Page 31 of A Scottish Love Story
‘There’s no hurry, lassie,’ Amy said calmly. ‘Ciaran was here early and we were only talking things over. Relax and take your coat off.’
Ciaran volunteered to toast the sandwiches while Roxie put the shopping away.
‘The soup smells good,’ Ciaran said. ‘You must have been up early to be so organised.’
They all ate with relish, but Roxie had a feeling something was bothering Ciaran. He kept glancing in her direction and frowning. As the meal progressed, she sensed Amy was a little tense too and wondered what they had been discussing when she’d arrived.
‘If you’re still hungry, Ciaran, we have ice cream, or cheese and oatcakes.’
‘No, thanks. That was good. A cup of coffee and one of your shortbread biscuits would be nice, though.’
‘We’ll all have that. Come and sit back down at the table, Roxie, when you have made it. I want to talk to you,’ Amy said.
‘Have you heard a date for your operation?’
‘Nothing new, but I’ve made up my mind to go, so long as I know you will go to Glasgow and stay with me until I am allowed home again. I think I told you I can take one relative and they will provide accommodation.’
‘So they should at the fees they’ll be charging,’ Ciaran muttered.
‘Do you think I shouldn’t pay to have it done privately, Ciaran?’ Amy asked in troubled tones.
‘Oh, Mum, you know I think you should have the very best we can afford and you’re worth every penny if they can give you back your independence. I only meant they will charge anyway, so if Roxie is willing to go and stay, then that’s the best solution.’
‘Of course I’m willing to stay, if it will help. It would be easier to stay than to drive up there every day to visit.’
‘Thank you, dear,’ Amy said. ‘Now sit down and drink your coffee because I have some news for you. I had a telephone call meant for you about twenty minutes after you left this morning.’
‘Oh? A call for me? I don’t think they tried to get me on my mobile.’
‘It was from your brother, Tommy. I promised you would telephone him after dinner, when you returned.’
‘Tommy? He phoned here? Is there something the matter with the baby?’
‘No, no. He didn’t mention the baby. He is selling the dairy herd. He needs your help to check the pedigrees for the sale catalogue and to do the cattle-dressing for the sale.’
‘I can’t possibly go! How could he even ask? I have never heard a word since I left.’
‘He says you were always better at cattle-dressing than he is. I think he really needs you, Roxie. He sounded quite desperate.’
‘He did ask me to stay with them and carry on working, but he didn’t seem unduly worried when I was leaving. Anyway, I would never go now you are going to have your operation. He will have to postpone the sale.Maybethen, I might consider helping, once I see you properly healed and back on your feet.’
‘Family must come first, Roxie,’ Amy said quietly. ‘The sale date is fixed for two weeks next Monday. He says you will need at least ten days to help him organise everything. He sounded quite frantic.’
‘Then why is he selling Father’s precious herd? He hasn’t given himself a chance to like dairying...’ Her voice cracked,but she swallowed her tears and went on. ‘He can’t be short of money. I know Father had more than enough capital set aside to build the new house for him and his wife. The solicitor was keeping it invested until everything is settled. If only they could have waited...’ She gulped and Ciaran realised she was very near to tears. ‘They don’t deserve any help. You have been far kinder to me than they ever were and I came to you as a stranger.’
‘You are no longer a stranger to any of us,’ Amy said quietly. ‘You have made a place in all our hearts and you will be back here before you know it, lassie. I have not booked a date for the operation yet so I will wait until the week after you return. That will give us time to prepare for our stay in Glasgow.’
‘You truly do feel I ought to go?’
‘Yes, I do. Your brother admits he doesn’t deserve your help, but he hopes you will go for your father’s sake after all the years he put into building up the herd. I agree with that. I believe you would regret it if you didn’t give it your best effort, don’t you agree, Ciaran?’
Roxie turned to look at Ciaran.
‘You don’t want me to go and leave your mother at this time, do you?’
‘No, but it’s true what Mum says. Maybe you would regret it if you didn’t help to make the sale a success,’ he said reluctantly. ‘Mum will be fine for ten days or so, but whether or not you return depends where your heart is. Are you sure you will not want to stay down there when you see all your old friends again?’
‘My heart is more here than it is back there now,’ Roxie muttered. ‘It isn’t truly my home any longer and soon even the cows will have gone.’ She turned back to Amy. ‘You know I would never let you down after you have made me feel so welcome, don’t you?’
