Page 16 of A Scottish Love Story
‘’The ground or the driver?’ Roxie quipped with a chuckle.
‘Not the driver! You were saying about your sister-in-law?’
‘Gilda and her family don’t know anything about farming. They don’t understand that most of the money is tied up in stock and machinery. That doesn’t help Tommy. He wanted me to stay and continue working as I had done with Dad.’ She gave a slightly bitter laugh. ‘It would never have worked for any of us. I would have been an unpaid herdswoman, cook, housekeeper and general factotum, and I know Gilda didn’t want me around.’ She hesitated, then said in a rush, ‘Tommy has never even called or sent me an email or — or anything.’ Her voice was husky with unshed tears.
‘Dear Roxie,’ Ciaran murmured softly, and put a comforting arm around her shoulders. ‘Their loss is certainly our gain. I am as happy as Mum is that you decided to come to us.’
‘Th-thank you, Ciaran. I shouldn’t have burdened you with my worries. It’s just that building up the pedigree herd was my father’s life work. He was well known as a breeder. I do hope Tommy doesn’t let all the pedigree records lapse. I do worry.’
‘He’d never do that. Surely? What was the name of your herd? I’m grading up my own herd to get them all pedigree eventually, so I often study up the sales catalogues and pedigrees. I always read the monthly journal.’
‘Do you?’ Roxie asked eagerly, turning to look into his face. ‘Our herd is called Caldbrook. My father had gradually changed from British Friesian to Holstein for higher yields, but he was careful not to include the extreme Holsteins. I could never have managed the arable and machinery side of Willowbrook, but I loved the cattle. I often went with my father to the sales and to shows.’ Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and for the first time Ciaran realised the extent of the upheaval she must have been through over the past few months. He stopped the truck near the trees and they both scrambled out.
They measured the circumference of several trees, as well as estimating the height, but Roxie kept insisting they were too big.
‘It’s a shame to cut a good tree down and then have to saw off a great chunk to get it into the house,’ she said. Ciaran grinned at her.
‘I can tell Mum has been warning you.’
Eventually they agreed on a tree and Ciaran brought his saw to cut it down, and she helped him load it into the back of the pickup.
‘There’s still quite a bit hanging over the back,’ Roxie said with a glint in her eyes. ‘Anything bigger would have been far too tall.’
‘All right, boss!’ Chuckling, Ciaran saluted her.
* * *
When they arrived back at the bungalow Ciaran helped Roxie plant the tree firmly in the large tub his mother kept especially for the occasion, then he carried it through to the hall and placed it carefully on the big mat Roxie had placed for the purpose.
‘That is splendid. It is the perfect size for the space available,’ Amy said, clapping her hands.
Ciaran smiled at his mother. ‘I know it’s not quite lunchtime, but I was hoping I might be invited to stay after all that effort.’
‘We expected you would say that. Roxie put in a big rice pudding this morning. As you suggested, Roxie, I have taken out three of the cottage pies you put in the freezer, so that is dinner sorted.’
‘Yes, there is a layer of carrots and onions already in the pies, but I’ll wash my hands and cook some peas from the freezer.’
‘Sounds good to me. It’s ages since I had rice pudding. I always loved it.’
‘It’s so easy to make,’ Roxie said. ‘You could put one in your own Aga and leave it all morning, so long as you don’t put it in the hottest oven, long and slow with a stir or two early on.Don’t forget to add a pinch of salt. It brings out the flavour, even though it is a sweet pudding.’
Ciaran nodded. ‘Write it down in detail and I’ll give it a go. Can you also please remind me to reach the decorations down from the top cupboards after we have eaten?’
‘I’m sure I shall manage to reach them with the stepladder,’ Roxie said.
‘We don’t want you falling and breaking a leg too. It’s bad enough Billy, my dairyman, being off with one, but at least I can milk my own cows. I wouldn’t make a very good job if I had to cook the Christmas dinner. We should probably end up having mince and tatties.’ He chuckled.
‘Ah, Roxie,’ Amy said suddenly. ‘I almost forgot! There is a letter for you. I put it on the stairs so you would be sure to see it when you went up.’
‘Oh, thank you. Perhaps Tommy and Gilda have sent a Christmas card after all.’
‘We-ell, I don’t know...’ Amy said hesitantly. ‘It looks a bit official. It has, er, a Darlington post mark.’
‘Oh?’ Roxie frowned. ‘I don’t know anyone from Darlington. I’ll go and get it right now.’ She was tearing open the envelope as she returned to the kitchen, frowning a little as she withdrew a smaller envelope with large loopy writing that was totally unfamiliar.
She gasped. ‘Well! I never expected this!’ The paper was thin and lined as though taken from a notebook. She began to read and gasped again. ‘It’s from the grandmother of the little boy we rescued during the car crash. Gosh, I... but, oh, I’m so glad to know he is well and loved. She writes,I want to thank you for taking care of Richie after the crash. I have wanted to write before this, but I could not get an address from the police. Richie’s dad, my son, has had several operations on his leg. They thought they would need to amputate but now theyare fairly sure it can be saved, although he will have a limp. As soon as he was able, he asked his friend to take him to the police station in person and he explained we wanted to write to you to thank you. They promised to forward a letter if we sent it to them, so I do hope you receive it.
‘My word, I can’t believe it!’ Roxie said with delight. ‘She says,We can never thank you enough for our dear little Richie who is sitting up now and smiling, and making our hearts so glad. As Christmas draws near, we grieve even more for the loss of his dear mother and my darling granddaughter, Daisy. On behalf of my husband and son, I send you our heartfelt thanks and wish you great happiness in your own life.Isn’t that lovely.’ Roxie blinked away tears.
