by Tanya Allan
He chuckled.
“Aye, boot-neck is right. I joined during the war and stayed on for a while. I made Captain, and would have gone regular but my father died, so I left and took over the farm.”
He shared some of his experiences, making some of my own seem rather tame by comparison. This man had seen action and then some. I saw the man in a whole new light.
“I’d be obliged if you didn’t tell either Jeanette or Gillian what I have told you, I don’t want them to know about that part of my life. In fact, you’re the first person outside the4 service that I’ve told.”
That made me feel very humble.
I got real close to Alex and Will, as I helped out on the farm. I met the whole family, and all of them, even the kids, accepted me without reservation. For the first time in my life, I felt as if I always had a home here, to come back to.
Rick arrived, with Macey in tow. I went with Will to collect them from the airport. I had hired a Mercedes 200 series for the honeymoon, so picked Will up from his barracks on the way. He was in civilian clothes, and he was very helpful at teaching me how to cope with the British road system, and their very strange driving habits. I nearly became violently insane when I met my first roundabout, but after my sixteenth, I could even control my frothing at the mouth.
Rick and Will hit it off immediately, both being officers, I guess. Macey just brought his huge grin into Scotland, so the world seemed a brighter place. We stopped off and Will gave us lunch in his officers’ mess. A few raised eyebrows at the black face in the Black Watch Officers’ Mess, which caused Rick and I some mirth.
However, after a couple of whiskies the starch seemed to evaporate, and we were made to feel very welcome. The Black Watch was a very old and respected infantry regiment, with honours going back to before the US was even formed. I had always been under the impression that British army officers were foppish and fools, but these guys were professional and down to Earth. Perhaps my impressions were based on Hollywood and not reality.
I had to refuse the many fine malt Scotches, as I had to drive, but Rick and Macey were well lubricated by the time we set off, leaving Will behind.
We arrived at the farm at about four o’clock, and I saw my beloved was not best pleased. Our gift was a blessing, but as she had the ability to focus on me, so always knew where I was and what I was doing. It had its disadvantages. She said nothing out loud, but I knew I was in the doghouse.
It didn’t last long, as her mom’s reaction to Macey was a joy to behold. I don’t think she had ever met a black skinned person, ever. She was charm personified, but she insisted in speaking very slowly to him, just in case he found the language hard to understand. Macey found this hilarious, playing up to her something rotten, until Gilly hit him.
Rick found himself treated like royalty. He was a colonel, so Jeanette went whole hog to give him the best of everything. We had to run through the wedding service with the minister of the local Presbyterian Church. Then Richard took us all men to the pub, where they conspired to get me incredibly drunk.
The wedding day itself passed so fast that I wish I had the ability to rewind my memory and replay it slowly. I was made to stay with Alex on the night before, as it was supposed to be unlucky to see the bride on the day of the wedding. I met up with Rick at the church, which was a short drive along a narrow lane.
I was in my dress uniform, with medals and sword, as were Rick and Macey. Will appeared in his dress uniform, which included a kilt and sword. All the members of the expedition turned up, and it was good to see them. I knew no one else, apart from Gilly’s family, which was considerable.
The one thing I do remember, and will never ever forget, was the vision of my wife as she appeared in the doorway of the church. Her dress was magnificent, with a veil and train. She held on to her father’s arm, with her four nieces as bridesmaids, and two nephews as pages.
The organ started playing, so we stood. I looked down the nave to she had stopped in the doorway as the pages tried to straighten the train. I always thought the middle bit was an aisle, but was firmly told that the aisles were the bits at the side of the church.
She stared into my eyes, as the sun streamed through the open door, highlighting her blonde hair, so that she appeared to have a halo around her beautiful head. She looked so much like an angel that I found a lump in my throat and tears formed in my eyes.
‘My God you are so beautiful!’
‘And you are so handsome, so many medals.’
‘I love you.’
‘Oh, I love you so much.’
I watched as she walked, or floated, down the aisle towards me. I was oblivious of everyone else, and it was like that moment in the island village. We were the only people in the whole world.
I recall nothing of the service, except the words, “I now pronounce you man and wife.”
We signed the register and left the church. Rick, Macey and Will were already outside and, much to our surprise, Will had arranged for a full guard of honour comprising of officers from his regiment, in full dress uniform. We were forced to duck under two rows of officers with raised and crossed swords, with Macey and Rick forming the last pair.
Craig took far too many photographs, for which we were both very grateful later, as neither of us remembered much at all. The reception was back at the family home, in a huge marquee in the garden. The food provided by the family was wonderful, as were the flowers.
If you have never been to a Scottish wedding reception, then you haven’t lived. Firstly we had champagne as we stood and greeted everyone as they arrived, and then the speeches, while most people were still relatively sober.
Gilly’s uncle, Sam MacLeish, made a speech in which he referred to the shock he received when he heard that Gilly was getting married. This was quite a common theme at weddings, but in her case, everyone knew how true it was!
I made a very short speech, thanking her parents for their gift to me, their daughter, whom I promised to look after. I also thanked Jeanette for never losing patience and having the faith that her daughter would eventually turn into the beautiful bride that she now was.
Rick, as best man, praised the bridesmaids, everything and everyone. I think Macey had slipped something else into his champagne, because he came out with some terrible jokes, and some events of my life that I was completely unaware he knew about.
The food was served, so the wine, beer, and whisky started to flow. They decided on a buffet style, allowing Gilly and I to just mingle, moving on to speak to as many people as possible. I took my sword and hat off, as I was very warm in my tunic. Many of the young Scots lads wanted to know about my medals, so Gilly embellished and invented many tales of my heroism. I think she’d imbibed too much champagne as well.
These same lads were transfixed by Macey, so when I last saw him he was surrounded by about twelve of the kids, spinning them some gruesome and wholly fictional tales of combat.
Gradually, the reception turned into a party, so we cut the cake, slipping away to change out of the wedding clothes. When we returned we were blessed by the vision of a much lubricated Macey trying to do the Highland Fling!
At least they hadn’t a spare kilt in his size!
We stayed for a while, as a small three piece band of locals started playing Scottish dance music. The sight of Macey doing a very energetic Strip the Willow (A dance) with a very large Scots lassie will stay with me for a very long time.
Rick came over to us, placing an arm on each of our shoulders.
“Ed, I hoped and prayed I would see this day for you. Never did I imagine it would be as wonderful as this.”
“That makes two of us Rick,” I said.
“All the NCOs and Officers back home had a whip round, so here is your wedding gift from the guys,” he said, giving me an envelope.
opened it. I was speechless, for it contained a cheque for $1,000.
“It will help you guys fit out your first home,” he said, as I showed it to Gilly.
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“Rick, what can I say? Thank you all so much,” she said, giving him a huge hug.
“You guys will have to keep in touch, you hear?”
“We will, Rick, and thanks,” I said, shaking his hand. A very attractive and wealthy local widow grabbed him, and despite his protestations, she frogmarched him onto the dance floor. We noticed he didn’t scream too loudly!
We went over to Will, and thanked him for his contribution to our special day.
He smiled. “It was the least I could do. None of us ever imagined that we would ever see this day, let alone be part of it. You just take good care of my little sister.”
“I’ll do that, gladly,” I said. He hugged his sister and then me.
We left them to it, returning to the house. Jeanette stood by the door and was obviously waiting for us.
“Ma, thanks for the most wonderful day of my life,” Gilly said, embracing her mother.
“Isn’t that a coincidence now?” Jeanette said. “Because it’s my happiest day too.”
She then gave me a hug, but we all got too choked up to say very much. Richard appeared, smiling.
“Gilly, I know we never spoke about it, but your mother and I are giving you Burnside Cottage as a wedding present. Alex and Will have spent the last few months restoring and renovating the place, so when ye get back from your honeymoon ye have somewhere as your own. Now ye have to come and visit, as you own a wee bit o’ the farm as well,” he said. This was too much for the girl. She burst into tears and flung her arms around his neck.
We were booked into a local four star Hotel for the night, so as it was nearly nine pm, we decided to make a move. Saying goodbye took a long time, particularly as nearly everyone was rather inebriated by this time. When we finally left, I felt completely drained.
I drove slowly away from the farm. Gilly pulled the sun visor down, making the mirror light up behind it. She wiped the tears away from her eyes and repaired her make up. I stopped the car, while she did her face. I took advantage of the stop to remove the many cans and other rubbish that had been tied to the back.
“Well, Mrs Ryan, how do you feel?” I asked.
“Wonderful, Mr Ryan, wonderful,” she said.
“No regrets?”
“Just one.”
“Oh?”
“That you didn’t come along earlier.”
“Then things might have not worked out the way they have.”
“True.”
We arrived at the hotel to find that Will had upgraded our simple double room to the bridal suite. There was a complimentary bottle of chilled champagne waiting for us.
I carried her over the threshold and we made mad passionate love as soon as the door closed – no precautions and no worries. Then we had a long shower together, drinking chilled champagne in the huge four poster bed. I’d love to report that we made love about six times that night. However, we were both so physically and mentally exhausted, we managed one and then fell asleep in each other’s arms. As our bodies and minds were joined, so were our souls. We felt so much as one, as makes no difference.
Chapter Nine
Gillian
Ed woke me as he went for his shower. I knew that it was only six o’clock, so I didn’t have to get up yet. I dozed for a while, waking again as he came and kissed me goodbye.
I hung onto him for a little while, so he chuckled.
“You know that only gets me horny,” he said, as I brushed the outside of his crotch with my hand.
“Your uniform always turns me on,” I told him, so he squeezed my butt and left me alone.
I lay in the bed, staring at the ceiling for a while, warm and cosy, yet very contented. We had been back in the States for a few months now, so I was just beginning to get used to being called Mrs or Dr Ryan. It was the fall, so some of the leaves were turning, but it was still warm in South Carolina.
I had a teaching job in the local High School as head of the languages department, specialising in English. Once I got my green card, having convinced the immigration authorities that I had not married Ed just to get one, I found the school only too happy to employ me. The last teacher had been unable to return due to some accident or illness, so they were beginning to panic. I offered myself for a short-term contract, as I had plans to increase the Ryan family as soon as I could. Ed and I were not getting any younger.
We rented a home off base, as Ed was looking to buy a place of our own. I teased him, as he had always shunned the home owning classes as being downtrodden and beaten.
We had been offered married quarters on base, but after some discussion turned it down. Ed had a small apartment, so that he had somewhere to go when his hours were disruptive, but he also didn’t relish the military wives social scene for me.
I wasn’t that bothered, as I found the wives were actually a great bunch, so socialised with them anyway. I found that there was a little snobbery, in that you were classified according to your husband’s rank. As a Sergeant Major’s wife, I was considered beneath many of the commissioned officers’ wives, by them. However, being British, a professional, non-medical doctor with a brother who was a major, I confused the hell out of them.
Being off base was better in one respect, as it that meant I could socialise with normal humans as well. As with all military, no matter what nationality, the Americans looked after their own. The PX stores and welfare side were exceptional, so when I first arrived, I would spend my time shopping, just for recreation. It was all such fun.
The high school was about a twenty-minute ride away. I had reluctantly sold my Kawasaki after the honeymoon, so almost the first thing I did when I arrived was buy a Harley Davidson.
My first day at the school was something else. Ed drove me up in the Mustang for my initial interview, but I rode the bike in for my first day on the job.
As I rode through the gates, I caused a gaggle of teenaged males to scatter. All the teachers had named parking spaces, so I found mine with nice new white paint on the tarmac, “DR G. RYAN”. I found that the Americans loved titles. I parked the bike in the space and got off. I was wearing my leathers, as I always did, with a new open face helmet, with silvered visor.
I took the helmet off and shook my blonde hair free. I became aware that this simple activity had made me somewhat of a spectacle, as nearly everyone within the vicinity had stopped what they had being doing and were now staring at me.
A plump, middle-aged man in an out of date suit approached me with a frown.
“You can’t leave that machine there; that space is reserved for one of the faculty.”
I turned and looked at my bike and my name in big white letters.
“It’s for a Dr. G. Ryan?” I said.
“That’s right, move it, this instant!”
“And just who are you?” I asked.
“That is irrelevant, just move that machine.”
“Well, perhaps you ought to know that I am Doctor Gillian Ryan, and this, you over-bearing and exceptionally rude man, is my parking space. So take that over-stuffed ego of yours and go shove your nose in some of your own business!”
I took the saddlebags off the back of the bike, as they had my working clothes and other stuff in them. I then walked passed the gaping wind-bag to the front steps and made for the main door
I heard a stunned male voice ask his friends, “Who the fuck is that?”
The reply was equally hormonally impaired, “That is the new head of English!”
“You are kidding me?”
“Nope! Look, it even has her name on the parking lot!”
“Shit, I nearly dropped English. I thought Dr Ryan was some old guy.”
I smiled and made my way to the staff changing room. I changed out of my leathers, so was wearing a smart skirt and blouse when I went to report to the Principal, Dr Rudi Goldmann.
He welcomed me rather formally, and explained one or two things about the school. I mentioned the man in the parking lot.
“Ah, that sounds li
ke Andrew Simpson. He is one of the languages faculty. I’m afraid you were selected to the post that he felt should go to him. Not a good start, really.”
“Why didn’t he get it?”
“You have to ask?”
“No, not really.”
“I sincerely hope that you can work together. He can be a difficult man to work with. Your resume stated that you can handle conflicts professionally. We hope that means you will be able to get him in line.”
“With respect, that sounds as if it should have been done a long time ago.”
“Indeed, no time like the present. Come, let me show you round.”
He took me to the staff room and introduced me to the other members of the faculty. Mr Simpson appeared embarrassed and shook my hand while mumbling a vague apology.
“Then I suggest we don’t look back and start afresh,” I said.
He nodded uncertainly.
In this school, each member of staff had their own classroom, so the students moved around. Carol Chamberlain was another relatively new teacher, who had only been with the school for one year. She taught History, and had even come up through this particular High School as a pupil herself, some ten years previously. She showed me my classroom, so I dropped off my personal items on my desk. I was quite nervous about meeting my first class, but this was a new semester, so everyone was new at something.
As we had a few minutes before the bell, Carol showed me the various important facilities, such as the female staff toilets and the staff dining room. The bell went, so she wished me good luck.
I entered the classroom and looked around at the assembled students. I knew that my skirt was tight and my stocking seams were straight. I was totally used to the high heels now, but I was very conscious that my low cut blouse was showing quite a bit of cleavage. My longer blonde hair shone, and my earrings flashed in the sun. I had taken time over my make up, so I knew I looked good.
A low whistle emanated from someone to my right. I locked in on the target and walked over to him. I stared at the boy, until he went very red and stammered an apology. I walked up and down the front of the class, looking at each student, none of the boys and few of the girls would meet and hold my stare.