Sealed With a Kiss
Page 26
Kate blinked away tears. They’d talked the idea round and round in circles for weeks now, first convinced that everyone would love it, and then – realizing the impact it would have on everyone’s lives – worrying themselves sick that their plans for progress would infuriate the people they loved. Even with just one wedding a month, Ted and Morag would have hordes of strangers passing by their quiet stable yard; and Jean – well, she’d been the mistress of Duntarvie really since Roderick’s mother had died, and now she was being presented with a huge change.
‘Well,’ said Jean, having had a moment to reflect, ‘there’s life in this old girl yet. I’ve no plans for retiring, and I love a good wedding. Bring it on, as you young people say.’
The whole table erupted in laughter.
‘God, what a relief.’ Roderick took a long draught of his beer. ‘We thought you’d all be horrified. It’s going to be a lot easier with you all onside.’
‘Aye, well, if you’re going to be doing weddings, Roddy, there’s maybe something you need to be thinking about yourself.’ Bruno gave him a shrewd look.
‘Lots of time for that yet, Bruno,’ said Kate, quickly. ‘We’re only just officially moving in together.’
‘Lots of time indeed.’ Elizabeth raised a glass to her daughter, an expression of pride on her face. ‘Here’s to Kate and Roddy. And to the future.’
Rachael Lucas’s
Secret Escapes
Kate disappeared off to the Island of Auchenmor to escape reality, and I thought I’d share some of my favourite escapes with you.
The Highlands of Scotland are home for me, although I moved away when I was a young girl. When I go back there, it’s full of memories. Rainy days in welly boots holding my Nanny’s hand as we’d take a trip to the cafe for a bun and a lemonade. Feeding the ducks by the river in Forres, and climbing Cluny Hill. Pan drop mints and white pudding suppers. Splashing in all weathers in the Moray Firth, and taking a trip to visit the clootie well across the water on the Black Isle. Standing in the eerie silence of Culloden, where legend has it the birds have never sung since the great battle of 1746 (and I’ve never heard one). The magic of Macbeth and standing in Cawdor dreaming of the stories coming to life. The skies are bigger, the air is clearer. And there’s a monster to search for in Loch Ness. There’s something for everyone there, and I don’t think I’d ever get bored.
Cornwall is full of magic. It might sound like an advertising cliché, but when you cross the Tamar I swear there’s something in the air. I’m in heaven watching the waves crashing against the huge cliffs as the children rampage across the beach at Polzeath. Coombe Mill in St Breward is our favourite place for a family holiday, where there’s something for them all to do – from the smallest child to the teenager. They can run wild and burn off all their energy as well as helping out on the farm, whilst I curl up with a book and a glass of wine by the fire in a fifteenth-century cottage which is full of history. Down in the beautiful village of Boscastle there’s the amazing Museum of Witchcraft and my favourite shops full of tarot cards and incense and everything I love (‘all that weird stuff’ according to the children).
If I can get a snow fix once a year in Bansko, Bulgaria I’m happy. I learned to ski there as an adult, and after a bit of a dodgy start (day one: I lay on my side in the snow like a toddler, halfway down a nursery run, and refused to get up for ages, insisting they bring a helicopter to rescue me) I was hooked. The people are amazing, the language is still completely beyond me, and the food is fabulous. When you’re skiing down the ‘snow road’ home, with beautiful mountains ahead of you and surrounded by ice-draped trees, it’s hard to remember there’s a real world out there of deadlines and paperwork. If you don’t fancy skiing, you can just catch the gondola up into the mountain, grab a hot spiced wine and watch the world go by. Bliss.
The Island of Bute is one of my other secret escapes. An hour from Glasgow and a short ferry ride and you’re in another world, one which might seem a little bit familiar! Take a drive across the island to Scalpsie Bay, where you can spot ospreys soaring overhead, and the seal population basking on the rocks on the deserted beach. I can’t guarantee you’ll meet a handsome laird walking his dogs on the shore, but it’s a wonderful place to visit . . .
And finally, my other favourite escape is the bath. Like Kate, I spend a ridiculous amount of time in there with a gin and tonic or a cup of coffee and a book. More often than not that’s when you’ll find me chatting on Twitter, hiding from the children and submerged up to my nose in bubbles – my three main vices are bubble bath, scented candles, and Emma Bridgewater mugs. There are worse addictions – or that’s what I keep telling everyone . . .
Acknowledgements
Lots of people have helped me along the way to publication, and I’d like to say a huge thank you.
To my friends Elise and Wendy, who were there when I wrote my first novel every night in my nanny’s kitchen and couldn’t come out to play.
To Polly, because she knew one day I’d do it. To Sarah, for the angels. To Nicola, for hooting. To Diane, for being there. To Melanie, for inspiration and eels. To Holly, for giggling. And to my girls Elana, Katie, Rhiannon and Victoria: love.
Dan Bramall and Michael Everson did sterling art and editing work on the first edition – thank you. Thanks to Richard Saunders, DZooMed MRCVS, Veterinary Advisor to the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, who checked all the seal rescue parts for accuracy.
To my fab agent Amanda Preston and my editor Caroline Hogg – I can’t quite believe I’ve fallen on my feet with you two. Here’s to many more girly lunches with a little bit of work on the side. Thanks also to everyone at Pan Mac who have made me so welcome and made the publishing process such fun.
I’ve been lucky to have friendship and support along the way from some of my favourite writers. Enormous thanks to S. C. Ransom, Julia Williams, Katie Fforde, and Christina Jones, all of whom took the time to read, give advice and cheer me on. Thank you all, so much. And a huge thank you to everyone on Twitter who helped out with emergency queries (‘Can someone please shove a photo in their AGA and see what happens?’).
To Ross, and our children, Verity, Archie, Jude, Rory, Rosie and Charlie, with all my love.
To my mum, Anne, and my sister, Zoe – love you.
And thank you, too, for reading.
Sealed with a Kiss
After moving around the world from the Highlands of Scotland to Australia and back, Rachael Lucas has settled by the seaside in the north west of England with her partner, their blended family of six children, a very hairy dog and two-and-a-half cats. She likes listening to BBC Radio 4 and thinking about writing.
Find out more about Rachael at her website rachaellucas.com, say hello on Twitter @karamina or visit her on Facebook at facebook.com/RachaelLucasWriter
First published in the UK 2013 by Rachael Lucas
This electronic edition published 2014 by Pan Books
an imprint of Pan Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
Pan Macmillan, 20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR
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www.panmacmillan.com
ISBN 978-1-4472-6704-1
Copyright © Rachael Lucas 2013
The right of Rachael Lucas to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
The author would like to thank Graham Cowley for his winning bid to the Authors for the Philippines appeal (AuthorsForPhilippines.Wordpress.com), which led to his daughter, Sian Cowley, being named as a character in this book.
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