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‘There are some good research projects going on. I’d like to get a Fellowship.’ She shrugged. ‘We’ll see.’
‘Ah, she’s desperate to get away from Loch Cameron, this one,’ the woman sitting next to Kathy said. ‘Can’t understand it, myself. Hi, Liz. I’m Mina.’
‘Hi, Mina,’ Liz said with a grin. ‘Nice to meet you.’
‘Same here. I’ve seen you around,’ Mina replied, detangling a clump of blue wool. ‘How are you finding the village so far? I moved here a year ago with my family and we love it.’
‘Yeah. I am actually really enjoying it,’ Liz said, aware that she sounded like she was surprised by the fact that she was enjoying Loch Cameron. ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound like I didn’t expect to. It’s just that it’s really different to what I was used to. But I like the slow pace, and the cottage I’m staying in is really nice.’
‘Oh, right. You’re at Gretchen Ross’ place?’ Mina asked, then laughed. ‘Ah, you must think I’m so nosy.’
‘You are,’ Bess muttered, not looking up.
‘Thank you, Bess.’ Mina grinned. ‘Well, I am a little curious, yes. But I don’t think curiosity is a bad thing, is it?’
‘Depends on your point of view,’ Bess murmured, catching Liz’s eye with a smile.
‘Not at all, Mina,’ Liz replied, straight-faced. ‘Yes, I’m at Gretchen’s cottage. It’s lovely.’
‘It is, isn’t it? I actually looked at renting it when we moved here, but it was too small for us. I’ve got three kids. We needed more bedrooms, and my husband Sanjay said,No, Mina! I can’t swing a cat in here!So we got one of the new builds in the new estate,’ Mina explained. ‘At that point, Gretchen had just moved out and it had been renovated to what it is now. Very nicely done, I thought. Apparently, the Laird’s girlfriend did the redecoration. She’s American, you know,’ Mina added in a conspiratorial tone, as if being American was gossip-worthy in some way.Perhaps it was, in Loch Cameron, Liz thought.
‘Is she?’ Liz asked instead, politely. ‘Well, she did a great job. It’s homely without being too old-fashioned.’
‘Exactly,’ Mina said, unrolling a new colour of wool and starting it on her hook. ‘So, why Loch Cameron?’ She gave Liz a shrewd look. ‘Not many people’s choice for a new life, even though it is pretty sometimes, eh? We came because we started using a new factory out this way. We make jams and chutneys, and the factory space where we were was too expensive. We got such a good deal up here that we moved up from Birmingham, if you can believe it,’ Mina chattered on. ‘Business has never been better.’
‘It sounds like you’re doing really well,’ Liz said, politely. ‘I know something about that market, and it’s not an easy one.’
‘Ah, well, you know. We try.’ Mina smiled. ‘But you were saying. Why you moved here.’
‘Oh. For the job, really,’ Liz said, vaguely, feeling colour bloom in her cheeks. She didn’t want to discuss her real reasons for coming, or why she’d snapped up a job at the distillery when she’d seen it. ‘Fancied a change.’
‘A change from what?’ Mina watched her with that shrewd gaze.
‘Mina. None of our business,’ Bess interrupted. ‘Sorry, Liz. She doesn’t mean anything by it.’
‘Oh, no. It’s fine.’ Liz shook her head.
‘I can be nosy, Liz. You just have to ignore me.’ Mina waved her hand in Bess’ direction. ‘This one always keeps her cards close to her chest too. I still don’t even know when her birthday is, so I can bake her a cake.’
‘I’m just not that into birthdays, Mina,’ Bess muttered. ‘I told you that.’
‘Ah, who isn’t into birthdays?’ Mina tutted. ‘If I was your mother, I’d make sure you had a big party.’
‘Well, you’re not. Though I appreciate the sentiment.’ Bess rolled her eyes. ‘Shall we all just get back to doing some crochet now and leave Liz alone? She’s never going to come back if you hound her for her life story on day one.’
‘Fair enough,’ Sheila interjected. ‘Liz, I hope we havenae scared you off. You’re welcome back at the group anytime. We’re harmless, really.’
‘Oh, don’t apologise,’ Liz chuckled, and she meant it. ‘Actually, it’s been really nice. But I do have to head back to work now.’ She stood up and handed her hook and wool back to Sheila. ‘Thanks for the amazing lunch, too.’
‘Ach, you’re welcome, hen. We’re here every Tuesday, if ye want tae drop in.’
‘I will. Thanks, everyone.’ Liz picked up her bag and gave them a little wave.
It had been nice, chatting with a group of women. Liz hadn’t lied about that. It had been a long time since she’d done it: yes, she had girlfriends, but in the past couple of years they’d mostly fallen away. She’d been so busy with work, and with the IVF, that she hadn’t had much time to keep up with friends, and most of the friends she had at work were definitely work colleagues first and friends second, if at all. There had been Sharon, who she still exchanged texts with here and there. But, since Liz had left Glasgow, she knew that her friendship with Sharon was likely to go a little quiet. Not because they didn’t like each other, but because Sharon was busy with work and her family. That was just what happened.
Liz had liked the crochet coven a lot. It felt good to have somewhere to go in Loch Cameron that wasn’t work or the cottage – which, though she loved it, could be a little lonely.
Even for a confirmed workaholic like Liz, the crochet group felt like a welcome space where she could switch off her work brain and have a little fun – and the cake was a definite bonus. It was exactly what she needed.
