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Looked like she still had a lot to learn about Arran
A loud passenger announcement made her curiosity around the phone call instantly vanish
‘All passengers, please return to your vehicles prior to arrival in Brodick’
‘That’s us, Mummy!’
Geulp of her tea Isla’s hand autoave it a little squeeze as they joined the queue to file down to the car deck
Her little red car was packed to the rafters There was barely rooet their seat belts in place The re to an island had provedsomewhere inland As a result most of their clothes were squashed into the car around thee amount of Isla’s toys
She tried to reiven as the cars slowly trundled off the ferry It wasn’t too far between Brodick and Lamlash—the capital of the island and the place where they would be staying—and the journey was over in ten minutes
It didn’t take long to find the house and her heart gave a little flutter when she saw it Their new home
Gemma spotted the removals van immediately There were also a number oftrousers They’d been ruthlessly efficient back in Glasgow, their reht now, none of the
She pulled the car up outside the cottage and couldn’t help the smile that appeared on her face and Isla squealed in excitement ‘Is this it, Mummy?’
Gee was everything she’d hoped for—two bedrooms, a study and a small conservatory on the back That, combined with a view over the Firth of Clyde, was ined
There were even little shutters at the s From the look of them they were only decorative and could do with a lick of paint But they added to the character and she loved them immediately
Before she could stop her, Isla had raced through the open front door
Geave her hair a shake, pleased to be out of the stuffy car on such a claht away Her sto, Frank?’
He nodded ‘I think so’ He pointed to the front door There, sitting next to the steps, was a row of large paint tins Gemma walked over for a closer look—pale yellow for Isla’s roo roohtly wrapped parcel at the end of the row She peeled back so to reveal the purple wallpaper she’d picked for the feature wall in her living room
Her brow furrowed ‘What’s all this doing here? I’d an arrangement with a local contractor to have painted and decorated for us before we got here’
Frank shrugged ‘He’s obviously bought themust have happened’
Gee There it was That instant feeling
It made her catch her breath
People said that you made up your mind in the first thirty seconds when you viewed a house And even though the deal was done Geht decision She walked around Some of her furniture and most of her boxes had already been put in some of the rooms
She ran her finger along the wall The place looked a little tired If it had been decorated it would have been perfect But she could live with it in its current state If need be, she could do the painting herself
Frank tapped her shoulder ‘There’s another little issue’ He pointed back outside
Ge in the driveway ‘What’s wrong?’
He pointed to the doorway ‘It’s too set it in’
She
spun around ‘You’re joking, right?’
He shook his head ‘Did you ask for the diht it?’
She could feel the colour flare into her cheeks Of course she hadn’t She’d fallen in love with the colour immediately, and once she’d sat in it in the showroom her mind had been made up Dimensions hadn’t even entered her brain Not once ‘Could we take the door off?’
He shook his head ‘We’ve already tried that It’s just too big’
Just like she thought Ruthlessly efficient She’d half a mind to invite these re hospitals in Glasgow to see what changes they wouldhospital running seamlessly in a matter of days
One of the other men approached ‘I’ve checked the back —the one that’s broken and boarded up If we take out thefraet it in there’
‘I’ve got a broken ?’ She was trying not to let her chin dangle open This was just getting better and better
‘You didn’t know?’
She shook her head, her long strides taking her back into the house and following the pointing fingers to theat the back of her living rooht in thefra up the floor and ensuring it was spotless The carpet in this rooed in the pictures she’d seen so she’d given instructions for it to be lifted Her new carpet was currently rolled up inside the re to be fitted—another aspect of the efficient company
She touched the edge of the‘I knew nothing about this I guess I’ll need to phone the estate agent’ She sighed ‘If taking the frao ahead’
Two other men appeared with the underlay and carpet, ready to fit it One of theo ahead, lift the old carpet and get the new one laid?’
She gave a little nod She’d have to worry about paint stains later The rele It was just a pity the decorator hadn’t fulfilled his duties