Emma stared at her with surprise for a moment, until realisation dawned. 'You knew!' she said.
Mum nodded.
'But how – how did you know?'
'I think I've always known. I picked things up when I was a child, here and there, a bit at a time.' Mum shrugged. 'Over the years, the bits added up.'
'Well, why didn't you say something?'
'When? Who to? You, Gran?'
'Well ....'
The answer was suddenly self-evident. There was no need to ask any more questions.
'You're just the same as Freda, Mum!' she said happily. 'You didn't want to upset us all, did you?'
Mum smiled. 'I had a happy life with Gran, and with Grandad when he was here. Now I have a happy life with Dad and with you. What would have been the point of putting all that at risk?
'Besides, Gran has looked after me all her life. I owe her so much. I wouldn't want to make her unhappy now.'
Emma shook her head and chuckled. 'Why should I be surprised? You're just the same as Freda – exactly the same!'
*
Dad broke in then. 'I'm glad you've got that all sorted,' he said with a big grin. 'And this is Gregor, is it?' he added, turning to greet the other visitor as he arrived at the open door.
'It is!' Emma said. 'He's just been parking the car.'
Gregor looked a little anxious as he crossed the threshold. Then he saw that all was well, and broke into a lovely smile as the introductions were made.
'Thank you,' he said, in response to the greetings. 'It's good to meet you both at last.'
'You're most welcome, lad!' Dad assured him.
And Emma knew that he truly was.
*
'What about this house in Orkney?' Dad asked later. 'Have you decided yet what to do with it?'
'Broch House? Oh, yes,' Emma assured him. 'I'm going to keep it, and we're going to run it as a guesthouse.'
'A B&B?' Mum said with surprise. 'What a lovely idea. I always wanted to do something like that myself.'
'Wouldn't have worked,' Dad said solemnly. 'Not around here, it wouldn't. But Orkney? That's different, isn't it?
'It is,' Emma assured him with delight. 'Very different. You'll love it when you come to stay with us.'
'It was my brother that gave us the idea,' Gregor added. 'He wanted to buy Broch House himself for that reason. It seemed such a good idea that we stole it from him.'
'He'll be upset about that,' Mum said anxiously. 'I hope it won't cause family problems?'
'With Alaister? No way. He'll be hunting for something else to do by now. He says he just hadn't wanted the old place falling to bits, with no-one living there any more.' suppose.'
It was true, Emma thought. Alaister had been perfectly agreeable when they had told him what they were going to do.
*
'And Freda?' Dad asked. 'Is that all settled, as well?'
'Oh, yes,' Emma assured him. 'She was a fine woman, who led a good life in Orkney. I'm very proud of her, and I shall think of her as my other grandmother.'
She got up then and wrapped her arms around Mum, who she suspected was about to shed a tear.
'Thank you, pet!' Mum whispered. 'That was a lovely thing to say.'
Emma hugged her and glanced across at Gregor, who smiled and blew her a kiss. Everything was all right, all of it. She knew that for sure now.
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Orkney Mystery Page 14