( 4 )
As for the early morning which was fastly approaching them, Archie and Lexie were swaddled together in the big white comforter as their bodies spoke an unmeantioned language, one of love, sweetness and happiness. They had just wrapped up another round of 'making whoopie' as Archie's mind kept wandering back to Jamie, Jess, and the now screwed up financial mess that the estate was suddenly in. His mind was still going over the mathematical figures that were in the accounting book in the office while Lexie who was lying there thinking about what was on her dear husband's mind, figured out it must have been something weighing in heavy because he was staring out into space.
"Arch?" She spoke quietly. "I know ye don't admire that painting of ol' Cuthbert, but could ya stop staring at it? Ye're giving me the willies."
"Yea? True, he is quite awful to gander at, the old man." He whispered back to her as his eyes looked at the old relative, a painting of old Cuthbert which hung on the wall in front of him as he laid at the foot of the bed.
"Something's off in that mind of yours, penny to tell me?" She sat up, before crawling to the foot of the bed as she rubbed her nose to his, placed a firm kiss on his lips and stared at him longing for a reply. She broke his out of space gaze within seconds of her lips touching his again.
"Just finances, Lex. Nothing big." He tried to change the subject by smooching up to her again.
She put a stop to it by quipping, "Finances? I thought everything was worked out?"
"I spent all day in the office trying to come up with 5,000 missing pounds." He answered exasperatedly.
"Oh?" Lexie murmured as she hid her fear well, but not well enough because her husband eyed her like she was a thief.
"What oh?" He tipped his head down to her face and closely examined her expression.
"Nothing, I'm sure it'll turn up soon." She nodded while pressing her lips to his. His hands went to her shoulders as he pulled away from her, before adding, "You're not convincing me that you don't know where that money is."
Lexie paused, because she also managed the house and yesterday afternoon, Molly asked her about borrowing the money for her trip around the world. She told Lexie she would be repaying it this afternoon. Lexie, being the Laird's wife, didn't see it as an issue. Well, she didn't consult Archie or Jamie, just simply agreed with Molly, what's borrowed, shall be returned very promptly and since Molly was doing the estate favor by cashing those 'retirement' stocks and bonds in when tax time came around, and so she went ahead with the plan.
Lexie sighed, but it was an 'Oh lovely, I'm hiding hard earned cash on me husband and why?' sigh as Archie's brows rose in pure curiousity, so high that they would have cracked the ceiling of their bedroom in the process and ended up in the attic. He gave her a 'Why is my wife hiding earned cash on me? I hope you're going to explain yourself!' look.
"I don't believe you. I spent over 12 hours on those books and you know where that money went?" He cocked his head to the side.
"Um-no, okay-yes, Molly needed the cash up front. So..."
"My mother needed money and you didn't even inform me of it?" He kept his frustation in check, but still his anger was present in his stare.
"Settle down, don't blow a gasket, Molly is returning the money she borrowed yesterday."
"Lex, that money was to pay bills, invoices, you know rabbits to feed to the wolves, food for the family..." He rambled on and on. "Why didn't you consult me before loaning my mother 5000 pounds? Why does my mother need 5000 pounds? Is she gambling again?"
"No-no, nothing like that. Your mother is going on a trip." Lexie glanced at her husband as he rubbed his temples and forehead.
"Trip? Why does my mother need a trip when she'd got everything she needs here?" Archie frowned, peering at her intently.
" Yetch, ya sounded like your father just then, and I never thought you'd take in his views this way in regards to your mother. I'm wrong-aye? Dun worry, she's replacing the money this afternoon, Arch, and I felt her going on a trip was a marvelous idea." She soothed, but his temples were banging like a steel-rimmed drum: BAM, BAM, BAM... He didn't like the idea of his mother going anywhere, but if she had to, he'd try to support it, but he just thought she would have asked him for the money and not his wife. "Molly was afraid if she left for few months, you'd be crushed and it's true because of the look on your face."
" Where is she getting this money? Does my brother know about this scheme my mother has up her sleeve?" Archie tipped his head to the side, trying to ask his question in a more pleasant tone. "Then again, my brother did support us when we wanted to get married, even though my father did not. He's probably supporting my mother all along with this bird brained rattling, right?"
" Let's not go over the past today, Archie." As Lexie replied, as her mind added, ' I'm sorry I brought Hector up-your father just didn't want me to be 'stuck' in the highlands as a higlander wife and you know this-I made this choice when I married you. I bet he's proud of you for standing your ground and forming a union with me (anyway).' Before she added, "Look, I'm clueless, but knowing Jam, he probably does support your mother going away, as he normally supports everyone in the family and their life altering decisions, but he has no inklin' that your mother is leaving Glenbogle for awhile. Oh and it's stocks and bonds that Hector had saved for them that she'll be using to fund her trip, as she's doing us a favor cashing them in before tax demand time anyway. Arch, it was your father's dream to take her places and show her the world when they were older and well, 'retired' from the estate duties." Her cerulean eyes gazed into his dark chocolate ones and smiled, "It's romantic, isn't it? That's why I supported her."
Archie calmed down, "Oh well, I s'pose, I could see mother doing this sort of old romantic thing, but as long as the 5,000 pounds are returned immediately, I see no harm done. I'll have to tell Jamie because he's once overing the books today in search of that negative money mistake."
"See, isn't it nice to support your mother? The woman has been through so much and with her shop opening so quickly over the past year and becoming so popular, she now needs the time away."
"We need time away." Archie replied as his head was faintly dumming and his stress ache slowly faded.
"Like Duncan?" Lexie laughed.
"Erhm, yea, like Dunc. I wonder how he's doing right now." Archie stated with a little bit of puzzlement and curiousity about the head ranger on his way to France
"I wonder how Marie-Helene is, poor wee thing to loose her husband that way." Lexie replied empathetically.
"Ah, yes. Poor thing." Archie's mind wandered to when he was in France not so long ago with Justine and how horrible of a vacation it was. They had just gotten the restaurant up and running and she wanted them to take a trip somewhere, Paris, city of love, well, it was the city of heartbreak for Archie. Every time he turned around she was getting all upset with him when he didn't do anything to make her mad at him!
He was having a hard time with her mood swings, her anger at how much of a bust the trip was and how he wasn't showing her he was having a good time. They faught like cats and dogs, her claws were some awful when they came out, she was pressing him about marriage and children and he, and his bark which wasn't anything like his bite, were just stating the fact that he wasn't ready for marriage and children yet. He would be at some point but not with the restaurant in early stages. Finally on the last day they made up, but he wasn't able to completely forgive her for making their once in a lifetime get away, officially miserable. Archie blurted out after this memory surfed through his mind, "One day, Lex, I'll take you on a dream get away too, like my father wanted for my mother."
"Arch, I don't need dream vacations, just you spending you undivided attention and time with me." She sweetly responded as her mouth pressed up to his once again.
Jess? What is going on with ya? Ya thinkin' Da is happy you're here? You think he'd be proud if he found out that you had been bouncing around and kissing a man twice your age? No, he wouldn't be. I'm keeping it to myself. I came here looking for his approval of my life. I just neglected to tell him that I'm quitting school, ditching my dream of teaching and my 'old' lover because I'm down right confused about my childhood and past. She heard a twig break as her head turned quickly into the direction of the 'snap' but no one was there that she knew of as she went back to escaping with her thoughts. Da's still in love with Mum. I know this for a fact, why would he hide away out here in the highlands? Because he had other things to tend to, or do. How did they meet? What put them together like magnets and then repelled them apart? Another twig broke as she turned her head in the other direction very quickly. She escaped into her thoughts again, but before doing so successfully, she was given a fright.
"Hello, Jessica." A voice called out from a tree and then a similar face joined it.
" Sheesh! You're a heart attack waiting to happen! You don't seem to care about scaring the young hearted, do ya?" She tipped her head towards the face and they both smiled.
"Erhm, maybe not. What are you doing down here at the loch at this hour? Shouldn't little fair maidens like you be sleeping in?"
"Shouldn't your mighty lairdship be sleeping in too?" She cocked a brow as he sat down beside her.
"Fair enough." Jamie chuckled, as his camera was hanging off his neck, Jess noted the machine while laughing out loud. "I see your amused, care to explain why?"
"Nothing, I just didn't think you were serious when you told me you taught photography or went to university in Glasgow to finish your studies."
"That was 18 months ago, fairhaired maiden and you should be taking me seriously." He winked as he hands grasped the camera closely, and then he picked up the camera to take a candid snap shot of her.
"Oh no, no pictures. I'm horrible at taking them and being in them. No photographs." She shook her head and put her hands up to cover her face.
"It doesn't look like you would be to me. Care to try? You should." He encouraged her as he took the camera on strap off of his neck and then with a gracious beam handed her the old machine.
"This is a old camera isn't it?" Her fingers explored the wood frame, the metal attachments of where the film went and then checked out the 35mm lens with a big attachment and also where the flash would be.
"Aye-t'was me Da's." He spoke quickly in a more scottish like tone, instead of refined English. It struck her as odd, but then she laughed again. "Wha?"
"You talking like a true scotsman, that's what."
"There's nothing wrong with using some of my wonderful hertiage in my tone and context of voice."
"No there isn't is there?" She then lifted the camera aim frame to her face, squinted with one eye closed and turned the camera to take...Jamie's picture. She giggled again as he hollered about, "Hey! No fair!"
"Eh, see I'm no good at taking them, I think ya blinked when I did. Lemme try again!" She bolted up and clicked the camera again, capturing his shocked face, as he was coming to retrieve it from her. He took the camera away and she pouted, "Oh drat."
"Now, I get to take a photo of you." He replied dilligently as his face was gleaming at the thought of having a photo of his new subject, her.
"Fine." She nodded her head 'yes' as they were both standing up now. She returned to her seat on the rock and then placed her head on her hands which was holding her up by her elbows that were resting on her lap.
"Nice." He laughed and then clicked her photo too. He sat down on the rock beside her once again.
"Gee, great." She laughed as he then nudged his shoulder into hers.
"Dun worry, I have a place to develop them. You'll get copies." He smiled, as his brows lifted and his eyes caught hers and then they were staring at each other a little too long. She turned her head an broke the gaze between them but instead of laughing, her mind went back to her broken relationship with Sean and how his face kept creeping up in her mind.
"Penny for your thoughts or a nickel for your troubles..." He chanted low, saying the poem, trying to break her free from the mood that now consumed her. "Care to tell me what's on your mind, or do I need a dime? Or for the shorter a quarter?"
"In that case, you'd need real gold to know what I'm dealing with in me mind." She chuckled again as she was covering up her hidden feelings.
"Jess, if you're in trouble, you can tell your Da, you know."
"And not tell my baby-sitter?" She eyed him again as he could tell he was going to get an earful about her father meeting them in the kitchen last night.
"He wasn't implying that and you know it."
"Jamie, he thought you were babysitting me, and I'm a big girl now."
"I s'pose you are, but quitting school because you're burnt out..." Jamie started to lecture her and stopped himself.
"Go on." She waited for him to lecture her as she knew he wanted to do it.
"Sorry, not my place." He stopped himself again.
"Not your place? You just about told me how quitting school wasn't a good thing to do. You have no idea the pressure I was under to finish university aside from getting it from just me Da and Mum." 'I don't need it from you too...but I'm sure you're going to blab about it to me anyway!'
"My dad and mother." He corrected her 'English' with a silly grin plastered on his face.
"Now look who's going aganist showing their heritage with their spoken words?" She teased triumphantly. "You're the only one allowed to do it and not me? How is that fair?"
"Jess, if you're in trouble with school, tell me." He rolled his eyes as the mind games were starting to get to him. Their conversation wasn't about who could talk like a true scotsman, it was about her being up at the butt crack of dawn sitting on a rock beside him and wondering what made her really change her mind about school because he could tell she lied to him about being 'burnt' out. He pressed further to find out what was going on in her pretty mind.
"Three years ago when you first met me, you didn't seem to know I was alive and now, you're acting like we're the best of friends suddenly? Why?"
"Jess, I have high respect for Golly since he was a great friend to my father, hence, I want to get to know you. What's wrong with that?" He remarked, as his gaze broke from the water and then set on her.
"Nothing. I'm sorry. I just don't get why you're being nice to me?"
"Maybe because I see you trying to make an adult decision and I don't want to think you're making the wrong one like I once did." He blurted out his explanation which made her grow silent.
She then opened her mouth, but nothing came out, he was trying to understand her? No one ever tried to understand where she was coming from.
"Say something?" He asked, as his shoulder nudged hers again while they sat together, looking out at the water. "You're acting like a cat has your tongue."
"I-I have a boyfriend, well..."
"Boyfriend?" Jamie asked quickly as if she had stepped on his pride and suddenly bruised it. Boyfriend? Lovely, just what I needed to hear this morning. Jess, boyfriend, where the heck is he, if he's your boyfriend, wouldn't he be here for you than me?
"Jamie, I had to leave school because of him."
"Oh Jess, bad idea." He then rolled up his tongue after he added bad idea to his statement. Yikes. Not a great idea to tell the poor wee lass that, please don't take me seriously, Jess.
"Bad idea?" She was shocked, wasn't he commending her on making a decision, her decision and now he's going aganist her doing so? Typical male, who couldn't make up his own mind without using someone else's thoughts to back it-my father probably put him up to asking about why exactly I left school-who knows.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it come out that way."
"Then say it James MacDonald, before I never shall speak with you again." She closed her mouth quickly as she wasn't going to let her tongue get the better of her. She would have never said such a thing to her father's boss. 'Oh fidgetty-fudgety.' as her muse was in tune with her inner voice.
"Jess,"
She was deep in thought and still didn't say anything to him, but mumble, "Ah."
"Jess, it's okay to be mad at me about telling you your decision isn't the best one. That's my opinion, but it's still your decision."
She didn't breathe a word, for fear of now making him upset, which wasn't likely when dealing with Jamie as he was reasonable, reserved and intelligent...well, when it came to conversing about real life events that dealt with common sense. Jess didn't know this since she really didn't know him, just the idea of him.
"Jess?" He wasn't sure if she was giving him the silent treatment or just thinking about how to respond to him. But the reply he got from her had trouble written all over it.
"I'm going to go." She stood up and then cantered away fast while leaving him there by the rocks.
"Jess." He stood up, as he could have run after her, but he didn't. He then parked his rump down on the rock again. As his body went into the 'thinker' position. His hand was resting under his chin, as his elbow was holding his head up and digging into his right leg. He felt stupid for saying something, but he knew she was hiding her feelings about school from everyone and now he knew why. Jess ran back to her father's croft, ran upstairs and then started to pack furiously, as her Da stood at the door.
"Jess?"
"Da, you're up. I'm sorry I woke you." She spoke quietly without a whimper.
"Ya didn't wake me, but what are ya doing, Jess?"
"I'm packing. Da, I'm sorry. I came here because of me boyfriend, well, boyfriend I broke up from, it was a bad idea for me to leave school. Me boyfriend was one of my lecturers."
Golly stood there taking in the information as his brain was slowly processing it. "Okay, so you had a boyfriend. What's this got to do with packing?"
"Well, I left him. I shouldn't have left him or university, running away was the wrong thing to do, wasn't it, Da?." She stopped folding her night shirt.
"Lass, there's no reason to rush this decision about going back to school or to some boyfriend. Just stay here and relax." He nodded justifiably. "What had you spooked?"
"Jamie. I met him down at the loch and he just told me it was a bad idea for me to leave university."
Golly nodded his head as if he understood where Jamie was coming from, as he agreed with him, but for her to go back because of a boyfriend and not for school itself was also a genuinely awful decision. Two wrongs don't make it right. "Jess, leave it to me. Don't do anything else hasty-aye?"
She stopped packing and nodded, "Aye, Da." Before Golly could leave the small bedroom, she ran up and hugged him tightly.
"It's okay." He smiled and hugged her back as he placed a kiss on her forehead. His mind shifted to Jamie MacDonald and his hold on his daughter aside from his interest in her affairs. He'd go easy on him, as they'd just have a man to man chat about giving his daughter advice.
Since Duncan was away, Jamie was filling in on some of the head ranger tasks. Archie agreed with him, as he should be doing more for the estate during the day. He decided he'd help Golly with the fence down at the bird sanctuary. Golly didn't object, considering he had to bring up his daughter to him and probably chatting about while working would seem just as lowkey as it could get. Jamie was pounding in a post as Golly was wiring on mesh fence and banging in hooks to keep the fence up.
"Lad?" Golly was low, as he then asked, "I hear you met with Jess this mornin'?"
Jamie who was mid swing with a mallet stopped pounding in the post to look at Golly, "Yea, I saw her down at the shore."
Golly eyed him curiously, then pondered how to phrase his question carefully, "Jamie, we are men who chat, right?"
"Gol, you're known me since I was in nappies, of course, we chat. Is something wrong with Jessica?" Jamie went back to pounding a post in and Golly moved down to fix the fence and pondering, 'Jessica? He's now calling my daughter formally?'
"What by chance did you tell her about school?" Golly asked straightforwardly since the first laird had given him the go ahead and ask him anything speech. Jamie stopped working as he glanced at the man who was practically a father to him.
"What do you mean?" He replied, as he could feel a fatherly lecture coming on. He sensed it. He was afraid of this since he had talked to her this morning about how bad of an idea it was for her to quit university.
"Jamie, wordly advice as I am her father, and I don't mean to disrepect you as my boss, but Jess was ready to up and pack for university after she had words with you. I'd just like to know what you told her because going back to university for a boyfriend is one thing, but it's different than going just to go back to school and get an education."
Golly's words make him ponder more about what he had told her, "Gol, no harm done. I just told her leaving school was a bad decision." Jamie pounded in the last post, and Golly finished with the wire mesh. The two men glanced at each other and then Golly grinned, "I agree with you there. I appreciate you clearing this up with me about my daughter."
Jamie grinned back with a nod of his head. So she was up and packin' to go back? Poor lass, but I didn't send her packing, or meant to, because I want to get to know her, Golly. I want to get to know your daughter.
