‘You have.’
‘I might park looking for a property until the new year.’
‘Might be an idea. As you say you’ve had a time of it and there will be movement once Spring rolls in.’
‘Yes, I think I’m going to stop looking for a bit. I don’t want to make the wrong decision.’
‘Might be a good idea. Don’t plump for something now when there might be something better in a few months' time.’
‘Good advice.’
‘How are things up at the Manor now some time has passed?’
Cally sighed. ‘Ahh, better, I guess.’
Ella shook her head. ‘What a sorry old state of affairs that was.’
‘I know.’
‘I knew Alastair back in the day when I was a teenager. Who would have thought?’
‘Yep. You just don’t know, do you?’
‘Nope. I hear you’re going up to Scotland soon. Birdie told me the other day when I was in for a prescription. She’s beside herself that she’s been invited.’
Cally chuckled. ‘I know.’
‘Any particular reason why you’re going? Or is it just to enjoy the festive stuff in that neck of the woods?’
Cally smiled. ‘It all started with Logan and because I like snow, and if there’s one thing that place has at this time of year, it’s snow. We just thought it might be nice to get away.’
‘Right.’
‘It went from a quiet weekend away to, well, I don’t know really, Logan inviting Birdie, my friend Eloise, and yeah, hopefully it will be nice.’
‘Just make sure you’re rugged up well.’
‘I will.’
‘I reckon you’ll have a whale of a time.’ Ella gestured around in front of her. ‘Put the flat hunting on hold for a bit and have some time off.’
‘You’re right. I have had a lot on my plate.’
‘You can’t really go wrong going up there, can you?’
Cally shook her head. ‘I suppose not.’
She hoped that was true. The last time she’d travelled to Scotland it had not been the start of good things. That was about to change.
42
Cally stood in front of her wardrobe, feeling a bit perplexed. The Scotland trip had come as a nice surprise, but now it was upon her she found herself facing an unexpected dilemma: packing for a winter getaway in the Scottish Highlands. Not that she was complaining, of course. She was ready to grab it by the neck and enjoy every little bit of it.
She pulled out a thick jumper, held it up against herself, and then threw it onto a growing pile on her bed. It joined an assortment of thermal underwear, thick socks, and what she hoped were sufficiently warm jeans. The whole lot looked woefully inadequate for the icy temperatures Google had told her awaited her in Scotland at the time of year.
On hearing who she assumed was Eloise on the stairs up to the flat, then a knock on the door, she scooted out of the bedroom, across the sitting room, opened the door, and hugged Eloise.
'Hiya!’ Eloise beamed and held her hands in the air.
