Blame It on Scotland

by Patience Griffin

  Tuck was the odd man out, being the only non-Armstrong present for the all Armstrong men’s family reunion. “Sure. I’m happy to help ye, Brodie.”

  John cleared his throat, the action clearly directed at Tuck. “I’ll meet ye at the car afterward.”

  “Aye.” Tuck nodded and left to join Brodie on his fishing boat.

  As soon as they were underway, Brodie summoned him to the wheelhouse. “What’s going on with you and John?”

  “Hell if I know.”

  “Best buddies now?”

  “Nay. Not even close.”

  Brodie nodded in comprehension. “And Ryn? Rachel was asking after her. How is she feeling? All healed up?”

  “She’s doing well.” Tuck wished he had someone to talk to about her, but he didn’t. He kept his mouth shut about his concerns.

  “Ye should stop by and see Rachel. She’s been quizzing me and I know nothing. She thinks something is going on between you and the American lass.”

  Tuck tapped the door jamb. “Yeah, well, I’m going to check on the bait.”

  Tuck and Brodie made it through the afternoon run in record time…and with no more uncomfortable questions. As they were heading back, the Indwaller—the Armstrongs’s boat—had just pulled into the harbor, too.

  Tuck helped Brodie secure the lines and unload the catch, before making his way over to see if John had changed his mind and would indeed stay in Gandiegow with his wife after all. But that hope was dashed when Tuck stepped on the boat.

  Dand tugged on his father’s hand. “Are ye going to see Mum now? And Irene? They miss ye.” With a pleading smile, the boy’s question lay expectantly on his young windblown face.

  “Nay. Not today,” John said. “Tuck has to get back to Whussendale. He’s my ride.”

  Dand’s shoulders sagged. “I miss ye, too.”

  John looked helpless. Ross and Ramsay took their spot on either side of their nephew, each placing a hand on his shoulder in comfort. And solidarity.

  Ramsay broke the silence first. “I’ll walk ye home. Yere mum probably has yere tea ready.”

  Dand shook his head. “Nay. She’s probably in bed, sleeping. That’s all she does anymore.”

  Ramsay ruffled his hair. “Then ye’ll come home and eat dinner with Kit and me. My little matchmaker is a darn good cook.”

  Tuck glanced over at John, who looked defeated. But he rallied for a moment.

  “We better get going,” John said awkwardly. “See you soon, son.”

  There was no hug, no tearful goodbye, just Dand straightening his shoulders. “See you.” He walked off the boat and down the dock by himself.

  Ross shot his older brother a look of disappointment before ducking back into the wheelhouse.

  Ramsay nodded his head in the direction of Dand. “Get yere shit together, John.”

  John’s face grew red, but as he opened his mouth, Ramsay’s hand shot up like a flag, as if it was too little, too late.

  Ramsay stepped off the boat then and took long strides, slowing only when he caught up with his nephew.

  Tuck wished he was anywhere except for here. Lucky me. I get to be the one to ride back with John!

  “Let’s go.” John’s voice was laced with anger. But as he went to step off, John lost his footing from the waves rocking the boat. Tuck reached out and steadied him, keeping him from falling into the drink.

  John jerked away. “Off me!” He stomped from the boat and down the deck.

  Tuck held back, giving John his space. Aye, the ride back will be crap!

  But he couldn’t wait to get home to Whussendale. Ryn was in the wool village. Ryn made him smile. Ryn made him feel calm. Except she hadn’t really, lately. Not in the last two weeks. Being with her only brought on more questions than it did answers.

  Tuck followed, but didn’t catch up to John. The man needed time alone, and well, Tuck needed time away from the man.

  Tuck had only stepped off the dock, when Deydie came out of Quilting Central with Coira following with a large floral duffel bag in hand.

  “Tuck!” Deydie said. “I want a word.”

  Reluctantly, Tuck dragged himself to where she stood with Coira by her side. Dread washed over him as he sensed something unpleasant was coming.

  “Ye need to take Coira with ye to Whussendale.”

  Tuck glanced at her duffel again and saw it was jam-packed.

  Deydie didn’t keep him in suspense, but patted Coira on the back. “For now, Coira is going to take over the Whussendale Kilts and Quilts Retreat.” Deydie seemed pretty chummy with Maggie’s mum. “Coira will do a great job. I called Sophie and she said they’ll fix up a place for her at the castle.”

  Tuck wondered what had gone on here in Gandiegow to have Coira leaving so quickly. Did she and Maggie have a row?

  Ice ran through his veins at the reality of Deydie’s declaration. “What about Ryn?” Was she leaving? Going back to the States?

  “I think it’s best. Give Ryn time to rest more. Gabriel mentioned she shouldn’t push herself just yet. The American lass will teach, of course, but Coira here will do the rest. It’s a big job, running a retreat.” Deydie glared at him. “Go on now. Coira has a lot to do to get ready.”

  Tuck nodded, feeling somewhat appeased and relieved.

  It was obvious Deydie and Coira didn’t see John when he walked by Quilting Central a few minutes ago, because neither one said a word about it. Aye, the ride back to Whussendale would be a long one, as no love was lost between John and Maggie’s mum.

  “Let me take that,” Tuck said, relieving Coira of her bag.

  “Thank you.” Coira smiled and he could make out some of Maggie’s features—her piercing blue eyes, her height, and the seriousness toward life etched on her face. Coira’s long braid down her back was completely gray, whereas Maggie’s bound locks were as black as midnight. But the nice thing about Coira, as far as Tuck was concerned, she at least smiled at him, when others here in Gandiegow didn’t. But he guessed she could be frightening. A severity to her lay just below the surface. No wonder Coira and Deydie got along…kindred spirits no doubt.

  They walked along companionably, but when the parking lot came into view, Coira stopped. “Who’s that?”

  “John.” Tuck knew it was coming, but wouldn’t it have been nice if John had disappeared before she’d seen him?

  “What’s he doing here in Gandiegow?”

  “Ye’ll have to ask him,” Tuck said, passing the buck.

  Coira marched the rest of the way to the car, looking as if she was going to give him an earful. Which meant Tuck would be subjected to that earful, too. Can’t I catch a break?

  The moment John saw his mother-in-law was apparent. He went from leaning casually against the vehicle, to attention, and then a wary expression crossed his face…and stayed there! In the next second, he got into the backseat of the car, as if he couldn’t stand to look at his mother-in-law for another moment.

  Great! Now the earful would happen within a closed area.

  Tuck stowed Coira’s duffel in the boot and then opened the car door for her.

  He was barely inside—not even having a chance to turn on the radio for tuning them out—when Coira lit into John.

  “Were ye here to see yere wife?”

  “No,” John answered in a monotone.

  “Then why were ye here?

  “To check on the boat.”

  “Couldn’t ye have had the decency to see Maggie, too?”

  John pursed his lips. “Ye know, she wouldn’t approve of me being out on the water.”

  Tuck knew it was more than that. Something much deeper was at play. John’s not ready yet to resume his old life. But it wasn’t Tuck’s place to get involved so he kept his damn mouth shut. He was just the reluctant chauffeur.

  He managed to turn the radio on then. He glanced at John in the rearview mirror and the beat up fisherman shot Tuck a grateful nod back for the noise.

  But John didn’t realize it was
self-serving. Tuck needed time to think. He had his own problems waiting for him back in Whussendale.

  Machinery to fix.

  A date he needed to break.

  And Ryn…the woman he cared about, who was giving him the cold shoulder. Literally, he thought, remembering the missed kiss this morning.

  * * *

  Maggie put the pillow over her head, trying to block out the knocking at her front door. She’d done well ignoring everyone since she’d arrived home in Gandiegow. On other days, there’d been knocking, too, but she hadn’t answered, and eventually, whomever it was had finally gone away.

  But this person was persistent. Too persistent. If it’d been family, they would’ve come on in—Ross and Ramsay to get Dand, and Rowena and Sinnie to get Irene. Mum had only stayed an hour in her cottage with her, before Rowena and Sinnie convinced their mother she needed to give Maggie space. Thank the Almighty for that.

  Maggie rolled out of bed and trudged down the hallway toward the knocking. When she opened the door, Emma, the town’s therapist, stood there, prim and proper as any Englishwoman…and very determined.

  “Good. I see you are up.” Emma plowed her way in. “My knuckles were beginning to bruise. Tea?” She walked straight to the kitchen, grabbed the kettle, and filled it. “I hope you have biscuits. The news I bring requires the chocolate ones.”

  “What are ye talking about?” Maggie just wanted to crawl back into bed. “Can’t we do this later?”

  “No. It has to happen now. We have all given you space. Though your family asked me to speak with you earlier, I respected that you wanted to be left alone.”

  Maggie rubbed her eyes. “Then why are ye here now?”

  Emma gave her a wry look. “Because I drew the short straw at Quilting Central.”

  “Ye’re not making sense,” Maggie said.

  “Sit. We’ll talk after the water boils and while the tea steeps.” Emma dug around in the cabinets. “Ah, here we go—Tunnock’s Tea Cakes.” She made a tray with two teacups, the tea cakes, and napkins. The kettle whistled and she poured the water into the prepared teapot. She brought it all in on the tray and set it on the coffee table.

  “Say what ye came to say so I can go back to bed.” Maggie didn’t mean to be rude, but her patience was worn thin from all the trials in the last couple of months. She took a deep breath and tried again. “Tell me what’s going on.”

  Emma took her hand. “John was in Gandiegow today.”

  “What?” Maggie looked around as if he was going to pop out from behind the couch. “Where?”

  Emma looked at her with a sad expression. “He’s already gone back to Whussendale.”

  “I can’t believe he was here and didn’t come to see me. To see us!” Maggie’s soul ached. What happened to her warrior husband, who had her believing in love, when she’d seen nothing but arguments between her own parents growing up?

  “He saw Dand,” Emma said.

  “How did he see Dand? Dand was with Ramsay. Ramsay would’ve let me know if John was in town.” Maggie, still in shock, couldn’t believe the news. She wanted to ask how John was doing. And part of her wanted him to be suffering as much as she was.

  “Yes, Ramsay and Dand were together.” Emma paused and Maggie knew she wasn’t going to like what came next. “On the boat. John, Ross, Ramsay, and Dand all went out on the boat together.”

  “No!” Maggie said. “The doctor agreed with me that John shouldn’t fish anymore. It’s too dangerous.”

  “And yet, John was out on the boat this afternoon.”

  Maggie stood and paced across the floor. “How did John get to Gandiegow?”

  Emma sighed. “You are not going to like this either. It was Tuck.”

  “Tuck?” Maggie was sick and tired of Tuck MacBride meddling in her life…ruining it.

  Emma guided her back to the sofa. “Here. Have some tea.” She poured both of them a cup and then unwrapped two tea cakes.

  “Why?” Maggie repeated, more to herself than Emma. “Why didn’t he come to see me?”

  “I have a theory,” Emma said. She took a sip of tea and a nibble of the tea cake. “Take a bite. It really will cheer you up.”

  “What’s your theory?” Maggie drank a little tea and the warm liquid felt good to her dry throat.

  “John views himself as a different person now,” Emma started.

  “He’s still the same man,” Maggie argued. “He’s just had an accident, is all.”

  “You and I know that, but John has to figure it out for himself. Not to be too new age, but your husband will have to find himself, find his place in this new world of limited possibilities first, before he can go back to being part of his relationship with you. He’s looking for his worth.”

  “But he can do that with his loving family around him,” Maggie reasoned.

  “Apparently, he wants to do it on his own. And no matter how much you want to rush him and how much it’s going to hurt, you’re going to have to let him. For now, he’s decided this is a journey he has to take alone.”

  Maggie put her head in her hands, wanting to hide from the truth. She was surprised her hands were wet from tears. “And what if he doesn’t find himself?”

  Emma laid her hand on Maggie’s back, rubbing circles into it. “Do you really want to be with a man who isn’t who he ought to be?”

  “I don’t know,” Maggie said.

  “I think the answer will come to you. You are a strong woman, Maggie. Stronger than most. You are going to have to find a way to work through this. For your children’s sake. I’ll be here every step of the way. The whole village will be. You know that.”

  Maggie heard the underlying message and she couldn’t imagine it. Would it be better to raise the kids on her own, than for John to be with them, and for him to not be the man that they all knew him to be?

  The front door swung open and Dand ran in, but he stopped short. “Mum, ye’re up?”

  Maggie straightened. “Aye. My nap is over with.”

  Ramsay entered the cottage and shut the door. He looked surprised to see Maggie, too, and he stared at her as if she was a complete mess. Which she was.

  Dand came over and leaned against her. “Ye’ve been crying again.”

  That tore her up inside.

  Dand turned her cheek so she could look at him. “The greatest thing happened today. Da came to Gandiegow.”

  “That’s what Emma was telling me,” Maggie said bravely. It was hard to keep her heartache to herself—John ignoring her felt like a betrayal. But I have to be strong for my children.

  “He went on the boat with me. I caught a fish, Mum,” Dand said excitedly. She could see he was pouring his heart into every word, trying to get her excited, too.

  “Ross and I were there,” Ramsay said. As if that would lessen the blow.

  “Well, I think this is great news,” Emma piped in, smiling at Dand. “You should go write your father a letter and tell him how much it meant to you to see him today.”

  “That’s a good idea.” Ramsay shot Emma a grateful look and steered Dand down the hall to his room.

  Emma gazed steadily at Maggie. “I could be wrong, but I think John coming to town today was progress.”

  “Aye. At least he spent time with his son.” But Maggie worried. She might never get back the man she married. The strongest man she’d ever known.

  20

  Ryn sat in the ballroom, putting fabric kits together for the upcoming retreat on Friday. Though Ryn was teaching her True Colors quilt again—to a group of out-of-town quilters—the pressure was off. Coira had taken over the administrative duties of the retreat, becoming Whussendale’s Deydie. Bossy, but tolerable.

  Ryn was getting hungry and told herself as soon as she was done with the next kit, she’d wander into the kitchen to see what Mrs. McNabb was whipping up for lunch.

  She glanced up to see Sophie.

  Sophie peered around cautiously before stepping in, and pulling the pocket doors
closed behind her. “Good. Ye’re here. And alone.” She acted weird, which was out of character for her.

  “What’s up?” Ryn said. “Did the red fabric arrive?” But clearly it hadn’t, because Sophie held nothing. The only thing she had was the worried expression on her face.

  “No fabric yet.” Sophie quickly walked over and sat down.

  Ryn was starting to get nervous. “What’s wrong? Is Tuck okay?”

  Sophie shook her head. “He’s fine.” She paused. “He’s well, for now.”

  “Tell me.”

  “I saw something, and then I’ve heard several accounts of the same story. I don’t want to gossip, but I care about ye.”

  Ryn braced herself, feeling whatever it was, it had to do with Tuck.

  “Pence and Pound Everpenny—sister and brother twins who work at the wool mill—said Lara told them she’s going on a date with Tuck on Friday night.” Sophie’s pitch rose higher with every word. “Is it true?”

  Ryn’s world tilted and she couldn’t speak.

  Sophie wrung her hands. “I saw Lara and Tuck together and wondered what was up. Lara’s body language spoke volumes, if ye know what I mean.”

  Ryn had a hard time pulling herself together, but she finally did, at least enough to say something. Though it was a lie. “Well, good for them. I hope they have a lovely time.”

  Sophie frowned, clearly not getting the response she expected. “Don’t you care that Mrs. McNabb saw Lara leave just now for Inverness to buy a new dress?”

  Ryn turned away from Sophie’s intense gaze. “It’s their business. I don’t have a say in what goes on in Tuck’s life, one way or another.”

  “But you and Tuck? I thought you had an understanding.”

  Ryn examined her nails, focusing on how they needed filing. What she wanted was to find Lara and tell her to stay away from her man. “Tuck and I don’t have anything.” But it wasn’t true. They’d shared so much. “We’re just friends.”

  Sophie scooted her chair back, looking ready to argue, but the pocket door slid open.

  And the devil himself walked in!