Page 59 of A Scottish Love Story
Roxie and Amy spoke in unison. ‘Oh, dear.’
‘A month!’ Amy continued in dismay. ‘But that gives you no time to look for a new herdsman before the wedding. Your honeymoon...’
‘I didn’t consider anything in the heat of the moment. I was so angry, and disappointed in him. Anyway, I’m not sure I could trust him if I go away and leave him — even for a few days, much less the fortnight as we had hoped.’
‘Oh, Ciaran, that’s terrible. You must have a honeymoon. Couldn’t you apologise?’ Amy asked.
‘I’m sure we shall survive,’ Roxie said calmly. ‘Maybe we shall manage a weekend on our own, even if you have to book the man from the relief agency?’
‘I’m sorry.’ Ciaran gave a sigh and rubbed his brow. ‘Do you still want to marry a man who loses his temper, Roxie?’ he asked dejectedly.
‘Oh, Ciaran, of course I do. I would make a poor wife if I fell at the first problem.’
‘Thank God you appreciate what’s involved with caring for animals, Roxie.’
‘Let’s get away and enjoy what we can of the day —afteryou have showered of course,’ Roxie said with a smile.
‘Yes. I’ll do that, sweetheart. Mum, we shall come back here as planned after I have done the milking. We’ll try not to be too late.’
‘Don’t worry about that. It will be a buffet so nothing will waste.’
‘Thank God I have two understanding women in my life.’ Ciaran finished off his last piece of toast.
‘One very understanding and reasonable young lady, I’d say,’ Amy said drily. ‘You forgot to wish Roxie happy birthday.’
‘Goodness, so I did! Roxie, I’m so sorry. My decent clothes are in the car. When I have showered and changed, I shall give you a big birthday kiss and all the good wishes in the world —and maybe even a wee present,’ he finished with a grin. Roxie shook her head and grinned back at him.
‘I will bring in your clothes. Then I shall collect my jeans and wellingtons so I can change and help you with the milking when we get back.’ She didn’t see the exchange of glances or Amy’s eyebrows raised in anxious query. Ciaran shrugged, knowing there was nothing he could do about their surprise visitors.
‘I reckon, from what I saw of him at the sale, Tom will understand that these things happen,’ he said in a low voice when Roxie went out to the car to collect his clothes.
* * *
They drove through Dumfries and took the road to the Galloway coast, stopping off at one or two points where the tide came right in because Roxie was fascinated by the sea, the sand and the tides, and the shells and rocks at the different inlets. Having lived all her life in Derbyshire, she had rarely been to the seaside except for a rare day trip when she’d been at school.
‘My parents were as tied up with milking routines as you are,’ she told Ciaran. ‘I never felt I was missing out on anything. We had a very happy childhood until Mum became ill, and, even then, my parents did their best to appear cheerful and happy.’
‘You seem to have a calm and happy outlook on life, Roxie, in spite of the terrible loss of your parents. I know what a dreadful shock your father’s death has been, and how grief stricken you were when you first came here. They must have set a fine example. I am thankful for that, at times like this. I was just so — so angry and disappointed in Billy this morning. The strange thing is, it is often the people who lack for nothing who seem to grumble most.’
‘You could be right about that.’ Roxie mused, thinking of people she had known who never seemed content. ‘I love the scenery and the sea all the more now I am here,’ she continued.‘We must enjoy it while we can. It is a beautiful day. We couldn’t have asked for better.’
‘Except a dairyman who is reliable,’ Ciaran muttered drily.
‘Do you think he will look for a similar job with animals?’
‘I doubt it. He seems ready for a change, even though it will mean less money. I’m sorry I lost my temper, today of all days. Mum is right, it will not be easy getting a reliable worker before our wedding, but I must book the relief worker for a long weekend at least.’
‘It is not the end of the world. We could stay in a nice hotel somewhere like this area. It is all new to me, and we would not be far away if anything goes wrong and we need to hurry back.’
‘Mmm, I suppose so. It’s not what I had expected us to do for a honeymoon, though.’
‘Let’s forget about everything else and enjoy our day,’ Roxie said, then added with a smile, ‘I’m getting hungry.’
‘We have not much further to go,’ he said with a chuckle. He winked wickedly. ‘We’re going to a hotel near the sea where they have really good food.’
* * *
It was more than two hours later when they came out of the hotel, both feeling happy and replete.
