Page 34 of A Scottish Love Story
‘I haven’t made up my mind yet, but if Amy’s operation is a success and she doesn’t need me, I think I might buy a small house of my own in the area. I could set up as a farm secretarial agency. I have done enough farm records and book-keeping during the past six years to be familiar with all the different records required.’
‘Roxie, that would be a great idea!’ Steve spoke up with enthusiasm. ‘I can’t tell you the number of farms I visit who could do with that sort of service. Record-keeping gets more instead of less, even for my job, with things we supply for treating the crops and diseases. The farmers are supposed to keep a record of them too, as well as all the vet medicines used.’
‘I suppose it is a good idea,’ Lucy said slowly. ‘But why not buy a house and set up in business down here?’ She looked sharply at her old friend. ‘Or... or is there some other attraction north of the Border?’ she asked with sudden enlightenment.
‘I had better help Tommy get the sale over, and see Amy through her operation, before I make any plans of my own,’ Roxie said noncommittally, gathering up her things ready to leave, but she knew by the look in Lucy’s bright eyes that her friend would persist, and she also knew her own heart now belonged to Ciaran, although she had tried to keep herself aloof as his mother’s employee. Whether he guessed or not, she truly longed for him.
As soon as they were alone in the car, Lucy returned to the subject.
‘You know how much I would love you to settle down here, Roxie. Not only me either. You have such a lot of friends.’
‘I know, but nothing is the same since Dad died and Tommy got married. I know Willowbrook has been my home all my life,and Tommy didn’t want me to leave, but I got the impression Gilda didn’t expect me to return at all, even to visit.’
‘It’s not only that though, is it?’ Lucy asked. ‘After all, you could have a house of your own anywhere.’
‘I suppose I could,’ Roxie said doubtfully.
‘Roxanne Carr!’ Lucy chuckled. ‘You can’t fool me. We have been friends since our first day at grammar school. You’ve fallen in love with some man up there, haven’t you? Half the men in the Young Farmers’ Club wanted to marry you and you never encouraged one of them. You escape to Scotland for five minutes and wham! What happened? Was it one of those men in lovely sexy kilts at Hogmanay?’ She glanced at Roxie who could feel the delicate colour mounting in her cheeks as Lucy glanced at her. She was remembering the parting kiss Ciaran had given her at the station. Surely it had meant something to him too?
‘Is it the man you almost quarrelled with the day you arrived?’ Lucy asked gently, no longer teasing. ‘Isn’t he your employer’s son?’
‘Yes, he is.’
‘Yes, he is your employer’s son, or, yes, he is the man you have fallen in love with?’
‘Both,’ Roxie said softly.
‘Ah, I see. Does he return your feelings?’
‘I don’t know. Sometimes I think he does, then again...’
‘You seem to have a lot in common whenever you mention him in your emails?’
‘We have. I have never met anyone else who shared so many of my own interests, but I don’t know how he feels if it comes to a serious relationship, and marriage is a serious business. Tommy sounded dreadfully unhappy after making a hasty marriage,’ she said anxiously.
‘Don’t measure any relationship according to Gilda and Tommy!’ Lucy said sharply. ‘Steve reckons most of Tommy’s oldfriends believe Gilda trapped him into marriage. You know she had been going out regularly with the son of the couple who own the Chinese restaurant in town?’
‘No. I didn’t know that. But I didn’t know Gilda until Tommy brought her home to meet Dad and tell him they wanted to get married.’
‘Well, the boy was younger than Gilda. He was ready to start university. Rumour has it that his parents sent him back to China for his further education, but a few have wondered if they sent him away to escape Gilda’s clutches.’
‘I see... Here we are.’ Roxie sighed and wished her spirits had risen at the sight of her old home, but she was thinking of the quarrel between her father and Tommy. Her father had pondered whether Gilda and her family had set a marriage trap for Tommy, but her brother had been either too besotted, or too angry to listen to reason, or even to agree to postpone the wedding for six months until the new house was taking shape. She had a feeling Lucy knew more than she was saying.
They were both surprised to see Gilda hurrying out of the door at Willowbrook carrying a cardboard box as they arrived. She was clearly startled at the sight of them. It was obvious she was not expecting to see Roxanne.
‘You! Why have you come? I didn’t believe you would ever return!’ Gilda seemed more alarmed than annoyed. ‘I’m just going . . .’ She still stood blocking the door.
‘Aren’t you going to let us in?’ Roxie asked, summoning a smile with an effort. There was not a vestige of warmth from Gilda, but maybe married life, and being a new mother, was not easy for her either.
She stepped back to allow them to pass.
‘Come in, Lucy. I’ll not be a minute. I’ll take my bag up to my room and bring the dress to let you see if you still want it.’
‘There’s no hurry.’ Lucy turned to Gilda, whose blue eyes seemed to be darting everywhere like a frightened rabbit. ‘How are you enjoying married life, Gilda, and living in the country?’ she asked pleasantly. ‘It must be a big change for you. Is your baby, Liam isn’t it, a good sleeper? I remember how I struggled with my two for the first six months, and more.’
Before she could answer, Roxie came running down the stairs calling Gilda’s name. Gilda ran across the kitchen, grabbed some keys from the table and darted past Lucy and out to her car. One glance told Roxie her sister-in-law was intending to escape. Roxie ran after her, her face white as a sheet and her green eyes blazing. Bemused, Lucy followed slowly. Before Gilda could get the key in the ignition, Roxie wrenched the door open.
‘Where are all my things?’
