‘It’s good to have a driver,’ John Oliphant said as he settled himself into Rosie’s car. He turned to look at her. ‘You’re very stylish tonight. You’ve always been a pretty lassie with your happy smile and sparkling eyes, but tonight…aye, you’re a proper young lady.’
‘I’ve been to a hairdressers, Aunt Megan treated Tania and me.’ She smiled at him. ‘After all the years you’ve taken me to Bengairney it’s time I drove you instead. You’ll enjoy a drink of whisky.’
‘Aye, so I will. You’re a good driver, Rosie, but I always knew you would be. Have you any regrets about choosing horticulture?’
‘No. I shall always love the farm and the animals but I couldn’t have had a farm of my own. I’m looking forward to running the gardens but sometimes I’m afraid I’ll be a flop.’
‘Never. You’re young and full of energy and new ideas. I shall still be around to lend a hand.’
‘Thank you, Papa Oli,’ Rosie drew the car to a halt in Bengairney yard and leaned forward to kissed his leathery cheek. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without you.’
‘Hey, what’s this?’ Samuel knocked on the car window, then opened his grandfather’s door. ‘Are there kisses for everyone?’
‘Only for one special man,’ Rosie said. His grandfather chuckled and climbed out of the car.
‘My word, Rosie, you’re beautiful. Tania said you’d had your hair done but I had no idea our pretty wee tomboy could look so elegant.’
‘Wait a minute while I put my belt on. Mum bought me a new dress but Tania and I bought the belt in town.’ Sam nodded. They all knew Catherine Palmer-Farr liked her own way.
‘Are you going to stand out there all night, Samuel?’ Lidia Blade demanded from the doorway. ‘You’ve not changed out of your smelly clothes yet!’
‘No.’ Sam sobered and looked down at Rosie apologetically, then at his grandfather. ‘The vet’s just been,’ he said. ‘We have a heifer calving, and the calf is not coming straight. It was Mr Fisher himself. He thinks we should give her another couple of hours to see if she opens up. If not he’s going to do a caesarean. She’s one of the Lily family….’
‘Aye, it’s often the best ones when there’s a problem,’ his grandfather nodded. He had been in charge of the large dairy herd belonging to Mr Turner of Martinwold before he had retired and gone to work at Langton Tower. He had never lost his interest in dairy cattle. ‘I hear the young vet is nearly as good as Patrick?’
‘Iain McNaught? Yes, he is,’ Samuel agreed. ‘Dad thinks so, too. They’ll both come to do the operation if Iain is free.’ He heard Lidia’s exasperated groan. ‘I’d better have a quick change. We don’t want to leave in the middle of dinner if the vets return.’
‘You should leave it to the workers,’ Lidia said, coming out onto the step.
‘I am one of the workers,’ Sam said. John Oliphant looked up.
‘Why, here’s someone dressed for work, Sam,’ he said, trying to dispel the tension. ‘She’s got her bib and bracers on.’ He had no idea Lidia’s hotpants were supposed to be the latest fashion statement. She glowered and turned on her heel. He raised his eyebrows at the exaggerated sway of her hips when she turned away. Queer outfit for a dinner party, he thought.
Lidia hovered in the hall as though she were the hostess. ‘Are you another cousin then?’ she asked Rosie. John Oliphant put an arm around her shoulders.
‘We adopted Rosie as another granddaughter before she could toddle, didn’t we, lassie?’
‘I’m not sure who adopted who,’ Rosie laughed, ‘but you and Granny Oli were all I wanted.’
‘So you’re not a relation then,’ Lidia persisted. ‘It’s supposed to be family only tonight.’ Rosie’s brows rose at her hostile tone and she lifted her chin.
‘Mmm, that’s what I thought, until I saw you here.’ Angry colour stained Lidia’s heavily made-up face as Rosie moved on into the sitting room. There was no doubt of her welcome there. Lidia heard the greetings, and the laughter. She scowled. She had noticed Samuel greeting the blonde girl with affection too. She hoped Rosemary Palmer-Farr was not a regular visitor at Bengairney.
As a child Megan had lived at Martinwold where her parents had managed the dairy herd so she understood the welfare of animals came first and emergencies could happen at inconvenient times. Lidia noticed how calmly she served the meal, with help from Sam’s cousin, Avril Scott, and the Palmer-Farr girl. As the birthday girl Tania was happy to entertain her guests, especially Struan. He had been at Bengairney with other young farmers for stock judging competitions but this was the first time he had been at a family gathering. He could be rough on the rugby field or in the tug of war, but his upbringing had been strict and he was polite and considerate in company.
The pea and ham soup was attractively presented with a swirl of cream on top, along with a basket of warm crusty rolls and curls of golden butter. Lidia nibbled hers, leaving most of her roll and half of the soup. Tania caught Rosie’s glance and rolled her eyes. Rosie tried not to laugh out loud. The roast beef and Yorkshire puddings were accompanied by a red wine gravy and horseradish sauce and served with dishes of vegetables fresh from the garden, as well as roast and creamed potatoes. Everyone seemed to sample everything and clear their plates as though they were starving. Lidia turned to the man on her other side.
‘I believe you are Tania’s uncle and a surgeon, Mr Gray?’
‘You could say I’m an uncle by long association and mutual adoption,’ Lindsay said, raising a quizzical eyebrow at Tania. She nodded and grinned at him. ‘I have been a friend of the family for many years. I am Avril’s stepfather.’
‘Your wife is not here tonight. Is she in the medical profession too? On duty perhaps?’ Lint stiffened. He still missed Ruth, even after all this time.
‘My wife died seven years ago,’ he said and changed the subject. ‘The birthday girls are looking very elegant tonight, don’t you think?’ They both smiled at him with relief.
‘I don’t know how they manage to eat so much stodgy food,’ Lidia commented, helping herself to a third glass of wine. ‘You must be more careful what you eat, being a doctor and—’
Avril gave a spurt of laughter. ‘You don’t know my father,’ she chuckled. ‘He enjoys his food as much as anyone. Of course he works hard too, like the rest of the men here.’
‘A day at Sylvanside in the fresh air gives me an appetite. Fortunately all the women I know are excellent cooks. Are you a good cook, Miss Blade?’
‘She can arrange a plate of lettuce leaves and carrot sticks,’ Sam said, earning himself a furious glare. Megan and Avril rose to bring in the sweets.
‘I made a selection,’ Megan said, ‘so you can help yourselves.’
‘Oh great, Mum, you made a trifle.’ Sam beamed. ‘It’s my favourite.
‘Mmm mine too,’ Alex echoed. ‘Granny Oliphant always made us a trifle. Rosie can make it too.’
‘Aye, Rosie is a fine wee cook,’ John Oliphant chipped in. ‘Your grandmother taught her to cook most things a man might yearn for, didn’t she, lassie? I’ve missed her while she’s been away at college.’
Rosie knew how much he missed his wife’s cooking, as well as her company.
‘Tania will soon be home and she spoils you too.’
‘Aye, there’s not many old men who have two beautiful young women to look after them,’ he chuckled, his eyes twinkling. He looked at Lidia. ‘The way to a man’s heart is his stomach. You’ll need to learn to cook more than lettuces if ye want to snare one o’ these young fellows.’ Lidia glared at him. Her father had accused her of wanting to snare Sam when she moved to Dumfries to be nearer.
Rosie was seated between Struan Ritchie and Alex. She had felt shy at first but Struan was a pleasant young man, and he seemed interested in her plans to take over the gardens as a business.
‘You’re very enterprising,’ he said. ‘Tania told me you’re tougher than you look and a hard worker too.’ He smiled and Rosie noticed his grey eyes crink
led at the corners and he had nice even white teeth. His fair skin had a well scrubbed look and his hair was almost the same colour as Tania’s, a dark glossy chestnut with more than a hint of copper. They could almost have been siblings.
Sam was sitting opposite with his father and Avril’s husband, Dean Scott. They all had an interest in farming and the conversation returned to the problem with the heifer as the meal drew to an end.
‘Will you go through to the sitting room,’ Megan suggested, ‘and I’ll bring the coffee and mints through there if—’
‘I think that’s a car,’ Steven said, pushing back his chair. ‘It will be the vet.’ He strode to the window. ‘Yes it is. Come on, Sam, we’ve work to do.’
‘Er, would you mind if I came to watch, Mr Caraford?’ Struan asked. ‘I’ve never seen a caesarean operation.’
‘Of course you can, lad. Alex will find you a pair of wellingtons.’
‘I have a pair of clean wellingtons in my car boot. Father is strict about washing them before and after, ever since the foot and mouth in the sixties.’
‘That’s good advice. You come along then,’ Steven said regarding the young man with approval. It was too soon to know whether he was a prospective son-in-law or not but he liked a young fellow who was interested in his work. Alex rose to follow his father.
‘I wouldn’t mind coming to watch so long as I’ll not be in the way,’ Dean said.
‘Aye, come if you like, Dean,’ Steven said. ‘She’s in a separate pen so there’s plenty of space.’ Dean had spent a year at Bengairney as a student, before he went to college, so he was familiar with the farmyard, as well as the Caraford family. He glanced at Avril’s father.
‘Are you coming to see how they operate on animals instead of humans?’ he asked. He knew Lint was as interested in farming as any of them, even though he was a surgeon.
‘Yes, I’d like to see how it’s done,’ Lint said, excusing himself to Lidia and giving Megan a rueful glance. ‘I’m afraid we’re all deserting the ladies.’
‘No doubt you’ll all be back, and if the vets are with you, you can have your coffee in the kitchen,’ Megan said.
‘Samuel,’ Lidia called, and hurried out to where the men were pulling on overalls and wellingtons in the back porch. ‘Samuel, there’s no need for you to go. There’s plenty of others to help.’
‘I told you, she’s one of our best heifers. Nothing would keep me away.’
‘Not even me?’ Lidia said pouting and fluttering her eyelashes at him.
‘Not even the Queen of Sheba,’ Sam said, hurrying after his father, leaving Lidia with angry patches of colour and a mouth thin with resentment. He would pay for this. Her mother was right, all men needed to be brought to heel like dogs.
Hannah Caraford and John Oliphant chatted in front of the sitting room fire. At their ages they had seen most aspects of farm life and they also had their family in common. Avril and Rosie admired Tania’s birthday presents, especially the gold watch which her parents had given her, and the ruby necklace and earrings which had belonged to her grandmother but which Hannah wanted to pass on.
‘I have a set similar to this,’ Avril said with admiration. ‘My father bought it for my mother.’ Lidia was not interested in looking at other people’s gifts. It was left to Megan to entertain her. She had never had difficulty making pleasant, if trivial, conversation, but Lidia Blade was simmering with resentment and there were awkward pauses.
‘Come and tell me how the children are getting on, Avril,’ Hannah Caraford said, patting the settee beside her. ‘William must be four months old, isn’t he?’
‘He is, and so far he is a good wee fellow. Anne will be starting school after the summer holidays and….’ Lidia gave an impatient sigh. Avril turned to her with a smile. ‘Sam is good with children. He teases and entertains Anne whenever he comes over to Riverview. Do you like children, Lidia?’
‘So long as they belong to other people.’ Lidia said flatly. ‘I suppose it’s different when you’re older. Samuel and I are too young to be burdened with howling kids.’
‘I see,’ Avril murmured, biting back a smile, but Tania couldn’t resist joining the conversation.
‘Avril is only six years older than you and Sam.’ Megan was relieved to hear the men coming back in at last. She escaped on the pretext of making coffee for them.
They were subdued. The calf was dead, as they had half expected, and the heifer was very sick.
‘She might survive, but I doubt if she’ll have another calf, Steven,’ Patrick Fisher said. ‘Don’t you agree, Iain?’
‘Yes. I don’t think there was anything more we could have done. The calf was deformed. It had already damaged her internally. We did our best. I expect techniques will get better as time goes on.’
‘Aye, not so long ago we would have had to shoot her to put her out of her pain.’ Patrick said. Steven nodded silently. He would have a big vet’s bill for this night’s work and nothing to show for it, but at least they had minimized the animal’s suffering as far as possible.
‘So how is the birthday girl?’ Patrick asked in an effort to find a more cheerful subject. ‘It seems no time since she was a toddler. Sam had just started school the first time I came to Bengairney. I must be getting an old man. It’s time I was considering retirement, Iain. I hope you’re looking round for another partner to buy me out.’ His tone was jovial but he was serious beneath the banter and Steven knew they would be lucky to get another vet as conscientious as Mr Fisher, and one with his experience.
‘I’ll tell my father to come through and say hello before you go,’ Megan said as she refilled the coffee cups. ‘He’s supposed to be retired himself but he still works every day at the gardens up at Langton Tower.’
‘Aye, tell John I’d like to see him. We go back a long time. I was a young vet when I first went to Mr Turner’s at Martinwold and your father was a young herdsman who thought none of his animals should die.’ He chuckled. ‘We were both idealists then. There’s been a lot of changes at Martinwold over the years. Murdo Turner is one of the most progressive farmers I know. It’s a pity he has no family to carry on. He can’t stand the sight of his son-in-law and Natalie was ruined from the day she was born.’ He shook his grey head. ‘He thinks a great deal of you, though, Sam. I believe you do the relief milking for him once a fortnight, when his dairyman is off? And aren’t you doing your student year there as well, young Alex? You couldn’t get a better placement by my reckoning.’ Megan passed round the tray of shortbread and birthday cake before she went to fetch her father. She knew the men would enjoy time to relax and talk about other things after the night’s labours.
‘Isn’t Samuel coming through here?’ Lidia demanded, when Megan put her head round the door to call her father through to the kitchen.
‘Not yet, dear.’ Megan said. ‘You know how it is. The men like a gossip when they all get together and they need time to relax after tonight’s work.’ Lidia scowled and pursed her lips. She had not come here to make small talk with a room full of women. She stood up and smoothed her hot-pants over her slim hips. John Oliphant marvelled again at the length of her legs. She was an attractive young woman. No wonder young Sam was smitten. He made his way through to the kitchen but Lidia followed him. Her manner was curt when she saw Sam sitting at ease with the rest of the men, munching shortbread and drinking coffee.
‘So you’re here, eating again, Samuel! I’ve had a completely wasted evening waiting for you. It’s time for me to leave now.’
‘Is it? All right, Lid.’ Night then. I might see you at the dance on Saturday.’ Sam turned his attention back to Iain McNaught who was recounting a story about his experiences in Canada. Lidia was furious.
‘My name is Lidia! You should know that by now.’ She was aware of several pairs of male eyes on her and she tossed back her long blonde hair. ‘Come and see me to my car.’
‘Your car is right at the door, woman. It couldna get much closer,’ Steven said irri
tably, before Sam could speak. It was rare for Steven to be rude to anyone, least of all a guest, but he had had a long frustrating day and he was tired. The girl was a stunner to look at but he couldn’t stand her pretensions.
‘Go on Iain, what happened?’ he prompted the vet. Lidia ‘s eyes widened. She opened her mouth to speak but when she looked across at Sam he shrugged as though he was under his father’s thumb and she knew damned well he was not. She stomped out on her high cork platforms and left without a single goodnight, or word of thanks to Megan.
A little while later when the vets had left, Dean moved closer to Sam and said in a low voice, ‘I think you’re in the black books with your girlfriend, Sam.’
‘Och, it’ll be all right,’ Sam said. ‘She’ll come round – and if she doesna it’s not the end of the world.’
‘Oh Sam, be careful,’ Dean warned, no longer smiling. ‘She looks to me like a woman who intends to get her own way – by hook or by crook.’
‘You’re talking rubbish, Dean.’ Sam laughed and patted him on the shoulder. Although Dean was ten years Sam’s senior they were good friends. They had lived and worked together, first at Bengairney when Dean was a student and later when he was dairyman for Mr Turner at Martinwold, while Sam was doing his own student year there.
‘It’s not rubbish. I wouldn’t like to see you trapped by—’ Dean broke off. How could he tell Samuel he thought his beautiful girlfriend had only room for one love, and that was herself. He might be misjudging her but he didn’t trust her. ‘What if she got pregnant? You would feel it was your duty to marry her, and so would your parents.’ He had seen more of life than Sam and he was convinced Lidia Blade was more interested in what she considered Sam’s assets than any deep emotion she felt for Sam himself. His young friend deserved better than that. Sam’s face coloured. So far he had resisted Lidia’s invitations to have sex.
Another Home, Another Love Page 2