“Umm…” Josie glanced behind her to where the driver was now opening the boot and taking out her suitcase.
“We left your dad and Helen home alone and I tell you, the house was a state by the time we got back.”
“Memo,” Josie said, “I’m going to have to go—the car’s stopped.”
“Oh! Of course, my love, sorry.”
Josie cocked her head. “Aren’t you going to ask me about the quote?”
Memo smiled. “I was trying to be nice and let you get on with your exciting weekend. But it’s your turn, isn’t it? Do you have one?”
Josie brought up the message she’d written to herself on her phone, and read out the quote she’d written down. “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”
“Oh! Oh, I know that one!” Memo flapped a slim hand across the screen. “It’s…Wait, don’t go, I know it. It’s…John!” There was a thump and then a groan, and Josie was pretty sure Memo had hit her grandad.
“The Usual Suspects,” her grandad said from out of view.
“Right, that’s it,” said Memo, smiling and slumping back down on the sofa. “I would have got there eventually.”
Josie laughed as she turned off FaceTime, slipped her phone into her pocket and got out of the taxi. She smiled at the balding driver as he handed over her suitcase—bigger than she’d usually take for just a few days, but necessary for the three separate formal occasions taking place as part of the wedding. You had to admire Laura’s vision for the whole thing, really.
“You going to be all right from here, lass?” the driver asked, hooking his fingers through the belt loop of his trousers, no sign that he was in any great rush. A far cry from the London or New York taxis.
“Yes, thanks so much,” she said, handing over the cash.
“Aye, you’re welcome.”
She watched the car drive away for a moment, then let out a long, slow breath and crooked her neck one way then the other to relieve some of the tension. She turned a full circle to take everything in, allowing the slightly crisp morning air to caress her cheeks. The grounds were as epic as the building itself, seeming to stretch on indefinitely, though she didn’t want to think about how many hours a day it must cost to keep the lawn that perfect.
She nodded to herself, squared her shoulders. She was here now and even if she did turn out to be the only single person the whole weekend, even if she was bombarded with endless questions over what had happened with her and Oliver, she was here because she loved Laura and so she would damn well make the most of it. Besides, she was lucky—she got to stay in the actual castle for three nights, Laura having deemed her close enough on her side to take one of the limited rooms here. And, really, you couldn’t hope for a weekend in a more beautiful location—maybe it would prove to be exactly what she needed.
With that in mind, she put her suitcase to one side and picked up her camera. It was the perfect chance to capture the castle—there were two cars parked outside, but they were out of the way and easily hidden. Imposing, that was the right word for it. She supposed that was the point of it, originally. And the landscape was just glorious—blue skies, the sun causing reflections to dance in a few of the windows at the top of the turrets—though she imagined this was the type of place to look just as good with a moody, stormy sky in the backdrop. Still, she was glad of the weather, for Laura’s sake. It was one of Josie’s favorite times of year, September. You weren’t expecting glorious weather, so when you got the tail end of summer it was even better.
After taking a few photos on her camera, Josie snapped one on her phone, then sent a WhatsApp to Bia.
The castle!
She got a line of heart emojis back, then: I’m SO excited. I’ll see you tomorrow!!
Josie smiled as she slipped her phone back in her coat pocket. Thank God Bia had agreed to step in as her plus one after Josie’d had to tell Laura that Oliver wouldn’t be coming after all—she didn’t think she could manage the whole weekend alone, pretending that she had absolutely no problem with being single in the face of her friend’s marital bliss.
For a good minute, Josie made herself stand there, trying hard to be in the moment. She had to admit, something about the atmosphere here, the beauty of it, made her feel a little more peaceful than she thought she’d be. But not just here—she’d felt the same in Edinburgh. Almost the moment she’d stepped off the train, she’d decided she loved the city and was instantly sad she only got one night there. She’d never been to Scotland before—her grandparents had taken her to Wales a few times on holiday, but never Scotland—and now she was struggling to think why she’d never bothered to visit of her own accord.