well, thank you.’
‘If you have any problems, you can always ask your neighbour, you know—Frazer McClarran. Lovely man.’
‘Yes, we have met. He seems nice enough,’ Emma replied nonchalantly.
‘Nice?’ The woman looked at her with a raised eyebrow. ‘There are men and then there are men. Frazer McClarran is in a league of his own—a tower of strength to the community. A member of the mountain rescue team, a hard worker, a loyal friend.’
Emma felt as if she was being reprimanded. ‘I’m sure he is.’
‘He’s also a confirmed bachelor. Every eligible woman in the town has made a play for Frazer, but he’s not one to be tied down.’
‘Maybe he just hasn’t met the right woman.’
Emma smiled to herself as she walked back to her car to put her provisions in the boot. Frazer might be a member of the mountain rescue team, but she had done the rescuing today.
The sun had taken possession of a suddenly bold blue sky. All that remained for Emma to do was go into the Traveller’s Rest Hotel and book her ex-husband a room.
The knowledge dulled her amusement and brought back her earlier uncertainties. Her instincts told her this wasn’t a good idea. Indeed, it could be a vast mistake.
Emma’s eyes moved to the old black and white building further up the road, the only hotel in the area. Her steps were slow as she headed back towards it. A seagull on the roof watched her approach, then seemed to let out a wild, cackling laugh. Maybe he agreed with her, Emma thought wryly. She had probably taken leave of her senses. But then desperate situations called for desperate measures.
As she crossed the road, a sudden flurry of rain started. It was so totally unexpected that it made her gasp. Her head down against the cold downpour, she ran the last few yards to the steps of the hotel. Her long hair obscuring her vision, she didn’t see the man who was also running towards the steps from the opposite direction. They collided with a jolt.
‘I’m sorry.’ He reached out a hand to steady her.
She looked up, and found herself looking into Frazer McClarran’s dark eyes.
‘It’s you again,’ she murmured breathlessly.
The rain was cool against her skin. It trickled over the thickness of her eyelashes, blurring his handsome features for a moment.
‘Better get in out of this,’ he said. His hand still resting at her waist, he ushered her politely up and through the doors.
‘Whew! I wasn’t prepared for that,’ she said, brushing the rain off her face and running a smoothing hand over her hair. ‘I thought it was going to be sunny this afternoon.’
‘Always expect the unexpected in Glenmarrin,’ he said with a wry grin. ‘Maybe I should have remembered that myself, when I ran into you this morning.’
She grinned back at him. ‘How is the car?’
‘Fine, thanks.’ His eyes flicked briefly over her appearance. She was wet, and the pale ribbed jumper clung tightly over a very shapely outline. ‘Where did you learn to fix a car like that?’
‘I have two brothers who are both car-mad.’ She was trying not to notice the way he had just looked at her. Was it her imagination or had there been a glimmer of male interest in those dark eyes? ‘I decided to beat them at their own game and did a course at college on car maintenance a few years ago.’
‘Very impressive.’
‘It put you in your place anyway.’ She smiled.
He had the grace to cringe. ‘I’m sorry. Was I being patronising?’
‘Just a little.’
‘I was having a bad morning.’ He smiled. ‘I hope you won’t hold it against me.’
Heavens, when he smiled at her like that she would let him get away with almost anything, she thought. Frazer McClarran was gorgeous. The notion discomfited her. He wasn’t her type, she told herself firmly. He was off-limits. She had given men up.
‘So what are you doing here?’ he asked casually.
‘I want to book a couple of rooms for…some friends.’ She faltered slightly, wondering if she should say it was for her ex-husband, then decided forcefully that was her own business. ‘What about you?’
‘I’m organising a stag night here tomorrow night.’
‘Oh?’ Was he getting married? she wondered. Maybe Mrs Murray didn’t know everything.
‘Did you get your errant goat back under lock and key?’
‘Yes, your underwear is safe again.’ She smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. ‘Molly is back where she belongs. But it took three of us this morning to catch her.’
He laughed. ‘Rosa will be pleased.’
‘Rosa?’
‘My housekeeper.’
They were interrupted by a woman coming out to the reception desk beside them. She was an attractive blonde in her early twenties. ‘Frazer, this is a nice surprise,’ she said cheerfully. ‘What brings you in here on a Friday afternoon?’
‘Mark’s stag night.’ Frazer turned with a smile. ‘How are you, Angela?’
It wasn’t his stag night, Emma noted. Not that it made a blind bit of difference to her whether this man was about to be married or not.
‘Bearing up, under the circumstances.’ Angela patted her stomach. She wore a black dress that did little to disguise the fact that she was heavily pregnant.
‘How long have you got to go now?’
‘Another month, would you believe?’
‘You’re looking well.’
Angela laughed, then looked curiously at Emma.
‘This is Emma Sinclair. Ethan Daniels’ niece.’
‘Pleased to meet you.’
Emma wondered if she was imagining the momentary look of surprise on the woman’s face. It was as if she’d done a double take on her appearance.
‘We were very sorry to hear about your uncle’s death.’
‘Thank you,’ Emma said politely, then felt impelled to explain, ‘I didn’t really know him very well.’
‘Not a lot of people did. He withdrew into himself after his daughter’s death. Became a near recluse.’
There was a feeling of awkwardness for a moment. Then Angela said in a bright, businesslike tone, ‘Well, Frazer, what can I do for you?’
‘Better see to Mrs Sinclair
