THE TIME BEFORE THE FUTURE: PARTS 11 & 12 PART 11
Archie tried hard not to hover at Colin Thomas' shoulder as he worked on
design sketches but it was difficult. He was so anxious that the ring be
perfect. He had explained his idea as best he could, but still. Rosemary
had advised him well on the silver chain, so when she asked him about the
choice of stones he was confident: "Rubies & diamonds please."
"Ok; no problem. Would you like to choose the stones yourself or will your
young lady be helping out?" she asked trying not to sound nearly as curious
as she felt.
"No, Lexie left the choice entirely to me."
Rosemary's smile grew even wider: "Lexie's a really pretty name. Do you
have a picture?"
Archie smiled & got the printout from his wallet. "Here you go."
"Ah, now I see why you want rubies. Look Colin."
Her brother glanced up & smiled: "A pretty lass. Well done Archie."
"Thanks. How's it going?" he asked.
Colin handed Archie the sketch: "What do you think? If you'll take some
advice I'd start and end with diamonds, it'd just look better."
Before Archie could reply Rosemary chided her brother: "Colin! Let Archie
decide for himself; we don't want him thinking we're trying to fleece him!"
Archie chuckled: "Don't worry Rosemary, I'd never think that. Colin, that's great; you're the expert I'll be guided by you, money's no object for this." Rosemary looked relieved: "As you wish. I do have a question though. Why did you choose the channel setting? It's normally raised or solitaire setting for an engagement ring." "It was the one thing Lexie asked of me; said she'd worry about it less that way. Oh that reminds me, Lexie wanted the aquamarine valued if that's ok?" he asked. "Of course; can I see it? This shouldn't take long. I'll measure it as well." Rosemary put out her hand out for the ring. Archie fought reluctance & handed it over. He knew that once again he was being irrational, but anything to do with Lexie had always brought out his protective streak & now that was stronger than ever. To distract himself from the feeling Archie started mentally planning the fastest route home; the roads would be much busier at this time of day & the last thing he wanted was to get stuck in a traffic jam! Rosemary's return brought him back to the present: "Lexie is in for a pleasant surprise. This should be insured for £400." Rosemary smiled. "She'll be delighted!" Archie agreed, gratefully putting it back in his pocket. "Is there anything else you need; a deposit?" "Well, we do usually ask 10%, but the silver chain will cover that." Colin replied. "Now Archie, if you'll just come with me & choose the stones, that'll be all for today." PART 12 Molly pottered around her garden tending to the Glenbogle roses; this time though her mind was elsewhere. When she had been busy with the trunk earlier she hadn't noticed anything but when Lexie had brought the quilt back earlier, something had seemed different about the younger woman. Molly knew what she hoped it was, but she still hardly dared to think the thought. Not wanting to set herself up for a disappointing fall, she cut a few of the roses that were about to turn, went & laid one on Jamie's grave & took the rest inside to decorate the dining-table. Archie drove as close to the speed limit as he dared, grateful that Colin had told him about the bypass road. Given a little luck, that would cut about half an hour off his journey's to & from the city from now on. Not only was he hungry & tired, but he'd been away from Lexie for a lot longer than he'd intended! Hopefully they'd be able to spend some time together later; after all he did have to give her the chain! He'd decided not to mention the Bank change to anyone until he had to. Ok, so maybe he was being a little cowardly, but who could blame him for wanting to enjoy life for a while? Almost before he knew it, he'd crossed the Estate bridge, passed Golly's croft & found himself on the gravel drive leading up to the house. His heart was hammering at the thought of seeing Lexie. Lexie's heart leapt into her throat as she heard the front door open, but she did her best to stay calm as Duncan was helping her lay the dinner- table. Duncan looked of the window. "Archie's back. Good I'm starving! What is dinner anyway?" "Oh um, broth, followed by steak & potatoes with rice pudding; I thought Archie deserved a treat after yesterday." Lexie realised that she sounded a little dreamy & quickly changed the subject: "Is Hector back yet?" Duncan nodded: "He's in the Billiard Room putting the Glenbogle Fragment away." "Good, we'll be eating in about 40 minutes. Can you tell Hector that please?" "Sure Lex. Hi Archie." The two men had met in the hallway. "Hi Dunc, how did clearing the inlet go?" "Nearly done, we'll finish first thing; Golly wanted to check on the doe & Molly needed my help. How'd you go in the city?" "Oh fine; just a few loose ends to tie up with the Bank. Where's Lexie?" Lexie's brunette head appeared around the dining-room door at the mention of her name: "Here oh 'Laird & Master', at your beck & call as always." Duncan had by now, turned away and so failed to see the sly little wink that accompanied her answer. Archie saw it though and felt his insides turn to mush; keeping this secret was going to be a lot more difficult than he'd thought! He tried his best to regain his composure though; he'd get his 'revenge' later! "Hi Lex; how was your day?" he asked in what he hoped was a calm voice. "Long, and if I never see another wine glass again it'll be soon." She answered honestly. "Dinner's almost ready though, so go wash up & it'll be on the table." "Ok 'Sweetheart'." He said mouthing the second word & disappearing. The rest of Glenbogle's extended family were seated at the dinning-table as Archie came back from the bathroom; all that is except Lexie who was getting ready to serve the broth. He shot her a smile as his father greeted him: "Ah Archie my boy! Where the devil have you been all day?!" "Hello father. I had to go into the city to tie up a few loose ends with the Bank after yesterday; everything is sorted out now though." He said as he sat down. "Yes well, it's good the old place is 'ours' again. Shame Stella had to leave though, still with a promotion like that I wouldn't blame her." Archie stole an anxious glance at Lexie. She had gone pale was a little tight-lipped but hiding it well. By now she was serving Golly and he smiled his thanks & changed the subject: "Ah Molly, Lexie, I thought you'd want to know; the doe should be fine." "Oh good. You've worked so hard with her, it'd be a shame to loose her. Could you pass the potatoes please, Hector?" The rest of the meal was more relaxed & with a little steering of the conversation no further mention was made of Stella. Archie's smile grew wider and wider as each course of his favourite supper was set before him. By the time the rice pudding arrived he was beaming and could no longer resist paying Lexie a complement. "This is great Lex; you've earned yourself some help with the washing-up." She was putting his sweet down in front of him so she was close enough to whisper: "That's the idea!" Archie polished off the end of his meal in record time & headed for the kitchen as quickly as he could get away. TO BE CONTINUTED...
Archie chuckled: "Don't worry Rosemary, I'd never think that. Colin, that's great; you're the expert I'll be guided by you, money's no object for this." Rosemary looked relieved: "As you wish. I do have a question though. Why did you choose the channel setting? It's normally raised or solitaire setting for an engagement ring." "It was the one thing Lexie asked of me; said she'd worry about it less that way. Oh that reminds me, Lexie wanted the aquamarine valued if that's ok?" he asked. "Of course; can I see it? This shouldn't take long. I'll measure it as well." Rosemary put out her hand out for the ring. Archie fought reluctance & handed it over. He knew that once again he was being irrational, but anything to do with Lexie had always brought out his protective streak & now that was stronger than ever. To distract himself from the feeling Archie started mentally planning the fastest route home; the roads would be much busier at this time of day & the last thing he wanted was to get stuck in a traffic jam! Rosemary's return brought him back to the present: "Lexie is in for a pleasant surprise. This should be insured for £400." Rosemary smiled. "She'll be delighted!" Archie agreed, gratefully putting it back in his pocket. "Is there anything else you need; a deposit?" "Well, we do usually ask 10%, but the silver chain will cover that." Colin replied. "Now Archie, if you'll just come with me & choose the stones, that'll be all for today." PART 12 Molly pottered around her garden tending to the Glenbogle roses; this time though her mind was elsewhere. When she had been busy with the trunk earlier she hadn't noticed anything but when Lexie had brought the quilt back earlier, something had seemed different about the younger woman. Molly knew what she hoped it was, but she still hardly dared to think the thought. Not wanting to set herself up for a disappointing fall, she cut a few of the roses that were about to turn, went & laid one on Jamie's grave & took the rest inside to decorate the dining-table. Archie drove as close to the speed limit as he dared, grateful that Colin had told him about the bypass road. Given a little luck, that would cut about half an hour off his journey's to & from the city from now on. Not only was he hungry & tired, but he'd been away from Lexie for a lot longer than he'd intended! Hopefully they'd be able to spend some time together later; after all he did have to give her the chain! He'd decided not to mention the Bank change to anyone until he had to. Ok, so maybe he was being a little cowardly, but who could blame him for wanting to enjoy life for a while? Almost before he knew it, he'd crossed the Estate bridge, passed Golly's croft & found himself on the gravel drive leading up to the house. His heart was hammering at the thought of seeing Lexie. Lexie's heart leapt into her throat as she heard the front door open, but she did her best to stay calm as Duncan was helping her lay the dinner- table. Duncan looked of the window. "Archie's back. Good I'm starving! What is dinner anyway?" "Oh um, broth, followed by steak & potatoes with rice pudding; I thought Archie deserved a treat after yesterday." Lexie realised that she sounded a little dreamy & quickly changed the subject: "Is Hector back yet?" Duncan nodded: "He's in the Billiard Room putting the Glenbogle Fragment away." "Good, we'll be eating in about 40 minutes. Can you tell Hector that please?" "Sure Lex. Hi Archie." The two men had met in the hallway. "Hi Dunc, how did clearing the inlet go?" "Nearly done, we'll finish first thing; Golly wanted to check on the doe & Molly needed my help. How'd you go in the city?" "Oh fine; just a few loose ends to tie up with the Bank. Where's Lexie?" Lexie's brunette head appeared around the dining-room door at the mention of her name: "Here oh 'Laird & Master', at your beck & call as always." Duncan had by now, turned away and so failed to see the sly little wink that accompanied her answer. Archie saw it though and felt his insides turn to mush; keeping this secret was going to be a lot more difficult than he'd thought! He tried his best to regain his composure though; he'd get his 'revenge' later! "Hi Lex; how was your day?" he asked in what he hoped was a calm voice. "Long, and if I never see another wine glass again it'll be soon." She answered honestly. "Dinner's almost ready though, so go wash up & it'll be on the table." "Ok 'Sweetheart'." He said mouthing the second word & disappearing. The rest of Glenbogle's extended family were seated at the dinning-table as Archie came back from the bathroom; all that is except Lexie who was getting ready to serve the broth. He shot her a smile as his father greeted him: "Ah Archie my boy! Where the devil have you been all day?!" "Hello father. I had to go into the city to tie up a few loose ends with the Bank after yesterday; everything is sorted out now though." He said as he sat down. "Yes well, it's good the old place is 'ours' again. Shame Stella had to leave though, still with a promotion like that I wouldn't blame her." Archie stole an anxious glance at Lexie. She had gone pale was a little tight-lipped but hiding it well. By now she was serving Golly and he smiled his thanks & changed the subject: "Ah Molly, Lexie, I thought you'd want to know; the doe should be fine." "Oh good. You've worked so hard with her, it'd be a shame to loose her. Could you pass the potatoes please, Hector?" The rest of the meal was more relaxed & with a little steering of the conversation no further mention was made of Stella. Archie's smile grew wider and wider as each course of his favourite supper was set before him. By the time the rice pudding arrived he was beaming and could no longer resist paying Lexie a complement. "This is great Lex; you've earned yourself some help with the washing-up." She was putting his sweet down in front of him so she was close enough to whisper: "That's the idea!" Archie polished off the end of his meal in record time & headed for the kitchen as quickly as he could get away. TO BE CONTINUTED...