‘Anyway, what brings you here?’
‘I wanted to pick your brains about doing something to celebrate Duncan’s life. It’s nearly a year now. I don’t know how to mark the occasion, but I feel I should.’
‘That’s a great idea. It’s a Tuesday though, not sure what we could do on a weekday and at quite short notice. Could we make it the Saturday or Sunday?’
‘I guess so, but I still have no idea.’
‘Leave it with me; I’ll give it some thought once I’ve sorted out the night shift. In the meantime, what’s the news with Tony? Is he still pursuing you?’
‘Pursuing me? No, whatever gave you that idea? The last I heard from him he was dating some Italian divorcee.’
‘Oh; I kind of imagined you too might get it together. He’s really nice,’ Marianne replied, looking disappointed.
‘Well, we did become good friends, but that’s about it. I still hear from him which is nice, particularly as my other good “friend” has dropped me like a hot potato.’
‘What do you mean?’ Marianne said, fiddling with the pot of paperclips on her desk.
‘I haven’t heard from him at all. The last time I saw him was the day Tony went home, and he was a bit cold and distant then. I thought it was something to do with Laura and Amy, but he hasn’t been in touch since. Something’s changed in him; and I wish I knew why.’
Marianne jumped up quickly and walked over to the little kitchen area of her office. She switched the kettle on and then peered out the window as if there was something interesting outside. She turned back to Julia and held up her hands in surrender.
‘I think that Cameron’s moodiness might be my fault actually.’
‘How could it be your fault?’
‘He came round to see Brian while Tony was staying at yours, and I might have mentioned how “well” you and Tony seemed to be getting on. He seemed a bit pissed off.’
‘Why would you do that?’
‘Well, I thought it was the truth, that’s why. I thought Tony would be good for you, and far less complicated than Cameron. I’m sorry!’
Julia smiled, and then started to laugh.
‘So he’s just jealous then?’
‘It would seem so.’ Marianne smiled with relief at Julia’s reaction to her interference.
Julia started to shake with suppressed giggles.
‘For heaven’s sake, look at me. I’m a washed up old woman and suddenly you think there are two men fighting for my attention. That’s hilarious.’
‘Yeah, but one of them really is keen on you isn’t he; otherwise why would he be giving you the cold shoulder when he thought you were going off with the dashing English man?’
Marianne’s phone rang and she turned to answer it.
‘I’ll ring you later!’ Marianne said, just before she picked up the handset.
When Julia got home Jamie rang to say he was going to come home with Bryden and stay for a couple of weeks. He sounded cheerful at the prospect of returning to Shetland for a little holiday. He sounded very much like the old Jamie; relaxed and happy.
‘So Mam, do I still have a bedroom or are you booked up with waifs and strays now?’
‘Don’t be daft. I won’t be starting to foster until May at the earliest, and even then there’ll always be a room for you my darling.’
‘Just kidding Mam. Anything you want brought home from the big smoke? I could do a knicker raid on Marks and Spencer’s if you like.’
‘I don’t think that will be necessary. I have heard of internet shopping you know.’
Jamie laughed.
‘So, what are you planning for Dad’s memorial? It’s not going to be in the kirk is it?’
‘No, but I can’t think of anywhere appropriate at the moment. We could just have a party here I suppose,’ Julia replied, doubtfully.
‘Why don’t you let me and Bryden organise it? I have some ideas, and I know who Dad would want to come along. The funeral was a bit formal; I think he would have wanted something much more fun, don’t you?’
‘I have never yet been to a fun funeral.’
‘You know what I mean. And it’s time to remember the good things about Dad isn’t it?’
‘You’re right. That’s settled; you and Bryden can organise it and I promise I won’t interfere.’
‘That will be a first!’
24
Bryden and Jamie came home on the ferry together, with the boot and the back seat of Duncan’s old Ford Focus full to the brim of Bryden’s possessions. They spent the first couple of days at his new cottage making sure Bryden had everything he needed to settle in, prior to starting his new job the following week.
It was strange sitting in Alice’s old kitchen drinking coffee with her sons. It was stranger still leaving Bryden there and driving home without him; but he was keen to take over the new house on his own, although Jamie stayed over the first couple of nights with him. Julia guessed they were busy planning Duncan’s memorial, although she still didn’t know what they were up to. They simply asked her to keep the whole weekend free.
On Saturday morning Julia got up early. It was a rare morning of warm spring sunshine. Her daffodils looked particularly pretty in the kitchen window box. She was alone in the house as Jamie had stayed over at Bryden’s on Friday night. She had tried not to feel excluded from their “boys club,” but that hadn’t really been successful. She felt lonelier when they were just a couple of miles down the road from her, than she normally did when they were both in Edinburgh.
The phone rang and she took it into the lounge and sat down to speak to Jamie.
‘Mam, I’ve a favour to ask you. I need you to come to Cameron’s to discuss the apartment. Would you be able to come over in about two hours? Bryden and I want to take you out to lunch after, is that OK?’
‘Yeah, sure,’ Julia replied, pulling a face at the thought of seeing Cameron again. But as Jamie would be with her, she realised they wouldn’t be able to talk about anything personal, so it wouldn’t be too embarrassing.
‘Good; see you at eleven then. Don’t be late! Cameron is busy later.’
Julia hurried off to get ready. This was the first time her sons had offered to take her out to lunch, so she decided to wear something nice. She put on a dress and her high heeled black boots. She took time to blow dry her hair, put on some make-up and perfume and then grabbed her handbag. She checked to make sure she had her purse on her; just because Jamie had said they were taking her out to lunch, this didn’t mean she might not need to pay.
She drove over to Cameron’s house and as she got closer she felt a little nervous. She hadn’t seen him for so long and she hoped it wouldn’t be awkward. As she turned into the road where Cameron lived she noticed a coach parked close to his house. She pulled up behind it without giving it any more thought. Julia got out of the car and walked up the drive and then stopped.
Standing outside Cameron’s house were some members of the Jarl Squad, all dressed up as if it was Up Helly Aa. Julia wondered why they were there, and then decided there must be some kind of event going on. Throughout the year it was traditional for the Jarl Squad to appear at carnivals and charity events in Shetland. They sometimes travelled as far away as New York for a parade. The sight of Vikings stalking the streets was always a popular spectacle.
Julia walked up the drive, smiling and saying hello to the men. Julia hurried into Cameron’s house thinking that he must have something planned that morning. She assumed Jamie had forgotten to check with Cameron to see if he was free.
In the kitchen she was met by Cameron, Bryden and Jamie all dressed up as Vikings. They were laughing like naughty school boys.
‘Surprise!’ Jamie approached his mother and hugged her. ‘Do you like my outfit? I borrowed it for the day.’
‘I see. What’s happening today then? I thought you were taking me out to lunch,’ Julia said, smiling indulgently at her sons. ‘Not that I mind; I’m sure I can find something else to do.’
<
br /> ‘No need; lunch is still happening later. But there’ll be quite a crowd there.’
Julia pulled out one of Cameron’s kitchen chairs and sat down.
‘I think it’s time you explained what’s going on here.’
‘We had an idea about how to pay our respects to Dad, so we asked Cameron to help us,’ Bryden explained. ‘Dad didn’t get to have his Up Helly Aa, so we decided to bring Up Helly Aa to Dad. We’re all going to visit his grave together and then we’re going to have lunch at the Town Hall. So; are you up for that Mam?’
Julia shook her head, not with the intention of being negative, but more because she was flabbergasted.
A few minutes later Julia was invited to join the rest of the Jarl Squad on board the coach and then they set off to the cemetery. She had never admitted to anyone that she had not been back to the cemetery since the funeral; not even when the headstone had been erected. She imagined her friends and family would be shocked to hear this. But she struggled to cope with the idea that Duncan was buried in the ground; and now she was a little anxious at the thought of standing beside his grave again.
The atmosphere on the coach was rather jovial given the circumstances. Clearly they had been briefed by Jamie and Bryden that this was an opportunity to celebrate, and they were all doing it in true Shetland style, with whisky and beer, and plenty of banter.
When the coach stopped, Julia noticed that Marianne’s car was parked close by and she breathed a sigh of relief. Up until that point there had been no other women in the party.
As she got off the coach Marianne appeared, all dressed up for a party, and surrounded by her family. She hugged Julia and took her arm.
‘Don’t worry, I’ve got tissues; this could get messy!’
Before Julia could respond, she heard the unmistakeable sound of a bagpipe stirring into action. She turned round and saw a piper in full Highland gear standing next to the coach.
‘Oh heavens,’ Julia exclaimed, knowing full well that the sound of bagpipes could reduce her to tears even when it wasn’t an emotional occasion.
‘Chin up; have a sip of this,’ Marianne whispered, passing Julia her silver hipflask. ‘It’s apricot brandy; delicious.’
Julia took a sip and giggled nervously.
‘What on earth is going on here? I had no idea they’d planned this. I thought I was just going out to lunch with the boys. Thank God I wore something decent.’
‘Yeah, I should have warned you, but they swore me to secrecy, and for once I managed it.’
‘Yes, it was probably best I didn’t know.’
Once the squad had emerged from the coach they gathered in a huddle, as if they were having a final team briefing. Then they got into formation of two rows, led by the Jarl who raised his axe and roared theatrically as the signal to move.
The piper walked ahead of the Jarl and began playing and the procession set off into the cemetery to the spot where Duncan had been buried nearly a year ago.
Julia, Marianne and some other friends who were not dressed in Viking costume followed the procession in silence.
It was fortunate that Duncan’s grave was in a spacious corner of the cemetery as the Jarl Squad took up a lot of room. When Julia and Marianne arrived at the grave they found that someone had set out a bench nearby, so they sat down gratefully, as the men converged around the grave.
The piper stopped at the end of the tune and there was a moment of quiet shuffling into position. Jamie and Bryden stood either side of the Jarl, looking resplendent in their borrowed costumes. Julia’s eyes were drawn to the shields that their father had designed.
The Jarl lifted an ancient looking cow horn and blew into it; one long mournful note, before he spoke.
‘My friends; we are here to pay our respects to Duncan Robertson, who was a fine member of our squad and we have missed his presence throughout the year, and particularly at Up Helly Aa. He was a great man, a great teacher and a great friend to many of us. He was also a wonderful father to Jamie and Bryden and husband to Julia. He was a friend to hundreds of people; far too many to bring to his graveside today; however, we will see many of them later at the hall.’
Julia turned to look at Marianne at this point and raised her eyebrows in question.
‘I will now ask Jamie and Bryden to lay our wreath,’ the Jarl continued.
Julia watched as someone passed a large wreath of dark foliage, at the centre of which was a wooden disk painted in the same design as the shield.
As Jamie and Bryden carried the wreath to the grave and propped it against the headstone the piper started to play Amazing Grace. Julia gritted her teeth against the swell of emotion that threatened to erupt from deep within her. She felt Marianne’s hand tighten around hers and sensed she was feeling the same way.
She concentrated on watching her sons, as they stepped back from the grave with their heads bowed. The other members of the squad looked equally sombre.
When the piper finished, the Jarl lifted his horn and blew it, clearing the air of the melancholy bagpipes, then they all launched into the Up Helly Aa anthem, which visibly lifted their spirits, judging by the energetic way they waved their axes around.
They finished with a loud hailing of three cheers for Duncan Robertson, after which the men started making their way back to the coach, leaving Julia and Marianne behind; sitting on the bench still holding hands.
‘That was rather nice wasn’t it? What do you think Duncan would have made of that?’ Marianne said.
‘I think he would have enjoyed it. I don’t know what other people must have thought,’ Julia replied, pointing at an elderly couple walking through the cemetery who had stopped to watch.
‘Well, it’s a little unexpected for a quiet Saturday morning; but this is Shetland after all.’
‘I guess we’d better go and see what’s happening next.’
‘Oh, you’ll love this bit, and look, we didn’t need these tissues after all,’ Marianne said, stuffing the packet back into her handbag.
‘Keep a hold of that hip flask though!’
Julia stood up and took Marianne’s arm and with one final glance at the beautiful wreath they made their way back to the car-park where everyone was waiting for them.
Julia got back onto the coach after going up to the Jarl and kissing him on the cheek in gratitude. Jamie and Bryden were seated next to each other so Julia took a seat across the aisle from them.
‘Was that OK, Mam? Did you like our surprise?’ Bryden said, grinning at her.
‘Yes; but I can’t believe you managed to organise this so quickly.’
‘Well, we had a little help from Cameron. A lot of help actually. In fact, we didn’t really do much at all other than ring him,’ Jamie confessed.
Julia turned to see where Cameron was. He was at the back of the coach, deep in conversation with someone. She decided to thank him later.
The coach set off again and a few minutes later it stopped outside the Town Hall. Julia could see quite a few people she recognised walking into the building, including Duncan’s colleagues and a few teenagers, looking smarter than they normally would on a weekend.
They all went inside the Town Hall and made their way upstairs to the great hall, where Julia found tables and chairs set out for lunch. It was quite an informal layout with white paper tablecloths on the tables, but there were real flowers in the vases on each table. Julia noticed that most people were walking towards one end of the room where a set of display stands was erected. There were too many people gathered around to see exactly what was on display but she caught a glimpse of some photos and guessed they were of Duncan.
She went over to get a better look and discovered there were lots of photographs from the Up Helly Aa bunker and quite a few taken at school, showing Duncan throughout the years.
Duncan’s friends and colleagues greeted her warmly, and pointed to different pictures, sometimes laughing at a memory and sharing it with her.
Julia was so busy enj
oying the display she didn’t realise people were starting to take their seats at the tables. She looked up to see Jamie beckoning her over to a table in the middle of the room. She hurried over and sat down, just before the Jarl climbed up onto the stage to make a speech.
‘For those of you who have just joined us, we have come back from laying a wreath on the grave of our dear friend Duncan Robertson. I would like to thank everyone for coming along to this impromptu memorial lunch. Last year when we said goodbye to Duncan it was a very sad and solemn occasion. Today we want you to be happy. We want to celebrate his life and to remember the good times; of which there were plenty. So please enjoy the lunch that Jamie, Bryden and Cameron have organised for you. We will have the pleasure of listening to some talented fiddlers while we eat, all of whom are pupils that Duncan taught at the High School. So let’s put our hands together and give them a warm welcome.’
Julia watched the group of teenagers join the Jarl on the stage. As they started to play their fiddles, the doors opened from the kitchen area and some women started to bring out plates of food. Cameron had sat down at the table opposite Julia, although she had barely noticed his presence in all the goings on. He leaned over and opened a bottle of red wine and started pouring it out for everyone.
‘I hear you had a great deal to do with organising this little party,’ Julia said as Cameron passed her a glass.
‘A little; we didn’t have much time to do anything very sophisticated, but the Town Hall was free, and so were a few of the Jarl Squad; it seemed an appropriate gesture.’
‘It’s perfect, thank you. I had no idea what to do to mark the occasion; I would never have thought of this, but it’s entirely appropriate. And I love the photos.’
‘You’ll be able to take them home later, Mam.’ Bryden said, joining in with their conversation. There’s a DVD too, but we won’t play that here. But it’s really good. Dad’s singing on it; it’s dreadful!’
Jamie sniggered and nodded in agreement.
‘Well, that wasn’t really one of his talents,’ Julia replied, smiling at Jamie.
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