‘Yes! How did you guess?’
‘Because we always want to do the same things. I’d love to make wreaths. And then we could make Christmas cards, or tree decorations.’
‘Wonderful!’ Astrid exclaimed. ‘Finish your breakfast and we will go to the workshop.’
All day, Alicia and her grandmother immersed themselves in craft and artwork. The thought of time barely grazed their consciousness until they realised it was four o’clock and pitch dark and they hadn’t had lunch. Alicia considered the wreath in front of her, decorated with pine cones, small logs, Norwegian fir sprigs and mistletoe. It would look perfect on a cottage door in Scotland. She had also made a pile of Christmas cards with fir sprigs as trees and a hand-drawn version of herself standing amidst the forest holding a present. Was it unintentionally symbolic? Was she lost in a forest with so much to give but no idea how to find her way out to give it?
‘Of course, the other interpretation is that you are holding the gift yourself,’ Astrid posited after Alicia had suggested her thoughts.
Alicia examined the card. ‘You mean I know what I need?’
‘Yes. That’s why you put it on the card. But a little help unravelling your feelings may be required.’
The next few days helped Alicia with this unravelling. The craft day planted a thought and as the week progressedthe green shoots appeared, assisted by a raft of other pursuits. As well as more crafting and painting there was sledding, chopping firewood, laughing at stories of the past, and sitting by the fireside drinking hot chocolate, warm flames licking at their toes while snow billowed outside. It was idyllic. Of course, Alicia’s thoughts drifted to Jamie much of the time. It was difficult to embrace this safe fireside sensation without longing to take it to the next level and be wrapped in his arms. How she missed him. She wondered what he was doing now. What was his little village like? Was it a metropolis compared to here? Were there lots of things to paint? There was him for one. That would be enough; being with Jamie would be enough. He was the other half of her.
‘Well, Bestemor,’ Alicia said on the final evening as they were clearing away the dinner dishes. ‘I understand now. What it is I need.’
‘You do?’ Astrid’s face held a look that said she knew what it was she was about to hear but she couldn’t wait to hear it because it would delight her so much.
‘It’s not acting,’ Alicia admitted. ‘That’s not me. This here, this is me.’ Alicia gazed out the window to the elements, earth, air, wind and fire infusing her as she made this admission. ‘Remoteness, wild weather, art, feeding my creativity. That’s me down to the earthy ground.’
Her grandmother listened with interest as Alicia talked about being trapped in a Hollywood loop and not realising until she was forced out of it. How the pain had been horrendous but going through it brought her here to the things that chimed with her soul. When Alicia had stopped talking, her bestemor spoke. ‘Darling Alicia, I have known you all your life, and I know the combination to your heart,’ she said. ‘Maybe this trip was necessary to helpyou find your true passion. And I am so glad that you have found it.’
Alicia hugged her grandmother. How amazing she was, to listen and guide Alicia towards things that would ignite her passion. She was wisdom beyond wisdom. Alicia hoped that one day she could have grandchildren to whom she could be as much of an inspiration as her bestemor was to her.
Chapter 24
Jamie
‘So, what’s this amazing idea you have?’ Jimmy Butler pinpointed his son with the demanding stare that had haunted Jamie his whole life. Even in poor health, his business drive was intimidating. Jamie, who thrived on high expectations wasn’t sure how he’d find motivation to work come the dreaded time that Jimmy Butler was no longer around.
‘As you know, I had a break at Ben Corrin Hydro…’ He decided to contextualise with something his father was fond of. ‘Honestly, Dad, it was a mind-blowing week.’
‘It’s good for the soul, that place. So, you were inspired, eh?’
‘Aye.’ Jamie was tempted to leap onto the table and whoop and rave about Alicia, but his dad would tell him to get down. ‘See, I met this woman…’
Jimmy had already steepled his fingers in scepticism.
‘She’s an artist. Paints spectacular scenes. You should see the painting she did of Ben Corrin.’ He laid the envelope from Alicia in front of his father and slid out the painting.
With serious intent, Jimmy scrutinised the artwork, while Jamie’s heart rattled behind his ribs. That his father hadn’t immediately pushed the painting back across the table was a good sign.
‘Aye,’ Jimmy mused. ‘This is an impressive painting alright.’
‘It’s stunning. My suggestion is we commission this artist to paint a series of local images for a limited-edition range of bottles. We could even get the pictures etched for that extra exclusive touch.’
Jimmy nodded slowly as he roamed his gaze over the painting for a time longer. The room was so quiet Jamie could hear his watch tick. His father picked up the painting and tilted it this way and that, as if examining it in different lights.
‘Of course, I’d need to ask the artist if she’d be willing,’ Jamie added, feeling like a teenager showing his dad his homework for approval. ‘But I wanted to run it by you first.’ Was there any way he could ensure his father was on board with this idea? What if he mentioned the Clark Donoghue connection? But that might cloud the waters.
‘What I wouldn’t give to climb that mountain again,’ Jimmy said wistfully. Until recently, he had also enjoyed bagging Munros. It must be devastating for him not to be able to do that anymore. But would the emotional attachment mean that the idea could strike a chord?
‘This is a fitting tribute,’ Jamie noted. ‘Your way of saying thanks to the mountain. What do you reckon? Should I call the artist?’
‘Aye. Aye.’ Jimmy chewed on his words. ‘Do that.’ Slowly, he put the painting down, as if there was an emotional wrench compounding his physical difficulties. ‘There’s a lot of scenery aroundhere might be good on a whisky bottle. Get the artist to draw up some proposals for other places too and we can take it from there. Of course, if Baron are in with us, it would need their say so, too.’
Once again, Jamie resisted the urge to jump on the table, but inside he was up there punching the air. If he could get Alicia to agree to the idea, his father would surely approve of any proposals. Getting Jimmy feeling positive about things was the first step to stopping this Baron buy over nonsense. He disappeared into his office to phone her.
