Chapter One
The snow came early this year. Not the thin dusting that melts before noon, but a true Highland fall of thick, steady flakes that blanketed Pine Hollow overnight. By morning, the village looked like something from an old Christmas card. The rooftops dipped in white, the air sharp enough to sting the nose. Even the loch beyond the square had begun to freeze at the edges.
From the front window ofThe Honeycomb Hearth, I watched the snow drift past the glass. The street lamps were still glowing, casting gold halos through the mist. Someone across the square had hung garlands between the posts, sprigs of pine woven with red ribbon. The other shopkeepers were beginning their decorations too. Painted snowflakes on the windows, hand-carved stars, and the faint twinkle of fairy lights already winking against the morning grey.
It was only the middle of November, but Christmas had already wrapped its arms around Pine Hollow.
I smiled faintly, tugging my shawl tighter as I crossed to the counter. The scent of cinnamon, sugar, and rising dough filled the air–my favourite perfume. I’d been up since before dawn,rolling pastry for mince tarts and brushing egg wash onto the cinnamon knots that would sell out before lunch. The oven hummed softly behind me, its warmth seeping into my bones.
Mornings like this always felt sacred. The quiet before the town woke. The way the snow swallowed every sound. For a moment, I could almost hear my mum’s voice again–gentle, teasing, warning me not to forget the nutmeg.
The post came through the door with its usual soft thump. I wiped my hands on my apron, half expecting more bills and a few early Christmas cards. Instead, there was an envelope I didn’t recognise–cream paper, heavy and smooth, the kind that felt far too official to belong in a small Highland bakery.
The embossed crest caught my eye:Grant & Weller Solicitors, London.
A ripple of unease went through me. I slit it open with the edge of a butter knife.
And then I read the first line.
Notice of Non-Renewal of Lease.
The words blurred. I blinked hard and kept reading.
Property transition under new ownership.
Effective January 15th.
My stomach turned cold.
For a long moment I just stood there, the letter trembling in my hands.No. That can’t be right.I read it again, slower this time, but the words didn’t change. The Honeycomb Hearth–my grandmother’s shop, my mother’s dream, my home–was being sold.
The bakery had been in our family for decades. I’d come back from London five years ago to help my mum when she got ill, promising I’d keep the place running. After she passed, I couldn’t bear to leave. This little shop had kept me standing when everything else had fallen apart.
And now… they were taking it away.
The door jingled, startling me.
“Morning, love!” Ivy tumbled in, wrapped in her usual explosion of scarves and snow. “You wouldn’t believe the drive from Glenmere. Nearly went sideways on the hill twice–oh, heavens, what’s wrong with your face?”
I blinked back the sting in my eyes. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s definitelysomething.” She began unwinding her scarves, tilting her head. “You look like someone’s told you Santa’s retired.”
I hesitated, then handed her the letter. Watching her read it was almost worse than reading it myself. Her cheerful expression darkened, her lips pressing into a thin line.
“They can’t just–sell it?” she sputtered. “This bakery’s a landmark! My mum says she bought her wedding cake here, and that was before you were born!”
“Apparently, they can,” I murmured. “Whoever’s inherited the property wants to sell off the whole estate. Probably doesn’t even know this place exists.”
“Let me guess–London?”
“London,” I confirmed quietly.
Ivy groaned. “Of course. Some posh city lad who thinks snow is decorative. He’ll last five minutes before begging for central heating and oat milk.”
A weak laugh escaped me despite everything. “Maybe he won’t even come. He can probably do it all from his office.”
“Oh, he’ll come,” she said darkly, shaking her head. “They always do. And when he does, I’ll make sure he regrets it. I’ll glare so hard over the counter he won’t sleep for days.”