Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
“I was pretty much the same,” I say, shaking my head as I lead her into the sitting room. “I came right here after graduating and started working on the estate. That was eighteen years ago.”
“Wow,” she says, almost echoing me – though the difference between our accents is vast. “I mean, I hope I find a job I love enough to stay that long. I kind of get the feeling I might be a barista for a while, though.”
“Ah, you’ll find something,” I say, gesturing for her to sit on a plush green velvet chair next to a coffee table. “Right – what do you want? Coffee? Cake? We’ve got sponge cake, lemon drizzle, and I think some chocolate cake leftover.”
“I’ll take a slice of lemon drizzle and a cappuccino if you don’t mind,” Alana says, sitting and looking around. “This room is gorgeous.”
“Thanks,” I reply, flashing her a grin. “I guess I don’t really see it much anymore. I’m too used to what it looks like.”
I push a few buttons on a coffee machine set on a low table by the wall and then push open a swinging door that leads into the food storage area, quickly grabbing a slice of the lemon drizzle for both of us.
I come back and set them on the table and finally sit opposite her, where I can admire her fully in front of me.
“Is this place a hotel, too?” Alana asks, looking around. “You just called it the house.”
“Oh, no, it’s not,” I say, making a face. The idea of tourists traipsing around here all week long was enough to make me want to leave Scotland forever – and I loved my home.
“We’re only open to private events. We used to have hunts here, but it’s been fifteen years since we took the direction of being an environmental sanctuary. Now we just have the odd private event, and we host scientists or researchers from time to time who come to study our system.”
“Oh my god,” Alana exclaims. “That’s amazing! Wait – and I just stumbled into all that and trampled over everything?”
I chuckle. “Don’t worry,” I tell her reassuringly. “You didn’t do any damage. We have to watch out for people dropping food packaging or pollutants or putting stuff in the loch that shouldn’t be there. Trying to feed the wildlife, that kind of thing. And the poachers, of course.”
“So, what is an environmental sanctuary, exactly?” Alana asks. Then she blushes, picking up her coffee and taking a sip. “I mean, I guess it’s a sanctuary for the environment, but….”
I wave a hand.
“No, I know what you meant. It’s a very general title. Basically, what we do here is rehabilitate the land and the wildlife from human intervention. There was a lot of pollution here twenty years ago, a lot of places where hunting and poaching had damaged native populations.”
I hesitate, transfixed by her inquisitive face.
“So, we repopulated the lake with endemic fish species, nurtured the small herd of deer we had left, and set up deterrents to keep people away from the birds we have nesting in the trees. We cleared a lot of the pollution and returned the land to more of a natural state. Now, we’re just maintaining that and helping the ecosystem thrive.”
“Wow, that’s quite an admirable thing you’re trying to do,” Alana says in wonder.
I roll my eyes at myself.
“Sorry,” I say. “I guess I can go on a bit of a rant on this topic if I’m not interrupted. It’s pretty important to me, is all.”
“I can see that,” Alana says and shakes her head. “No, I mean, it’s amazing. I really do admire what you’re doing here, especially where the animals are concerned.”
I nod and take a sip of my coffee, glad I haven’t made an idiot of myself by talking too much about the thing I dedicate my life to.
“Try the cake,” I prompt. “It’s made by a local baker down in the village. It’s really good.”
As we both chew, a moment of silence descends, allowing me to reflect.
She didn’t balk when I explained how long I have been working at the estate.
By now she’s probably done the math and worked out my age and just how much older than her I am, and she hasn’t even batted an eyelash.
Did that mean I was so old she didn’t even see any potential in me? Or did it mean that she didn’t care about our age difference at all?
Or, I think to myself with a hint of annoyance. Does it mean that I’m the only one thinking with something other than my head here?
I have to admit to myself that there is a possibility she isn’t interested in me at all. But it doesn’t matter.
If I’m being honest, I’ve wanted her from the first proper look I got of her.