Page 7 of A Scottish Love Story
‘Spoilsport!’ He teased her with a chuckle. ‘Look, I’m sorry I was so bad-tempered yesterday. It had been a rough day from the beginning.’
‘Apology accepted,’ Roxie said. ‘I didn’t have the best of days myself.’
‘No, I suppose not.’ He smiled. ‘Are you going to trust me with your precious car?’ he asked as she turned to walk away. ‘I thought you might wait to guide me back over the pit?’ He appeared to be half serious, half teasing. Roxie turned back as he slipped into the pit.
‘I thought you considered yourself an expert, but I will wait to guide you back out if you think I should?’ she said uncertainly.
‘Yes, I think you should,’ he said with that grin. ‘It won’t take long.’ He tapped various parts of the underside of the car and smoothed his hand over other parts. ‘Hmm, considering the racket that stone made, there’s no real damage done — apart from a bit of a scrape.’
Roxie breathed a sigh of relief and watched him clamber out.
‘I’m serious about you guiding me out,’ he said. ‘I hadn’t considered there would be so little room. Can you go to the front where I stood so I can see you? When you think I’m getting too near one side, raise that arm, and the other arm for the other side. Keep your eye on the rear wheels if you can and don’t be afraid to shout loudly if needed. You can swear at me if you like. I promise not to tell my mother.’ He chuckled.
She did as he had asked, but he was very careful. Apart from raising her left arm once when the back wheel was too near the edge for comfort, he didn’t need any other help — and she hadn’t needed to swear.
‘I’ll park it near the door and show you the way in,’ he said.
He led her through a stone-flagged back kitchen. Near the door was a cupboard and a small fridge. Ciaran mentioned that he kept most of the animal medicines in those.
‘Come on through. This is the back door and I usually come in this way myself, but there is a side door, as well as a front door that hardly anybody uses.’ He led her into a large kitchen with a big table in the centre. It reminded her of home or the place she had always called home until now. There was an Aga with a modern electric cooker next to it and lots of cream-coloured units and work surfaces. The table was already laid with a blue-and-white checked cloth and five place settings. Jenny turned to smile at them.
‘Was the car all right?’ she asked as soon as they entered.
‘It’s fine,’ Ciaran said.
‘The dinner is almost ready so you may as well sit at the table.’
‘If it can wait five minutes, I’ll have a quick shower and change out of my dungarees.’ Ciaran disappeared up the stairs.
‘Don’t be long, I’m ready to put in the Yorkshire puddings and you know you love them,’ Jenny called after him. ‘You’re honoured, Roxie. He never bothers to shower for Don and me.’ She smiled. ‘For your information, the cloakroom is through here.’ She threw open the door to the hall and then to a small room with a shower, toilet and handbasin. There were fresh towels on the radiator. In the hall itself, was a good-sized alcove for coats and boots.
They were all seated round the kitchen table when Ciaran reappeared dressed in brown whipcord trousers and a pale blue shirt, which seemed to make his eyes bluer than ever. He had evidently made an effort to smooth down his damp hair, but already it was curling round the edges where it had dried.
‘My word, something smells good, and I’m famished!’ he declared with an appreciative grin.
‘Come on and tuck in while the soup is hot,’ Jenny said.
While Roxie cleared the soup plates, Jenny placed the roast lamb and carving set in front of Ciaran, along with the pile of hot plates. He rolled his eyes and muttered. ‘Don’t blame me if you all end up with little bits as though the dog chewed it.’
‘Your father always said it was the boss’s job to carve, so it’s time you started,’ Amy said. ‘Who does it at your house, Roxanne?’
‘My— my father usually did it. I discovered it helps a lot if someone carves the roast and lets the cook get on with all the other dishes needing to be served, but I can carve if necessary.’ She helped Jenny carry the dishes of mashed potatoes, carrots, roast potatoes, cauliflower, gravy and white sauce. Last came the Yorkshire puddings newly out of the oven and beautifully risen.
‘My word, Jenny, you have been busy. This is a real treat for me these days,’ Amy said.
‘I hope you enjoy it, Aunt Amy. Ciaran, have you no mint sauce?’ Jenny asked.
‘Of course I have. I always have mint sauce with my lamb chops. I keep it in the fridge.’
‘This lamb is delicious and so tender,’ Amy said with relish. ‘Is this one of your own lambs from the freezer, Ciaran?’
‘Of course. You should know, Mum, because I put the other one in your freezer, all nicely jointed, along with some beef and pork roasts. The butcher did them specially for you.’
‘Yes, I’d forgotten. Maybe we can use some of them now Roxanne is here. I do like my food.’ She brightened as she looked at her young companion. ‘Maybe we shall have proper Sunday dinners again now. You might decide to join us sometimes, Ciaran?’
He glanced at Roxie. ‘Maybe.’
After a delicious pudding of lemon meringue pie, Roxie helped Jenny to load the dishes into the dishwasher and tidy thekitchen while Amy moved into the room for a comfortable seat, followed by the two men.
