Around the room, everyone echoed her words, and I blushed scarlet.
“You’re quite cute when you get embarrassed,” Craig whispered in my ear. “I may just have to pull some strings so that I can move back up here.”
“Would you?” I turned to him, my heart racing. Then I dropped my gaze, suddenly feeling shy again. “That would be nice.” Around us, the conversation had flared, everyone talking nineteen to the dozen. I was glad, because it meant that we wouldn’t be overheard.
“Nice? Is that the best you can manage?” I could see from his face that Craig was teasing me.
I tried again. “It would be good.” Was that ‘intentional’ enough?
“Still not cutting it.”
I took a deep breath. “That would be lovely. Love-ly.” I strung the word out, looking him in the eye.
Craig’s face softened, and, taking my cheeks in his hands, he kissed me. “That’s better,” he said, smiling.
From the far side of the room, my mother screeched, “Izzy! I thought you said you didn’t have a boyfriend?”
I cringed.
No matter that I’d just solved two perplexing murders, all my mother was fixated on was the state of my love life.
I put my head in my hands. Something like this would keep her going till at least Christmas, and I’d never hear the end of it. “Shoot me now,” I groaned.
Epilogue
Lady Letham beamed at me. “So what do you think, dear Isobel? Do we have a deal?”
I blinked at my employer, my mouth hanging open. “B—buy Eagle?” I stammered. “Seriously?”
“Of course. Why would I choose to joke about something like that?”
Why indeed.
Taking another slurp of coffee to fight through the fuzz in my brain, I did some mental arithmetic. With the prize money I’d been given by Princess Anne yesterday, which was way more than I expected, and with the bonus Francine had paid me along with Darcy and Eagle’s regular training fees, I should be able to afford it.
It would be like a dream come true.
“Okay, you’ve got a deal” I held out my hand. “I’ll go half shares with you in buying Eagle.”
“Wonderful!” she cried—and I have to say, I agreed with her.
THE END
A note from the author
I wrote the first book in this series while the coronavirus pandemic was in its ‘first wave’ here in Scotland.
This book was written during our ‘second wave’, and, yet again, Izzy and her chums have provided a great distraction from the difficulties of everyday life.
Stay safe, stay well, and I hope to see you soon for some more Scottish cozy mysteries!
The Highland Horse Whisperer series
As the series progresses, Izzy will ride more talented horses, meet more eccentric characters, drink more coffee—and solve more mysteries!
The series prequel, The Secret Santa Mystery, introduces Izzy, Dev and Trinity, and explains how the girls left London for a new life in the Highlands.
Sign up to my newsletter to be the first to find out about special offers, and when the next book, A Henchman at the Highland Games, will be available:
rozmarshall.co.uk/newsletter,
or check out my other books—at:
books2read.com/rl/RozMarshall.
Also by R.B. Marshall
The Highland Horse Whisperer series
Cozy Mystery set in Scotland (and London for the prequel):
The Secret Santa Mystery
A Corpse at the Castle
A Right Royal Revenge
A Henchman at the Highland Games (due in 2021)
Writing as Roz Marshall:
The Celtic Fey series
Urban Fantasy / Young Adult Fantasy set in Scotland (and the faerie realm):
Kelpie Curse
Faerie Quest
The Fey Bard
Merlin’s Army (due early 2o21)
Secrets in the Snow series
Women’s Fiction / Sweet Sports Romance set in a Scottish ski school:
Fear of Falling
My Snowy Valentine
The Racer Trials
Snow Blind
Weathering the Storm
Half Way Home stories
Young Adult Science Fiction set in Hugh Howey’s Half Way Home universe:
Nobody’s Hero
The Final Solution
Scottish stories:
Still Waters
Writing as BELLE McINNES:
Mary’s Ladies series [complete]
Scottish Historical Romance telling the story of Mary Queen of Scots:
A Love Divided
A Love Beyond
A Love Concealed
The Macrae Legends series
Clean Scottish Historical Romance telling of the beginnings of Clan Macrae, during the time of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce:
For Love or Justice (releasing 31 Aug 2021)
From the Author
Fact and Fiction
As much as I can, I like to base the locations and history in my books on real places and events, adding my fictional elements around them.
The Highland
The Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh is an event I attend (as a spectator!) most years. For a while, once I had a horse good enough, competing there was a ‘bucket list’ ambition, but lameness or other issues always seemed to get in the way. But the class I would enter takes place in the main arena in front of the grandstand, and this year I realised that I would be totally overawed to ride there.
Instead, I gave that honour to Izzy :-) and I think she did me proud!
The Foot Stompin’ Ceilidh Band
A few years ago at The Highland, like Izzy, I was drawn to the sound of a Celtic band playing on one of the stages dotted around the show ground. The Foot Stompin’ Ceilidh Band are a real band based in Scotland, and you can check them out on their website:
https://footstompinceilidh.com/
Horse Whispering
The incident I describe where Eagle tells Izzy that his water bucket is empty, is actually based on real life! As a novice owner, I kept my first horse at ‘livery’, where he was looked after by the staff at the stables. But one evening when I came to ride him, he did that exact thing—giving me a significant look, then staring at his bucket, then back at me—because he was out of water.
He did the same another time when his salt lick was finished. Who says horses can’t talk!
PS
To any readers called Humphrey—I apologise for Izzy’s childishness about your name!
About the Author
Like my amateur sleuth, Izzy, I'm a Scottish, dressage riding, computer geek who loves coffee—but there the similarity ends. She is far smarter than me, and a lot younger!
I hope you'll join me in discovering where her curiosity leads to next...
I also write in other genres:
Fantasy and clean romance/women's fiction, as Roz Marshall: books2read.com/rl/RozMarshall
Historical Romance, telling the story of Mary Queen of Scots, as Belle McInnes: books2read.com/rl/MarysLadies
Here’s where you’ll find me:
rozmarshall.co.uk/books
GLOSSARY
Bay (horse): A brown horse with black legs, black mane and tail
Bobby: Slang word for a policeman
Brutal: Irish slang for awful, dreadful
Chestnut (horse): A golden-red coloured horse
Chips: French fries
Copper: Slang word for a policeman
Deep web: A part of the internet containing websites or apps which cannot be found by regular search engines such as Google
Dosh: Money
Drawers: An old-fashioned word for knickers or panties
Dressage: The training and gymnasticising of horses. Also used to describe the competitions where the results of that training are demonstrated
DSS: Department for Social Security
Dun: A horse colou
r, where the body is fawn or brown coloured and the mane, tail, and lower legs are black
Eejit: Idiot
Farrier: A person qualified to shoe horses
Flicks: Cinema
Gelding: A castrated male horse
Girth: Cinch
Gloaming: Scots word for twilight, dusk
Glower: Scowl, an angry or sullen look
Grey (horse): A horse colour, varying from steel-grey to white, sometimes dapple grey
Hack: A trail ride in the countryside
Highland Pony: Breed of pony native to Scotland. Sturdy and trustworthy, usually dun or grey in colour
Jobsworth: Someone who sticks to the rules. “It’s more than my job’s worth to do that…”
Jodhpurs (jods): Riding leg wear, designed to be worn with ankle (jodhpur) boots
Keep cup: A reusable coffee cup
Lorry: Truck
Manège: Riding arena
Mobile (phone): Cellphone
Nick: London slang for a police station
Pally: Friendly
PC: Police Constable
Pillock: A stupid or annoying person
Plonker: A stupid or annoying person
Plus fours: Breeches or trousers that extend a few inches below the knee
Point-to-point: A form of horse racing over rustic fences, for hunting horses and amateur riders
Sarnie: Sandwich
Shenanigans: High jinks, mischief
Skank: Derogatory term for a (usually younger) female, implying trashiness or tackiness
Smackers: Pounds. Money
Stable: The stall or loose box where a horse is housed (if necessary)
Stables: Either a row of individual stables, or sometimes the whole establishment
Stable Yard: A facility for horses, usually including stables and paddocks plus riding arena(s). Sometimes part of a farm or stately home, or sometimes purpose-built. Abbreviated to ‘Yard’
Strictly Come Dancing: British version of Dancing with the Stars
Stirrup: A light frame that supports the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap
Tack: Horse equipment, usually the leatherwork such as saddle and bridle
Tenner: Ten pound (GBP) note. Money
There’s lovely: Welsh expression, meaning ‘that’s nice’
Thon: Scots word for that or those
Thoroughbred: A breed of horse originating in England and specialising in racing
Warmblood: A type of horse, originally a cross between thoroughbreds and European draft (cart) horses, but now specialising mainly in dressage
Wither: A bony protrusion at the bottom of a horse’s neck, in front of the saddle
Yard: See Stable Yard
CHARACTERS
Izzy Paterson: Horse trainer for Glengowrie stud, and proprietor of Aye Spy Investigations
Lady Alice Letham: Izzy’s boss, and owner of Glengowrie House and stud
Rev Brian May: Glengowrie Episcopalian minister
Charlie Thwaite: Dev’s girlfriend. Computer support technician
Craig MacDonald: Stud Manager at Balmoral Castle (on secondment to Windsor Castle)
Sergeant Dean Lovell: Local policeman
Dev (Devlin) Connolly: Izzy’s ex-colleague and consultant in Aye Spy Investigations
Edie (Edith) Large: Spinster sister from Glengowrie
Evan Grainger: Glengowrie postman
Francine McDade: Pat’s wife
George Reid: Local saddler
Grayson Farmer: Michael’s friend. Radiologist at Dundee Royal Infirmary
Gremlin: A computer program written by Izzy which searches the deep web
Harry Yateman: Owner of The Gowrie Brae pub
Mr (Ian) Paterson: Izzy’s dad
Ina (Thomasina) Large: Spinster sister from Glengowrie
Mrs (Irene) Naylor: Izzy’s mum’s neighbour, Michael’s mother
Jason Cotton: Darcy’s rider
Kalista Dudek: Polish owner of the coffee shop in Glengowrie
Martha May: Minister’s wife
Michael Naylor: Izzy’s mum’s neighbour’s son. Anaesthetist at Dundee Royal Infirmary
Neil Etherington: Reporter for the Gowrie Gazette
Patrick (Pat) McDade: Owner/manager of a chain of agricultural food stores
Ruth Wilton (nee Spicer): Childhood friend of Izzy’s. Instructor
Senga Downie: Local pony club district commissioner
The Terminator: The ‘back man’ (I’ll be back). Horse chiropractor
Trinity Allen: Izzy’s friend and colleague
Ursula Harkin: Lady Letham’s cook and housekeeper. Jimmy’s wife
Mrs (Valerie) Paterson: Izzy’s mum
Constable Vicky Adamson: Policewoman
Colonel Winston Roberts: Friend of Lady Letham
Dogs and Horses
Allegra (Glengowrie Allegretto): Lady Letham’s bay Warmblood brood mare
Dancer: Young skewbald Warmblood gelding belonging to Izzy
Darcy (Pride of Pemberley): The McDade’s show jumper. Chestnut gelding
Eagle (Lochnagar Golden Eagle): The queen’s dun Highland Pony stallion
Flash (Jumping Jack Flash): George Reid’s grey show jumper
Jorja: Izzy’s Jack Russell Terrier
Leo: Izzy’s dressage horse
Recipe: Veggie burgers
My husband’s very own recipe :-) (He is the best cook in our family!)
[Makes 4 large burgers/serves 4]
Ingredients:
4 x Brioche buns
2 x red onions (chop and reserve one for burger topping)
2 x small cloves garlic
1 x 400g can lentils (well drained)
1 x 400g can black beans (well drained)
1/2 cup brown rice (pre-cooked)
1/2 cup oats or breadcrumbs
2 x vegetable stock cubes
1/2 tsp salt
Ground black pepper to taste
Chilli flakes to taste
Olive oil and butter for frying
Method:
Cook brown rice and set aside.
Pulse one onion and the garlic cloves in a food processor.
Pulse lentils and black beans separately.
Pulse pre-cooked rice separately—but don’t over-blend any of the above ingredients!
Mix (by hand) everything together with crumbled stock cubes in a large bowl and place in fridge for 5 hours.
Form burger patties by hand. Shallow fry in olive oil & butter for 4-5 minutes each side, turning occasionally, on a moderate heat—don’t burn them!
Remove from pan and fry second onion in burger juices.
Assemble burgers in brioche buns with onion (and optional cheese or sweet chilli sauce) topping.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Mairi, Ben and Liz, my beta-reading and editing team, who added extra polish and value to my scribblings. Also, grateful thanks to Gillian for her input on Scottish Police procedures, and Maggie and Val for their horsey contributions!