The Secret of Isobel Key (2 page)

Lou faltered, “But how will I afford it?”

“Aren't you listening? It's your Christmas gift! I already called your mom and asked if she wanted to go in on it. Once I told her that my folks were sending me, she agreed pretty fast.”

“Oh.” Lou was stunned. Her parents were sending her to Scotland? “I didn't know.”

Tammy looked up, suddenly concerned.

“Oh, crap, it's the holiday season! I didn't even think about the bookstore. Will you be able to get the time off work on this short notice?”

Lou smiled thinly. “I don't think I'll have a problem.”

~

The days went by in a flurry of activity as the girls prepared for their trip. On the Friday before their flight, Lou voiced a guilty thought.

“I haven't been home in a while, and it's really nice of our parents to do this.”

Tammy glanced up from her packing checklist, a frown on her face. “Yeah, I guess you're right. We didn't make it home for Thanksgiving, did we?”

Lou shook her head. “I had to work Black Friday, and you had that big party planned.”

Her best friend laughed. “It was pretty epic. Sorry you had to work.”

Lou shrugged. “It's fine,” she lied. “I don't mind. But seriously, shouldn't we go home for the weekend and thank them?”

Frowning, Tammy consulted her packing checklist. “I guess. Just let me finish packing first. You're such a good person, Lou. I wouldn't have even thought of visiting this weekend.”

Lou smiled faintly. It wasn't so much that she wanted to go home: it was more that she didn't want to deal with her mother's guilt trip if she didn't. She wasn't even sure that a visit home would prevent it, but she was willing to try. Besides, she
was
grateful to her parents for the vacation. The least she could do was spend a weekend with them before she and Tammy left. Going home was always a bit awkward since she'd started college, but maybe this time would be better.

In a few hours, the girls were loaded into Tammy's SUV and careening toward Connecticut. Consulting her GPS, Tammy commented, “We should be there in time for dinner. Did you call your folks yet?”

Lou shook her head. “I figured it would be more festive if we surprise them.”

Tammy
laughed. “Some surprise it will be; I told my mother. And you know those two can't keep secrets from each other!”

Lou shrugged. “I'm just glad we've got time to do this before we leave.”

They passed the drive in relative silence, punctuated only by the carols that were playing on every radio station. Snow had started to fall when Tammy pulled up in front of the red brick colonial house that Lou had grown up in.

“It always looks so cute during the holidays!” Tammy exclaimed, gesturing to the wreath on the front door. Lou nodded, but inwardly she cringed. She'd always hated the lengths her mother went to decorating the house for the different seasons.

She grabbed her overnight bag and hopped to the curb. “Pick me up early on Sunday?”

“Sure.” Tammy flicked the windshield wipers once. “Want to do brunch with the families tomorrow?”

“Okay. Just call me.”

“Will do. Have fun with your folks!”

“You too!” Lou called, slamming the door shut with a wave. Watching Tammy's taillights turn the corner, Lou took a deep breath.

Looking up at the sky, she blinked as snowflakes caught in her eyelashes. Enjoying the peaceful moment, she almost started to look forward to her weekend at home. The door opened behind her, and Lou turned, still smiling.

“Surprise!” Shouldering her bag, she headed inside, enjoying the stunned expression on her dad's face.

“What are you doing here, punkin'?” He kissed her cheek and reached for her bag, transferring it smoothly to his own shoulder.

Lou shook out her coat and peeled off her boots. “Tammy and I thought we should come home for the weekend, since we'd be missing the holidays.”

“What a nice idea! Gloria, come and see what Santa brought us! It's our little graduate.” Her dad winked at her. “I'll take these things up to your room. Go in and see if your mother has any leftovers from dinner.”

Lou nodded. Trying not to step in the puddle her boots had made on the floor, she headed for the dining room.

“Louisa! What in the world are you doing?” Her mother looked at her, stunned. Lou felt her smile slip a little.

“Tammy and I thought we'd come thank you for the trip in person. I hope it's okay.” She slid into her usual seat and looked around the table.

“Of course. I just wish you girls would have called. I'd have thrown some little thing together.”

“Some little thing” meant a party, and Lou sighed with relief, glad that Tammy's mother hadn't spilled the news for once. “Well, I'm glad that it will just be us this weekend. I don't really feel like any big parties.”

Her mother reached up and tried to smooth Lou's unruly hair. “I don't know why you never take any care with your looks. Have you thought about coloring your hair?”

“What's wrong with my hair?”

“Oh, brown is so drab. Maybe you'd feel better if you were a redhead.”

“I feel fine, Mom.” Lou lied through clenched teeth and her mother shrugged.

“Just trying to help, dear. I want you to look your best.”

Lou
coughed once and turned away, her face flushed at the implication in her mother's tone. Her mother eyed her critically.

“I hope you're not coming down with anything. Make sure you take extra vitamins and bring hand sanitizer on the plane. Planes are the perfect place to catch any manner of diseases.”

Lou sighed. “Don't worry. I won't get sick. I'm just tired from packing.”

“That's right!” Her dad spoke as he entered the dining room. “Are you all set for your grand adventure?”

“Just about. Tammy and I fly out of Logan on Monday, so we figured we'd head back to Boston on Sunday to give ourselves time to check everything. Thank you again,” she smiled at her father. “This was such a nice surprise!”

Her dad grinned. “Anything for you, princess. Consider this your graduation gift!”

Lou smiled. “Thanks, Dad.”

“Yes, about your graduation. Have you decided what you'll do now?”

Lou faced her mother with a sigh. “I'm not sure, Mom. Right now, I just want to focus on getting ready for this trip.”

Her mom sighed and got up from the table.

“‘Atta girl.” Her dad swished his drink a couple of times. “Can I get you a drink, sweetie?”

“She'll be having plenty of whiskey in a few days, Todd. Leave the girl alone.” Lou's mother came back into the room and set a plate of veggies and cheese in front of her daughter, before resuming her seat at the head of the table. “So what do you girls have planned for this little excursion?”

Lou paused, chewing quickly and swallowing a stale mouthful of celery. “We're going to be in Edinburgh, since that's where Tammy's great-aunt lives, but she's booked us on a tour of the Highlands.”

Her dad leaned back with a chuckle. “Ah, the Highlands. Full of romance and kilted men. If you meet Rob Roy, give him my regards!”

Lou smiled warmly at her dad. “I'll do that, Dad.”

“Louisa, don't talk with your mouth full.” Her mother's voice was sharp.

Gulping, Lou reached for a glass of water and took a quick swallow. “Sorry.”

She chewed in silence, acutely aware of the way her mother was scrutinizing her, and suddenly, Lou lost her appetite.

She forced a yawn. “I'm really worn out. Think I'll turn in.”

Hugging her father and kissing her mother on the cheek, Lou turned toward the stairs but her mother's voice stopped her.

“I do hope you'll be able to attend mass with us on Sunday.”

Lou chose her words carefully. “Tammy is picking me up early on Sunday, Mother.”

Her mother shrugged. “We'll just have to go to Saturday service, then.” Knowing it was futile to argue, Lou just nodded.

By Saturday morning, Lou was seriously questioning her decision to come home, and church that evening didn't help.

Sitting in the familiar wooden pew between her parents, Lou flexed her fingers and tried to ignore the droning priest. She'd always felt slightly uncomfortable in their Catholic church, and recently her discomfort had shifted into a quest for a faith that felt less judgmental. Lou had stopped identifying herself as Catholic two years ago, but she hadn't been able to tell her parents. She wanted to fiddle with her silver pentacle, worn on a long chord and hidden beneath her shirt, but she felt her mother's sharp eyes on her. As the choir began to sing a hymn, Lou seriously doubted that she'd ever tell her parents about the new faith that she had stumbled into in college. Glancing at her mother's serious face beside her, Lou shook her head slightly. No, she wasn't ready to have that conversation yet. It was easier to just go to mass when she was home and avoid confrontation.

When her family queued up to take the host, Lou hung back. She was willing to attend church for the sake of appearances, but she felt like she'd be insulting the faithful if she took communion. When her mother gripped her elbow tightly and tried to tow her along, Lou whispered, “I haven't been to confession in months.”

It worked. Her mother shot her a terse frown that said they'd talk about this issue later, but she released her grip on Lou. As she knelt alone in the pew, Lou lifted her eyes to the ceiling of the church. While those around her looked down in submission, Lou prayed to her gods for the strength to deal with her mother. She was almost calm when they left the church, but then her mother started talking.

“Why haven't you been to confession?” Her mother strode angrily ahead, smiling fakely at passersby as she walked.

Lou shrugged and rushed to keep up. “I've been busy.”

“Not too busy to see to your soul, I hope!”

“Too busy to do anything sinful,” Lou murmured quietly.

Her mother spun around and glared at her. “And when was the last time you had relations with a man?”

Stunned, Lou stared open-mouthed. She so wasn't going to discuss her sex life with her mother. “I've gone to confession since then, Mother.”

Her mother snorted. “So your love life isn't very good, is that what you're telling me?”

“Mother, can't we just go home?”

“Louisa, I asked you a question.”

Lou gritted her teeth. “I don't want to talk about it.”

“What are you doing wrong?” They had reached the car. Lou's father quickly slipped behind the wheel and shut his door, not saying anything. Much to Lou's annoyance, her mother followed her into the back seat and sat beside her like a school friend.

Lou gritted her teeth. “Why do you assume I'm doing something wrong?”

Her mother took her hand and sighed. “All that haste with your degree, and for what? I was sure you wanted to finish up to get married.”

Silently, Lou shook her head.

“When I was your age, I never had to look very far for a date.”

“I've been busy with work and everything.”

Her mother huffed. “That job is such a waste for such a smart girl like you. I don't know why you don't live up to your potential.”

“
I don't know what I want to do yet.”

“That's an excuse for an eighteen year old, not a young woman.”

Lou stared out the window at the slushy streets. “Well, it's my excuse.”

“Don't be such a fool, Louisa. Men don't like girls who are lazy and distracted.”

Drawing a deep breath, Lou started to retort, then thought better of it. She lapsed into the same glazed silence she'd employed at church as her mother droned on and on about her faults. Lou tried to ignore her.

At least she wouldn't have to put up with her mother for the next two weeks.

As they boarded the plane the following Monday, Tammy chattered excitedly about all the things they were going to do.

“Of course, we'll see if we can catch the Loch Ness Monster!” She laughed, and Lou chuckled.

“Are you sure we'll have time for sightseeing?” She struggled to hoist her heavy backpack into the overhead bin.

“Hell yes!” Tammy exclaimed. “Look, I only have to meet with family once or twice in Edinburgh. We should have plenty of time to take a tour and see some of the sights. You don't have to come with, if you don't want.”

“I don't mind.”

Tammy shrugged. “Girl, I'm giving you a get out of high tea card. You should thank me.”

Pulling her battered manual camera out of her shoulder bag, Lou checked the settings. “Smile!” she said unnecessarily to her beaming best friend. The shutter thunked down and Tammy laughed.

“When will you give up and switch to a nice small digital camera?” She pulled hers out of her purse and waved it around.

Lou shrugged. “I just like the feel of it.”

Tammy chuckled and pulled a magazine from the seat pocket in front of her. “Whatever, Louisa. You're just an old lady trapped in a young body, admit it!”

Lou sighed. She hated when Tammy teased her about her formal name, but she didn't say anything. Putting her camera carefully back into her bag, Lou settled back in her seat. In seven hours, they'd be landing in Scotland. She couldn't wait to get away from everything that haunted her at home; Scotland would be a welcome relief. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

It wasn't snowing when they landed, which Lou thought was a nice break from Boston, but the cold drizzle that was falling from the sky was almost worse. Tammy's parents had chosen the hotel, and they'd even arranged for a car to pick the girls up. Lou felt a little like royalty when the black sedan pulled up in front of the hotel.