Auld Acquaintance

by Ruth Hay

  Turning to the massive stone fireplace dominated by a black metal stove of some kind, Anna begged, “What on earth do I do with this beast for example?”

  “Now, that’s a good question,” replied Fee with a skeptical look at the structure.

  “I’ve heard my Granny talk about these but I’ve never ever seen one. As far as I know, this is your cooker and heat source, Ms. Mason, and likely it heats water for you too. Hang on a minute and I’ll call my granny and ask her.”

  Flipping open a cell phone, Fee conducted a conversation which was completely unintelligible to Anna. Fee was, apparently, a Gaelic speaker. This young woman’s talents had no end, it seemed.

  “Granny says if you pull down a shelf at the centre front you’ll see a space for a fire but she says don’t start that until you have a goodly supply of firewood on hand. These old stoves use up a lot and have to be banked down overnight as well.”

  “Good God!” exclaimed Anna, in some distress, “What on earth have I let myself in for!”

  “Ach! Don’t worry yourself, Ms. Mason. The worst of the winter’s over and these walls are good and thick. We’ll take a look around and see what’s what.”

  With this reassurance that she was not entirely alone, Anna conducted Fee around the house and discovered, with two pairs of eyes at work, that there were many aspects to this house that she had missed on the first occasion.

  There was a door on the back wall that led out of the kitchen and into a low room with stone floor and benches and no windows. It exited into the back garden but was empty of any clue as to its purpose.

  Fee, however, took one look and stated with conviction, “That’s your refrigerator!

  This used to be a milk parlour where cream and butter were made and stored.”

  “Well, it’s certainly cold enough,” said Anna with a shiver, “Let’s go back inside.”

  They took a quick look at the sitting room, which Fee declared to be, “a fine big room with a fire laid in the grate ready to be lit.”

  This reminded Anna that George had mentioned the chimneys had been swept recently.

  Fee received this news with approval and said, “We just have to find some firewood and you’ll be comfy tonight, for sure.”

  Anna was doubtful if ‘comfy’ was achievable at all, but she followed Fee upstairs and into the main bedroom.

  “Another fireplace ready to be lit, and I’ll bet there’s a cedar closet in here with bedding and household linens.”

  Fee moved confidently to a door near the front window and opened it to display the top section of the tower entrance; a square room lined with fragrant cedar wood.

  Anna attempted to follow her and was reminded, forcibly, that her greater height would have to be considered in any part, other than the centre, of this bedroom, because of the steep roof line.

  Seeing the sheets and blankets folded neatly on the shelves, Anna suddenly thought, with horror, that she had no method of washing and drying anything. The kitchen had no modern appliances.

  Fee noticed the expression on Anna’s face and enquired the reason. She immediately asked to see the bathroom and once inside, pointed to the ceiling above the bath where Anna could see what looked like a bundle of wooden sticks suspended from rope.

  “That’s how you’ll have to dry clothes when the weather’s bad,” announced Fee.

  “On better days you can dry things outdoors of course.”

  Somehow Anna did not find this information reassuring. She thought longingly of the heated basement laundry room in her London apartment building, maintained immaculately by Joseph.

  One thing I know, she promised herself, if I survive this experience, I will never take modern conveniences for granted again.

  Fee showed Anna where the rope for the drying rack was wound round a brass hook on the wall then she pulled the chain and flushed the toilet to check if it was working.

  “That’s good!” she declared. “The water’s running clear. Sometimes the well water gets brown from the peat up on the hills.”

  Anna did not dare to ask about peat, or well water. She had enough worries for now.

  A quick inspection of the smaller bedroom drew the response from Fee that it might be the best choice for the night as it was a small space and more easily heated.

  “But, won’t I need fuel before I can think about staying here?” asked Anna.

  “I had a wee look out the back when we were in the bathroom,” Fee replied. “There’s a shed out there in the garden. I’ll go and have a peek inside.”

  While Fee explored outside, Anna searched through her shopping bags for a purchase from the ironmongers, which had turned out to be a useful hardware store. She found the electric kettle and plugged it in, hoping the current was sufficient to boil water for tea.

  By the time Fee arrived back with an armload of sticks she had kept dry under her coat, Anna had spread a feast out on the table, using the willow pattern dishes from the shelves in the kitchen. These had been thoroughly wiped with a clean dish towel she had rescued from the cedar closet.

  “The shed’s full of dry peat and wood,” Fee announced, “and there’s even a bag of coal! I found the key inside the larder. You’ll be snug as a bug in a rug,” she chuckled as she dropped her load on the stone hearth.

  “Sit down and have something to eat before you go, Fee. I have bread and cheese, cookies and cakes and the tea’s coming shortly.”

  “My! Oh, my! It’s a party!” Fee responded with delight. “First, I’ll just away up the stairs and start the fire in the small bedroom. It’ll be nicely warmed up by the time you go to bed.”

  “You’re a treasure Fiona!” called out Anna with heartfelt sincerity. For the first time since arriving in Oban, she felt it could be possible to live in this house, at least long enough to determine what she would do with it eventually.

  Anna and Fee devoured sandwiches and cake and found out more about each other in the process. Fee revealed that her taxi services were to be charged to George McLennan and he would pass the bill to Anna at the end of the month. Anna agreed with this, provided Fee billed her for the hours spent, rather than the mileage alone. Another ride into Oban was arranged for two days hence, giving Anna a chance to settle in and inspect her property.

  “You have been invaluable, Fee,” said Anna, as the two went to the front door to say goodbye. “See you soon!”

  Watching the big black car disappear down the lane, Anna felt the silence descend on her.

  This was real country, she thought. No one around, and no sounds other than wind in the stand of fir trees near the farm house.

  It’s time to check in with Canada she decided. They won’t believe how much I have accomplished today, but I won’t tell them everything ........not just yet anyway.

  * * *

  By the time she had spoken briefly to Alina and been told to re-charge her cell phone by Bev, (on James’ prompting), the fatigue of a very eventful day was beginning to have its effects on Anna’s energy level.

  She summoned up the strength to take firewood upstairs and drape sheets over the end of the bed so they could be aired out a bit. She boiled the kettle again and used the hot water to wash dishes in the deep sink Fee had described as “a Belfast sink, an old style that’s very popular again”, then she placed the milk cartons, cheese and butter and other perishables into her storage pantry, or larder, in the adjacent cold room.

  Unpacking other purchases, she took up soft pillows and a new blanket for the bed.

  After she had hauled her luggage upstairs, (was it possible the cases were getting heavier each time she moved them?) she arranged toiletries in the chilly bathroom then realized it would be more practical to wash in the kitchen for now, so she could use the kettle for hot water.

  This decision necessitated another trip down the stairs where she found her new towels and the candles in candleholders which would sit on the bedside table when she went to bed. The timely purchase of a torch would serve as illu
mination on the staircase for now. The bare electric light bulbs were giving harsh, dim light only. Anna considered candle light would be more fitting in this house and certainly more flattering to her surroundings.

  On the final trip upstairs with doors locked and secured, Anna could feel the strain in her knees from the unaccustomed climbing. I had better plan ahead to reduce these hikes from one floor to another or my legs will not cope for much longer, she predicted.

  The bedroom was gently lit by candlelight and by the glow from the fire. A pleasant scent suffused the air from both sources as Anna slid thankfully between the warmed sheets, rested her head on the soft pillows and pulled the blanket over her.

  In seconds she was fast asleep.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Anna was momentarily disoriented when she awoke in a strange bed, in a strange room, but she soon shook off the feeling when she remembered how the same confusion of the day before in the Oban hotel had been strictly temporary.

  Thinking of how much she had accomplished in that one day, Anna was proud of herself.

  What a productive day! George’s office, Helen’s letter, shopping in Oban, meeting Fee, exploring the house and settling in to some degree at least....it was all very positive and exciting.

  “And what will this day bring, Helen?”

  Speaking her name out loud brought Anna to the realization that she was finally here, in Scotland, in Helen Dunlop’s house, as Helen had wished. Although there was little to tell Anna about Helen’s character or personality in these surroundings, she knew that her aunt had been a determined woman with a purposeful plan she had put carefully in place with George’s help. How Helen had known about Anna and about her circumstances as a single woman, was a mystery still.

  “Well, Helen! Here I am, right where you wanted me to be. I am making no promises about how long I will stay, but I do promise to enjoy this adventure as much as I possibly can. Oh! and thank you, Aunt Helen!”

  Anna surprised herself with this declaration. She was not superstitious, and yet, it was as if any shadows had fled from the farm house now that she had acknowledged her debt to the former owner.

  Throwing off the bedcovers, Anna went to the window to look out on the day.

  The morning light was slanting across the front yard and from the movement of the bushes by the fence, it seemed to be a windy day.

  Anna thought Fee was right about the thickness of the walls as she could not yet hear the wind. The fire had burned to ash overnight leaving the room cool. Anna was glad of the slippers and flannel pyjamas she had purchased the day before.

  Standing there in the funny little window that projected forward, Anna felt the relief of a day with no pressing agenda. For what seemed like the first time in months, she had nowhere special to be, and nothing urgent to do.

  “Today, I shall explore my estate!” she declared out loud.

  This thought brought laughter with it and Anna found that her more relaxed attitude gave her the courage to tackle the icy antique bathroom with more confidence and then skip downstairs to the kitchen which was much less intimidating in the morning light.

  I won’t tackle you yet, she decided as she looked at the monster stove, but I will check out all the cupboards in here as soon as I have made some instant coffee.

  Retrieving a carton of cream from the adjoining cold room, she boiled water and spooned coffee crystals into the biggest cup she could find. As it cooled, she began to open any low, cupboard doors previously unexplored.

  There was only a small amount of countertop on either side of the huge sink. On the left there was a draining board and on the right just about a half metre of a dark slate countertop matching the slate floors in both the kitchen and front porch.

  Under the left side were two open shelves bare of contents, but the right side revealed treasures behind an unpainted wooden door. A small electric hot plate with two burners was stashed at the back. While this would be an outdoor camping item in Canada, Anna was delighted to find it here and promptly fetched a milk carton from her pantry,

  (a shivery cold place this morning), and scrambled a couple of eggs. She also retrieved from the same cupboard a metal device that toasted bread, although it was not like any electric toaster Anna had ever seen before. The side grills flopped down flat and had to be fastened at the top once the bread was placed inside. The metal surfaces became very hot but the toasted bread popped out efficiently when it was done and Anna promptly scoffed two slices, dripping with butter and ginger marmalade.

  “I must be getting used to these hearty Scottish breakfasts,” she told herself, with some amusement. “I never eat this much in the mornings at home.”

  One problem became evident during the making of breakfast. The kitchen had only one electrical outlet. This obliged Anna to plan meal preparation with military precision.

  The cell phone re-charger with its adaptor had to be unplugged first before the kettle could be plugged into the socket; then the hotplate could be used to cook eggs and keep coffee warm, and finally the toaster could take its turn.

  The cell phone lying on the kitchen table reminded Anna of James’ instructions to turn the phone on at noon each day so she could receive calls from Canada. In all the moving around she had been doing, Anna had neglected to do this. No doubt this would account for the panic calls she had received from Susan and Alina.

  Switching on the phone, she waited to see if a service provider could reach her.

  In a moment or two, Orange came online with a cheery signal followed by a series of ‘pings’ to announce missing messages. Anna was not at all sure how to retrieve these messages but she could predict they were from her friends in Canada, so she decided to call everyone as soon as it was a reasonable hour in Ontario and reassure them of her survival.

  Meantime, there were things to do. Leaving the dishes soaking in the sink, (who will see them?), she ran upstairs and riffled through the railing in the cedar closet looking for suitable clothing for country explorations. She found the sweatsuit she had thrown into her case at the last minute and realized this was going to be the most useful clothing item she had brought with her.

  In the entrance porch by the front door she donned a thick pair of socks and the green rubber boots the assistant in the ironmongers had declared, “The very thing to wear in any season, lass. The Queen herself wears them at Balmoral Castle.”

  “Impressive to be sharing footwear styles with the Queen,” chuckled Anna.

  Her lined raincoat and hood with the addition of the new sou’wester hat tied under her chin, should keep out all possible weather conditions.

  The key that locked both front and back doors was large and heavy, so Anna hid it under a packet of pasta in the former milk parlour, now a useful pantry, and escaped, unfettered, into the garden through the pantry’s side exit door.

  Facing her was a high hedge matching a similar hedge on the left side of the garden. Obviously, both were designed to keep out the worst of wind and rain.

  In front of this was a pole, firmly dug into the ground, with a rope attached to a hook near the top. Several yards away a matching pole challenged Anna’s curiosity.

  “Ah, I know what you are!” she declared, “You’re a clothes line for fine weather.”

  Reassured by finding something she recognized, Anna gazed around the garden and soon spotted the shed holding firewood and coal. A slate roof kept rain from this small wooden hut which had been built on a flat stone base. I must bring two of those grocery bags here, she noted. They’ll make carrying fuel much easier.

  Stone seemed to be in good supply in this garden. It was bounded by a stone wall of about a metre high on the north side, where the hill that commanded the view from every window at the back of the house reared up into the sky.

  Large stones were dotted around the yard but appeared to be in their natural places rather than arranged by a gardener. The flatter stones formed a broken pathway across a tufted grass area towards the iron gate in the
stone wall. Anna noticed part of this wall had fallen into the yard leaving a gap and showing her that the construction had been done without any bonding substance such as mortar. How will I fix that? she puzzled.

  It was clear that this garden had been neglected since the departure of Helen Dunlop.

  Stakes projected from overgrown beds near the sheltering hedges but whatever had been planted there once, was now unknowable.

  Anna walked over to a tall tree that had been visible from the sitting room’s rear window but she could not identify the species despite the green leaves sprouting from every branch. Searching the house for tree and plant books was becoming a necessity.

  “Now where would Helen keep things like tools and spades and perhaps a wheelbarrow?” she wondered aloud.

  Following the path down to the gate, Anna looked over towards the east side of the property that lay between the garden and the invisible stream or burn that George had said comprised the border of her land. A sizable, barn-like building stood facing her about twenty metres from the garden and another thirty metres to the east.

  Anna opened the barred gate and found a track worn through the low grass leading toward the barn.

  As soon as she left the shelter of the garden, the wind whistled around her, finding its way through her coat and under her hat with its chilly fingers.

  “Wow!” she exclaimed, “I wasn’t expecting that!” She tied the cords of her hood more firmly over both head and hat and breathed in the bracing air.

  Anna decided to follow an impulse and see how far up the imposing hill she could climb.

  Exploring the barn could be left for another day as she would first have to find the key to the padlock that secured the doors.

  “I can’t bear to go back indoors yet. This is too much fun!”

  Near the barn, Anna found another track veering off from the first, and heading for the hill or mountain. Anna did not know the correct designation or name, and added this unknown item to the growing list of things she would soon have to find out about.