Page 13 of A Scottish Love Story
‘There must be. You’re what, nearly twenty-three or twenty-four years old? Why did you move so far away from home? Whatdid you do for work before you came as chauffeur companion for Mum? Why were you so interested in the Young Farmers?’
Amy had obviously not discussed her background with him.
‘If you’re both finished, I will clear the plates and bring the pudding,’ she said firmly. He sensed his question had irritated her.
‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘I didn’t mean to spoil the atmosphere.’
His mother chided him. ‘You don’t deserve any pudding.’
‘I am so full, I don’t think I need more than a cup of coffee.’
‘Well, I am looking forward to my crème caramel. It is one of my favourites, especially after such a splendid main course.’ Amy smiled at Roxie.
‘Crème caramel? It’s one of my favourites too!’ Ciaran said quickly. ‘I will clear this lot and stack the dishwasher. If I move around, I shall make room for pudding.’ His mother looked from him to Roxie and shook her head with a wry smile.
* * *
When they had finished pudding, Roxie looked at Amy with concern.
‘I think your visit to church was a bit tiring,’ she said quietly. ‘Shall I bring your coffee through to the sitting room?’
‘Yes, please, dear, I would like that. It is a raw November day outside and a few people wanted to chat after the service because I haven’t seen them for a while.’
‘And you are too proud to be seen there with your wheels,’ Ciaran said. ‘That tires you out as much as anything.’
Roxie smiled at her and offered an arm to help her through to her comfortable chair beside the fire.
A short time later, Ciaran carried his mother’s coffee through, but he came straight back and set it down on the kitchen table.
‘She is sound asleep already,’ he said. ‘Shall we have ours in here so we don’t disturb her?’
‘All right. You help yourself. I like to put everything away and tidy the kitchen before I have mine. Then I can relax.’
Ciaran smiled. ‘I’ll wash the pans and roasting tin then,’ Ciaran volunteered. ‘You do the rest then we can both relax.’
‘Thank you.’ Roxie smiled back. ‘I’m not used to someone else helping.’
‘I do most of my own cooking these days,’ he said. ‘I had three years at agricultural college before I joined my father. Four of us shared a flat and we took turns at cooking and clearing up afterwards. We all enjoyed our food.’
‘My brother, Tommy, went to college, too, but it seemed to make him think my father’s way of farming was old-fashioned. Then he went off to Australia with some of his friends, but he was just as unsettled when he returned. I don’t know how he and his wife, Gilda, will be getting on as neither of them know how to cook.’
‘So, you’re from a farm yourself, then. Mum never mentioned that. But then, she never even told me someone younger had applied.’
‘As I told Jenny, my application was at the last minute. It was so soon after my dad died and I was still in shock. Tommy and Gilda were newly married. My life was turned upside down all of a sudden. But your mother telephoned as soon as she received my letter. We had a very long talk and I answered all of her questions openly and honestly.’
‘I see...’ Ciaran finished washing the roasting tin and placed it above the Esse cooker to dry, then wiped down the surfaces next to the sink.
‘Thank you.’ Roxie smiled. ‘You have earned your coffee now.’ They exchanged a friendly grin.
They settled themselves at either end of the kitchen table in the two wooden armchairs, each with a crocheted cushion.
‘It was an excellent lunch. You could get a job as a cook anywhere. Look, Roxie, I’m sorry for being so sharp, impatient and unwelcoming the day you arrived, especially when I realised what a horrific accident you were caught up in, and how brave you were. I didn’t realise you had recently had such a painful upheaval in your own life as well. I’m truly sorry.’ Their eyes met in a moment of genuine understanding.
‘You couldn’t have known,’ she said quietly.
‘I must admit you do seem to be exactly the sort of person my mother needed,’ he continued gently. ‘You have no idea how much happier she is since you arrived. I believe Jenny has mentioned my twin sisters. On the way home from the kirk, Mum told me you are the sort of daughter she would have loved my sisters to be if they had grown into young women.’
‘That is a lovely compliment. Thank you for telling me.’ She heard the warmth in his deep voice and knew she was more affected by Ciaran than she had ever expected, especially after their first encounter. ‘My only concern is I don’t feel I am doing enough to earn the salary she is paying me, in addition to providing me with lovely accommodation.’
