Page 55 of A Scottish Love Story
‘Mmm, I know you could,’ she said darkly. ‘Our main concern is that your mother should be recovered well enough to walk without pain, or the need for her wheels.’
‘She is expecting to send the wheels to the devil and dance down the aisle, if you ask me. She is more excited than we are. She keeps reminding me we are her only family, so ours will be the only wedding she can help with. I expect she has told you she is paying for the reception as she wants the best for both of us.’
‘Paying for...? Oh, no. Your mother cannot pay, Ciaran! It is up to the bride’s parents to pay for the wedding. I know my father would have... would have . . .’ She gulped down a sudden knot of tears.
‘Oh, my darling Roxie.’ Ciaran pulled her into his arms. ‘I didn’t mean to upset you. Both Mum and I know it is as hard for you as it was for Jenny, without your parents.’
‘It is only when I stop to think about arrangements and guest lists. To tell the truth, Ciaran, I am glad the wedding is away from everything that was familiar, like the local church and so many people who have known me since I was a child. Even so, I must pay for our wedding reception...’
‘I know you can afford to pay, Roxie, but Mum truly wants to do it. She regards you as a daughter and I am all she’s got in the way of family. She wants to give us a day to remember. We can’t spoil her pleasure.’
Roxie bit her lip and wiped away a few tears. She didn’t think Ciaran had been aware how much she longed for her father to have been there, but it seems he had and so had Amy.
‘I expect we’ll work something out,’ she said gruffly as Ciaran drew her close for a long kiss.
‘Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you,’ Anne said hastily and immediately withdrew, leaving Ciaran to move reluctantly.
‘I’d better get back to work.’ He sighed. ‘There’s no doubt Billy is not as reliable about details as he ought to be. He was fine before he got so keen on following the local football team to all their matches and started helping to coach the youth team. Hegoes with his motorbike friends to all the matches. He is worse since he started coaching, wanting to rush the milking during the week so he can get away early. It is not as though he is their only coach.’
‘I remember you weren’t too happy with his work when you had been at the sale.’
‘Yeah — and he made young Vic prepare and bed the sheds for the animals we were bringing back with us that night, despite me asking him to do it. He used to be so keen, and he seemed to take an interest in his work and which cows were due to calve, and how they were milking.’ He didn’t tell Roxie how irritable, almost resentful, Billy had been ever since the weekend she had done the milking for Ciaran when he’d had the food poisoning, and the teasing Billy had subsequently received.
‘I tried to tell him you came because I was desperate and there was no one else I could call on.’
‘I suppose some of his friends have easier jobs than he does. Few of them will start work so early in the morning, or work after five in the evenings,’ Roxie said.
‘That’s true, but they work all day. They don’t have several hours off in the middle of the day. Surely that makes up for the early mornings?’
‘Sometimes it does, I suppose, especially if a person is truly interested in their work and the animals, but it depends on their interests and commitments, whether they are married with a home, a family, a garden to enjoy. Time off through the day is not much use if your friends all meet in the evenings, or at the weekends while you’re working,’ Roxie said.
‘Are you saying I don’t treat Billy well?’ Ciaran asked indignantly.
‘No, I’m not saying that. I think you treat him generously. Not many dairy workers in England have so much time off during the day, especially in the summer. I think it was beingtied to a demanding routine seven days a week that Tommy hated.’
‘I expect it depends what we want from life.’ Ciaran sighed. ‘Billy certainly likes the extra money for being a herdsman.’
‘If you are really interested in your work, as Dad and I were with our animals, and trying to breed something better, you don’t grudge the time it takes. I know you feel the same, but Billy seems to have developed other interests. Maybe he is finding he’s not cut out to be a dairyman now, but still wants the higher pay he gets for unsocial hours.’
‘I think you’re right. Mum thinks it would be good for both of us to get away abroad for our honeymoon. I would love to do that with you, Roxie, but I’m not sure I could rely on Billy to look after the animals properly for one week, even less for the two or more weeks I would have liked for our honeymoon. Max, the tractor driver, is good at his job, but he would be no use at milking, or even knowing when a cow was calving or needing the vet. At least if we were in Britain, we could get home within a day if there was any kind of crisis.’
‘You mean something like when Billy broke his leg?’
‘Less than that even — anything that threw him off routine. I would have staked my life on him being reliable at one time.’
‘Dear Ciaran, it’s true I’m looking forward to getting away on our own for a few days, but I don’t care where we go, if we’re together. Anyway, I haven’t got a passport, so you need not worry about going abroad. If we only get to Edinburgh or Blackpool, or wherever, it will suit me.’
‘Ah, Roxie, no wonder I love you. I can’t wait for September to come.’
* * *
Time passed more quickly than any of them had expected. After attending Amy every day for two weeks, Anne Munrostarted coming three days a week, mainly to help with bathing and dressing until the plaster cast was removed. Amy was relieved when she did get rid of it and she was diligent about doing the exercises which David, the physio, recommended. He had tried to keep her other leg and the rest of her muscles in trim and it was paying dividends. Eventually Anne was able to stop her official visits, but Amy asked her to keep in touch regularly and maybe call in for coffee and a chat every week if she had time.
‘I feel you have become a good friend and Roxie agrees. We shall both miss your cheery company.’
‘Yes,’ Roxie said. ‘And I would feel happier if I knew Amy had company when I need to go into town for shopping, at least until she has been able to practise walking for a bit longer.’
So, Anne got into the habit of calling in for coffee and a chat most weeks.
