Coming Home

by Carol MacLean

Genres: Women's Fiction

Synopsis

Melody has sworn never to return to Barradale, the island where she''d grown up - and been so unhappy...Now living in Glasgow, she has forged a new life in the City for herself. But when the gorgeous Kieran Matthews turns up on her doorstep, demanding that she go back with him to see her sick sister, she finds she cannot refuse. And for Melody, family secrets must be unravelled before Kieran''s love can help to resolve her past.

Release date: May 15, 2014

Publisher: Headline

Print pages: 200

Sample

Chapter One

‘I’ve come to fetch you home.’ The man standing on Melody’s doorstep was tall and broad-shouldered, with the darkest blue eyes she had ever seen. Those eyes were looking at her with cool disdain. She took an involuntary step back inside. He seemed to take this as an invitation into her home, brushing past her to stand with hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans and the toe of his boot tapping impatiently on the parquet floor. Nice boots, she noticed. Good leather, well-heeled, and hand-stitched. Not designer boots but certainly made to last. And casting another glance at her unwelcome guest, Melody imagined they would need to be. He had a rugged outdoor look to him and his jacket couldn’t hide outlines of well-muscled arms. He was clearly someone who undertook physical work on a regular basis.

‘Melody Harper,’ she introduced herself, holding her hand out confidently and speaking with just an edge of unconcealed sarcasm. ‘And you are?’

He stared at her hand for a moment but made no move to shake it and she let it drop. He frowned, brows closing together black like his thick shock of hair.

‘I know who you are,’ he said and she caught a lilt of Irish in his voice, dark and velvet. ‘I’m Kieran Matthews. I’m here on your sister’s behalf. She wants to see you.’

‘Skye?’ Which was a stupid thing to say. She only had one sister, four years younger than her. ‘Is she all right?’

‘No, she’s not,’ he told her bluntly. He started walking around the room as if to let out pent up energy, picking up ornaments and placing them down again. Melody waited for him to tell her more, sensing he needed time to find the words.

The main room of the ground floor was huge, with wooden flooring and bright with light from wall-length windows. She saw him frown again in puzzlement as he saw the mannequin in the middle of the room, draped in its wedding gown. It was a beautiful creation, all delicate ivory silk with pearl buttons and frothy tulle under the skirts. It wasn’t quite finished but she still had a fortnight to do so before the wedding.

‘You’re getting married?’

‘Listen, just tell me what’s happened to Skye.’ It was her turn to be blunt. It wasn’t really his business, was it, whether she was getting married or not? She was caught between a sudden annoyance at his hostile attitude and a fear for Skye.

Kieran sank down onto the sofa under the window and ran a hand through his hair, leaving it even more tousled. ‘She’s not well. I don’t mean physically,’ he said quickly when Melody gave a little gasp of shock. ‘She’s down in the dumps. But not the sort we all get from time to time when things aren’t going well. With her it just won’t lift. Lately she’s been asking for you.’

‘For me? Why?’

‘I honestly don’t know. I had got the distinct strong impression previously that the two of you weren’t close.’

‘It’s not uncommon in families, you know.’ Melody retorted, ‘Especially as there’s a real age gap between us. We never liked the same things or wanted to do stuff together.’ She knew she was being defensive. She didn’t have to explain herself to this large stranger! But there was guilt, there always had been, that she and her only sister didn’t get along. Whenever she thought about Skye - which was deliberately not often - Melody wondered if she should have tried harder to get to know her.

‘Whatever the deal is between you, she wants to see you now. The fact of the matter is that she’s never got over Fiona’s death.’

‘But that was over a year ago. Surely she’s come to terms with it by now? I know it was devastating and awful but are you seriously telling me Skye’s been depressed all year?’

Skye’s best friend Fiona had been killed in a freak climbing accident in the Cairngorm Mountains.

‘Well if you ever visited your estranged family, you’d know, wouldn’t you?’ Kieran said icily.

Estranged family. She’d never thought of it like that. She wasn’t estranged from them, was she? OK she was extremely busy with her career in Glasgow’s Merchant City but she phoned her mother occasionally to keep in touch. And they visited… with a jolt Melody realised it was over a year since she’d seen them. She had returned to Barradale for Fiona’s funeral. She had literally flown to the island’s tiny airport, gone to the service and wake afterwards, and flown home to Glasgow the same evening. She simply couldn’t afford more time away, she had told herself. Her first collection was on display at Sara’s boutique in the East End and she had to be there. As it was, one of the models had tripped on the catwalk and ripped a hem. She shuddered to think what would have happened if she hadn’t been there to mend the damage fast and accurately.

‘That’s not fair,’ she said, ‘If things with Skye are so bad why has my mother not mentioned it to me?’

‘Maeve won’t want to worry or upset you. She thinks the world of you, you know.’

The stony look on his face implied that he didn’t share her mother’s admiration. Well, who was he to judge her!

‘Who are you exactly?’ she asked annoyed. ‘I don’t remember meeting you last year.’

‘I’m a friend of your parents and Skye’s. I was away on business in Europe last year when Fiona had her terrible accident and I couldn’t get home in time for the funeral. In fact, I arrived a day later. But of course you had already departed by then. I went back to live in Barradale four years ago and became friendly with Maeve and John. They talk a lot about you. Melody’s done this, Melody’s won that award. I was surprised you never came to visit in all that time.’

He didn’t know the history behind it. He couldn’t know how much it had cost her to return to Barradale however briefly for the funeral. She had sworn never to go back once she’d made a life for herself on the mainland.

The doorbell rang loudly in the still, tense air between them. She left him sitting there and opened the door to see Leila Doves with an expression of hopeful anticipation.

‘Is it ready? Oh, do say it’s finished.’ She clasped her hands together and squealed in delight when she saw the mannequin. ‘Oh, it’s gorgeous. Clever you. Can I try it on?’

‘It’s not quite ready. You need at least two more fittings. I’m not happy with the bodice and the skirt is still too long.’

Leila clutched at her chest in dramatic fright, ‘It’ll be ready for the wedding, won’t it? What’ll I tell Sam if we have to delay again? He’ll kill me!’

Leila and Sam’s wedding plans were an epic tale of stormy arguments and lavish reunions. The last disagreement had seen Leila throw off her engagement ring, which had promptly vanished into the sand of the beach they were picnicking on, never to be found again. The wedding was delayed while the couple made their peace and Sam saved up for another ring. In the meantime Leila had decided she hated her crimson off-the-rack wedding dress and wanted a pure, classic look from a designer. This was where Melody had entered the picture. Although she had grown fond of Leila over the weeks of ideas, sketches, material samples, and endless measuring and fitting, she admitted to herself she’d be glad when Leila and Sam finally tied the knot and disappeared together over the horizon.

‘Oh sorry, I didn’t realise you had company,’ Leila said, noticing Kieran for the first time.

He stood up politely.

‘He was just leaving,’ Melody said firmly, fixing him with a stare.

‘Actually,’ he said slowly, ‘I think I’ll stay. I’m going to drive you back to Barradale but there’s plenty of time before we have to leave.’

‘You’re leaving? Now?’ Leila’s voice rose.

Melody shook her head as if she could dislodge Leila by doing so. She looked at Kieran. He was a solid man and at least six foot two tall. If he didn’t want to budge, then she couldn’t make him. She wished he would turn his unsettling dark blue eyes somewhere else, away from her. He was too attractive for his own good, she thought. Probably used to getting his own way because of it. Well he had another think coming if he imagined he could ride roughshod over her. She would let him stay until Leila Doves had gone then she would get rid of him.

‘OK, you can use the back living room,’ she told him. She showed him through into a pleasant spacious room at the back of the house. ‘The kitchen’s through there. Please help yourself to tea or coffee. I won’t be long.’

Leila’s eyes glistened with tears. ‘Sorry,’ she sniffled, ‘I suddenly imagined you going away and my lovely dress half done and then having to get married in a horrible dress from a shop.’

Melody bit down on her lip, took a deep breath and soothed her client, ‘It’ll be fine, Leila, trust me. Now just try this on so I can adjust the line of the buttons.’

‘When are you coming back?’ Leila persisted, turning with her arms up so Melody could tuck and pin.

‘If I do go then I won’t be away more than a few days. There’s ample time to finish the dress.’

‘That reminds me,’ Leila grabbed her voluminous woven handbag, springing pins as she did so, and produced a thick, glossy magazine. ‘I couldn’t believe it when I saw my dress in here. I’m so excited that I’ll be wearing a wedding dress featured in Wedding Today. You must be thrilled.’

‘Can I see that?’ Melody asked sharply.

‘Of course. Is anything the matter? I thought you’d be glad of the publicity. The dress looks marvellous. It’s not the real thing but simply divine artistic sketches. But it’s clearly my dress.’

Melody stared at the article and the accompanying images with Leila peering over her shoulder still gushing about the design.

‘Oh that’s funny,’ Leila paused in confusion, ‘I hadn’t noticed before, it’s not your name on it after all. It’s part of the Catherine Sommerlee Collection. How odd. How did that happen?’

Melody closed the magazine slowly and gave it back to Leila, who was looking distressed. She had the previous month’s issue of the magazine lying on top of her bedside cabinet where she had placed it, wanting to think about its content before acting. Now she could add this one. She needed to speak to Harry.

‘It’s coincidence, that’s all,’ Melody said lightly, ‘In fact if you look closely there are differences in details and finish. It’s a different dress after all.’

Leila was easily reassured and was happy to stand patiently until Melody was satisfied. She went with the promise that Melody would call her immediately upon her return to Glasgow and that, no she really wouldn’t be away for very long at all.

Melody went through to check on Kieran. He was comfortably at home, relaxed with his long legs stretched out in front of him, sipping a cup of coffee and flicking through a fashion magazine with an air of indifference. Not his thing, obviously. As if she cared!

‘You’re not getting married,’ he said. Did she detect a note of relief in his voice? Possibly because it would spoil his plans. She could hardly rush off to Barradale Island if she was planning to get married soon.

‘No,’ she agreed.

‘I’ll wait while you pack.’

‘I can’t just up and leave now! I’m running a business. I have clients and deadlines.’

‘Are they more important than your own sister?’

‘No, of course not. But does Skye really want me to come to her? Maybe a change of scene would do her good. She could come and stay with me.’

She was talking too fast, throwing out suggestions, anything to stave off going back to Barradale.

‘You really are selfish, aren’t you?’ His tone was cold disgust as if she had just confirmed what he knew all along.

No! She wanted to cry. You don’t understand. If I return to Barradale I have the unreasoning fear that I’ll never escape. I’ll be swallowed up just as before; a non-entity, unfulfilled and voiceless. Instead she said boldly, ‘It goes with the territory. I work in a cut-throat industry where it’s a positive bonus.’ Let him think what he liked. What did she care?

‘I’m not leaving without you,’ he said, ‘So you may as well get ready.’

‘Very well. I’ll come for a few days and see Skye. If she’s really as depressed as you say then I’ll bring her back with me to Glasgow and get her some help. I really can’t leave my business for too long. If you’re a business-man you’ll understand that. That’s the deal. Take it or leave it.’

He nodded, ‘Fair enough.’

Melody filled her suitcase with all the items she might need, her hands trembling. This was the worst possible time to be leaving. The article about Catherine Sommerlee ran through her mind, along with the other magazine’s contents. She had to speak to Harry. Harry! What would he think when he discovered she’d gone to Barradale without telling him? And there were Sara and Niall and the others. She dreaded to think what they would say. Their planned, large fashion show was only a few weeks away and they were already behind schedule. On the other hand, if Skye needed her as desperately as Kieran Matthews claimed, then she had to go to her. She didn’t know her sister very well but she was family, and the ties that bind never loosen entirely. It was strange that her mother hadn’t mentioned any concerns for her younger daughter during phone calls. Perhaps it was a false alarm and she could come home quickly. She dragged the suitcase on its tiny wheels out of her bedroom and clunked it down the stairs where Kieran waited in the hall. She pulled on her coat, belted it smartly, and checked her makeup in the mirror.

‘Are you wearing those?’

She looked down at her feet in surprise, following his gaze. She was wearing her favourite Blahnik green sandals with their incredibly slender high heels.

‘What’s wrong with them?’

He shrugged, ‘There are no city streets up there, if you remember. Also, have you got a thi. . .