Fiona of Glenmorie

by Ruth Hay

  * * *

  Liam and Annette arrived at this moment with an invitation to eat, as well as arms full of their latest projects to show.

  “Daddy’s home and Gran says to give him five minutes of peace and quiet before we eat.”

  Jeanette went off to the kitchen and Anna had the pleasure of the two children all to herself.

  “Auntie Anna, did you know about Fergus and Shona finding the Viking artifacts? We had specialists at the school and they told us all how important their discovery was.”

  “And, there’s going to be a film made of it all! Fergus and Shona will be famous, I think.”

  “Would you like to be famous, Annette?”

  Anna gently stroked the hair of her godchild and watched as the prospect travelled across her transparent face. Not much could ever be concealed by this open and eager child. It would be both a blessing and a curse, but if she was meant for a life on stage or screen, it could be a great asset. They always said those whom the camera loved were the greatest stars.

  This fascinating topic of conversation occupied the time until George came to fetch them. He stooped to kiss Anna’s cheek and she noticed a great deal more grey in his hair but this only made his fair curls lighter. It suited him well. George was her first ever contact with Oban and from their association, promoted by Helen Dunlop, so many good things had sprung into life. He was the keeper of many secrets for many people; a quality of the best solicitors. Anna wondered if this was a burden to him but watching him now, with his family around him, she surmised the cost was well worth it. Jeanette was his perfect foil. Where he was quiet and introspective, she was happy to communicate with the world at large, leaving him to his study and his paperwork, safe in the knowledge that what was most important would be filtered later, by her to him, in digestible chunks.

  * * *

  It was a pleasant meal in most pleasant company but Anna asked Jeanette to drive the women home well before dark. She was sticking to her promise to ensure Alina was well rested in preparation for Philip’s arrival and she seemed to be accumulating a list of her own concerns that required quiet time to think through.

  The next day had been set aside for the much-anticipated visit to Fiona at Glenmorie but she was beginning to think too much had already been scheduled into one very busy week. On the other hand, there was no one better than Fiona with whom to discuss weighty matters. The girl had a pure streak of Scottish good sense running through her and her usual, well-considered, advice was second to none.

  The dilemma was solved when a call from Philip announced his imminent arrival on British shores.

  Alina immediately insisted she would stay close to home in case his train from Glasgow was early. He was spending the night at an airport hotel in order to recover from the long haul flight and would take whatever connections north were available once he had a good night’s sleep.

  Anna saw the wisdom in this approach and decided to go ahead with her plan for the Glenmorie visit leaving the way clear for a long-awaited reunion between husband and wife. It was bound to be an emotional reunion with much to be explained and shared and all the better for a chance to do this in private.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  They set off in the early morning as soon as Fiona arrived in the Land Rover. The children were safely in school for the day. Neil was with his father until he grew too tired, at which point Marie might be called upon to take over.

  “So, you see, Anna, we have the whole day to ourselves for once and we can do everything or nothing depending on how we feel.”

  “I feel so blessed to be with you, Fiona, and heading to the castle. There’s so much to catch up on. Life seems to speed up as I get older. Sometimes it’s difficult to keep up with it all.”

  “I know what you mean! This last year has been full of challenges and if you don’t mind, Anna, I would like to ask your advice on a number of them.”

  “I am happy to dispense advice as long as you realize it is only an opinion and does not outweigh anything you and Gordon may decide to do. I have heard already the exciting news about Fergus and Shona’s discoveries.”

  And they were off! The miles sped by until the castle appeared at the end of the long driveway. Anna sighed with pleasure to see its tower rise defiantly into the blue sky above, but Fiona drove past and down the forest track until they arrived at the new house.

  “I can’t imagine more of a contrast, Fiona. Glenmorie Castle is magnificent but your Net Zero house is perfect for a modern family. I love it.”

  “Me too! But it’s symbolical of the two halves of our lives here. Part of what we do is about preserving the past and maintaining this vast estate for the children. The other half is finding a balance of comfortable living without requiring expensive services from the county.”

  “Well, not only does this house look perfect in its woodland setting but I can feel the warmth as soon as I step inside. You and Gordon must be pleased with your efforts.”

  Fiona sighed as she brought the tray of teacups, scones and preserves over to the fireside for Anna.

  “It’s very much a work in progress, Anna. We feel the pressure to succeed but the building costs have been considerable. That’s why I have spearheaded a Summer Festival on the estate.”

  Anna poured the tea and asked for details.

  “It will be a smallish affair for this year but if it all works, it should bring in much-needed income. The community support has been wonderful. All our friends have rallied round and the suggestions are creative as well as interesting. Fergus came up with the idea of showing the Viking documentary in the castle and Gordon or Donald will take a group out to the site afterward. Of course, teas and lunches in the great hall will be a feature, courtesy of Bev’s Kitchen, as well as a tour of the solar features of the house here, which should be of interest to the men. Fergus wants to show off his drawings and Shona is very proud of her vegetable garden and the water recycling systems. I’ve been recording and photographing wildlife sightings since early spring as part of my new job with Scottish Wildlife Services so there’s another possible presentation.”

  “This all sounds wonderful, Fiona! Who else is involved?”

  “The Local Womens’ Cooperative will display and sell A Plus products on the forecourt and do demonstrations of speed knitting. Jeanette’s Design and Home Maintenance services will be featured with before and after photographs and a competition to win free cleaning for a month. Rena Collins is sending the High School team out to showcase their rugby skills and another of their teams will be doing first aid demonstrations and crowd control. Oh, I almost forgot! Ashley will sell your books and sign the copies.”

  “What about musical entertainment?”

  “All the prize winning local choirs and bands will compete. Fergus wants to put them on the top of the castle to see who can make the most noise but I have not promised that!”

  “It’s a great deal of organization, Fiona. How do you handle it all with young Neil to attend to?”

  Fiona laughed. “Some days, I wonder, but Neil is a good boy, Gordon helps a lot and you do know, Anna, how the Oban community rallies round when help is needed.

  Anyway, enough about me! What do I need to know about you and Alina?”

  Anna’s facial expression alerted Fiona immediately to the fact that she had touched on a sore spot.

  “Right, Anna Drake! Fess up, as the children say. What have you been hiding?”

  In truth, there was no one else to whom Anna could speak so openly. They were, in all the best ways, like mother and daughter with a long association spanning years. Fiona was like a vault. She never betrayed a confidence and Anna knew she could safely tell her anything.

  “I never could hide a thing from you, Fiona. I hesitate because you, clearly, have more than enough on your plate, my dear, but please tell me what you think about this proposition.”

  In a few minutes, Anna revealed her concerns about Ashley’s future and the plan to gift her with the McC
aig Estate House. To her surprise, Fiona was not eager to comment. She removed the tea tray and opened up the glass doors so they could go outdoors to the sunny patio and enjoy the sunshine.

  She was delaying giving her opinion and Anna knew whatever was to be said now, was not said without due consideration.

  The garden was alive with insects and scents of early summer were everywhere. The tall purple flag irises lifted their stately heads to the sun and the nearby herb garden was redolent with tantalizing aromas reminding Anna of Mediterranean meals.

  Anna breathed deeply. If Fiona chose not to approve of her plan she would not allow herself to be upset.

  Fiona was nothing if not forthright. She would tell the truth as she perceived it.

  “Anna, it is just like you to be looking out for Ashley. I see you are trying to solve Edmund’s mother’s problems as well, but I have to say you must not ignore your own needs in this attempt.

  I do understand that you fear the long trip from Canada to Scotland may not always be a choice you can make. Until then, I know I can speak for all your dear friends here, when I state we want you to feel free to make that journey as long as humanly possible.

  In a nutshell, here’s what I think. Philip will be arriving soon to join Alina. Ask him if an extension to the house could be built to provide extra accommodation. That way, you could retain overall ownership of the house with your own rooms, but Ashley and Edmund would move in and see to all the maintenance when you are overseas. If they have a family, there would be space for children and other visitors such as Christine.”

  Fiona’s words dropped into the silence, as if they were being absorbed by the very flowerbeds around them.

  Anna was stunned. Her mind was busy with all the implications of Fiona’s suggestions but she could not see a downside. It was a brilliant solution. It required the cooperation of several people and could not be accomplished immediately, but it was an answer that had not occurred to Anna. The best part was that she was not required to relinquish her property in the immediate future. The final departure from Oban could be postponed until absolutely necessary. Even then, it would be a simple process for everyone.

  “Fiona Campbell, you are a genius! Let’s go and find Gordon and Neil. I want to tell your husband he is the luckiest man in the world to have you by his side, although I suspect he knows this already!

  You have taken a huge weight off my mind. Let’s not waste one more minute of this glorious day with problems, large or small.”

  Anna’s plan was to return to the McCaig Estate House late in the day in order to allow Alina and Philip some privacy. It worked out perfectly.

  She had a lovely nap with Neil in her arms while Fiona picked up the older children from school and bought a huge steak and kidney pie from the grocery store bakery for their supper. Shona picked fresh garden vegetables and Fergus scrubbed them lightly. Gordon was doing some paperwork in the estate office and returned in time to prepare potatoes and beat cream for the early strawberries the children gathered from their raised strawberry plots, netted over to keep out greedy birds.

  After the meal, Shona insisted on showing Anna the artifacts from their excavations.

  “These bits are copies, you know. The originals are in Edinburgh being examined by the experts. Fergus made drawings and took photographs so we have all the records we need until the documentary is finished.”

  “Aunt Anna, did you hear about my new school? I will be a weekly boarder and it’s going to be very exciting but I am glad I will be home on the weekends to look after my animals and plants.”

  Anna looked around at what the children called their Meco house and wondered how Fergus could bear to leave it, even for short periods but he was a very talented child and his parents were wise to encourage him to follow his dreams. She looked at Shona and saw there a smart and ambitious girl who was more than capable of following in the footsteps of either her mother or father. Neil was still an unknown quality. He could work on the estate or adventure off on a life of his own. Only time would tell.

  On the drive back to Oban, Anna commented on what a wonderful day she had had.

  “Do you ever wonder what your Granny would think of all you have achieved, Fiona? The two of you started off in that tiny cottage with nothing other than your wits and common sense. With hard work you built a good life and now that life has expanded exponentially to provide a wonderful future for the next generation.”

  “Ha! Granny would simply nod her head and tell me not to be too proud of myself. She would have approved of Gordon Campbell as my partner. With five sisters in his family, he was never going to be swayed by any feminine wiles of mine. She knew what a strong personality I developed.”

  “That strength does you credit, Fiona. On behalf of your Granny and the mother and father who left you too soon, may I say how proud I am of you, my dear.”

  Fiona eyes teared up suddenly and she cleared her throat in surprise. Wholehearted tributes like this were not a part of her daily experience. She got on with what presented itself in her life but hearing this from Anna Mason Drake was as if her Granny had spoken. In many ways Anna had filled the gap in her life after her beloved Granny died. Gordon’s mother lived permanently in the Borders castle with her daughters and grandchildren around her. Anna was the nearest thing to a grandparent Fergus and Shona knew. She hoped that link could continue well into their adulthood but, if not, every occasion like todays was all the more precious.

  A strange car was parked in front of the barn and Anna knew her brother was safely home from Egypt at last.

  Fiona decided not to interrupt the reunion and Anna slipped inside the front door as quietly as she could, and tiptoed upstairs to her room. The morning was soon enough to catch up with all the news and she was happy to go straight to bed. There was much to mull over from such an eventful day with Fiona and her family.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The morning brought a storm of rain battering against the windows. It was as if the weather gods had declared ‘Enough of this early summer, now back to our usual programming.’

  The return to wintry weather was not the only change. With Philip’s arrival came a storm of another kind. It was a rush of male energy throughout the house.

  He was more than happy to enjoy dark skies and moist air after the heat of Egypt. He stood on the front porch with the door open and breathed in and out with obvious relish. Anna thought it made a strange picture with his white hair blowing in the wind and his deeply-tanned skin looking all the more exotic by contrast with the weather.

  Alina just laughed.

  “He has not stopped talking and walking around the place since he arrived. I expect him to collapse at any point today, he has expended so much pent-up energy since he got here.”

  “How did he deal with your returned eyesight?”

  “Anna, your big brother wept like a child for joy and he insisted on asking me what I could see every five minutes as if he feared the miracle had an expiry date.”

  “Oh! I am so very happy for you both. It is wonderful to be back together after so much frustrating time apart.”

  “I agree. I wish we could be transported here to Oban on a bird’s wing whenever we need to have a complete change.”

  “What made you say that Alina? Has something happened?”

  “No, my dear! Don’t worry yourself. It’s just so good here and you know we can’t stay forever. Now that my eyes are improving every day I do not want to lose the chance to enjoy this beautiful place. It’s a big house, Anna, and although you have some help from Jeanette, it is a lot to maintain.”

  Anna became very still. This was not the first time Alina had instinctively read her mind. It was something that occurred regularly from the smallest of hints in voice or manner. Even with her seriously impaired eyesight, it was not unusual for Alina to catch onto whatever was concerning her closest friend.

  Anna stood up and switched on the kettle. Next she went to the front door and drag
ged Philip back inside.

  “We have some serious discussing to do, Philip. I want to hear from you and Alina about something I have done.”

  Alina waited until the tea was brewed but she was positively jumping inside with anticipation. Philip waited as calmly as he could. He knew his sister was not talking idly. If she said it was serious, that is exactly what she meant.

  “First of all, I decided some time ago to leave the McCaig Estate House to Ashley in my will. She loves the place and there’s nothing in Canada to compare with this or to compete with her long-term future plans.”

  “I am glad of your decision, Anna. Ashley is the right person to continue on here. I am not at all surprised, but why are you telling us this now?”

  “Because I want to give her the house now as a wedding present but I also want to retain some ownership so we three can continue to enjoy Oban for as long as possible.”

  Philip’s mind was ticking over as he absorbed the implications of this news.

  “How is that possible, Anna? There’s only the pull-out couch in the lounge as additional sleeping space.”

  “Ah, that’s where you come in, Philip! Could you draw up a plan to extend this house so as to provide more accommodation?”

  Alina turned to her husband in surprise. She had never heard of this plan of Anna’s and she was sure Philip would not be anxious to take on such a major project now he was talking of finally retiring.

  His sudden, loud masculine laughter shook the kitchen table and Anna wondered if she had offended him in some way.

  “Good gracious, Anna! I have been waiting years to hear this. I began to draw up plans a decade ago. It’s the obvious thing to do and I am sure it can be done without destroying the integrity of the present building. A substantial one-floor extension would commence at the rear, through the larder behind us. It would lead to a bedroom suite with its own washroom and closet space, and a glass door would provide a private exit to a secluded garden. I’ve been dying to get my hands on that unruly, huge, back garden of yours and lick it into shape.”