( 5 )
Jess sat on the small couch waiting for her father to come home. She assumed he was out to shoot rabbits or fish, but a knock came to the croft door and a voice called out, it was Lexie, who stood in the door way, waiting for her to walk up to the door. And when she opened it, she waved Lexie in.
"Hi."
"Hello, come in. Da's not here but..."
"I didn't come to see Golly, actually, Jess, I came to see you." She glanced at her quickly and then smiled.
"I'm, not sure of what to say, really. Why?"
"Well, the house needs some work and so I thought you might want a job while you're here?" Lexie tried to offer Jess something to do other than watching fishing on telly or going out gaming for rabbits with Golly, if he allowed her too.
"That's very kind of you, Mrs.---"
"Lexie, Jess, just Lexie."
"To offer me work, but I'm not sure I'd be of much use in a kitchen." She replied truthfully since she knew Lexie worked in the kitchen every day. .
"Actually, I was offering you a cleaning position, just odd jobs, washing dishes, vacuuming, dusting, maybe if I gave Molly a call she could see if she had a postion for you at the shop, like a running the cash job?" Lexie offered again.
"That's nice. I'd appreciate that. What does me Da think?"
"I haven't spoken with him yet. I figured you'd be the first to talk to and then we'd tell him together. Archie and Jamie were talking and so..."
"They thought it would be nice to offer me some work while I'm here?" She caught on quickly, Jamie. Everything was Jamie's doing and this was part of his idea of how to get to know her better? Tell her leaving school was a bad choice and go packing back there, but offering her a job so she'd stay? He was in for it.
" Aye-yes, well think about it? Come up to the house when ye've made up yer mind? We'll sort it out. Jess, I'm happy ye're here. I'm sure Golly's thrilled too." Lexie then saw herself out.
Jess grabbed her coat and put on her boots as she was going to investigate Mr. James MacDonald's intentions. She briskly skipped down the path, before breaking out into a sprint for the house. She decided, while looking at the old stone building and the open back door, that must be the office asshe had watched Jamie and Duncan leave it last night. She went up to the window and peeked inside, sure enough, Jamie was in there sitting at a desk, going over mathematics in the books. She waltzed inside and shut the door.
"Jess?" He was startled at first but happy to see her. He had been thinking about her since morning when he and Golly had their 'man to man' chat.
"Hello, I didn't mean to interrupt, but we need to chat, you and I." She glanced at him closely, as he was sitting in the desk chair, dropped his pen on the books, and then stood up and moved over to her, face to face.
"Okay, all ears, but you have to listen to me a some point too." He deliberately replied, knowing full well, he'd have to corner her to get her to listen...well maybe.
"You told me leaving university was a bad choice, but it was my choice, so I went back to the..."
"Croft and packed, I know this."
"How?" She tipped her head at him.
"Yer father and I had a natter too. He agreed with me, going back to school for a boy wasn't a good excuse to go back, you should be going, if you decided to do so, to university solely for your education and career goals."
"Sean wasn't a boy. I told you he was your age."
"Fine, whoever he was, you shouldn't go back to school until you're sure it's the right thing for you to do." Jamie added, feeling better about getting it off his chest. 'Sean? The guy's name was Sean?'
"Och," She stopped short as he was making her head spin: one minute about going back and agreeing with her and the next: not going back and agreeing with her. 'You're an awful devil's advocate, Jamie MacDonald, or maybe ye're just too damn clever as one!'
"What did you have to chat with me about?" He smiled at her now being tongue tied.
"You having Lexie offer me a job." Jess eyed him wisely.
"Okay, I might have a little bit of something to do with it, but, I figured you'd need the money-no, while you stay here temporarily?" He was slow, like he had baited her, hook, line and sinker, while now reeling her in.
"Who is filling in for Duncan while he was away?" She asked calmly.
"I am. Why?" He then laughed, "You want to fill in for him?"
"Och no, I didn't say that."
"But you were implying it."
"No I wasn't. I was offered the cleaning job at the house or a job at Molly's shop." She answered, but the Head Ranger spot would mean working with Da and she wanted to see what his day was like while upkeeping the land. Jamie caught the look of longing in her china sea eyes.
"I tell you what, we'll switch positions each day as in take turns, and I'll talk it over with my brother."
"You can clean a house? Cook a hearty meal?" She piped.
"You can shoot a gun? Run a chainsaw?" He quipped.
They verbally challenged each other as neither were going to back down. With a compromising glance or locking of eyes, they agreed to it. Jamie was pretty sure his brother would be fine with it, considering Archie wanted him to be more active with the estate upkeep.Why not add Jess to the upkeep team? He wanted to offer a job in the house anyway...
Duncan spent a long time on the train sleeping, reading comics, looking out the window at the scenery, and trying to zone out the 16 hour long ride to the 'end' as he had gone from one corner of the UK to the other. By the time the train reached the chunnel, it was incredible being under the sea going from England to France just within an hour. It even had him breaking out in tune, humming, 'Under The Sea, Under The Sea, life is much better, when you're together, take it from meeeee, Under The Sea...' His mind mumbled on and on about Ariel the Mermaid and the Crab...he couldn't remember his name...so he asked the man sitting next to him if he had heard of "The Little Mermaid."
"Excuse me, have you heard of the Walt Disney film, 'The Little Mermaid'?"
The man sat there in a spare booth of the dinner cart and glanced up at the lad with a strange look on his face, "Non." He replied, "Non, Je ne parle pas l'anglais." He got up with his newspaper and walked away. Leaving Duncan sitting there with an odd look on his face.
"Um, okay, nice chattin' with you." He knew once he saw Marie-Helene that she'd be interested in what he had to say. She was always interested in what he had to write to her as she told him so in each and every one of her letters...she'd laugh at his singing, for sure, like she enjoyed the time when he took her on a picnic and kite flying years ago. But for now he was on a train heading to another planet or France in this case. "Sebastian!" He yelled out across the quiet dinner car remembering the crab's name as the guests sitting in the cabin at tables glared at him like he was a wacko. "Sorry." He dropped his head and smiled, but the guests didn't smile back or acknowledge him. He still had another hour or so to go before he'd reach Paris and see...Marie-Helene.
He was now studying the french country side out of the window as it was very different compared to the scottish highands...actually he was missing the moutains already. The landscape was pretty, but pretty flat in France...so far of what he saw of it. He sat there, wondering how she was, would she be okay being by herself in her flat? He was taking up residence on her couch for the time while he was there. He tried to refuse, but she told him he should stay with her and he agreed, well, caved in to her. He was now wearing his head phones and studying a book about french conversation...
"Bonjour, Monsieur, Je m'appelle Duncan. Come-a-tally-voooooous?" He shook his head at the last sentence which he knew he said wrong and over pronounced, or butched the 'vous' with a double 'oo'! So on his discman, he backed up the track to the conversation of, "Hello sir, My name is.....How are you?" and he spoke out, "Bonjour, Monsieur. Je m'appelle Duncan. Comment-vas tu?" He went over the language over and over again. His mouth kept forming the 'oo' or 'rolling r' or a 't', when there normally wasn't a 't' spoken in French.
Hours later, he arrived at the train station in Paris and went through customs. As he held out his passport and then hiked his back pack over his shoulder. He then found a gentleman near by, as he was holding his French book out trying to ask him where the main enteranceway was...the man peered down at him through his wire rimmed glasses.
" Bonjour, eh, excusez-moi monsieur, voulez-vous me dire où est la gare ? (Hi. um. Monsieur. How do you get to the entrance of the train station?)"
The man eyed him over, as the kilt gave away that Duncan wasn't from France. He didn't glare at him though, just decided with a sigh, to help him out. "Hello, it's down the stairs to the right and then a left.""Sorry, a little new to the French." He shrugged his shoulders trying to continue smiling, but the man waved him on as he had other people standing in line at the information desk of the train station. Duncan nodded his head and complied as he raced off to the right down a walk way and then to the left before stopping in his tracks. He spotted her out of the corner of his eye...
"Duncan! Duncan!" Marie-Helene waved her hands, while smiling and then embracing him with a big hug. Duncan noticed something funny about her hug, Marie-Helene had a rounded belly, as she was pregnant? "Tu est fatigué ? (You look a little fatigued?) You look tired, Duncan."
"I'm okay, the important part is, are you? Wha's this...?" He tipped his head to look at her more closely. She didn't seem weary, just a little forlorn. She was mostly happy though to see him.
"Eh, oui, comme ci comme ca, so-so. Oh and this, well, it happened months ago, and I just didn't know what to do about it or how to speak of it to you. Sorry." She added with a slight sigh and rubbed her stomach.
"No problem, I think the belly suits you just fine." He smiled as she gave a giggle and answered, "On va retourner à moi ? Allons on-y va ! (Let's get you back to my place. Come along!"
Her hand went around his as she pulled him towards her car. At first he was a little squeemish about cramming into the small auto, aside from having her drive, but she tried to make him relax, as she put the pedal to the metal and the little car too off in a cloud of dust. She was quite a zippy driver as she concentrated on the road and pointed out the sights of Paris. Mostly she just showed him her neighborhood, where she worked, where the hospital was when she'd have her baby, but Duncan was confused, she was having a baby alone? Well, then again, she would have had it with Alan. Tears formed in her eyes, as Duncan could now tell she was trying to be happy, but also emotionally distant and sad about the loss of her husband.
"I'm sorry about Alan, Marie." He replied quietly.
"Me too, Dunc, me too." She frowned, and then concluded, "Not a day goes by that I don't think of that morning last week, the funeral, the memorial service tomorrow...oh gd, you know?"
"It's okay, Marie, let's chat about it more when we get to your flat." He soothed, thinking making her upset wouldn't help matters as they were zipping and zapping along in front of a bunch of cars on a narrow, crowded, but residental street.
Marie-Helene had gotten up early that morning as she felt ill to her stomach. It was her first true pregnancy and Alan kept telling her she'd be sick sooner or later...she sure was...as she tossed up cookies in the bathroom at 6am and he stood there in the doorway watching her. She was about five months along and this being 'sick' was very out of the blue, nothing bad, nothing unnatural, just out of the blue.
"Marie-Helene, tu est très gentil. Mais pour ce moment je dois travailler. Retournez a ton lit et jusqu'a l'après midi je suis la pour vous, tu a compris ? (Marie-Helene, dear sweet woman, just go back to bed. I have to work and about noon, I'll be home to tend to you, okay?)"He scooped her up off of the floor and toddled her back to their bedroom and plopped her down in bed. He kissed her, swaddled her body in the bedspread and blankets, before telling her, "Je t'aime ma cherie, et je t'aime mon petit bébé that last one he's saying to the baby (I love you, my dear and our baby too.)"
"Alors, c'est bien, vas-y ! Mais j'adore de te voir a midi...(Okay, go. But I'll be happy to see you at noon...)"
That was the last conversation she had with him, before her whole world crumbled, as she was unsure of what to do, what to say to people about her husband suddenly passing on...she wrote to Duncan and told him she was alone and dealing with this loss. She didn't exactly expect him to reply back to her by ringing her the day he got the letter. He told her he'd come to visit her for the memorial service...
Office was crowded that afternoon with Archie, Jamie and Molly chattering about her world class trip and how she wanted to leave her family behind for a short while. Archie bent towards her going as Jamie, to his brother's surprise wasn't gunho about it at all. Jamie stood there getting upset, since he wasn't consulted at all about the trip or the money after being told he wasn't doing much for the estate by just hanging around. Archie just figured he was over reacting and it wasn't about their mother going away. Jamie was the oldest brother and solely 'Head in Command' or 'first' laird and Archie, 'Assistant in Command' or second laird...always consulted with him about everything going on with the estate, even if they shared 'estate' power, Jamie was still the first in command since he was four years older than he. But he also felt guilty because he didn't exactly talk to Archie about Jess and him switching jobs every other day...but he would after they dealt with their mother's idea of a 'trip.'
"Jam, she should go." Archie stated firmly trying to back up Molly.
"Look, I don't appreciate not being told up front about this trip or the money involved. Who's going to look after your shop mother? Did you think about how you were going to pay them for doing so?" Jamie remarked as his brother glanced at him. Archie had never seen Jamie over react as he was always so level-headed, where estate affairs were a concern. Something was plaguing him... his guilt for not telling them about his career plan...the change within weeks to come.
"He's right mother, it would be more to pay for someone to watch and manage your shop for a year. I don't think it would be such a wise choice to take off for that long."
Molly, the fairhaired and fairheaded, sat there quietly as she observed her two sons bicker about her own decision to leave Glenbogle for awhile. It was her decision and her money wrapped up in those already cashed stocks and bonds. She finally after the last statement came from Archie, she replied, "I suggested to Killwillie to possibly hire someone. He said he'd pay for them to be there and he'd check in on the shop."
"Mother! You went behind our backs and talked to Killwillie about it first?" Jamie shouted, as his anger surfaced since he hated Killwillie and his 'get rich, quick' schemes, which always did just that, got him filthy wealthy. He worried about the estate and it's businesses falling into the wrong hands, especially Killwillie's, if he were to leave Glenbogle to just Archie again...well, the if was a certain, he just hadn't told them as more guilt haunted his mind...he knew Archie would run the place well though, just like when he left to finish his studies for a year. He had to keep in mind, Archie had left his career, or life in London and came home to help him turn the place around after their parents had gotten themselves into so much debt and needed the bank to appoint a manager to fix things. "Mother, having him profit from your shop is a huge mistake!"
"Oh, Jamie."
"He's right again mother. We don't owe Killwillie any favors and you know him." Archie agreed, as he was always happy to back up his older brother when they both agreed on something-that Killwillie was a sly business man, but far from trustworthy.
"Oh, Archie."
Molly glanced from son to son and felt proud, since her grown children were trying to look out for her best interests at heart regardless if she was their elder or not. She spoke evenly, elegantly, and very aristocratic, "Boys, it's all right. Maybe you should take turns looking over the shop then? I just didn't want to trouble you with the hassle of it since there's so much to do with the Wildlife Park and running the estate..."
Archie and Jamie glanced at each other and shook their heads, as Jamie finally admitted, "We'll find someone mother to tend to the shop, but no more going behind our backs where Killwillie is a concern."
"This means you can handle my going, James?" Molly added as she was formally addressing him as if he were being 'scolded' for getting angry infront of his dear mother.
"Yes, but you must promise to be back within the year. I'll miss you." Jamie pouted, but Molly as motherly as she could possibly be, rose from her chair and pecked his cheek, while her fingers pinched his face as well.
"The deal is done. Don't worry, I'll handle Killwillie before I go."
"When will you be leaving mother?" Archie asked slowly as they, both MacDonald brothers had now taken on a new duty, her shop, on top of the laird's work.
"Oh about two weeks, you know, you could call Lizzie or write her...I bet she'd help run the shop. Anyways, boys, I'm off." She winked, kissing Archie's cheek as well, before she waltzed out of the office like a "free" woman, or a woman free from the life of Glenbogle (for a 'year' in about two weeks). Her suggestion of asking their only 'tomboyish' sister Lizzie to 'take' over the shop for a year was a doozy of a gesture. Lizzie wasn't the most stable of all people and she had her own daughter to tend too. Besides she was in India? No, Africa? She was somewhere far from home...Jamie had no clue where she was...they didn't exactly get along the last time she was in Glenbogle...mostly because Gerald, her boyfriend at the time practically drown their father in the loch after getting him pss drunk. Jamie was upset, very upset-another unusual thing for him, to the point where he told her he didn't want to see her again until she got her life together. And then Stefan...Jamie was more annoyed with her becoming pregnant with a married man's child! Archie was the buffer for the relationship, as he keep things in check or played peace keeper between the fighting siblings.
"What do you suggest? Also what has gotten into you?" Archie's brows rose at his brother's sudden 'attitude.'
"Nothing. I'm fine. Lizzie, I don't know how we'd find our sister. She floats around so darn much like a hot air balloon! She's got Martha! Who would look after Martha all day long?" Jamie's brows furrowed as his forehead wrinkled at the idea of their sister running Molly's Antique and Paintings shop in the village. Lizzie was between Jamie and Archie in the order of siblings, she was 35 going on 18, as she never settled herself down even with a baby and her broken relationships, as she was the perfect example of a 'lost' middle child, as Jamie was the oldest and going to run the estate, Archie was the youngest and the 'cutie-patootie' as everyone thought of him this way, even now, but Lizzie was lost in the mix. "I haven't even heard from her."
"But I have and Lizzie would do it, Jam, she would."
"When were you going to inform me of hearing from our sister?" Jamie glared at Archie.
"Calm down. You're never this cross. I asked you what has gotten into you?" Jamie was quiet. Archie noticed his brother never grew quiet, or let anything stress him. Archie was the one who was always knackered out. Jamie was too calm and relaxed to be.
"I suggested to Jess that we swap jobs between housework and head ranger duties. I'm sorry, I meant to ask you first before I did it." He blurted out part of his problem with his temper. He was mad at himself for keeping things from his brother.
"It's okay, Jam, you're the actual Laird, remember? I'm the 'assistant'." Archie joked, even though he acted more like the laird but only because Jamie allowed him to be since he was so lax compared to Archie.
"I know, but I wanted to talk it over first."
"Fine, it's done with. Just keep in tune that Jess is your responsibility and if she can't do the head ranger duties then you should switch back or make a new compromise. I'm not upset, Jam. I'm actually in the strangest, flattered that you wanted to talk about something estate wise with me since you hardly ever do."
A knock came to the office door after Molly scooted away, this time Jess appeared, she heard Jamie, and or his temper flaring and wanted to check things out. She was wondering of Archie had a reaction to her being interested in 'job switching every other day' with Jamie during the time Duncan was away. Apparently, it wasn't the case when she took note of Archie, she wasn't sure if she should turn around and walk out. Jamie acknowledged her... "Hello there."
"Um, hi. Just thought I'd go up to the house to find Lexie. I think she wanted me to help her out with dinner or something house oriented." Jess cringed as she wasn't thrilled about doing housework. She liked the wild, liked nature and longed to be outdoors...not indoors.
"Very thoughtful of you, Jess. Everything is in order here and Lexie is waiting for you. I believe she had some cleaning of the dinning room to do." Archie stated flatly. "I'm glad you decided to take on that job...you wouldn't happen to have any management skills would you?"
Jess couldn't tell if he was joking or serious about that question, so she inquired, "Why?"
Jamie had a huge smile pop up on his face as he was seeing where his brother was taking the conversation. "I bet she does. I'll walk you up to the house." As Jamie nudged her out of the office, Archie sat there puzzled for a moment but then collected his mother's deposit and decided he was going to head to the bank before it closed.
"Wha are ya--wha did ye---?" She couldn't even get the words out right, as she was so baffled at Jamie's comment that she blurted out, "I don't have any management skills!"
"Here me out, lovely. There's an opportunity of a lifetime at my mother's shop in the village. It's not for a couple weeks to start, but it's a good place to work, and you'd like it there."
"Jamie, I know nothing about running a shop! I just wanted to take on those other duties." She commented, getting edgy with him. Her own temper would flare if he kept it up.
"In two weeks time, Duncan will be back here and you'll be without work on the land upkeep, come on, the house upkeep, doesn't need two people, Lexie does well on her own and she's already got a new housekeeper hired to take on those duties in two weeks. You're an extra pair of hands, Jess. The shop would be delightful for you and somewhat permanent for a year."
"Then you take the job." She replied, but it came out like she was being ungrateful and she shut her mouth again. He was good at making her bite with her tongue after she opened her mouth and inserted her foot.
"Jess, don't be hurt. I don't want the job at the shop." He explained quietly. "I kinda of fibbed to my brother, that I wouldn't be leaving soon as giving him all of the Laird duties."
"How do you mean?"
"I applied for the teaching position." He looked at her placidly as guilt still consumed his insides.
"What?" Her face dropped, as she wasn't sure of how to respond. "And?"
"Don't say anything, okay? Keep it between us. I just don't want him to be in shock when I tell him I've applied for work in Inverness Primary School and I got it, so I don't start until after school holidays in about six weeks."
Jess laughed.
"What?"
"You're serious?"
"Yes-I am. I'm going onto paste, crayons, reading books, correcting papers which are just fillers for my student's school day-you know busy body work for the kids, and little tykes who are of the age of seven." Jamie laughed.
"This is why you didn't want me to give up on my dream? Because you're almost accomplishing yours?"
"Jess, I told you. I just don't want to see you make a bad decision." He replied sweetly.
"Congratulations to you." Jess nodded, but her voice was distant, suddenly she was sucked into a world that didn't exist, like the one this morning when they were sitting on rocks looking at the loch. Part of her wanted him to get to know her better, than just a few weeks time only.
