THE TIME BEFORE THE FUTURE – PART 4
The next morning Archie was awake extra early (actually he hadn't slept all
that well), showered, dressed & scurried down the stairs, ducking into the
library to let Duncan leave the house, & then doubling back to head for the
kitchen. Making as little noise as possible, he crept up behind Lexie &
covered her eyes: "Guess who?"
He felt Lexie jump but then felt a thrill as she relaxed into his touch.
She turned in his arms & gave him a smile to rival the sun: "Morning
Archie, alright?"
"I will be." Archie answered pulling her close & kissing her. When they
eventually parted, his words were slightly breathless: "Now I'm alright."
Lexie's eyes were sparking: "Me to. So yesterday was more than just a
beautiful dream, then?"
"Much more,..." he assured her "unless we both had exactly the same beautiful
dream at exactly the same time, & even if we did, we were both awake just
now."
"Well, I'm still not sure how awake I am. I'll have to run a scientific
experiment, just to check!" she kissed him again, letting her hands run
through his hair. When the kiss ended she laughed at the slightly dazed
look on Archie's face: "Yep, I'm awake!"
"I'd more than agree with that!" Archie grinned. Just then he saw something
sitting on the kitchen worktop behind Lexie. He gently reached past her &
picked it up. "Is this the ring?"
Lexie nodded: "That's Aunt Sarah's ring. I always liked it as a child &
when she died she left it to me." She explained.
"I can see why you like it so much, it's lovely." He said, turning the
piece to hold its aquamarine stone up to the light. "Are you sure you're ok
with me borrowing it? I'll keep it safe, I promise."
Lexie laughed: "I'm sure, Archie you must try & stop worrying. I do have a
favour to ask though. Would you mind getting it valued for me? It's not
insured & I have the feeling it ought to be."
"My pleasure Sweetheart, but I have a favour to ask you to. I have to go
into the city on Bank business, (no don't worry, it's with the Chairman,
the flight to South America left late last night), it's just some 'loose
ends' paperwork but I will be gone most of the day."
"Oh Archie!" Lexie's face fell.
He tried to comfort her: "I know Lex, I'd much rather stay here to, but
this has to be done, & the sooner I leave the sooner I'll get back." Seeing
the beginnings of a pout darken her pretty features, Archie thought
quickly: "Look, how about I leave my mobile number & you can call whenever
you like, ok?"
"Alright,.." Lexie agreed a little grudgingly, "what do you need me to do?"
"Can you tell my father, Duncan & Golly for me? If I leave while the roads are still clear, I should be done & back by about 3:30pm." Lexie pulled a face: "Geese, leave me the good jobs, why don't you? Ok, but you're not driving all that way without some food inside you, sit!" "Yes Ma'am!" came the cheerful reply. Half an hour or so later Lexie turned from where she had been seeing Archie off at the back door & made back for the kitchen. No-one was any the wiser yet & there were still breakfasts to be made. Old Hector would be in a grumpy enough mood when told of Archie's errand without his porridge being cold or lumpy as well! As she worked she took spoonfuls from her own bowl & hummed along to the radio. Sure, there was still a not so small mountain of washing-up (which she usually loathed), to be done but not even that was going to bother her today. Who knew, now that Archie was in charge of Glenbogle's purse strings again, maybe she could 'talk him into' buying her a dishwasher? It was worth a shot! She wondered whether anyone would notice anything different about her when she served up. If anyone would, it would probably be Archie's mother Molly, she decided. She would have to be extra careful around Mrs. MacDonald if she didn't want to let 'the cat out of the bag'. Molly was a little bit scatter-brained as well as very sweet, but knowing Lexie's luck, Molly would pick this morning to have one of her uncanny flashes of insight! One thing Lexie knew for sure, she could have done a heck of a lot worse for a mother-in-law! Archie's father, now he was a different game of soldiers altogether! He, Lexie was sure, would bluff & bluster about class (without ever actually mentioning the word), for Heaven only knew how long. Then he would sulk for just long enough to drive her to tears & Archie into a stubborn fury, before finding a way to back down a little less than graciously, without loosing face. It wasn't that she didn't like Hector MacDonald, the opposite, or she wouldn't be working here, it was just she knew him, that was all. She finished with the porridge, sighed, reminded herself that it had been her idea to keep things secret for now, put what she hoped was her best mask on, & headed for the dining-room. TO BE CONTINUTED...
"Can you tell my father, Duncan & Golly for me? If I leave while the roads are still clear, I should be done & back by about 3:30pm." Lexie pulled a face: "Geese, leave me the good jobs, why don't you? Ok, but you're not driving all that way without some food inside you, sit!" "Yes Ma'am!" came the cheerful reply. Half an hour or so later Lexie turned from where she had been seeing Archie off at the back door & made back for the kitchen. No-one was any the wiser yet & there were still breakfasts to be made. Old Hector would be in a grumpy enough mood when told of Archie's errand without his porridge being cold or lumpy as well! As she worked she took spoonfuls from her own bowl & hummed along to the radio. Sure, there was still a not so small mountain of washing-up (which she usually loathed), to be done but not even that was going to bother her today. Who knew, now that Archie was in charge of Glenbogle's purse strings again, maybe she could 'talk him into' buying her a dishwasher? It was worth a shot! She wondered whether anyone would notice anything different about her when she served up. If anyone would, it would probably be Archie's mother Molly, she decided. She would have to be extra careful around Mrs. MacDonald if she didn't want to let 'the cat out of the bag'. Molly was a little bit scatter-brained as well as very sweet, but knowing Lexie's luck, Molly would pick this morning to have one of her uncanny flashes of insight! One thing Lexie knew for sure, she could have done a heck of a lot worse for a mother-in-law! Archie's father, now he was a different game of soldiers altogether! He, Lexie was sure, would bluff & bluster about class (without ever actually mentioning the word), for Heaven only knew how long. Then he would sulk for just long enough to drive her to tears & Archie into a stubborn fury, before finding a way to back down a little less than graciously, without loosing face. It wasn't that she didn't like Hector MacDonald, the opposite, or she wouldn't be working here, it was just she knew him, that was all. She finished with the porridge, sighed, reminded herself that it had been her idea to keep things secret for now, put what she hoped was her best mask on, & headed for the dining-room. TO BE CONTINUTED...