A Christmas Wish on Arran (Scottish Romances #4)

Chapter Thirty

Beth may only have been on the island for a few weeks, but she was starting to realise that living and working in a real community had softened her. The hard edges she had needed to survive in London were slowly starting to disappear. It was so nice to be able to stop and chat to a friendly face when she nipped to the shops or out to a café. She’d enjoyed showing her dad around, and it had been an added bonus that Jim and Freya had been there at Cèic too. She’d driven round to the high school to show her dad the outside of the building, so he could get a picture in his head of where she was working on the newspaper with the kids. This afternoon, they had picked up Margaret from the ferry and taken her to the hotel, which was looking very festive, a large tree draped with tinsel lighting up the entrance. Fortunately Alessandro had been nowhere to be seen. Beth and her dad promised to let Margaret get settled and “freshen up”, and then they would walk back over to meet her for a drink before they had dinner.

When they arrived back at the hotel, Margaret was already in situ at the bar, holding court with Alessandro. Beth felt her heart drop. Who knew what he’d been saying to her. He flashed a dazzling smile at Beth and she was half-expecting him to say, ‘Ciao Bella,’ just for show.

‘Hi lovelies.’ Margaret waved them over. ‘Don’t worry, I’ve just been on the lemonade until you arrived. I didn’t want to be sloshed . . . although the cocktail menu looks very nice indeed.’ She gave a hearty laugh. ‘I’ve just been chatting to Alessandro here and telling him about my trip to Italy in the summer.’

‘Erm, did you tell Margaret that you’re from Dundee?’ asked Beth.

‘Och away you go,’ Margaret said to him, waggling her finger. ‘That’s you shattered the illusion. I thought you were a proper local. I mean Dundee’s not quite the same as Sorrento, is it?’

He gave a gusty laugh. ‘Sorry to disappoint.’ He winked at Margaret. ‘Please take a seat.’ He gestured to a table at the window.

The bar was busy, and Beth was surprised the table was free. Then she spotted a reserved sign on it. She felt bad that her immediate reaction on seeing Alessandro had been dread. She had to remind herself that he was very kind. But the voice inside her head was loud and strong. Just remember that he wants something in return.

‘What would you like? I’ll bring it over,’ he said.

‘How about a bottle of fizz?’ Margaret looked very smart in a pair of navy trousers and a cerise pink blouse. ‘Seeing as this is a wee celebration. And it’s the festive season.’

Beth was glad she’d made an effort and changed into a newer pair of jeans and boots, rather than the old denims and trainers she tended to live in at the weekends.

Beth and her dad nodded in agreement.

‘It would be nice to have a wee toast,’ her dad said.

‘Prosecco would be ideal. You’re a wee superstar, Alessandro. Thank you.’

They were soon settled at the window table overlooking the garden and Barry proposed a toast. ‘To your new beginning on Arran.’

‘Cheers.’ Margaret clinked her glass against Beth and Barry’s. ‘And to all that lies ahead.’ She gave Beth a conspiratorial look. ‘He can’t take his eyes off you love.’

‘Who?’ asked Beth.

‘Your pal Alessandro.’

Beth shook her head. ‘I don’t think he’s got the message yet that I’m not interested.’

‘Aye,’ she took another sip from her glass, ‘something tells me he’s not the type who’s used to getting a knock-back. You watch yourself love. That type of man is more hassle than he’s worth.’

Beth gave her a wry smile. She couldn’t agree more.

* * *

The following afternoon, Barry insisted he needed to have a snooze after a morning spent wandering around the gardens at Brodick Castle, which he and Margaret had been particularly enthused about — they had their National Trust for Scotland cards with them.

Margaret was triumphant when they realised they could use them to gain free entrance. ‘I told your dad these would be a good investment. And we’ll just need to come back again and use them when the actual castle is open. Maybe in the spring, Barry, eh?’

Beth had offered to take Margaret round to Lamlash for the afternoon so she could see the Christmas fair in full swing. Margaret was also desperate to do some Christmas shopping at the gift shop, the Wee Trove, to buy some pottery mugs that she’d heard about when she’d met Edie, the woman who made them, last summer.

‘Are you sure you don’t want to come and see the lights being switched on, Dad?’

‘No, honestly, I will wait till you come back and see them being turned on in Brodick tonight. I’ll save my energy.’

As they got ready to leave the flat, Barry pulled his iPad from behind a cushion.

‘Now Barry, you must think me and Beth are buttoned up the back or something? A wee nap? Is that right? More like there’s a football game on and you don’t want to miss it.’ Margaret pursed her lips together.

Barry yawned, though he did have the grace to look a bit guilty. He’d asked Beth for the Wi-Fi code earlier so he could use his iPad.

‘It’s okay, Dad. You just sit and relax. I’m sure you’ll only watch the first five minutes anyway, and then you’ll be fast asleep.’

‘Aye, well, that’s what football does to me. Sends me straight to sleep. More powerful than any sleeping pills,’ muttered Margaret.

‘Thanks dear. You both go and enjoy yourself. Don’t rush back.’ Barry’s eyes twinkled.

‘It’s been a busy weekend for him.’ Beth had noticed her dad did seem to be tired. ‘He’s walked a lot the past few days, and the sea air will be tiring him out. Plus I know he’s used to his own space.’ Beth opened the car for Margaret. ‘It’s fine, really, I don’t mind. He’d only be bored if we dragged him round the shops.’

‘Gives us a chance to have a wander and a proper catch-up I suppose. Gosh, that wind is chilly.’ Margaret shivered as she got into the car. ‘I hope it doesn’t rain. That sky looks a bit threatening.’

Beth turned up the heating in the car, then realised she should ask Margaret if she wanted to drive. It was her car after all.

‘Not at all,’ she said firmly. ‘It’s your car just now, and I have no intention of taking over. I quite like being chauffeured about.’

Less than ten minutes later they had luckily managed to find a parking space. The village was busy with final preparations for the Christmas lights being switched on, and the fair that would go on until later that night. Stallholders were adding the final touches to their displays, and Beth stopped to chat to a few people she had met through work events. She waved at Grant from the RNLI and then spotted Freya and introduced her to Margaret.

‘I just hope it doesn’t rain,’ Freya looked upwards, ‘otherwise it will be a wash out. I’ll let you ladies get on and maybe see you later? I know Jim will be here when the lights are switched on.’

Beth looked at her watch. It was growing darker and darker and she wondered if plans may need to be abandoned due to the weather. ‘We better hurry,’ she said to Margaret, ‘unless you want to get soaked.’

Margaret walked along the road and admired the window of the Wee Trove. She pointed at the mugs set against a backdrop of red and green scarves and sprigs of holly. Beth thought the shop was aptly named. She couldn’t wait to get in and have a look at what else was there.

‘That must be them there,’ said Margaret. ‘Shall we go in and see what else they have?’

‘Of course. Though I think this could be dangerous. It looks like we may want to buy the whole shop.’

Inside was a treasure trove of beautiful and colourful mugs made by the woman, Edie, who Margaret had mentioned. There were bright canvas paintings, artwork by local artists, and some beautiful sea glass jewellery including earrings, pendants and bracelets.

‘Isn’t this place great? My Isobel would love that necklace.’ Margaret pointed at a silver chain with a bright blue piece of glass. ‘In fact I’ll just buy it for her, I think. Why not?’ She chewed her lip as she thought. ‘I’d better get something for Bella. Otherwise she’ll feel put out that I didn’t get her some jewellery as well. They’re like a pair of kids sometimes rather than mother and daughter.’ She sighed loudly. ‘What do you think about those earrings there Beth?’

Beth leaned towards the cabinet and admired the palest of pink glass earrings that Margaret was pointing at. ‘They’re beautiful.’ She nodded her approval. She helped Margaret choose some of the mugs and then waited while she paid.

‘What a lovely shop you have,’ she said to the owner, who was busy wrapping Margaret’s purchases carefully with layers of tissue paper.

‘Och, thanks very much,’ said the woman, who had long curly auburn hair and a huge smile. Her eyes were blue and she wore a thick green sweater with purple trousers. Beth knew it wasn’t a look that she could have pulled off, but the woman looked effortlessly stylish. ‘We do try to stock as much local produce as we can and support local artists. It’s good to have things in that are a wee bit different.’

Beth was well used to counting her pennies and was quite relaxed about going into shops and not buying anything. She was an expert window shopper, and had told herself to think of it all as stuff. There wasn’t anything that she desperately needed, although she couldn’t pull her eyes off the mugs in every colour of the rainbow. They would brighten up the flat and make drinking coffee extra special. Maybe when she was next paid . . . That would be her treat to herself.

‘I was here in the summer at the Brodick Games . . . and I met Edie very briefly,’ Margaret told the woman. ‘It wasn’t until later on I realised she was the person who made the lovely mugs I’d been admiring at a friend’s cottage,’ said Margaret.

‘Edie’s our local star. And, that’s such a shame,’ the woman shook her head, ‘you have literally just missed her. She was here five minutes ago to drop off more stock. But . . . I think she was heading to the café that overlooks the bay, you know Cèic? If you go there next then you might just catch her. Then you can tell her yourself. I’m sure she would love that.’ The woman beamed, and then said knowingly, ‘I really don’t think she realises just how talented she is. Edie is very unassuming.’

Margaret grinned at her. ‘That sounds a splendid idea. Thank you. It would be nice to say hello to her again. What’s your name? I’ll tell her you sent us chasing after her. Just in case she thinks we’re weird stalker fans or something.’

She gave a hearty laugh. ‘I’m Thea. Tell her I sent you. But she’ll be so pleased to see you and hear you’ve bought some of her mugs.’

‘Well thank you Thea.’ Margaret picked up the paper shopping bag. Then she paused. ‘Just in case I don’t recognise her straight away, do you remember what she’s wearing?’

‘She’s wearing a red coat and has her dog, Molly, with her, she’s a spaniel. You’ll recognise her when you see her. Our Edie is one of a kind. Once you’ve met her you never forget her.’

Margaret chuckled. ‘That sounds like a jingle. Well I for one am glad we’ve been able to come here this time. Thank you. Right, Beth. I think we need a cuppa. I don’t know about you but I’m gasping. Let’s go and check out the café and see if we can catch Edie.’

‘Great idea. And this time it’s my shout. I insist.’ Beth was starting to feel a bit anxious about the number of times her dad and Margaret had insisted on paying for things, including dinner last night and coffee and scones that morning.

Margaret raised an eyebrow. ‘Well, okay, but on one condition.’

‘What’s that?’

‘That you also throw in a bit of cake.’

Beth laughed. ‘I can do that.’

‘Their cake is amazing,’ added Thea. ‘You’ll love it.’

‘Then that’s a deal,’ said Margaret. ‘Let’s go. We better hurry up as well. It looks like the heavens are about to open.’