Page 64 of A Scottish Love Story
‘No, I am looking forward to living here. I can bring my mother’s Welsh dresser for the kitchen. It comes into two parts so it should fit in a Transit van. I have a microwave, a grill and a kettle. I shall soon buy a kitchen table. If you are getting cleaners in, I expect they will clean inside the existing cupboards?’
‘I shall make sure they do,’ Ciaran assured him.
‘If you decide I can stay, I shall paint them and emulsion the walls. Maybe if I’d had a wife, things would be different,’ he said with a grin.
‘You can say that again!’ Tommy muttered, thinking of Gilda.
* * *
Later that evening they all had a pleasant meal at the local hotel, with a good deal of banter and laughter. Tommy was leaving early the following morning, so they all said goodnight outside the hotel. There was more teasing when Ciaran seized Roxie in his arms to give her a lingering kiss. As usual, it brought the ready colour to her cheeks.
Maggie hugged her and whispered, ‘They’re lovely people, lass. I’m sure you will be very happy.’
‘I think so, too. I am looking forward to seeing you all again at the wedding. That is not so very long now.’
‘Long enough,’ Ciaran mumbled.
* * *
Two weeks and a day later, Harry drove into the farmyard at Oaklands. He had loaded the hired van the night before with the help of friends and neighbours who had known his family for many years. Consequently, he was able to leave at the crack of dawn, making the most of the quieter roads. Ciaran was surprised to see him as he was finishing his mid-morning coffee. It was Iris’s day for cleaning, but Ciaran asked her if she would cook bacon and eggs and toast for Harry.
‘You must be hungry and weary if you have come all that way without a stop!’
‘Oh, I did stop once for the toilets. I had a cup of coffee then, but it was from a machine and it was terrible.’ Harry grimaced. ‘I’m pleased to be here. It helped that I’ve been here with Tommy or I might have taken a wrong turn once or twice.’
‘Well, eat up now, then Vic and I will help you to unload and to fix up your bed, and anything else you need a hand to fix.’
‘Maybe the Welsh dresser?’ Harry suggested diffidently.
‘Of course, we’ll help you with that, too. Max, he’s the tractor driver, and Vic you’ve met. They will both help. Billy doesn’t finish until tomorrow night, so take your time settling in. I managed to get the plumber to install a new bathroom suite with a shower. We were lucky. He was booked to install one in a newly built house, but the builder was not quite ready for him. It is all clean but I’m afraid the bathroom still needs decorating, and I don’t know when we shall manage to get the decorator we usually use.’
‘I shall enjoy doing a bit of decorating. I have never had a job when I am free for a couple of hours during the day, so I shall get things in order a bit at a time.’
‘During the summer, when the cows are out at grass, you could be off several hours, unless you choose to earn some overtime helping us with the silage. In winter, the cows are inside and that makes more work feeding and cleaning, as you already know. It can be a long day with maybe a couple of hours after lunch.’
‘That will be fine for me. I like to have a walk around all the animals in the summer, especially if any are due to calve. I like to get to know the heifers too, so I’m familiar with the ones that will be coming on as replacements.’
‘That’s good,’ Ciaran said with satisfaction. ‘I try to keep a fairly closed herd with our own animals providing replacements. I don’t often buy in as many animals as I did at the Willowbrook sale, but they were very good and, anyway, I wanted to please Roxie,’ he added with a boyish grin. ‘Usually, I only buy one if I fancy the breeding.’
‘I’m glad you did buy the ones from Tommy’s herd. They were all fine animals,’ Harry said wistfully.
‘Yes, I’m pleased with them so far. I couldn’t afford to buy any more, but I was tempted. Now then, I’ll give Vic a shout while you eat up and we’ll get you unloaded.’
‘That will be good. The sooner I can take the van back to the hiring firm, the less I pay. I have to take it to a depot at Dumfries.’
‘In that case I will tell Roxie. I think she will be free to follow you to Dumfries and give you a lift back.’ Ciaran smiled suddenly. ‘The only thing is, you might find you get Mum too. She enjoys a run out, especially now she’s recovered her mobility.’
‘Do you think they will wait while I buy some food?’
‘I’m sure they will. Don’t buy eggs and milk, though. You get them as a perk.’
‘Gee, thanks. That’s super! Tommy did the same, but not many places do. Not many keep poultry anyway these days. There were no perks at all at the dealer’s place, not even a waterproof apron or a pair of rubber gloves.’
‘Protective clothing is not a perk — it should be provided for every dairy worker. I know some employers never think about safety, though, but some are plain stingy.’
‘I think the dealer simply didn’t think about anything except the next deal.’ Harry smiled. ‘I really do appreciate you giving me a trial. I promise to do my best.’
‘Yes, I think you will, Harry, and nobody can expect more. I don’t suppose you have learned to do artificial insemination yet?’
