Chapter 6

I ris knocked on Lynx's door a while later, excited to be sharing the news with him. This was going to be so much easier than dating him. They were going to be mortal enemies instead, at least at work.

He opened the door and his face lit up when he saw her.

‘I have some news.'

He folded his strong arms across his chest and leaned against the doorframe. The fact that his lips twitched in a smirk made the news that much more delightful to share.

‘Go on.'

‘I'm going to be moving into the shop floor above yours.'

He narrowed his eyes. ‘Why do I feel like there's more to this and I'm not going to like it?'

She delivered her blow. ‘I make and sell jewellery too. We're going to be in competition with each other.'

To her annoyance he wasn't angry, or shocked or even frustrated, he burst out laughing.

‘So that's the way you want to play it?'

‘You're not mad?'

‘Why would I be, nothing like a bit of healthy competition.'

She was seriously disappointed with this reaction. ‘That's right. We can have a competition. The first person to earn five hundred pounds wins. Once I'm open that is.'

‘Fine by me. Same terms as our last competition? If I win, you'll have dinner with me.'

She let out a shock of laughter. ‘I'm not sleeping with you if I win. That feels like more of a punishment than a prize.'

‘Trust me, you'd enjoy it immensely.'

‘Oh you're so smug. If I win you have to kiss my feet.'

He shrugged. ‘I'm not really a foot man but OK.'

She cursed herself. She should have come up with something worse than that, at least for him. She suspected she might really enjoy it.

‘Fine, I'll probably see you tomorrow then. I need to get the place sorted before I start.'

‘I'll be there.'

She turned to walk away.

‘Oh Iris, I have something for you.'

She turned back as he disappeared inside the house and returned a moment later with a box. She recognised the label instantly.

‘Is that Betty's tablet?'

‘Yes. I knew moving away from Scotland would be a massive change for you so I figured I'd get you something to remind you of home.'

She took the box. ‘But… But how did you know?'

‘I have several Scottish friends that now live in England and the one thing they always lament over is that England doesn't sell tablet. Apparently our fudge is nowhere near as good. So I looked up places that sell it near you and found Betty's. She's a witch so it's probably going to be good stuff.'

‘It is. It's the best tablet I've ever tasted. But how did you get it here so fast?'

‘I have my means.' He waggled his fingers and they sparkled with red and gold magic.

She stared at the box. ‘Thank you, that's … really thoughtful.'

He shrugged. ‘No problem.'

She couldn't stop staring at the box and she knew she was making it weird. It was a really lovely gesture and she wasn't sure what to do with this kindness. She turned to go but then turned back, leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

‘Thank you.'

She quickly hurried away. She turned back again when she reached the bottom of his driveway and he was still watching her.

‘Doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you when I open my shop,' she said in an attempt to get back to some normality between them.

He grinned. ‘Of course not. I'd be disappointed if you did.'

She smiled and shook her head in frustration as she walked away. That bloody man.

Ness finished the dinner that Iris had made for them and with a wave of her hand the dishes flew over to the sink and started washing themselves. She started fussing with the pearls on her bracelet. Iris wasn't going to be happy.

‘Are you OK?' Iris asked her. ‘I thought you were happier here since we discovered the stream at the bottom of the garden.'

‘I am. It's just I really need that locket back.'

‘OK, we can go and see them tomorrow.' Iris looked at her watch. ‘I think it's probably a bit late now.'

‘I forgot the evidence we need to prove it's mine,' Ness blurted out. She sighed. She hated this. Getting old was a cruel affliction. She was forgetful, body parts didn't work as well as they used to and, worst of all, her treasured memories were slowly fading away. That's why she needed her locket back. All her memories were tied up with that locket. But she had never explained how important the locket was to her granddaughter. Iris thought she just wanted the locket back because it had been a wedding present from her husband. She didn't know the truth. Ness didn't want Iris to think she was less than she was. She was a strong, powerful woman, she wasn't this doddery old fool who she saw in the mirror every day. When had she become this person that Iris felt the need to protect? When she was Iris's age she'd felt like she could take on the world. Now she forgot something ten minutes after Iris had told her and they'd travelled halfway across the country just because Iris didn't think she could handle some snivelly little mundane if he came a calling.

‘What?' Iris said, in confusion. ‘That's half the reason we're here, to get your locket back. How could you forget it?'

‘I know, I know. I got it out of the drawer and I must have left it on the bed or something. I've checked all our stuff and it's not there. We have to go back for it.'

Iris shook her head. ‘We can't. We don't know if Christopher will be there waiting for us. It's not safe.'

‘But how will we get the locket back without it?'

‘We'll talk to them. I'm sure once you start talking to them about the locket and how Pops gave it to you, they'll believe you. Plus there's the wedding photo of you and Pops inside. They'll have to believe us when they see that.'

Ness wasn't so sure. The photo was very old. She didn't look anything like the woman who had married the love of her life sixty years ago. But Iris trusted these people so she had to as well. And if they didn't give her locket back, she would have to come up with a plan to retrieve it.

Morag was sitting by the fountain, watching the water sparkling in the moonlight. She loved this time of night when no one was around.

Although her peace was ruined as she watched a black cat stalk across the green towards her.

‘Morag, I presume,' the cat said. He had a very posh voice, way too posh for a common cat.

‘I am, and I guess you must be Viktor.' She offered out a paw to shake which he ignored.

‘Vik tor not Vik ta. Please work on your enunciation. Vik ta is not my name. Just like your name isn't Moorag.'

‘My apologies,' Morag said, taking an instant dislike to this infuriating cat.

‘Let's get something straight. I don't like you.'

‘The feeling is entirely mutual.'

‘I'm only putting up with your presence because your owner seems to be tied to Lynx's happiness and I'm quite partial to him.'

‘Iris is not my owner, she is my friend. I am not a pet, unlike you.'

‘I am not a pet either.'

‘The collar you're wearing tells a different story.'

Viktor grunted his disapproval. ‘As your friend would be upset if I gouged your eyes out, I suggest you stay away from me.'

He stalked away.

‘Perhaps it is you that should stay away from me, kitty.'

Viktor mumbled something she didn't catch and she smiled to herself. She'd put that round down as a win for her. She was already looking forward to the next round.