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 wouldlovethat.’ The woman beamed, and then said knowingly, ‘I really don’t think she realises just how talented she is. Edie isveryunassuming.’
Margaret grinned at her. ‘That sounds a splendid idea. Thank you. It would be nice to say hello to her again. What’syour 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.’
Chapter Thirty-One
They arrived at the café just as the rain began to bounce off the pavements and batter against the windows.
