by Hopes
“It really is an awesome responsibility for psychics and mediums like you to pass on messages and then see stupid people ignore such well-meaning potentially life-preserving advice from spirit.”
“But, Mary, you yourself have experienced such problems. Remember you told me about the events in your young life in Glasgow before you came to Dunoon. Anyway, let us forget the venomous Roderick Drummond. Years ahead his words will be forgotten and many will come to Ivylea not only to reunite with loved ones lost in trenches in a foreign field, but also to seek out the meaning of life on this planet earth. And as for you, middle-aged widow-woman or not, stolen kisses feature largely in your future.”
In the light of what Elenora had predicted in the way of future romance, Mary now felt self-conscious whenever she found herself in the presence of Archie Cooper. Unable to explain, or in any way, put into words her embarrassment, she adopted a rather offhand manner with him. She was quite unaware of how distant she had become with him until one day he confronted her.
“Right, Mary, Ah think it’s high time ye and me had a wee bit talk.”
Mary looked round the kitchen hoping for some moral support from Granny, but for once Granny was nowhere to be seen and their little cake maker, Elenor was at school.
“Ye’re wasting yer time, Mary looking for Granny. She’s away to the cottage, obedient old soul that she is. Ah told her Ah wanted a word with ye in private.”
Still not wishing to tackle head-on the issues Archie wanted to discuss, Mary attempted to sidestep saying: “Granny obedient! Is that meant to be some sort of a joke? Granny can be one of the most thrawn people ye’re ever likely to meet. She only does what she wishes and when she wishes.”
“Thrawn did ye say? She’s not the only one. Anyway it’s not Granny we’re talking about, is it? It’s us, ye and me.”
Mary felt hot colour rise to her cheeks.
“Us? Did ye say us? Ah don’t know what ye’re on about – Ah didn’t know there was such a thing as us.”
“Mary! Ye’re a grown woman, ye’ve been married, fine well ye know the facts of life – so there’s no need to play the innocent young maiden with me. Surely ye must have noticed the way Ah’ve been looking at ye, admiring ye, all this time. But just lately, whatever somebody has said to ye – it’s as if ye’ve been casting the evil eye on me. It seems Ah can do nothing right, nothing to please ye.”
“One thing about ye, Archie Cooper, ye’ve got a vivid imagination. Evil eye apart, why should ye care whether ye please me or not?”
“Let me put this in words ye’ll understand. Ah’ve been in love with ye ever since yon time Ah tried to steal a wee cheeper – and ye got off on yer high horse that night as well.”
“Ah’ll hear no more of this. What if Granny, or wee Elenor, should come into the kitchen and hear such talk. Ah’d be black aftronted.”
“Ach, ye’re as straight-laced and prissy-mouthed now as a widow as ye were as a young lassie. It beats me how the hell ye managed to conceive a child – talk about the virgin birth ...”
Mary drew herself to her full height. “That is enough! More than enough. Ah will not stand here and listen to such vile, obscene talk. Ah’ll thank ye to get the hell out of my kitchen. Since ye think ye’re God’s gift to womankind go and try yer luck elsewhere. No doubt the ladies of the town will welcome such an upstanding, outspoken Highland gentleman.”
The words were scarcely out of her mouth before Mary realised she had gone too far.
Instead of the torrent of angry abuse Mary expected, Archie shook his head sorrowfully.
“Ah came in here today with the full knowledge of Miss Patten, Granny and even wee Elenor – she’d agreed to go straight to the cottage instead of in here for her usual milk and shortbread. Ah had arranged that so that Ah could get ye on yer own – to talk to ye in private since ye’ve been avoiding me. Ah wanted to tell ye Ah loved ye and always have and to ask ye to be my bride.”
He strode to the door out to the yard, paused and said over his shoulder: “Ye’ve ordered me out of yer kitchen – the last Ah heard it was still Miss Patten’s kitchen.”
The door closed behind him, gently, not slammed as Mary half expected, and Mary sank onto a chair at the kitchen table and rested her head in her hands.
Oh, what have I done? Mary thought, they were all in on it: Elenora, Granny and wee Elenor. Why was I so stupid?
The bell for the drawing room rang. Mary gathered herself together, splashed some cold water on her face, dried it and slowly walked along the corridor. When she entered she was surprised to see Elenora pacing backwards and forwards.
“Mary, my dear ... no, I do not wish the tea tray, or anything else. Has Archie made his declaration? It’s so romantic – especially since only recently I told you stolen kisses were to feature large in your future life ...”
Without answering, Mary slumped on to the nearest chair and began weeping as if she would never stop.
Later when Elenora had calmed Mary down and heard her story she said: “Oh, my dear, surely not? You two are so right for each other. Such a marriage is meant to be – how could I have got it so wrong?”
For the next week Mary had no sight of Archie and she went about her duties like a pale ghost, a shadow or her former vibrant self. However, she knew that miserable or not she had to pull herself together in time for the next supernatural weekend fast approaching. Aware that Elenora depended on Archie for the event, Mary hesitantly broached the subject one morning.
“No need to worry yourself on that score, Mary,” Elenora said. “Archie has already been in touch. He would not dream of letting me down.”
Mary felt her spirits lift. She could not repress the delighted smile that rose to her lips.
“Oh, that’s splendid. So he will be here as usual to help with your guests.”
Elenora’s lips straightened into a thin straight line.
“You are putting words in my mouth, Mary. I said Archie would not let me down. I did not say he would be here in person.”
Mary’s single involuntary, Oh, said more of her disappointment than any other words could have.
After giving Mary a searching look, Elenora went on: “Archie came to see me before he left Dunoon. He told me not to worry about the staffing for the coming weekend event. The coaching business will be in the hands of his nephew and the work required in the house will be covered by his late-wife’s sister and her husband. So, one way or another there are no worries, everything has been seen to. I’m sure you are as pleased as I am.”
Feeling anything but pleased Mary blurted out: “Archie has left Dunoon? Where has he gone? Has he gone for good?”
Elenora gave a wry smile.
“What Archie told me was in strict confidence and I must respect that. My lips are sealed.”
As Mary turned dejectedly away, Elenora added: “What I can tell is, that common gossip on the street is that he has gone to the other side to meet an old flame and seek a bride.”
For some days following Archie’s departure life became even more difficult for Mary.
Granny’s reaction to Mary’s news was: “Hmph. You gave a fine, honest, hardworking Scotsman like Archie his marching papers. How could ye have been so stupid?”
When Mary tried to argue the point and put forward her view of what had happened, Granny said: “Ah don’t want to hear another word on the subject. That’s the last ye’ll see or hear o Archie Cooper.”
After that Granny kept her silence, not only on that one subject but on most others. After her angry outburst she hardly spoke to Mary at all except in the way of essential household matters.
On one Friday afternoon Mary overheard Granny tell young Elenor: “No, Pet, your Uncle Archie will not be here on Saturday to cheer ye on at yer dance competition. In fact, he’s away out of Dunoon, so Ah don’t think we’ll be seeing him any other Saturday either.”
Mary walked into the room to find Elenor in tears and when she attempted to comfort the girl, Eleno
r shrugged off her mother’s arm round her shoulders and ran into the garden.
“Ah think this has gone far enough,” Mary said. “Ah’ll make us a wee cup of tea and we should sit down and talk this out.”
But Granny wasn’t about to be mollified by tea and talk.
“Aye, lassie, it’s going to take more than a cup o tea to heal this rift. And there’s something else ye haven’t taken in to consideration. With Archie not being here and ye mooning around like a sick calf Archie’s sister-in-law Jess and her man Andrew have fair worked their way into the spookie weekend. Last one they did a grand job. A few more like that and they’ll be taking over and we’ll be back on the street.”
However, gradually life settled back into its former pattern as Granny relented and if Elenor missed her ‘Uncle Archie’ she no longer spoke of him to her mother.
Granny’s eightieth birthday was approaching and there was an air of excitement as preparations began to get under way for the big event. Given that the celebrations coincided with the shortest day of the year they would bring some much needed light into Ivylea.
Elenora Patten knowing of Granny’s ongoing problems with her dentures raised the issue with Mary.
“Yes, she will want to be looking her best that evening, so she will for sure be wearing her teeth,” Mary said. “That is a problem.”
“How about instead of a sit-down meal in the dining room why don’t we have a buffet-style meal in the dimly candle-lit morning room?”
“A great idea, Elenora. That way Granny could slip out her teeth and pocket them without anyone noticing. She can then dig into the food and the clootie-dumpling to her heart’s content. Then before we all go into the formal drawing room she can pop her teeth back in and be in state for the giving of her presents.”
“Since you are going to be extra busy in the kitchen, I’ve decided to bring in some more help. She’s called Kirsty. You’ll meet her tomorrow.”
“I don’t know anyone called Kirsty here-abouts–”
“No, she’s not local, Mary. She’s staying with Jess and Andrew for a day or so. When I mentioned about extra help to Jess she said Kirsty would be pleased to come in for a couple of days – apparently she’s a great baker. After all we wouldn’t want Granny up to the ears in baking for her own party now would we?”
“What do we tell Granny about the extra baking and so on?”
“Oh, I’ve already told her I’m having a special sitting on the twenty-second and that’s why the extra help. I don’t think she suspects.”
Kirsty duly appeared on the day before the party and Mary left her in the kitchen while she saw to her own other duties in the house. In the kitchen for her mid-morning tea she could see that Granny and Kirsty were thick as thieves, but when Mary appeared conversation seemed to dry up and Granny finally said: “Ye're going to be busy with yer baking, Kirsty, so Ah’ll just go back to the cottage for a wee lie down.”
Mary followed Granny and when she had her alone said: “Ye were having a good chin-wag with Kirsty, what were ye talking about?”
“Och, just this and that. Did ye know that Archie didn’t come from Dunoon. The folk at Kinnaird brought him over from across the river to be coachman there.”
“So, Kirsty knows Archie? And she’s staying with his in-laws?”
“Aye, seems she’s known Archie for a long time – like all her life she says – but she didn’t know Jess and Andrew until Archie introduced them years ago.”
Ah should have tried to pump Granny for more information, Mary thought, as she pummelled the cushions in the drawing room as if they were sworn enemies. Kirsty must be an ‘old flame’ of Archie’s and Ah’ve thrown them together again. How could Ah be so damned stupid? Archie’s brought her over here to meet Jess and Andrew before he marries her! That must be it ... but that must mean Archie is back in Dunoon.
“If I were that cushion, I think I would have surrendered by now.” Elenora’s voice broke into Mary’s reverie.
“Oh, sorry.” Mary patted the cushion into place on the sofa. “My mind was elsewhere.”
“I must say you have the house looking really lovely with everything polished within an inch of its life. Granny and Kirsty seem to have hit it off, don’t you think? Blethering like old friends when I saw them.”
Maybe Ah’ll manage to winkle some information out of Granny later. If Ah know Granny’s spierin ways Kirsty won’t be able to keep close any secrets.
“What? Sorry, Elenora I missed that.”
“Yes, you are in a strange faraway mood today. I said, I don’t think Granny suspects anything. Tomorrow, I’m going to tell her that for the sitting I will want her to be present: Best dress and very best smile for my special guests. It’s only fair to give her that much warning isn’t it?”
Granny spent most of the morning and early afternoon of the twenty-second of December grumbling.
“Why does Miss Patten want me at her thing tonight. Ah’ve never been at a sitting before. Ah even don’t like being in the house when she has the spookie parties.”
However, by early evening, she appeared at the ‘big house’ suitably dressed and with teeth in place.
“Where is everybody? Ah’m Ah too early?”
“No, Granny. You’re right on time,” Elenora said. “ I wish to see you in the morning room.”
“It’s all dark in here,” Granny grumbled. Then Mary, young Elenor, Jess, Andrew, and Kirsty lit a candle each, shouting: “Happy birthday, Granny.”
Soon all the candles were lit and Granny could see the side table loaded with ‘finger-food’.
Granny turned away and Mary thought at first it was to wipe away a tear, but when she faced them again it was obvious she had whipped out her teeth to do justice to the food.
When everyone had eaten, Miss Patten announced: “We will withdraw to the drawing room.”
They trooped through the hall and Mary wondered why young Elenor and Kirsty didn’t join them. Mary noticed that the furniture had been rearranged in the drawing room with the various chairs and settees set facing an open space inside the door. They settled themselves and Mary poured coffee for everyone, then Kirsty appeared in the doorway.
“My brother and the wee girl are all ready. Do you want them to come in now?”
Elenora smiled. “Yes, We’re all set. Kirsty give your brother the nod and come and sit beside Granny on the chaise longue.”
Kirsty and Granny sat whispering together and Elenora smiled again as she watched them.
From the hall the skirl of the pipes erupted and immediately after young Elenor danced into the room closely followed by a kilted Highlander.
If that’s Kirsty’s brother, then Ah’ve got it all wrong, Mary thought.
Above the exertions of playing the pipes, Archie looked across at Mary and she was sure he actually winked at her.
After the applause which followed young Elenor’s excellent display of dancing Elenora said: “Absolutely splendid, my dear. Now if our piper and his sister would help young Elenor with the last bit of our party ...”
Archie laid down his pipes. In seconds he, Kirsty and Young Elenor reappeared bearing a birthday cake on the top of which blazed a mass of candles.
The cake cut and passed round Granny gave a toothless grin and nodded at Archie.
“Elenor, stand beside your mother,” Archie said.
He dropped to one knee in front of them.
“Mary Drummond and daughter Elenor,” he winked at the laughing girl, “will you two do me the honour of becoming my bride and step-daughter? Ah suppose in a round-about way that would make Granny my adopted mother-in-law. Anyway, Ah’ll never go through this again for any woman – so, Mary speak now or forever hold yer peace.”
Mary in tears said; “Yes.”
Elenora Patten said: “I told you both, Ivylea will always have a place in your life.
Part 2
Chapter One
1918
On a fine summer’s afternoon in the s
oft clear air of Argyll, for Elenor Drummond it felt strange to be alive. Her beloved adopted Granny Mutch had only that morning been laid to her eternal rest in the local churchyard. For Elenor the glorious, invigorating sunshine seemed like a personal affront, if not an obscenity, at such a dark time of grief in her life.
Of course, she had to admit that with Granny’s great age and her battery of medical complaints it came as no surprise to anyone when, one morning, Granny failed to respond to Elenor’s ritual call of: “Here’s your cup of tea, Granny.”
While Elenor’s mother and Miss Patten, firm in their belief of a wonderful life in the Great Hereafter, seemed to accept with equanimity the fact of its ‘being Granny’s time’, for Elenor this was scant comfort. From the very moment of Granny’s demise and all through the funeral service Elenor had been weeping bitterly. Now, surrounded by family and friends in the drawing room of Ivylea she was still sobbing piteously and bemoaning her Granny Mutch’s departure for ever from the ‘Vale of Tears’.
As Elenor reached for yet another handkerchief, her Mother caught her glance and said: “Elenor! For heaven’s sake can’t you at least gain some comfort from the knowledge that at long last Granny’s suffering is now over? She is free of all earthly ills and her spirit, the essence of what she was and is, will go on forever.”
Miss Patten in her soft, gently-accented voice said: “Your Mother is right. I am sure that when next I go into trance you will see the features of your beloved Granny – albeit she will probably appear looking much younger and happier than she ever did as she aged toward her ninetieth birthday.”
Elenor leapt to her feet and to the amazement of the other mourners she glared at the medium and with a voice thick with hate and revulsion she stormed: “I will thank you not to speak of my dear old Granny in such terms, As we all know, over the years in this house with your many sittings or séances, Granny Mutch would have nothing whatsoever to do with them. She steered well clear of such events – spookie week-ends was her name for them.”
