly did!’ Catriona said. ‘Stay there, Baggy.’

  Leaving the deerhound in his enormous basket by the range, the three of them left the kitchen and walked through to the hallway where the MacNeice’s cases were.

  ‘One each, okay?’ Catriona said.

  ‘I was hoping they would get lost on the moors and never find us,’ Fee said as she grabbed one of the cases.

  ‘That’s not a very kind thing to say at Christmas. Or at any other time of the year for that matter,’ Catriona said.

  ‘Well, I don’t feel very kind with a bunch of strangers in our house.’

  ‘We’ve had this conversation before, Fee. This house is much too large not to share. If I showed you the heating bill alone–’

  ‘I know, Mum,’ she said with a sigh, ‘but I don’t have to like the fact that we’re sharing at Christmas, do I?’

  ‘I’d like you to make an effort to be nice to them,’ Catriona said. ‘Besides, I think you’ll get on with Lexi. She’s sixteen.’

  ‘Just because we’re nearly the same age, it doesn’t mean we’re going to get on.’

  ‘I know,’ Catriona said tolerantly, ‘but you can at least try, can’t you?’
<
br />   ‘If you really want me to,’ Fiona said with a pout.

  ‘I do.’

  The three of them trundled upstairs with the luggage and knocked on Iain’s door first.

  ‘Settling in okay?’ Catriona asked when he opened it.

  ‘Yes, thank you,’ he said, taking his suitcase. ‘I love the brown water in the bathroom.’

  ‘It’s because of the peat on the moors,’ Catriona said. ‘Makes the water wonderfully soft although it does scare the occasional guest.’

  ‘I’d forgotten about that,’ he said.

  Catriona cocked her head to one side. ‘Forgotten?’

  ‘I grew up round here.’

  ‘Did you?’

  He nodded. ‘The other side of Strathcorrie. A little village called North Lonan.’

  ‘I know it!’

  ‘Do you?’

  ‘It’s a lovely little spot,’ she said.

  ‘I haven’t been back this way for years,’ he said.

  ‘So why now?’ she asked and then caught herself. ‘Sorry. Too nosy.’

  ‘No, no,’ he said. ‘It’s just–’ he paused. ‘It’s time.’

  She nodded and then remembered that her children hadn’t yet been introduced to him. ‘Fee, Brody – come and meet Mr MacNeice.’

  The two of them walked into the room from the hallway.

  ‘Pleased to meet you,’ he said with a nod and a smile. ‘Thank you for letting us stay in your beautiful home.’

  Fee cleared her throat.

  ‘You have something to say, Fee?’ Catriona asked.

  Fee shot her mother a look but then turned back to Mr MacNeice. ‘We hope you enjoy your stay,’ she said and Catriona sighed with relief.

  ‘Right, let’s get these cases to your daughters,’ Catriona said and led Fee and Brody out of the room.

  Chrissa greeted them with a big bright smile and a cheery hello but, unsurprisingly, Lexi didn’t.

  ‘We’ve got your suitcase, Lexi,’ Catriona said after politely knocking on the door. ‘Where shall I put it?’

  Lexi was sprawled out on the bed, her arm across her face and Catriona couldn’t help wondering if she’d been crying as her skin looked slightly flushed.

  ‘Anywhere,’ she mumbled.

  ‘I’d like to introduce you to Fee and Brody,’ Catriona continued undaunted.

  Lexi got up from the bed, rubbing her eyes. ‘Hi,’ she said in a small voice and, for all her attitude and grouchiness, Catriona could see just how young and vulnerable she was and felt an instant urge to give her a cuddle.

  ‘Hi,’ Fee said from the doorway. The two teens eyed each other warily and then something extraordinary happened. ‘I like your scarf.’

  Catriona looked at her daughter and then looked at Lexi. She hadn’t noticed the little chiffon scarf the teenager was wearing but she looked at it now and noticed that it was, indeed, very pretty.

  ‘My mum sent it to me. It’s from America. I’ve got more in my case if you’d like to see.’

  ‘Sure,’ Fee said.

  Brody nudged his mum’s arm. ‘Can I go and play with Bagpipe?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Catriona said, ‘let’s leave these two to it, shall we?’

  As they passed Iain’s room on the way back, Catriona knocked and entered. He was hanging shirts up in the dark wooden wardrobe but stopped and greeted her with a smile.

  ‘I thought you’d like to know that our two teenagers have hit it off,’ she said.

  ‘Really? Already?’

  Catriona nodded.

  ‘Wow,’ he said. ‘If that’s the case, I’m coming here every Christmas!’

  Catriona left the room and a part of her couldn’t help wishing that he was in earnest about spending every Christmas at the castle and she wasn’t just thinking about her bank balance.

  CHAPTER 5

  It felt strange having a man in the castle again at Christmas, Catriona couldn’t help thinking as she cleared her family’s things away the next morning. The three Frasers had already taken Bagpipe out for a good long walk around the loch and he was snoring sonorously in his basket now.

  She wondered if Iain MacNeice liked to walk. His shoulders had looked all hunched and stiff when he’d arrived and he looked as if he could do with a good stride around the loch and up over the moors. But it wasn’t her place to interfere with her guests.

  In the past, many of her guests hadn’t left the comfort of their rooms, choosing to stay in the relative warmth with a good book or an electronic gadget. That seemed such a waste to Catriona who wanted to shake them out of their stupor and show them the beauty of the world around them for, even on the bleakest of days, there was always something of wonder to see at Caldoon. Take that very day. Hadn’t the pale silvery morning been magical? Freezing, but magical. And everybody needed a bit of magic in their lives, didn’t they?

  When she’d first moved in as Andrew’s wife, the two of them had spent hours walking on the estate together. Ostensibly, it had been to introduce her to life at Caldoon and how the place was run but, more often than not, it was just an excuse for the two of them to pack up a hamper and spend time together. Then Fiona had been born and life had changed forever. Brody followed a few years later and picnics by the loch – although still romantic – were never quite the same again.

  A light knock on the kitchen door brought Catriona back to the present.

  ‘Good morning,’ Iain said, popping his head round the door. ‘We didn’t see you after dinner last night and I wanted to thank you for a lovely meal. Your dining room’s really amazing’

  ‘I hoped you’d like it. It was pretty misty first thing and I was anxious that you wouldn’t get the view down to the loch from there.’

  ‘It’s a great view,’ he said. ‘I’d forgotten how beautiful it is up here.’ He ran a hand through his hair. ‘I seem to have forgotten to make time to just stand and look at views.’

  Catriona caught a look in his eyes that was wistful and melancholic.

  ‘Perhaps that’s what’s brought you here,’ she told him, ‘to give you the time to stand and look around you.’

  ‘Maybe,’ he said. ‘I hope so. But it’s more about spending quality time with my girls. I don’t see them enough and it kills me.’ He swallowed hard and looked down at the floor as if embarrassed that he’d said too much.

  ‘Well, there’ll be plenty of time to remedy that at Caldoon. There’s plenty of time here. Time and space.’

  He looked up again and smiled at her. ‘Good to know,’ he said and she suddenly felt shy at looking at him – almost as if she was intruding. So she brought the subject round to something safe.

  ‘Are you ready for the works?’ she asked.

  ‘I beg your pardon?’

  ‘Breakfast!’

  ‘Oh, yes! Well, no. Actually, I am,’ he said, ‘but Chrissa only wants scrambled eggs.’

  ‘And Lexi?’ Catriona asked.

  He shook his head. ‘She’s been stirring the same bit of porridge around for the last ten minutes.’

  ‘Oh, dear,’ she said. ‘Do you think she’d like a hot chocolate?’

  ‘That’s very kind of you. She might just go for that.’

  ‘It’s a rare young lady who doesn’t enjoy a hot chocolate.’

  He nodded and she watched as he left the kitchen and she felt her heart ache for this sweet man who didn’t have enough time to spend with his daughters and then wasn’t quite sure what to do with them when he did have the time.

  *

  Chrissa had spread some of her coloured pens out on the breakfast table and was working on an intricate floral design in one of her colouring-in books and Lexi was attempting to use her mobile phone.

  ‘I can’t get a signal,’ she complained. ‘I’ve tried all over the place.’

  ‘Try the hallway,’ Iain said. ‘By the window.’ He’d managed to get a signal there earlier that morning, checking in to see if there had been any last minute panics at his company but all had been q
uiet.

  Lexi was on her feet and out of the room in a second.

  ‘Come back in a minute. Catriona’s got something for you,’ Iain called after her. He looked across the table towards Chrissa who was thoroughly absorbed in her work with a purple pen.

  ‘What are you colouring?’ he asked, moving forward and leaning over her shoulder.

  ‘A flower,’ he said.

  ‘You’re a flower,’ he said, bending to kiss her head. She giggled and his heart melted. She was the sweetest girl in the world, wasn’t she? Lexi had been just like her only a few years ago, he thought, remembering back to the times when they’d been able to laugh together. So what had happened to make her so spiky and resentful? Was it just the fact that she was a teenager or did she blame him for the breakdown of his marriage to Dawn?

  He sighed as he moved towards the large mullioned window which looked out towards the loch. The light was an eerie sepia colour and the landscape of open moors and mountains before him looked like an old photograph. He hadn’t really realised until now just how much he’d missed the Highlands. His own childhood holidays when they’d camped and trekked through the forests and hiked up the mountains and swam in the lochs had been so much fun. Why hadn’t he thought to bring the girls here before?

  The last few years had been so stressful with the separation and he hadn’t given holidays much thought at all. He’d been quite relieved when Dawn had taken the pressure off him and had the girls to stay with her in California. She’d been brought up there, had never really got used to the Scottish climate and had probably been mightily relieved to return there, walking out on twenty-two years of marriage without so much as a backwards glance.

  He knew what was to blame for the breakdown of his marriage, of course: him. Him and his work. But how could he have changed that? When he’d left the advertising firm where he’d worked for over a decade, he’d had to build his own company from the ground up and the hours he’d put into the business had been crippling, especially the last few years. Dawn hadn’t been happy. He’d been spending less time with his family and had once even made them all return early from a family holiday so he could attend to business.