Kilts and Catnip

by Zoe Tasia

  I hoped that I would recognize immediately which box should have such items because if I had to open and examine every single one, it was going to take ages. I found old moth-eaten clothes, books, toys, linen for the crib, and a layette. Finally, one trunk held what looked to be exercise books. Promising. I carefully looked through and found items dating back to the late eighteenth century. Finally, underneath an art project made of old buttons, I found five journals in childish scrawl. They were faded and difficult to read. I gathered them up and went down stairs. Dorcas was exactly where she said she would be.

  “So, you found it?”

  “I believe I did. Do you think that it would be okay if I took them home to look at?”

  “I think that would be fine. Mrs. Nivens’s youngest sister should be over soon to take over. The family tries to have someone with her at all times during the day. So far, she’s been sleeping during the night, thank goodness. So many older people become nocturnal and up at all hours into mischief.”

  “Halloo?” An elderly woman peeked around the corner. “There you are, Dorcas. How is she today?”

  “Happy as can be. She had a visitor. This is Rebecca Shaw. She’s staying in Mrs. Grant’s cottage over the summer.”

  “Hello, nice to meet you and thank you for visiting. Sissy can’t get out on her own very well.”

  “I’ll try to come by again. Talking to her was quite fascinating. But now I need to be getting back home. So nice to meet you.”

  She walked Dorcas and me to the door. I didn’t really think any light would be shed on the happenings on the island by the children’s writing, but I had to check into it just in case.

  THE GIRLS SKYPED WITH their aunt. I wanted to talk to her too, but when the girls weren’t around. It still rankled me that she said nothing about her conversation with Jessie and promised to let her stay with her without mentioning any of it to me. As I opened the door, I called out. “Tate, Jess? How did your chat go?”

  They were on the floor playing Chinese Checkers. “Okay, I guess,” Jess said.

  “She was mad,” Tate added.

  I sat on the couch. “She was? What about?”

  “Uncle John’s gonna lose the restaurant and his house. She said it was because you wouldn’t help him out.”

  That biddy!

  “Jessie stuck up for you. She said that it was his fault not yours, and that he needed to be better with his money if he didn’t want to lose his home. Then Aunt Jan blew up at Jess.”

  “Oh, Jess. I’m sorry, hon. You should’ve just let it go. I plan on talking to your aunt and grandma later on.”

  “You’re our mom. She had no business blaming you because Uncle John’s an idiot.”

  “Jess, let’s not call people idiots.”

  “Well, he is.”

  I had to smile. “Yes, he is, but we don’t call people names. Thanks for taking up for me. Did you two have lunch?” I wasn’t hungry since I ate all those cookies and drank all that tea.

  “We made grilled cheese sandwiches.”

  “Good. Let’s get started on some gardening.”

  The girls groaned, but stood and put on their shoes. We spent much of the afternoon weeding. We also tried to identify all the plants. Jess told me what all she had learned from Fiona. She was excited about the younger drinking age, but nervous about the driver’s test. I reassured her that it would be easier for her because we had an automatic, and I would take her out a lot to get practice. When I decided we had done enough, Tate scampered ahead while Jessie and I took a more leisurely pace.

  “When I was at the library, Fiona tucked her hair behind her ear. Do you know her ears are pointed?” Jessie said.

  “Really?”

  “Yes, I asked her about it and she seemed embarrassed. Should I have not said anything?”

  “Well, sounds like she’s sensitive about it, so I would probably not bring it up again.”

  “I thought it was kind of cool, but I guess being different can bother people just because they are different. Even if the difference is better or just...well, different.”

  “True.”

  Jessie followed me to the bathroom, and we scrubbed our begrimed hands at the sink. “Mom, do you like that Greg guy?” she asked, picking at the soil under her nails.

  “Yes, I do.”

  She slid the soap in the dish and looked at me. “Don’t you miss Dad?”

  “Yes, every day. But I’ve been lonely.”

  “You have us—and Kay.”

  “I do. But I think I can care about more than one person, don’t you?”

  “Yes—I just sometimes wish you wouldn’t.”

  “I kinda got that.” I finished washing my hands and tugged the towel off the rack. “Maybe you could help me with something. Mrs. Grant sent me her family tree and I’m having a hard time reading it. Could you see if you can write it down on a sheet of paper for me to read?”

  “Sure.”

  We finished cleaning our hands and joined Tate in the living room. During our foray at the library, I printed off the email. I wanted to be able to look at it even if the power went out—which seemed to be a regular occurrence. I handed it to Jess and she sat at the table to work. Tate helped me with dinner.

  I was about to interrupt Jessie so I could set the table when she said, “Well, I think I’ve deciphered it.” She handed me several pages.

  I scanned the notes toward the end that were the most faded. I had thought one name said Williams, but Jessie read it as Ghillie, Grieg Ghillie. “Looks like this Ghillie married the sister of one of Mrs. Grant’s ancestors. Hmmm—Mrs. Grant may be related to Mr. Gillie. I think that’s an alternative spelling. Thanks, honey, for doing this.” Unfortunately, I had no way to contact Greg, because I would love to hear what he had to say.

  “What’s that?” Tate asked.

  “It’s Mrs. Grant’s family tree. It looks like she may be related to Mr. Gillie.”

  Tate looked over my shoulder. “Do we have a family tree?”

  “I don’t have one of your dad’s, but I’m sure your aunt and grandmother can give you some information. I do have some information about my side of the family. I saved it as a doc at some point. Would you like to see it?”

  “Is it just a bunch of names? “

  “Names and dates.”

  “I’d like to see it,” Jess said.

  “I’ll pull it up, if I can.” I smiled. “Let’s do it after dinner.”

  We ate dinner and cleaned up the dishes. I pulled up my documents and found the family tree hidden amongst my other information. I gave my phone to Jess to look at. After a few moments, she said, “Hey, Mom. Here’s the name Puldreach. She came from Scotland.”

  I remembered seeing the last name on Mrs. Grant’s family tree. “Maybe it’s a common Scottish name.” I studied the tree. “Tomorrow, we’ll go by the library and get my tree copied down so we can compare them side by side. It would be kind of funny if we were related to Mrs. Grant.”

  “Then we would be related to Mr. Gillie too?”

  “By marriage, maybe.”

  Chapter 23

  THE NEXT DAY, I WOKE up early. The girls were sound asleep, and I didn’t want to rouse them, so I went out to the garden. All the seeds we had planted from the shed were already growing and some of the other bushes, that I thought were dead, had buds on the branches. Small apples hung from a tree, and it wasn’t the season for it.

  “How in the world...”

  Kay was walking down the lane when I went back to the house. I waved and she came over. “How was your outing?” she asked.

  “Okay. We visited the aquarium, did some shopping, and went to the library when we got back. Do plants typically grow well here?”

  Kay shrugged. “As well as any other place, I guess. Why?”

  I gestured. “Come back here to the garden. The girls and I planted seeds just a few days ago, and they’ve already sprouted.”

  Kay followed me and I pointed out the new plants
and apples.

  “I guess you have a green thumb.”

  “I do, but this is crazy. Normal plants don’t grow that fast. Do you think it’s the seeds? Is this stuff even safe to eat?”

  “I would think so, but why don’t you ask Mrs. Grant if you’re worried about it.”

  “I guess I will. We do have enough plants that Jess can try one of the spells in the book. A simple one that doesn’t involve eating.”

  “So, you’ll let her keep the book?”

  “I’m still nervous about it. But, surely, it’s harmless, right? It isn’t evil? Mrs. Grant isn’t a devil worshipper, is she?” I was sure I sounded daft, but I had to ask.

  Kay laughed. “You really think she is? She’s a little old woman with grand kiddies.”

  “Hey, I bet there are little old grannies who worship the devil!”

  Kay chuckled. “Let’s go in. I’ll let you make me a cup of tea.”

  WE WERE JUST SITTING down to tea when the girls woke. Kay had brought some scones from the tea shop and the girls made short work of them.

  I told the girls we could try a spell and pored over the book to see our options. We decided to make something that would keep away wolves. It seemed useful, and we had the ingredients. We had to gather the herbs and grind them with a mortar and pestle.

  “It would be a lot easier to use a food processor,” Jess commented.

  Kay hid a smile behind her hand. “Yes, but a part of what makes the spell work is the effort you put in making it. Using a food processor would take less effort. I’m betting the spell wouldn’t even work then.”

  “How will we know for sure if it does?” Jessie asked as she blew at a strand of hair hanging in front of her face and wiped her forearm over her brow.

  “Well, those wolves should stop coming around.” Kay advised Jess what to do, but let her do all the spelling.

  Tate watched for a while, but when the “herb smushing,” as she called it, began, she retired to the bedroom.

  “I wonder if we could put the stuff in a sachet and wear it?” Jess asked.

  I was gratified to see her clearing the counters of utensils and wiping them down without being reminded.

  I glanced at Kay, wondering what her answer would be.

  “I haven’t heard anyone doing that, and I would be curious to see if it worked,” Kay said.

  “Do you know many witches?” I asked.

  “Not many. But I’m renewing a friendship with one.”

  “Is that the lady you brought on Friday?”

  “Yes, she is.”

  “I would love to talk to her and find out what she knows.”

  “I’ll let her know. I’m sure she would be happy to talk to you if you really want to learn more, as long as you weren’t trying to make fun of her. Sometimes it’s hard to openly be a witch. People can get nasty. I’m trying to talk her into moving here. She has a very good job on the mainland, and hates to lose the income, even though she doesn’t particularly like the work.”

  The finished potion required one last step which was to let it sit in a muslin cloth overnight to drain off the liquid. “The resulting powder is the potion,” Kay said.

  There was a knock at the door. To my surprise, it was Greg.

  He held burlap bundles with green peeking from the tops and shifted from foot to foot. “I saw you were working on the garden. Some rare plants grow in the forest and I dug a few up for you to plant here.”

  “Thank you! So far, we’ve weeded and prepared the soil. We planted some old seeds I found in the shed, but that’s all. I was going to go to the village and see what they sold.”

  “Well then, I’m off,” Kay said as she dried off her hands.

  After Kay left, Greg told me the names of the plants he brought and helped me plant them. Once Jess noted the plant names, she went to the bedroom to read the spell book and see what other spells she could do with the additions.

  Tate was trying to teach the kitten to walk on a leash—with very little success. I finally told her to take the poor thing inside to get something to eat and drink and pointed out that cats, typically, didn’t walk on leashes well.

  Greg patted dirt around a plant and sat back on his heels. I still marveled at how he managed the kilt better than I did a skirt. I would have asked him for pointers but was pretty sure it would fluster him.

  We worked in silence for a while. I wanted to ask him a question but was afraid of being gauche. After a few moments of wavering, I finally decided I would brave inquiries. “Greg, have you helped other lost children? Are you the forest hero I read about in the newspaper? Why do you continue to live out there?” I blurted out in a rush.

  “Aye, I’ve helped lost bairns like yours before. As for living in the woods, I like it, for one. And I have much to do.”

  “What do you do all day?”

  “Take care of the forest.”

  “Won’t the forests take care of itself?”

  “Not this one. Would you like to come someday and see my home?”

  The change of topic was abrupt, but I’d take it. My heart did a little jig and I tried not to sound too eager. “Yes, I’d love that.”

  “Tomorrow, then? I can come and escort you to my place in the afternoon around two, if that time is convenient for you.”

  “Let me talk to the girls about it.”

  “They are, of course, welcome to come.” Considering the happenings in the forest, I was reluctant for the girls to spend any time in there, though I did trust Greg. Also, I wanted to spend time alone with him.

  A thought occurred to me. “How will I be able to let you know?”

  “I can stop back by here in the evening.”

  “Would you like to eat dinner with us?” I couldn’t believe I asked him to dinner again. It would be the third such invitation in just a few short days.

  “I would love to, if it’s nae trouble.”

  “None at all. We have to eat dinner and making enough for one more is no problem.” I was yammering. How embarrassing.

  We washed our hands under the outside faucet. As he washed his, I noticed a red, angry-looking spot. “What happened there?”

  “Oh, it’s a splinter. It will work its way out eventually.”

  “Can you see the tip?”

  “Aye, ’tis too small and deep to grasp.”

  “If you can come inside for a few, I can try something that might work.”

  “Aye.”

  One of the items that the girls bought when out and about was glue. I took his hand, it was warm and large. I thought how my hand fit in his and hurried to examined the splinter.

  “That’s a pretty big piece.” The splinter broke off flush with the skin but the end I saw was as big as the head of a pin.

  “It tapers,” he explained.

  I found the glue and squeezed a blob out on his finger. “Now, we wait.” I enjoyed his perplexed expression. “Would you like some tea?” Though I already had some with Kay, I was fine having another. Cups of tea had taken the place of the tons of diet cokes and coffee I used to drink in the States.

  “Aye, that would be nice.”

  I started the pot and gathered the sugar and cream. Something else I never bought until I lived in Scotland.

  “I’m glad to have met you, Rebecca,” Greg said when I brought the tea.

  “I’m glad to have met you too.” Then there was one of those awkward moments when you don’t know what to talk about. The tea was ready. I poured a cup for each of us. “I’m going back to the caves, but I don’t want the girls to come. I don’t really want to go alone either. Would you come with me?” Good way to fill dead air, Becca. I willed myself not to redden.

  “Me?”

  I wished I could stick my head in a bucket of ice water as I felt my cheeks stain pink. “If it’s any trouble, I can ask Kay—”

  “Nae trouble, I was just surprised. When were you thinking to go?”

  “Well, if we go tomorrow morning, I can give you the answ
er about visiting your house in the afternoon.”

  “Yes, it sounds like a date.” He flushed after he said the word date. It was unexpected on his broad form, but becoming. It lent an innocence to his masculine presence that endeared me even more.

  Jess came and started when she saw Greg.

  “I’m trying to get a splinter out of his finger to repay him for bringing the plants over.”

  “Mom? I changed my mind about that movie. Is it okay if I go? It got a U certificate. I can take Tate.” Jessie had been pretty adamant about not wanting to be anywhere near Lundy, and since Gavin wouldn’t be at this outing, she firmly declined. Now, all of a sudden, she wanted to go? I knew something was going on, but I had no idea what.

  “I guess it’s okay. What time is the movie?”

  “It isn’t ’til six, but some of the girls are getting together earlier at Nessa’s. Tate knows Nessa’s little sister.”

  “What time would that be?”

  “In the morning, around nine.”

  “And you’re sure this is okay with the family? That seems awfully early to show up for an evening movie.”

  “Mo-om! We just want to hang out. Play some games. Have fun.” Jess heaved a put-upon sigh. “Here’s the number if you want to call. I warned her you’d probably want to. Nessa’s dad is Dr. Murphy.”

  Jess dialed the number, and I spoke to Mrs. Murphy, Nessa and Jody’s mother. I remembered her from the party vaguely. Her husband was the village doctor. She had been very happy to see her daughter playing with Tate. Her daughter was very shy and didn’t make friends easily. Mrs. Murphy reassured me again and again that it would be her pleasure, and she planned on going to the movie theater to keep an eye out on the kids.

  “Sounds perfect.” Too perfect. I added in my head.

  “Then we can go?”

  “I guess so.”

  Tate and Jess danced out of the room squealing.