Return to Oban

by Ruth Hay

  It was as if consciousness came back into her aunt’s body from a place far away. Her head turned and her eyes, which had darkened to the darkest blue, cleared up and she shook her silver hair into place as she gazed at her niece.

  “Don’t say another word, Ashley Stanton. Sit down here by me. I have to tell you how proud you have made me by telling my story so accurately and with such compassion. If Lawren were here now, he would say the same. I read every word and I am so impressed, my dear girl.”

  She reached for the younger woman and there were tears in both sets of eyes; Anna’s from emotion and gratitude, Ashley’s from sheer relief that the final test was over.”

  “Are you sure? I’ve just finished the last chapter and I can get it for you.”

  “No. I never doubted you Ashley and I don’t need to see another word. You have proved your integrity and discretion in so many ways. I can’t thank you enough.” She paused for a second.

  “But there is one thing you can do for me.”

  “What? Anything at all! Just ask.”

  “I am dying for a cup of tea! All that emotion has quite worn me out.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  It was a Christmas feast none of the participants would ever forget.

  The tall, silver candelabra marched down the centre of the Glenmorie dining table bearing aloft their white tapers. The candlelight cast a soft glow over the women’s bright faces and the men’s smooth cheeks.

  Gordon, in full Campbell evening attire sat, resplendent, at the head of the table with Fiona facing him along its length. She wore her deep red, silk gown with the flowing skirt and looked every inch a Laird’s Lady. Anna was at her right hand, with Alan and Bev Matthews on her left. Philip and Alina sat beside Anna with Edmund and Ashley opposite. At Gordon’s left were the McLennans with mother-in-law Jean seated between George and Jeanette. Valerie Westwood was on the Laird’s right and Callum Moir sat between Val and Ashley. The vet was a last-minute addition because Fiona insisted they could not sit thirteen people at the table without incurring bad luck. Anna and Ashley might have preferred Gregor Mackintosh but did not feel their acquaintance with him was of a sufficient length to justify inclusion.

  A bright fire was burning in the grate, holly and ivy from the estate were liberally festooned on the Campbell family portraits on the wall, and the conversation flowed as freely as the rich red and white wines accompanying the five courses.

  Valerie had been entertained at the Glenmorie dining table on her previous visits with select touring groups but never had she seen such splendour in her companions. Callum Moir was in his kilt and he took pains to keep his neighbour entranced with tales of his animal adventures on land and sea.

  Philip and Alina were suitably impressed with the setting. The soft light was easier on Alina’s eyes and her husband bent to describe in detail the relationship and dress of their dinner companions.

  Ashley was entranced with everything from the wine and food, prepared and served by a trio of young people from a catering company, to the appearance of Edmund, who must have been alerted by Anna as to suitable attire for such an occasion. He wore a rented evening suit with satin lapels over a dazzling white shirt and bow tie. Ashley had never seen him in this kind of attire, or this type of company. She was both surprised and delighted with his ability to converse comfortably with everyone, including Alan and Bev. Ashley did hear him request there should be no stories about their adventure on the sheep meadow and it seemed the Matthews had agreed to respect his wishes. Edmund and Philip made a connection across the table when something was said about one of Philip’s building projects in Egypt and Edmund confessed to being a follower of his work in Britain and abroad, for many years.

  Jean cast happy glances over at Valerie. They had arrived in Oban several days before Christmas with time to settle into the new house. Valerie had met the McLennan children once, briefly, in the Lake District in England and she was happy to see them interacting with their grandmother who was now to be a daily part of their lives. Valerie would travel by plane to London on Boxing Day so she was careful about how much she ate and drank and made up for it with sparkling anecdotes about her travel guide adventures.

  Anna squeezed Fiona’s hand on top of the table from time to time. Although Anna had been the instigator of this event it was Fiona who had added the finishing details.

  Donald had been given charge of Liam, Annette, Fergus and Shona and the children had a sleepover planned in the eco house after spending time earlier, trekking through the forest to see the otter family fishing in the river and having a porch cookout with burgers, fish and turkey as choices. Cameron, who was the designated driver for the evening, had been persuaded to perform his star turn of acting all the main parts in an abbreviated, Scottish version of A Christmas Carol, on condition the four children went speedily to sleep thereafter. Fergus and Liam competed to be Tiny Tim, while Annette and Shona claimed the parts of all three ghosts, conspiring together to get the voices right. Cameron made a video of the children’s performances which was later to be a starring item in all future family gatherings.

  Neil was sleeping in the old master bedroom upstairs with a heater going and a baby monitor by his side which allowed Fiona to hear every sound he made.

  All the traditional Christmas meal specials were served but after the cloutie dumpling adorned with flaming brandy appeared, the three servers entered to recorded pipe music bearing a silver platter on which lay a splendid cake inscribed with Congratulations Ashley on Your First Published Book.

  Everyone clapped and cheered, then toasted the author with champagne.

  Ashley was astonished. Her head was in a spin while the congratulations washed over her from all parts of the table. She looked across at her Great-Aunt Anna who had orchestrated most of this amazing evening and her heart was full. Her head, however, was conscious of the debt she owed and she stood to thank the assembled friends and family.

  “Your good wishes mean so very much to me. I am overwhelmed. It would have been enough to be included in this beautiful Christmas feast in this superb castle after all the hours I have been excluded from outside events and people. But to be praised like this is more than I ever expected.

  Of course, I must thank our gracious hosts tonight.” Spontaneous applause greeted this sentence. Ashley let it die down while she summoned her strength.

  “Most of all, tonight I must acknowledge my debt to the lovely lady who has opened her home and her heart to me for these last months. She has been the most generous and loving of supportive companions and co-authors, while I have mined her very soul for personal, precious moments.

  Without Anna Mason Drake there would be no book to celebrate. She is the true Scottish Brave Heart to me, and I owe her everything.”

  She only just managed to get the last sentence out without breaking down. She pushed back her chair with Edmund’s help and walked over to Anna amid another round of applause and hugged her close, whispering her thanks over and over in her ear.

  Ashley’s speech brought a close to the evening. There were more promises of contacts and many compliments for Fiona and Gordon, especially when Neil came down in his father’s arms to join the party.

  George went off to check up on his brood, who he found in the eco house safely fast asleep with Donald keeping watch. Then he drove Jeanette, Jean and Valerie, home to Oban. He had indulged in only one glass of wine and stayed long enough to share the coffee that was presented for those who wished it.

  Anna relaxed in the front seat of Hamish’s large car with Alina by her side, while Alan, Bev, and Philip piled into the back. She had not been surprised when Ashley whispered she was going home to the cottage with Edmund.

  All the way home to the McCaig house, Cameron regaled them with the antics of the four youngsters, and the car rocked with laughter. “It wouldna surprise me one little bit if that minx Annette doesn’t turn out to be a grand wee actress one day. You mark my words!”

  It
had been a wonderful evening, worth all the careful planning, and Anna was content.

  There was still New Year’s Eve to look forward to but for tonight she was basking in the glow of a job well done. Her last thought, as she turned out the bedside lamp, was that Lawren would have approved.

  The cold winter air did much to bring Ashley back down to earth. She was keenly aware of making a move to a different level in her relationship with Edmund Jansen by accepting his offer of spending the night at the cottage. The amazing evening they had shared had likely made the decision easier. She was on an incredible high for sure. Sleeping with him was not going to make up for the weeks of her neglect, but it was a fast-track to finding out if he was a one-night stand or something more meaningful.

  That thought did not make it any easier to walk in the door and bounce up the stairs to his bed.

  Edmund obviously felt the same way and suggested a cup of tea would be warming and provide a moment’s pause for thought.

  She inspected the house while the kettle boiled and was pleased to see a few personal touches added since she had last been there. Overall, the tiny place was the epitome of cozy. The contrast to the high ceilings and vast dining hall of Glenmorie Castle could not be more marked, but it suited Edmund perfectly. He did not have the time for much in the way of housekeeping chores.

  They sat on the couch with their tea cups and Ashley asked a question that had been bothering her.

  “Your name is not exactly Scottish. How did it come about?”

  “If you agree to visit my home town, on your next Scottish trip, you can hear the whole story from my mother, but in a nutshell, it’s because my father’s people came to Scotland for the herring fishing, long ago. They hailed from Sweden and settled near Aberdeen to join the fishing fleets.

  As to my first name…...my mother is to blame for that. She fell in love with a film star long ago. He had a glorious singing voice and she named me after him. Edmund Purdom, I believe it was. Unfortunately, I did not acquire the ability to sing, along with the name. I croak like a frog. She may never forgive me!”

  The vision of Edmund trying to sing to please his mother brought Ashley to an outburst of laughter. Edmund joined in and the episode ended in a kiss.

  Tea cups forgotten, they climbed the stairs together. Ashley’s next question about whether he might ever consider practicing medicine in Canada, remained unasked.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  All was quiet and calm in the days following Christmas, in the McCaig Estate Farmhouse.

  Ashley came and went without comment, although Anna noted a gleam in her eye that had not been there previously. She was due to fly to Halifax to meet with Warren Brady before New Year’s Eve and she quickly packed a case from her bedroom which had been given over to the visitors.

  A package had arrived for her from her publisher and Anna placed it on the office desk for Ashley to open when she next appeared. It proved to be the first copies of A Private Couple Revealed: Anna and Lawren Drake. Ashley presented a copy to Anna as soon as she had autographed it and written a personal note, but Anna said she would not read it for some time yet. She needed to let the incidents settle before she delved into them again.

  A copy was presented to Alina and Philip Purdy and received by them with delight. They chose also to wait, not wishing to spend one moment away from Anna in these precious few days together.

  The three close friends walked when the weather was milder, talked endlessly about their lives and life decisions and ate sparingly to allow the indulgencies of the Christmas Feast to settle down.

  Bev and Alan joined them for a simple meal one evening and the whole story of Sylvia and Sylvester was recounted. The female cat was now a member of the family and had been given free rein of the household. Philip did find it disconcerting to emerge from the main bathroom upstairs to find a very large cat staring at him with curiosity, but no attacks on his feet, or other parts of his person, occurred, to his great relief. Sylvia was more used to females in general although she tolerated the odd male personage who had been accepted by her owner.

  * * *

  Two days before New Year’s Eve, a knock on the door announced the arrival of Ross and Joyce McLeod from Glasgow. A party atmosphere developed at once. The McLeods were true Glaswegians with endless entertaining tales of their large family. The constant banter between the couple revealed their affection and understanding of each other’s foibles. It was a delight to listen to them.

  Ross insisted on hosting the group for dinner at their hotel and drove them there while commenting on everything they passed with typical humour.

  Whisky flowed freely during the fine meal and it loosened the tongues of the three siblings enough to allow them to tackle more serious topics. Alina and Joyce happily retired to a quiet corner of the residents’ lounge and discussed clothes, houses, business and travel.

  “Well, here we all are at last,” Anna began. “Simon and Michelle will arrive tomorrow from Canada and the quartet of McLeods will be complete. Three men and one woman who have such varied histories and complicated lives. Philip was separated from his true father. Ross never knew he had another brother. Simon and I were living our lives in Canada without any knowledge of the secrets our parents’ carried for so long. I don’t know how the rest of you feel, but I hope you will make sure this kind of lunacy does not happen again. I think of Helen Dunlop’s wasted and lonely years and I could weep. Whatever it costs in time or money, our families need to stay in touch from generation to generation. We all should tell our stories, both good and bad, and be proud of surviving to tell the tale.”

  She looked at the two men beside her and saw her own silvered hair on their heads. None of them knew how long they had left to live and to tell their stories.

  Part of her own story was now committed to paper to be shared, and she was glad of it. Ashley had left for Glasgow airport that morning with fervent promises to return to Oban when Anna was next there.

  Each McLeod held part of the story and she knew Simon, as well as their childhood friend Alina, could add more to the store of family knowledge. It was to be a grand reunion, even if delayed for too long. Anna fully intended to extract promises from these two men to meet together with Simon, in Canada, or here in Scotland, or England, or wherever it could be arranged. She would encourage Simon and Ross to bring along their children and grandchildren to keep the links strong for long after all four of the originals were gone.

  In the spirit of new beginnings that Hogmanay engenders, a house full of McLeods brought in the New Year at Anna’s Estate Farmhouse with traditional songs and foods. Edmund appeared shortly after the bells had rung in the new year, as ‘first foot’. He carried a lump of coal as a symbol of future warmth and a ‘black bun’ to signify food should be ever available. Anna welcomed him in to join the party and Alan clapped him heartily on the back and approved the choice.

  “There’s naebody here with the required dark locks and eyes, laddie. Come awa’ in and gie us your crack!”

  Anna noticed whisky had caused Alan’s Scottish accent to become more prominent but she enjoyed hearing all the variations on the accent that were present in her house for this night. The place rocked with noise and laughter and she recalled how Scots really know how to ‘party hearty’. It was such a contrast to the months of peaceful life she and Ashley had known. She loved it for what it was, knowing the house would soon be emptied of all her guests and quiet again. Sylvia had been removed for the evening, in her cage, to Bev and Alan’s farmhouse which would become her regular home until Anna returned to Oban again.

  She intended to fly home to London with Alina and Philip. They would help her close up the house for the winter. Then they would take the journey in stages, staying overnight at Glasgow airport and again in Toronto since the typical Canadian January weather might cause them tiring delays. It was better to take the journey slowly and arrive in London rested.

  All that remained was to say goodbye to her
Oban friends, their children, and the town itself that was, in its way, also like a friend.

  The next time she saw baby Neil, he would be changed entirely, but she could picture him with his brother and sister in the fine eco home his parents had built. Anna took great pride in the successful lives Fiona and Gordon had created for their family.

  Jeanette, George and Jean brought their two to say farewell to ‘Aunt’ Anna. It was another difficult parting, especially when Jeanette saw the tears.

  “Don’t you worry, Anna! We’ll all take care of each other for you. Remember to Skype and it won’t be long until we meet again. When my two are a bit older they will be introduced to Canada with a stop in London to see you, for certain. I’ve instructed George to start a travel fund, now that we have a bigger house.”

  The plane lifted off through the cloud bank and over the islands on its westward flight.

  Anna was emotionally exhausted. She always keenly felt the parting, whenever she left Scotland behind her. She did not feel like talking and she soon fell asleep with a pillow under her head.

  On the adjoining seats, Philip and Alina whispered quietly for a while, then Alina reached down to her feet and removed a book from her purse.

  “Well, my dear Philip, if you can do this for me, I would love to hear Anna and Lawren’s story.”

  Her husband nodded. He knew she loved to be read to. It rested her eyes and allowed her to visualize a book’s contents in a way her remaining eyesight had made impossible. In an overnight flight, he should be able to complete a good portion of the book, at least until his wife fell asleep, or he did.

  He bent his head closer to Alina’s ears and settled a pillow at his back.

  “Ready?”

  “Oh, yes!”