Free Secret Garden by Cathryn Parry Page A

gone?”
    My life is changing . But she smiled cheerfully at him. “It’s lovely.”
    His brow creased. “Have you heard from them this week?”
    “No,” she said lightly, “but they’re in the Galápagos Islands by now, swimming with rare Pacific sea turtles, I imagine. Can’t you just see Mum’s face?”
    Malcolm chuckled. “Dad’s taking this retirement thing seriously, isn’t he?”
    “You sound like an American,” she teased.
    “We came back from Vermont last weekend. Kristy’s getting her dual citizenship. Did I tell you that?”
    “No,” Rhiannon said softly. “You didn’t.”
    They were silent for a moment. Until Malcolm had met his new wife, Kristin—Kristy was his nickname for her—Rhiannon and her brother had kept up their tradition of talking together every day on the telephone. They’d started shortly after she’d come home from the hospital as a child and he’d been packed off to boarding school in New England. Her daily phone call with her big brother had been a key part of her healing process. Sometimes all they’d shared was a knock-knock joke. But it had been enough.
    “Rhi, I don’t want you to feel you can’t call me when you need to, just because I’m married. It bothers me that you’re here alone. I told Mum that, but—”
    “Oh, you did , did you?” Rhiannon had refrained from calling him because she’d been feeling protective of her brother, not wanting to disturb him during his newlywed year. But now she was a wee bit peeved by his lack of faith in her.
    She folded her arms. “I’m doing fine, Malcolm. I’m taking care of the manor and its inhabitants quite well.” The dog’s rubber ball rested against the leg of a chair. Rhiannon rolled it toward him with her toe. “Did you know that Molly was injured? I spoke with the vet and arranged for her care. Soon she’ll be home and all will be well.”
    Smiling slightly, Malcolm bent over and picked up the slobbery dog’s ball, covered with pet hair and tooth marks, evidence of Molly’s love for her castle life. “Sorry, Rhi, I’m not trying to upset you. But I was thinking of the gathering next week.” He looked meaningfully at her.
    Oh, the gathering . Malcolm was talking about the Highland Games that were held each year in the nearby village. Rhiannon had forgotten.
    Their castle had long been the place where the pipe bands assembled to begin the parade that wound through the village and on to the competition grounds. As lady of the castle, Rhiannon’s mum always played hostess.
    “Kristy wants to attend the Highland Games this year,” Malcolm said. “She’s willing to be the castle hostess.”
    Kristy! So Rhiannon was to be passed over?
    Rhiannon felt a burning in her eyes. Surprisingly, it bothered her—cut her to the quick that she would be overlooked for her mum’s job. Still, it made sense. Malcolm’s wife wasn’t agoraphobic as Rhiannon was. Kristin wouldn’t be challenged by standing in the castle’s front drive, greeting the pipers who marched in the bands and the villagers who came to walk alongside them.
    “Rhi, I have to make a call,” Malcolm said absently, glancing at a text message on his phone. “Would you like me to walk Colin out?”
    “No,” she said, her voice so soft it was barely audible, even to her. “I’ll do it.”
    Malcolm snapped up his head. “But he might ask you questions.”
    Meaning questions she wouldn’t want to answer.
    Her heart drummed. “Yes. I suppose he might.”
    “He doesn’t know how to treat you,” Malcolm protested.
    “I know.” And that was her biggest fear. Her life was so controlled and there were rules about who she chose to speak to and who she didn’t. Colin had shown himself to be someone who didn’t follow protocol. He was unpredictable and that could be dangerous.
    She would have no control with him, which wasn’t good for her peace of mind. And yet... “I wonder what would have happened between us if I’d never been