Page 35 of From Scotland with Love

“Never you mind that now. I just need a promise.”

Lori bit her lip, unsure of what she was signing herself up for, but whatever it was, it was worth the gamble. “Sure,” she nodded, and held out her hand.

“And..” Callum playfully hit her hand away. “You have to do the tug of war at the Highland games!”

“What? Why? Have you been talking to Gran?”

“Hey, one question at a time!” Callum laughed raising his hands.

“Why do you want me to do tug of war?” Lori rolled her eyes again. “I mean, it’s the men who do that one isn’t it?”

“Now where’s the feminist in you? Plus, I think you need to get your hands dirty while you’re here, just this once. You’ve spent a wee bit too long in the city.”

Lori sighed, unenthused about the prospect.

“Come on, too afraid to break a nail?” Callum teased, making Lori bristle. He knew he had her, she needed him to introduce her to his aunt; after all this could be the start of a very lucrative business deal. Against Lori’s better judgment, and the stubbornness within her, she held out her hand and they shook on it.

“Are you sure you have everything?” Gran asked, placing a packed lunch on Lori’s lap. Lori sat in the van, with arms crossed while her gran flapped around them. The longer Lori stayed at the house, the more she reverted back to the sulky teenager she used to be. It didn’t help that Gran still saw her as that girl, hopeless and unorganised. Never mind that Lori was a worldly woman who had been living alone very successfully for over ten years now! She shuffled in her seat as Callum sat patiently behind the wheel.

“You two have a good time now!” Gran winked, and Lori squirmed inside. She had stipulated very clearly that this was a business trip, and Callum was there specifically and exclusively to introduce her to a potential business partner.

They left Arlochy and headed to Morvaig for the ferry, which would take them onto one island, from which they would catch another ferry, or so Callum had explained. The waters were rough but Lori walked outside to the front of the ferry, feeling the wind push and pull her as she looked out across the sea. She breathed in the salty air, looking for any dolphins, which would occasionally follow the boats on their trips, playing delightedly around the swell. She felt light, with no worries or stresses, on the edge of the world, hidden away and off to a remote island. She closed her eyes and let the wind wrap around her.

Callum ordered their coffees and walked to the window, to see on the other side, an open-armed Lori. Her messy hair whipped across her face as the ferry rocked back and forth, her nose and cheeks had turned rosy pink from the cold sea spray. Callum was about to knock on the window, but decided to leave her be; he didn’t want to interrupt whatever happy thoughts she was enjoying. Instead he watched her staring out to the distant islands, her whole body embracing the physical torrent of nature swirling around them. He couldn’t have imagined a week ago that they’d be spending this much time together. As enjoyable as it was to spend time with Lori, he wasn’t under any illusion. He knew he was there to “seal the deal” with his aunt. Yes he was helping Lori out, but he was also helping his aunt’s business. His aunt had cheered down the phone after his tentative call to her; she had been working so hard to keep the mill going amidst low sales and staff shortages. He just hoped Lori wouldn’t muck her about. Would she do that? Had New York really turned her into a ruthless, money-grabbing businesswoman? he sipped his coffee and reflected on their first encounter in the bridal shop, she had seemed so dismissive, but now.. He let his mind wander onto Alan and Tammy’s wedding. They were in Spain now on their honeymoon, likely sipping cocktails and walking hand in hand across pristine white beaches. Callum sincerely hoped they would be happy. After punching Hector that awful day before the ceremony, something had changed in him. He felt free, and happier, dare he say it, dare he even think it! Could it be possible that punching someone could make a usually mild-mannered person feel this way? His thoughts sprang organically to his ex-wife Jennifer. He wished in some ways he had confronted Hector all those years ago, but would it have saved his marriage? There was no point regretting things now, it was in the past. Now was the time to think about what he wanted for the future. If he spent his life wondering about the what-ifs, he’d still be asking himself what might have happened if he had just taken Mary’s advice and gone to Australia, demanding to see Lori. Then things might have been very different. Callum removed the thought from his head almost as soon as it had appeared, and relaxed back into his happy replay of punching Hector. A week had passed now since the incident, and he still hadn’t heard from the police. That was a surprise, since Callum had been sure Hector was the type of guy who would certainly press charges, just as he was the type of guy to pursue other people’s women. Callum hoped Alan had forgiven Tammy entirely, so that they could both move forward together. But was it that easy? Did he really forgive Jennifer? Even now, her betrayal made his stomach churn automatically, but he had moved on. He wasn’t that person anymore, he wanted to be happy and he was happy. He had built up his business from scratch, and was now able to take on staff. Soon he might even be able to sell it - if he wanted to. Karen had a good head on her shoulders, perhaps in some ways he knew he was already training her to eventually take the business from him. The shop had been pretty busy with bookings for the following month, and Karen continued to keep the pace for the next season. People were always popping in to say hi, and Karen without fail took advantage of every opportunity – such as when she had welcomed Lori’s sister and her two kids to the shop, pinning up their drawings on the wall and later suggesting the whole school get involved. Showcasing a whole wall dedicated to favourite activities, encouraging locals to take part instead of simply being a tourist-focussed game. Callum was happy to let her take the reins and welcomed anything that would give them more exposure as a business. Jean had loved the idea too, so he had left them to discuss things, and told Karen his trip away was a great chance to see how she fared at the helm. No sooner had he left the two women - Jean had tapped him on the shoulder, and told some very surprising news. He was taken aback slightly just speaking to Jean in such a close manner; she was the sister he knew the least, and the most they would exchange would be a salute or a quick catch-up if they bumped into each other in the local shops.

“I really shouldn’t be saying this, my sister will kill me,” she whispered as Karen distracted the girls showing them photos of some recent dolphin sightings. “But, well I thought you should know, that Lori…” she moved side to side a little, uneasily, “she’s pretty much single!”

Callum squinted, unsure what to say. “I um… OK?”

Jean glanced back at the girls then continued. “I think she likes you. And my sister is very proud and very stubborn, so to prove a point she’d never act on something. Even if she actually... wants to act on that thing...” Jean’s blue eyes, the same depth and shape as Lori's, looked up at Callum. He had never particularly noticed the resemblance between them until this moment, but the way Jean Robertson had looked intensely into him with those penetrating eyes, had made Callum feel cornered, and under pressure. He found himself a little confused, which must have shown on his face as Jean then groaned, “Callum, man! She really likes you. She might not think she does, but I know she does. Call it sister’s intuition.”

“I... uh... Has she said something?”

“Not in so many words, but she is single. She as much told us that her fella had taken her coming over here as some kind of a break, and she seemed pretty okay with that! And I know she likes you!” Jean pulled up the strap of her handbag over her shoulder smartly, and left promptly with the kids, after having set Callum’s head spinning. Should he do something with this newfound information? But Lori was going back to New York... He had thought of nothing else that day, evidently Karen had noticed and told him to go home, thinking he was under the weather. He hadn't protested too much, and instead had walked along the harbour until he was alone. Just him and the sea, watching the fishing boats rock in the rough water. He had begun to feel stressed over his attitude towards Lori, and the news he had heard. Did Jean expect him to go over and persuade her to stay? Was he supposed to sweep her off her feet or was the implication to simply make the most, so to speak, of the days they had left on the same continent? But she had a life in New York... it was all so rushed, and Callum hated impulsive decisions. Maybe he could stay in touch with her, properly this time, and see what happened further down the road? But he knew how much Lori was consumed by her work, and that once she was back in New York, she would be impossible to get hold of… just like last time. After hours of wandering aimlessly and thinking over the confusing array of possibilities now at stake, he had decided to not make any rash decisions: if Lori wanted to stay then she would, and he wasn’t going to make things complicated for her only days after she’d gone through a break-up.

It was then that he had received a grovelling phone message from Lori informing him that she would be staying a while longer after all, and would be eternally grateful for his help with a new venture for her company, in the Hebrides, no less. Callum couldn’t believe it, so much had been altered for him in a day. He supposed he should start enjoying that side of life instead of constantly reverting to the familiar whenever change loomed its head. Standing on that ferry, two cups of instant coffee cooling in his hands and looking out at the woman who left him all those years ago, he was fizzing with so many different emotions. He didn’t know which to lean to. For now, he took a breath, and knocked on the window to a startled Lori, holding up the paper cups and smiling.

20

When they first drove off the ferry, they were greeted by sparkling beaches along the coast. As they continued along twisting bumpy roads they reached the flat peatland stretching out as far as the eye could see, with little houses dotted here and there as though tossed across the earth like bleached pebbles. They pulled into their destination, and Callum finally turned off the engine. Aunt Betty walked out to meet them as they stretched their limbs out by the side of the van. Lori didn’t know what she had necessarily expected to see, but next to the house stood a barn structure that she presumed was the mill, and along the road sheep grazed, walking about freely, paying no heed to approaching vehicles. It was all a little shabbier than she had imagined, and the signs of a harder kind of life, that generations of people from these parts had known, she supposed, were still very apparent. Lori had changed into her smart business clothes en-route, to make a good professional first impression that a potential business deal demanded. But now, as she saw Aunt Betty approaching them in a ripped jumper and scuffed jeans, she wondered if she had made a terrible mistake. She had envisaged a clean-cut figure of a woman, wearing her own tweeds, but the ripped clothing and wild wiry grey hair left Lori confused. Betty hugged Callum warmly, and ruffled his hair playfully. Just like Gran, Lori reflected. Callum introduced them and Lori extended her hand, only for it to be pushed away by the woman who instead leaned in for a hug also.

“It’s lovely to meet you Lori!” Betty said, pulling out of their embrace suddenly as two black Labradors came bounding out to greet the new guests, their inquisitive noses moving wetly over Lori’s legs until Betty shooed them away.

“Thank you so much for allowing me to come visit, I’m sure Callum has told you my background?”

“Oh that you broke his heart when he was a teenager? I remember that, that was the first time he came over to help. Such a glum face the whole holiday!” She patted his reddening cheek, chuckling.

“Auntie!” He pushed her hand away, looking mortified, something Lori hadn’t seen before. She had thought Callum was unmovable.

Lori coughed and decided to ignore the teasing jibes. “I meant, um... who I work for, and what we do?”

“Sorry pet, I’m just playing. Yes he did, it sounds very interesting. Come in for a cuppa tea and we’ll chat!” Betty turned back, leading them into the traditional farmhouse. It was cool inside compared to the warm afternoon air, and as they walked in Lori noticed Callum ducking his head to get through the kitchen door. A wooden table was set up with teacups, a teapot and some cakes and sandwiches on a big plate. Lori spent little time on chitchat, and launched into business, asking Betty about their brand and stock management. Callum happily worked through the supper on display as the two women each went through their own plans, and what they’d both like from a collaboration. After Lori’s first uncertain impression of Betty, she warmed to the woman greatly; she was a determined, strong and motivated woman that Lori could relate to very easily. Betty, clearly proud of their weaving business, showed her the mill which was indeed the barn next to the house as she had suspected. She found herself walking around in amazement, the modest metal barn was deceiving from outside, as she discovered once inside, where huge weaving machinery greeted her. It was more than Lori had hoped for, and she tried to suppress the urge to jump on Betty, arms open on the spot, so thankful was she that her gut feeling had been right. As well as the equipment, the mill’s infrastructure could produce more fabric to the kind of scale Frankie would be requiring. Betty took her on a tour and showed her the washing of the wool, how they dyed it, then how it was spun into yarn. After all yarns were prepared, they were transported out to the locals who would weave the cloth in their own garden sheds.

“People have their own jobs, some are crofters, some work in the nearby town. We want them to weave when it’s convenient for them, that’s why every house along this road has a loom in their shed.” Betty put her hands on her hips and beamed proudly as they walked around the quiet mill. Lori inspected samples of previous tweeds and couldn’t believe the luxurious feel of each unique piece. Betty grabbed a square, Lori was admiring. “It’s the breed of sheep we use that makes the fabric this soft, but it’s durable too, I guarantee you!”

Lori took photographs, videos and collected samples of cloth, compiling a collection for Frankie to peruse on her return. She loved the idea of supporting a community like this one and to nurture something that was part of their heritage. She felt elated after spending the evening with Betty and had noticed Callum seemed very relaxed too. He was different somehow in the company of his aunt than behind the Adventure Tours desk, or even in kilt and sporran amongst the other shinty boys.

The early morning sun streamed through the small kitchen window to an already wide awake Lori. She had been up hours before and sat at the table jotting down ideas in her notepad. The previous day had proved so informative for her. She had learned so much about a process and a fabric that she had never really paid much attention to before now. It had stoked up her imagination and she was eager to put her plans into motion. There was a fire in her belly; she wanted Costner’s to use this material, and the ideas poured out of her, as well as sketches for the new collection that she would pass onto the design team…for inspiration.