‘Erm, I asked if you’d like to go to Lamlash for a change. Rather than bars in Brodick?’
‘Yes.’ His eyes twinkled. ‘If I go out in Brodick then there can be guests there and it can feel as though I’m at work. It is nice togo somewhere else where I can switch off a bit. Less chance of an amorous customer taking advantage.’ He chuckled, lightening the mood.
‘No, surely that doesn’t really happen?’ Beth couldn’t imagine the guests she’d seen at the hotel making advances on the manager, however handsome he might be. They were all ladies of a certain age.
‘You would be surprised,’ said Alessandro spiritedly.
The road was dark between villages. As they drove down the hill into Lamlash, Beth could just about make out the dark shape of the Holy Isle in the distance. Then a few moments later he pulled over and parked outside the pub. ‘Here we are.’
‘Didn’t you say you had to drop something off somewhere?’ Beth shivered as she got out the car and looked over at the dark water of the bay. She reached into her bag for her scarf and wound it around her neck. ‘It’s so cold.’
‘I know. Come on, let’s go in. I just need to drop a package off for my friend who works in the pub.’ He opened the boot and pulled out a jiffy bag.
Beth looked at it speculatively, immediately wondering what it was, and Alessandro must have read her mind. ‘It’s nothing dodgy, if that’s what you’re thinking.’
Beth groaned. ‘Am I that obvious?’
Alessandro nodded. ‘You’re so like Jim. Alwayssosuspicious. A journalist through and through. It’s just some keys I need to drop off.’
Beth had to smile. He was absolutely right. She did tend to question things, though she reminded herself that she should have listened to her instinct and interrogated Tim from the outset. But, somehow, she’d had a rush of blood to the head, which had left her broken in more ways than one. She followed as he led the way and held the door open for her. As they entered the pub she was immediately hit by the welcoming warmth ofthe log fire and the background noise of chatter and laughter. Following Alessandro to the bar, he turned and looked at her.
‘What would you like to drink?’
‘A glass of red wine would be great thanks.’ She watched as he warmly clasped the hand of the man behind the bar, speaking briefly to him as he passed him the envelope. Gesturing to them both he said, ‘Stuart, this is Beth, the new reporter at the paper. Beth meet Stuart, who owns the pub.’
Stuart grinned at her. ‘Nice to meet you, Beth.’
‘You too. Nice place you’ve got here.’ It was a cosy and welcoming pub, with wooden floors, a mixture of trestle tables and wooden circular tables, which were all adorned with twinkling tea lights.
‘Aw, thanks. You two take a seat and I’ll bring your drinks over.’
‘Thanks mate. Shall we sit by the window?’ Alessandro pointed to a small table in the corner.
‘Perfect.’ Beth sat down and then Stuart brought their drinks over.
‘Cheers.’ Alessandro clinked his bottle of alcohol-free beer against her glass of wine.
Beth made a mental note not to have any more alcohol after she’d finished her drink. She didn’t want to do or say anything she may regret, or give Alessandro the wrong idea, especially as he wasn’t drinking.
‘Tell me how your week has been.’ He fixed his eyes on her face.
‘Great. I am loving the job. I mean it’s not every day that you get to write about a wooden seal sculpture being washed away and then found on another island.’ Clyde the seal was a favourite focal point in the village of Corrie where the sculpture sat on a rock. However, he was washed away in bad weather andeventually turned up on the Isle of Bute, which was further up the Firth of Clyde.
‘It must be very different to what you’re used to?’ he asked with an enquiring look.
‘Yes. But different is good. It’s what I needed.’ She took a sip of wine. ‘How about you, how has your week been?’
He sighed. ‘Fine. It’s been busy over summer and autumn, and now we have a lull before the holidays. I’m due to take some holidays after the New Year, before things start to pick up again around Easter.’
‘Have you any plans?’ She took another drink of the full-bodied Malbec.
‘Some sunshine I think would be good. Sometimes the winters here can feel very long.’
She nodded. ‘Yes, I can totally understand that. I had forgotten what Scotland can be like in November. I’ve been away a long time.’
‘Tell me about yourself. What really brought you to Arran?’
She wrapped her fingers around the glass and shrugged. ‘I was ready for a change and wanted to get out of London. I had been there a long time.’
