TIME TO GO – PART 6 AND 7

The next day Archie and Lexie were up bright and early eating breakfast when Duncan came through. "Morning guys" he smiled picking up a slice of toast. Archie and Lexie both looked up and smiled. "So are you two going to be here for the midsummer ball then?" Duncan asked. "Oh yeh Arch, I forgot about that. It'll be alright to stay for a week or so more yeh?" Lexie asked with excitement. "Well I don't know the house in Annan is ready for us to move back to now Lex" Archie replied. "But Arch…we can't miss this" Lexie murmured. Archie sipped his tea and chose to ignore his wife. He didn't want to be here for their first Macdonald gathering when they weren't supposed to be there in the first place. "Come on Arch…please". Archie turned to see Lexie's bright blue eyes had turned dull and sad. "Oh …okay then" he relented. "But then we have to go".
Lexie smiled and hugged Archie. "Thanks Arch" she said. Archie nodded. Duncan who had sat down a while ago whilst they were discussing the ball was now well into reading the paper. He hadn't realised that Golly had came in.
"Haven't you got some work to do son?" he asked. Duncan looked up. "Aye ill away and get it done. It's just …well Golly I wondered if um …." Duncan hesitated to get his words out. "What is it Duncan, I have things to be getting on with" Golly declared. "Well I was wondering if I could have your blessing to ask your daughter to marry me for her birthday" Duncan finished looking satisfied that he had finally said it. Golly smiled. "Sure Duncan, she'll be very happy" Golly finished. Duncan nodded and smiled then ran off.

LATER……

"Stella are you going to be joining us at the midsummer ball this year?" Lexie asked as she walked into the estate office. Stella smiled. "Well Lexie yes I am. Paul already invited me" she said flicking through the books. "Paul?" Lexie lowered her voice. Stella looked up, she looked rather confused. "Didn't Paul tell you?"
"Tell me what" Lexie asked. "Me and Paul are seeing each other now" Stella confirmed. Lexie was shocked. Paul and Stella? She thought. They just don't look like they'd go together. "That's great" Lexie finally murmured. Stella smiled. "Well if you don't mind I have the books to do. If I start them now I might just have them done before the ball" she giggled. "Sorry" Lexie replied leaving.
She met Molly back in the house and grabbed her arm trailing her into the nearest room which just happened to be the toilet. "Lexie dear whatever's the matter?" Molly asked. "Did you know that Stella and Paul are an item" Lexie asked.
"Well not exactly but I did notice there was something going on between them" Molly answered glancing at Lexie sitting on the toilet seat. "Is it a problem?"
"Well no but I just thought that Paul would of said something to me" Lexie remarked.
Molly grinned then left the room. Lexie got up and sighed. She thought that he could have at least confided in her since she always did the same to him. She stared out of the window and watched Archie rocking James from side to side. She opened the window. "Hey hunny" she yelled. Archie looked around but couldn't find anyone. Lexie laughed "Up here idiot". Archie turned around to find Lexie waving from the bathroom window.
"Hey sweetheart, just thought id take James outside for a while" he yelled back. "That's fine" Lexie answered. "Come in soon cos dinner's nearly ready" she said. Archie turned back to face the water and Lexie shut the window.

"Hiya Arch" Stella said as she approached him. She sat down and stroked James' head. "He's so cute. You and Lexie are very lucky" Stella smiled. "Thanks but I don't know how good im going to be at playing a dad" Archie answered placing James in his pram. "You'll be great. In fact I can't think of a better man to be a father" Stella reassured. Archie smiled and took Stella's hand. "Thank you" he said.

Later dinner was served by Ewan. Duncan got up to announce the good news. "Can I have your attention everyone" he asked as he stood up. Everyone looked up and waited to hear what he had to say. He walked round to where Jess sat and got down on one knee. "Jessica" he said pulling out a ring. "Will you be my wife" he asked. Jess held her hands up at her mouth in shock. Lexie and Archie smiled and Molly waited patiently for Jess to give her answer. "Duncan….of course I will" Jess yelled getting up to hug him. "Congratulations dear" Molly smiled. Everyone congratulated them and rose their glasses for a toast. "To Duncan and Jess" everyone shouted.
After dinner everyone went to bed. Duncan and Jess sat down in the kitchen. Jess couldn't keep her eyes off of Duncan. "So you're going to move in with me then?" He asked. "How can I resist" she smiled. Duncan kissed her. "Well then we'll sort that out tomorrow. Let's go to bed" he replied taking her hand and leading her down the hall. They were met by Archie. "Oh hi Archie" Duncan smirked. He was a little embarrassed at the fact he was trying to grope Jess. "Don't mind me" Archie said walking on.

PART 7

It's the day of the Midsummer ball and preparations are well under way. Molly is hanging up the balloons and other decorations to make the place have a feel for itself whilst Archie, Golly and Duncan were setting the tables and chairs out. Lexie Jess and Ewan got the job of making up the food. Jess wasn't very happy with this, as she wanted to be outside with Duncan. She had moved in less than a week ago and loved spending all her time with him. Golly insisted that she'd be better in the kitchen as she'd get more done. Meanwhile Paul and Stella were finishing things in the office before joining everybody else to help. They wanted a lot of the paperwork out of the way so that everybody could enjoy the big day. Now that he was the Laird it was very important for his to make an appearance at the Ball whether he had a lot more to be getting on with elsewhere. He did really feel as though he should have been helping but he really couldn't leave Stella to do it all besides he was going to help afterwards. Little James on the other hand was sleeping peacefully in his pram in the office. Lexie wanted Paul to look after him in a nice quiet place, and she wouldn't have to worry about him.
"I can't wait till tomorrow, its going to be a good day" Lexie stated as she placed the raw sausages on a tray and placed them in the oven. "Aye should be great" Ewan replied. "Well if there is no repeat of what happened last time Stella was here" He added. Lexie laughed. She remembered telling him about this awful woman that came years ago and tried to ruin the ball. "Well im sure she'll be fine this time" Lexie said cutting up the carrots. "Right once im finished doing this, we'll nearly have finished doing the food" Jess smiled.
Ewan looked down at his watch. "It's 10.10am. The ball starts at 5pm, we have plenty of time so we don't have to take this outside yet wait until 4ish" he said.
"Yeh that good" Lexie replied. "Well you two girls go outside and help; I'll wait on the sausages, take them out then come outside too" Ewan added. Jess and Lexie made their way into the garden. "You ok there Molly" Jess asked. "Yeh fine dear im finished now" Molly said putting up the last balloon and stepping down from the ladder. "Well im going inside to read for a while, give me a shout if you need me" she said walking indoors.
Everybody gathered in the centre of the dance floor and looked around. Archie smiled. "Perfect" he said. "Well done everyone, we can go and relax now before tonight" Lexie smiled taking Archie's arm. "We did such a good job didn't we" she said. Archie kissed her. "Let's go inside" He said.

LATER…..
Lexie was carefully putting her eye liner on in the bathroom while Archie was pulling on his kilt. "Best hurry up sweetheart" he said wrapping his arms around her waist. "Well I have to look good for these things" Lexie giggled. Archie kissed her neck then walked out of the room.

TO BE CONTINUED