‘Actually I am kind of joking about that bit. But not about the drawer thing, although it does sound horrible doesn’t it? What a mess it would make too.’
She sighed. ‘You said your early New Year resolution was to stop making stuff up.’
He nodded. ‘I know, you’re right, but porridge drawers were actually very common in the olden days.’ He grinned. ‘Gran said they would be lined with a cloth before the porridge was poured in and left overnight to cool and set. And sometimes babies would be put in the drawer above to keep them warm.’
‘Stop winding me up.’
He held up his hands. ‘Honestly, I’m not. Ask Gran and she’ll tell you. I promise you, I’m on my best behaviour and telling the truth.’
‘I will ask herandI will tell her that you’ve already broken your New Year resolution about making fun of me.’ She cleared her plate from the table and dumped it in the sink.
‘Anyway, you said your early New Year resolution was to go vegan, and there is definitely milk or cream in here.’
The look of sheer triumph on her face told him he’d managed to assume wrong.
‘You aresowrong. It has milk in it, but it’s coconut milk, with a splash of maple syrup.’
‘I wasnotexpecting you to say that. Wow. Well done, Daisy. I really enjoyed it. I would definitely eat that again if you made it for me.’
Daisy rolled her eyes and tutted. ‘What’s the magic word?’
‘Soon . . . sorry, I meant, please.’ Crikey, she was a hard taskmaster.
‘Maybe you could go vegan as well?’ She grinned.
‘I love you very much, Daisy Thompson, but that is a steptoofar.’ Based on what he had picked up for her at the supermarket there was no way he was going to be eating any of the vegan stuff. Callum was a meat and two veg kind of guy and nothing was going to change that. Not even Daisy. Glancing at the clock he realised the school bus would soon be there.
‘Sorry, I don’t think I’ve time to clear up,’ she said sheepishly.
‘It’s okay,’ he said. ‘Get your stuff and I’ll do it.’
‘Thank you,’ she sang, looking very relieved. ‘You’re the best. Oh, and remember I won’t be home at the usual time. Murray and I are going to start working on the school newspaper this afternoon.’
He nodded thoughtfully. ‘It’s marked on the calendar. Shall I pick you up from school later?’
‘I’ll message you and let you know where we are. We may go back to his house and work from there.’
‘Okay, just keep in touch.’
Murray was one of Daisy’s best friends so Callum didn’t question it. If it had been any other boy he might not have been quite so relaxed. He knew that she was going to soon be attracting a lot of attention from the opposite sex, and he hadn’t prepared himself for just how protective he would feel over her. She was growing up to be such a beautiful girl — and she wassolike her mother. Sometimes the likeness caught Callum by surprise and he felt as though Isla was actually in the room. Hecaught his mum watching her over the holidays, wiping away a few tears when she thought he wasn’t looking. Both Daisy and her mother had long and wavy blonde hair, with a dusting of freckles across their noses, and rosebud lips. Daisy was also very headstrong in the same way that Isla had been and had the same mannerisms. She’d started putting her hands on her hips when she was arguing, which was becoming more common, especially as she loved modern studies at school. He was glad it was a subject she enjoyed, as there was a lot about school that she didn’t seem to like at the moment.
‘See you later,’ called Daisy as she ran to the front door, pulling on her coat.
‘Bye D,’ he said, feeling an unexpected sob catch at the back of his throat.
Smiling, oblivious to the fact he was trying to choke back tears, she left him with a wave and ran out the door. He stood up and walked to the window, watching as she ran up the lane. His every instinct was to protect Daisy and keep her wrapped in cotton wool, away from the world in a way that he hadn’t been able to do with Isla. That was something he would always regret until the day he died.
Chapter Ten
Over the next couple of days, memories of Beth’s time on Arran came flooding back as she explored and refamiliarized herself with her new surroundings, as well as the places she had such fond memories of. Fortunately the rain had let up and the winds had died down, which made life a bit easier. She was so grateful that Margaret had suggested she borrow her car. It meant she could drive the whole way around the island from Brodick through the villages of Lamlash and then round to Whiting Bay down to Kildonan — an area she had always loved swimming at when she was younger — then to Blackwaterfoot and all the way up to Lochranza, where you could catch the ferry to Claonaig on the mainland, and then round to Corrie. It was exactly as she had remembered, which was such a relief. She would have been so disappointed if the island had lost its charm and appeal. Plenty of years had passed but, if anything, it felt as though things had mainly stayed the same. Yes, there were new places, but nothing significant or transformative that had changed its essence. It all felt reassuringly familiar. She felt a sense of belonging, which was an unusual feeling, and so far removed from what her life had been like last year. It felt likehome.
A plumber had been called out to fix the heating in the flat, however, it looked as though a new boiler was needed, so the problem was going to take a bit longer than a few days to fix. In the meantime Beth had unpacked a few more of her clothes and made herself at home in the cabin, despite her attempts not to get too comfortable. The flat that she was going to was fine, but not a patch on the stylish hotel accommodation.
Today Jim had kindly invited her to have Sunday lunch with his family. He lived just outside the village of Lamlash with his wife, Freya, and their sons, who were twelve and fourteen. Beth stopped at the local shop in the village to pick up some flowersand chocolates for them. As she walked back towards the car she glanced up and noticed a café with floor-to-ceiling windows. The sign saidCèicand the windows were strung with twinkling fairy lights that made it look very cosy and welcoming. She was tempted to go in but was short of time. Instead, she made a promise to herself that she would definitely return to check it out. As she opened the car door, she glanced over at the verge by the beach and saw a man walking his dog. Her stomach started to flutter. There was something familiar about his gait and the casual but confident way he strolled across the grass. He turned to call the dog and, when she saw his face, her head started to spin. Beth quickly got into the car and sat in the driver’s seat for a moment to gather her thoughts.It was just a coincidence, she told herself. It wasn’t him. Not after all this time. It was just someone who looked like him, and she felt a pang of wistfulness as she thought back to those intense and heady days when life seemed far much simpler. She allowed her mind to drift for a moment, thinking back to how different her life might have been if he had arrived at the train station that day. Then she gave herself a shake and remembered that she had somewhere to be. There was no point in dwelling in the past. There was no way he was still here after all this time.
A few minutes later she pulled into the driveway of Jim’s split-level bungalow, which had wonderful views towards the Holy Isle. She paused for a moment as she looked at the small island in the bay. It was a place dedicated to peace and wellbeing and it was only now, when she had the perspective of a weary adult, that she understood why people would go there on retreats, to take a break from life and get back in touch with themselves. It did sound very appealing. As she turned and walked towards the front door of the house it swung open just as she reached it.
‘Well hello there,’ said Freya, a petite woman with curly red hair and a broad smile. ‘You must be Beth. I’ve heard so much about you. Welcome. Come on in.’
