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‘Thank you.’ Amelia forced a smile. ‘You’d better tell me what you’d like me to do at this fair.’
Edie rolled her eyes. ‘Doris from the distillery wondered if you would help with the bar? She has a new gin she’s trying to flog too.’
Amelia smiled. ‘It’s okay, Edie. Doris has beaten you to it. She has already signed me up for that.’
Edie’s eyes widened. ‘Really? Oh, that is wonderful news. Though she didn’t tell me. Mind you, I haven’t seen her for a few days. Anyway, thank you. At least that keeps her off my back. She can be a bit tenacious over the planning details.’
‘I’m delighted to help.’
‘Marvellous. Why don’t you come up to the cottage and I can show you the plans?’
* * *
The women spent the rest of the morning together, with Edie scribbling down notes as Amelia offered ideas on how she could help with the fair. ‘Christmas jumpers and reindeer antlers!’
‘That’s a tremendous idea. Why did I never think of that?’ Edie yawned.
‘Why don’t we leave things there for now?’ suggested Amelia. ‘Maybe you could take a nap and I can walk Molly?’
Edie looked up from her notepad and let out a long, slow breath. ‘If you’re sure, that would be good. Thank you, Amelia.’
As Edie walked upstairs to her bedroom, she thought once again how lucky she was that Amelia had answered the advert for the job. She was a bit of an angel who sprinkled something magical around her. Since her arrival she had transformed the place and Edie loved having her around. She had a feeling Fergus was fairly taken with her too.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Amelia and Jack spoke several times a week, both on phone and FaceTime calls, and she sent lots of pictures as she explored the island. Some days she took the local bus, which wound its circular route. A couple of times she borrowed Edie’s car and stopped at secluded bays and coves, taking as many pictures as she could and scribbling notes. Sometimes she would pack her rucksack with a flask of coffee, a blanket and her journal and find a quiet spot in which to contemplate and write. Being in charge of her own day was liberating, and she tried to take one day at a time, focusing on the moment.
She loved exploring all the coastal walks and this morning was walking to the King’s Cave, where Robert the Bruce had sheltered and had his famed encounter with a spider. She parked at the forestry car park and followed the tree-flanked track down through the wood, pausing to admire the holly bushes. She continued down the narrow, steep path, which took her onto the pebbly beach. It was so peaceful. Picking her way over the rocks, she admired the views across the Kilbrannan Sound. Edie had told her that Paul McCartney used to live across the water back when he and Linda had lived on the Mull of Kintyre. ‘He was never my favourite Beatle though,’ she added. ‘I always preferred John.’ Amelia stifled a laugh as she stood watching the waves gently lap the shore and thought of Edie’s comments. She was some woman.
When she’d spoken to Jack last night, she’d told him about Edie and the sleepwalking, omitting the details about Fergus coming to her rescue, which she hadn’t been ready to share.
‘Is she worried about something?’
‘I don’t know, and I’m not sure she would tell me anyway.’
‘Is she likely to go and get herself checked out by the GP?’
‘I suggested that, but she keeps telling me that she’s fine. She’s quite independent and it’s that delicate balance between caring and interfering,’ she said.
‘I agree. It can be tricky. I would keep an eye on her and see how things are. Particularly if you think there’s something on her mind. Her being able to talk about it will help. Does she have anyone close to her?’
Amelia thought for a moment. Edie had plenty of people around her, but Amelia had no idea who she confided in. She was friendly and warm with everyone yet nobody was particularly close, aside from Fergus, and even then she kept him slightly at arm’s length. Amelia couldn’t imagine her speaking privately to Thea or Doris. From what she could gather, Edie was very private and quite happy in her own company. Maybe she could enquire discreetly when she met Thea later for a drink.
Now, as she stood alone on the beach, she felt as though she was in the middle of nowhere. She lifted her face to the soft breeze, gulping in the fresh, salty air. The weather had stayed dry throughout November so far, albeit with a chill in the air, but Amelia didn’t care. She revelled in having the time and space to explore. She was keen to try Goatfell next. At 874 metres, it was the highest peak on the island, but she was a bit anxious about doing the climb on her own.
The best thing about all the walking, aside from the fact it was free, which meant she wasn’t spending much money at all during her stay, was the space and time it allowed her to think. Not just about Declan but what she wanted to do next with her life. She couldn’t imagine herself returning to London. However, she didn’t know where to go next. She knew that sorting out the hut website for Edie wouldn’t sustain her forever. The Christmas fair would keep her busy for a while, but what next? It was now the third week of November and this existence wouldn’t last forever. Should she be thinking about trying to make a plan or a strategy for the New Year? She didn’t want to outstay her welcome as Edie had been so kind and generous, but she remained vague about the length of the ‘job’.
Over the past few weeks, she’d grown fond of Edie. Although she couldn’t bring herself to talk about Declan, somehow she knew Edie understood. She appeared to sense Amelia’s heart had been wounded. Amelia knew she had been through her own heartache with the loss of her husband. She was still worried that something troubled Edie, especially with the sleepwalking. She said it hadn’t happened again but Amelia and Fergus were both worried that she might end up hurting herself.
Later, she ventured out to the bar at the local hotel; it was extremely busy for a Wednesday night.
‘Is it always like this?’ she said, smiling at Thea, who sat at the bar.
‘Quiz night, which I totally forgot about. But I think they’re just winding up.’ Pointing at a table of older people, all with grey hair, she laughed. ‘They are complete demons on the quiz circuit. If you arrive and they are here, then it’s game over.’
Amelia laughed. ‘They take it seriously?’
‘Oh, yes. That would be an understatement. What can I get you?’
