Kilts and Catnip

by Zoe Tasia

  “Thank you, again,” I said when we reached the door.

  “It seems that you are often in need of help. Perhaps you should find a husband? You’re comely enough.”

  I bristled. “I don’t need a husband,” I said, my teeth clenched.

  “A woman needs a helpmate as does a man,” he stated.

  “So, why aren’t you looking for a helpmate?”

  “That is no concern of yours,” he said shortly. “Goodnight.” And, with a whirl, he disappeared into the darkness.

  I locked the doors and made sure all the windows were shut, even though it would be stuffy. The wolf scared me. Heck, the cat and the man were beginning to make me feel seriously uneasy.

  The girls went to bed without a fuss. Jessie had a dreamy expression on her face as she tucked herself in bed. I kissed both the girls and sat at the kitchen table with a cup of tea. I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about the feeling of his arm, the heat he radiated, and the way his blue-black hair gleamed.

  “Geez, Becca. You aren’t sixteen. Stop mooning!” I admonished myself. Besides, he thought I should find myself a man, and clearly, said man wasn’t him.

  As I put the empty teacup in the sink, I heard a howl. Though tempted, I refused to look out the window and went straight to bed.

  Chapter 6

  THE NEXT MORNING, WE all slept in. When we did wake up, the sun was well overhead. I decided to work some more in the garden. It was overgrown, but with attention, it could be lovely. I knew it was silly since we would be gone in a few months. The hands of time would render it back to its current condition, but I hated seeing it the way it was, and I needed something to take my mind off recent events. Gavin invited Jessie back to Samms Farm to help with the horses, and I gave permission. She spent an hour getting ready and then took off like a dart since she was running late, no doubt undoing all her efforts. I shook my head and smiled. As I finished making breakfast, we heard the telltale meow. Tate opened the door, and Kiera entered regally, up on her toes and her tail erect. Though she shared half her breakfast with the cat, Tate seemed to be eating and looked better. Perhaps we could skip the trip to the doctor.

  I didn’t have any plans for the day other than gardening. Tate joined me, and once I pointed out the difference, helped with weeding for an hour—fifty minutes longer than I thought—then went in to finish her book. I peeked in later, and she was curled up with Kiera, making comments on what was happening. I swear, it looked as if the cat understood every word she said and when Tate paused before turning the page, the cat batted her hand in encouragement.

  “That’s the craziest thing,” I said to myself.

  I hadn’t bought much the first day on the island, so I needed to replenish the pantry. Tate grudgingly stopped reading, and we walked to the bus stop. I intended to get plenty and didn’t want to have to carry it home on foot. The bus came every half hour on Saturday, so we didn’t wait long. I thought we would look around town at the various shops, have a tea, or in Tate’s case a hot cocoa, do grocery shopping, then take the bus home.

  One shop sold and rented kilts and stocked tartan. I was amazed at how expensive they were. The kilts costs more than I paid for my last dress. “That’s why many men rent them for formal events and weddings,” the shop keeper confided. “Men rarely wear them daily. Only a few older gents.”

  “I saw a younger man, around my age, wearing one.”

  “Well, perhaps he was off to a party.”

  “No, I don’t think so. He was in the forest.”

  “We have some eccentric characters in the village as most small villages do. No doubt you’ve run across one.”

  “I suppose. He seemed gruff—maybe rustic, but sane and kind.”

  “Well, if he acted crazy, he would be put away, now wouldn’t he?” the shop keeper opined.

  “I guess so.” I bought four yards of tartan to send home to my mother in-law. She loved to sew and the material was the only thing she asked of me. Even though I had been in Aberdeen since last summer, I hadn’t managed to make it to a shop before to buy the gift. I’d hoped to find something local to send her from the island.

  We found a sweet tea shop, Marnie’s Tearoom, tucked in an alley or perhaps an old street only wide enough for pedestrian travel now. There were many such places in Scotland. The shop was well attended, always a sign of a good establishment.

  I smiled at the display of miniature Sticky Toffee Puddings and couldn’t help but think of Greg. While he was easy on the eyes and mostly polite, he could say the most annoying things at times. The proprietor, Marnie Wallace, introduced herself and took our order. We got tea and scones as a treat. I held back a sigh as Conall saw me through the plate glass and doubled back to enter the shop.

  “How are you today?” he asked when he reached the table.

  I nodded. “Well enough.”

  He seemed agitated and swiped a shaky hand through his hair. “I had a rough night,” he admitted.

  “Well, some people do. A full moon can have a strange effect.” My words were whimsical as I struggled to keep the mood light.

  “That’s the talk of old women. The full moon has nae effect on me—or anyone else, for that matter.” There was an awkward pause as we both regrouped. “I didn’t mean you were an old woman—” he said, as I said at the same time, “I’m sorry, I—”

  We laughed nervously.

  “No harm done, I hope. As I said, I didn’t sleep well. You made it home all right, then?” he asked.

  “Yes, we had a bit of a fright. A wild wolf was on the lane. I think from now on, I’ll carry a large stick. Kay said that they’re more afraid of us than we are of them, but this one seemed quite bold.”

  He swallowed. “Well, we tend to leave well enough alone here. Creatures, all, have a right to live.”

  “As long as they cause no harm,” I commented.

  “Aye, that. Well, I’ll leave you to your tea. G’day.” He bustled away before I could say anything. How peculiar.

  The shop teemed with customers, and I recognized some American accents. As I gazed out the window gathering wool, a familiar voice greeted me.

  “I see you survived the walk home, Becca.”

  “Miss Sheey!” Tate exclaimed. “How are the kittens?”

  “Curious as can be and constantly finding something to get into. They’ll be ready to be weaned in a month.”

  I gestured to the chair. “Please, sit down and join us.”

  She pulled it out and sat. “I can only stay a bit. I often help out Marnie on the weekends during the summer when things get busy. I do have time to have a cuppa with you while I wait for the bread to finish baking.”

  “How many of the kittens have homes?” Tate asked

  “The ginger tom and the gray and white one are already spoken for.”

  “Jody told me. I met her at the party last night.” Tate frowned for a moment in thought. “At least she hasn’t chosen my favorite.”

  “And which might that be?”

  Tate lit up. “The black one with the long hair. She reminds me of Kiera. She’s so tiny, but brave. She doesn’t let the bigger ones push her around. Even though she’s tough and brave, she’s gentle. Some of the others scratch accidentally.” She showed her arm which had light crosshatches where the kittens had caught at her.

  “You’re a good judge of kittens, Tate. She will make someone a wonderful pet. Sadly, it’s hard to find homes for black cats.”

  “Why?” Tate asked.

  “People believe black cats are bad luck. Many shelters don’t allow black cats to be adopted in October, because there have been cases of abuse during All Hallows’ Eve. Shelters put a moratorium on black cat adoption or step up screening at that time of the year.”

  “That’s horrible!” I loved animals and cringed at the idea of anyone abusing the kittens.

  “I’ll go fetch some tea. The scones are fresh out of the oven. Would you like a couple?”

  Tate gave me a pleading look,
complete with hands clasped in front of her chest.

  “Better make that six. One for Jess when she gets home and the others for breakfast tomorrow.”

  Kay glided between the crowded tables and chairs and returned with a tray.

  “This is one thing I will seriously miss when we return to the States,” I said as I piled my scone high with clotted cream and raspberry jam.

  “They don’t make scones?” Kay asked, pouring us each a cup of tea.

  “What Americans call scones are different from the ones here. They’re more like giant triangular biscuits. Good, just not the same.”

  “I’ve never been overseas.”

  “You should go sometime. There’s a lot to see and do. We have family in Houston who we plan to visit next summer. If you travel then and are anywhere near us, I would be happy to take you around.” Why did I say that? I disliked driving in the busy city and was happier letting guests make their own arrangements for sightseeing. I changed the topic. “I can’t believe how crowded the shop is. It reminds me of one of the beach resorts in Texas.”

  “The lake island community is a novelty and many who are already in the vicinity for other reasons make a point to ferry over to hike or just to walk around the town. No cars save those already here are allowed on the island. We want to keep this a nice place and the quiet appeals to us.”

  “How long have you lived here?”

  “I lived here with my family until I turned sixteen and we moved to Aberfeldy. We remained there for over thirty years. When my parents retired and moved to a residential care home, I visited the island. Several years later, and I’m still here.”

  I had to reassess my guess about Kay’s age. I thought she was around my age, but from what she just said, she must be closer to fifty than forty. She did have one of those ageless faces. Carnival people would lose money guessing her age and would probably continue to do so when she was ninety. We finished our drinks and scones and Kay stacked the empty cups and dishes on the tray and wiped the table.

  “Are you going home soon?” Tate asked. “I thought, if it was okay, maybe I could come over and help with the kittens.”

  My daughter studiously avoided looking at me. I was sure “help” was Tate code for “play.”

  “Tate Elizabeth, we do not invite ourselves over to someone’s house,” I admonished.

  Tate opened her mouth to apologize, but Kay interrupted. “I have a few more hours of work to do here, but if it’s okay with your mother, it would be a big help to me if you could check on them and see if their mama needs any water or food.” Kay looked to me for the answer.

  “We’d be happy to do that, but are you sure? After all, we’ve just met.”

  “I’m a good judge of character. I trust you. Besides even if you were a thief, I’ve got nothing anyone would want to steal—unless you’re a cat burglar,” she added mischievously as she squinched up her nose at Tate. Tate and I obliged her with giggles. “Well, I best get these back to the kitchen and start cleaning.” Kay smiled and waved, swirling her skirt as she made her way toward the swinging doors.

  “But what about the key?” I asked.

  “The door is unlocked. Just make sure you pull it to and it’s latched before you leave. Otherwise, I’ll have six kitties to chase after. The cat food is in the pantry above the bowl.”

  We said our goodbyes and, after an overdue stop at the grocery, we staggered under the weight of bagged goods to the bus stop bench.

  “We need to get one of the little carts other ladies use to put our shopping in, Mom,” Tate commented pushing a sweaty lock behind her ear.

  “There may be one at the cottage. I haven’t checked, but we are definitely bringing it next time if there is one.” I repositioned a bag so a box corner wasn’t digging into my ribs. When, after a short wait, the bus came, it held few passengers. Most did their shopping during the weekdays when the businesses weren’t crowded with tourists. “Let’s go home first, Tate. We can drop off the groceries and—” I checked my watch. “Jess may be home by now and want to go with us or eat her scone as a snack.”

  Tate agreed quickly, making me feel bad about saddling her with two bags. They were the smallest, and I couldn’t carry anymore, but guilt washed over me, and I regretted purchasing so much, since Tate had felt off the past few days. When we reached the door, she tried to mask a yawn.

  “Are you feeling okay?” I asked.

  “A little tired. It was a long walk with the groceries, but Mrs. Sheehy’s isn’t very far and we have to go, Mom. I’ve got to water and feed her cats.”

  I thought the cats would be fine until Kay got back, but I knew my little girl had her heart set on going. We had half the groceries unpacked when Jess rushed in, her face flushed with excitement.

  “Gavin let me jump the horse!” she reported, grinning ear to ear.

  “Jessie, I don’t know about that—it’s been a while since you’ve had horseback lessons.”

  When we lived in Houston, both the girls had English style horse riding lessons, albeit Tate had barely started when we moved. Jessie had graduated to jumping the horses, but she’d hardly ridden since our move to Aberdeen. I had asked her, but I thought she was punishing me for moving her away from her friends. She continually reminded me, “It won’t be the same without Courtney and Trina.”

  “Mo—om, Mr. Samms was there and the fences were very low. He also gives lessons. Do you think I could take some while we’re here?”

  I took pleasure in seeing her excited and happy about something. The lessons gave her much joy when her dad was alive. She attended after his death, but lacked enthusiasm. He was the one who had encouraged her. I had some experience with cowboy riding, but not English.

  “We’ll see, honey.” I put off the decision for later. “Tate and I brought back scones. There are three for breakfast tomorrow, but we got an extra one for you if you’re hungry.”

  “Thanks!” Jessie sifted through what we had bought and quickly found the scone. She broke off a corner and stuffed it into her mouth. “Yum, thanks, Mom,” she said around the bite.

  “We saw Kay Sheey in town, and she asked if we could stop by and check on the cats this afternoon. Do you want to come or would you rather stay here?”

  “Sure, I’ll come. Let me wash off a bit. I smell like horse.” She raced to the bathroom and returned with wet hair in a sloppy braid and her face scrubbed pink. She munched on the scone as we walked over. True to Kay’s word, we needed no key and, when we entered, the cats immediately mewed and twined around our legs, demanding attention. The girls each picked up two kittens. After I found the food, I handed it down to Tate so she could feed the cats. She washed out the water bowls and refilled them with fresh water, nearly bursting with pride.

  The girls settled down for some serious petting time while I perused Kay’s bookshelves. Some appeared to be in Gaelic. The latest Booker and Orange winners were annotated and marked. Either Kay taught, was in, or ran a book club. I leaned toward believing she ran one since the books had folded articles, study questions, and reviews tucked behind the covers. The books were too recently published to be introduced into a school yet. Several books on fables and local mythology that I would have loved to have spent more time skimming lined the bottom shelf, but I wanted to be gone before Kay made her way back so she wouldn’t feel like she had to feed and entertain us. I imagined she would be tired after waiting on all those customers.

  “Girls, I’m going to run to the bathroom before we leave. Put the kittens back in with their mommy. They’re probably hungry and have had enough attention for now.”

  Tate groaned but I reminded her that they were just babies and too much stimulation would be bad for them.

  “I’m going to look for a big stick,” Jessie said.

  I doubted that the wolf would come out this early, but I didn’t think it a bad idea either. When I turned to the bathroom, I heard Tate say, “As we walked up, I saw this stick almost as tall as I am.”

/>   After I made use of the bathroom, I saw that the front door was open, just a bit, but enough for a kitten to escape. Alarmed, I called for the girls and we searched for the kittens, finding all except the little black one.

  Beside herself with worry, Tate said, “Oh, no! I told you she was brave.”

  Near tears, Jessie apologized. “I’m so sorry, Mom. I thought I shut the door.”

  “It’s okay, honey. We’ll find the kitten.” I hope.

  Chapter 7

  AFTER SHUTTING THE door, properly this time, we searched the yard, circling out farther and farther from the house. The girls called for the kitty. I thought the little one was too young to come when called, but perhaps noise would motivate her to move and reveal her presence. We reached the edge of Kay’s property and still hadn’t found the kitten.

  “She’s so tiny and the door was only open while I visited the bathroom. How in the world did she wander so far away? Jess, you go up the path to the road and see if she made it that far. I wouldn’t think so, but maybe something caught her eye, and she ran.”

  Jessie raced toward the path. From the drive onward, stone walls flanked the road. Though low, they were certainly too high for a kitten to manage. “Tate, we’ll walk around the house again, only pay close attention to the edge of the property. Maybe we can see an obvious break in the foliage where she slipped through.”

  Kay had planted blackthorn sloe, raspberry bushes, and several varieties of roses, including the butter-yellow Emily Gray and the pink and white Ballerina near the edge. I assumed they were to discourage the animals from trespassing. “Tate, do not go into the forest. If you see something, call me.” Thankfully, in the summer, the days were long. During the winter, at least in Aberdeen, by four you had to turn on the car headlights to see. Before we finished checking the perimeter, Jess returned.

  “No sign, Mom.”

  I explained what we were doing and Jess helped. Finally, we caught a break. At the forest edge, nearest to the doorway, I found a small path worn clear of grass and shrubs. I wondered if it was a rabbit trail. I can’t believe I didn’t think to search there first, but we were at the back of the house when I thought to look more closely at the forest’s edge. Kay had planted many flowers and predictably, catnip, in her small garden along with some herbs. To my surprise, Kay didn’t have a vegetable garden, but I supposed with Samms Farm close, she hadn’t seen the need.