Part sixteen

"Now make sure you drive carefully," Lexie remarked while eyeing the familiar old land rover suspiciously.

"Oh Lex this old bus isn't exactly going to break any speed limits you know." Duncan replied cheekily and grinned at her. "In fact I'm not sure I'll even get to Glenbogle before dark."

"Well, all the same, you know what I mean. We can't have our new employee laid up in hospital when he's needed back here."

"You worry too much. I'll be fine."

"Oh, I almost forgot." Lexie pulled out a carrier bag from behind her back. "This is for you - for the journey. I put a flask of soup in there and I've made you a few of those 'nana sarnies. Urgh! I think you and Hector, bless him, must be the only people in the world to enjoy those. It is as much as I can do to just make them."

"Thanks Lexie." Duncan pulled her towards him into a warm hug. "You know I think I'm really going to enjoy it here. I'm looking forward to coming back already."

Neither of them noticed Archie emerge from the front door laden down with a variety of heavy looking bags. He struggled manfully towards the back of the land rover and chuckled to himself at the strange reversal of roles. There was a time at Glenbogle when Archie could clearly remember Duncan struggling with bags in the same way when they had guests.

"So, anyone want to give me a hand here?"

"Oh, sorry boss, er, Archie."

A few minutes later and Duncan was sat in the land rover ready to leave. It hadn't escaped Archie and Lexie's attention that he didn't seem to be giving them his full attention. They had caught him looking over his shoulder a number of times.

"Thanks so much Dunc. You've been a tower of strength. I really don't know how we'd have managed without your help. And as for that bed, I think we'd have been sleeping under the stars for the last two weeks without your know how."

Archie reached through the window and gave Duncan a firm pat on the arm. Duncan looked a bit embarrassed. "Och, it was nothing. You'd have managed right fine without me but thanks for saying it."

"That's not true Dunc. We're going to be counting the days to when you come back." Archie smiled at him.

"Now don't forget to give everyone our love" said Lexie with a smile, "And make sure they know they're welcome anytime. I know we keep telling them over the phone but somehow I'm never quite sure they believe us."

"Oh and for goodness sake try and get Golly to call me back sometime," interrupted Archie. Every time I ring he's either out or just doesn't answer. Perhaps we could even prise him out of Glenbogle one day to give us a visit." Archie paused and looked across at Duncan, "You know I think he's going to miss you when you come down here.

"Och, you know me Arch," replied Duncan still looking around and over Archie's shoulders into vacant space.

"That's what worries me," muttered Archie to himself as he stepped back from the window only to find his arm grabbed by Lexie and being propelled backwards towards the house.

"Pretend you're checking the door," whispered Lexie.

"What?"

Archie gave her one of his blank looks. Lexie sighed, sometimes he could be so unaware.

"Lucy's come to say goodbye," she whispered loudly.

They both turned to see that Lucy had just walked in the gate and was standing by the car window talking to Duncan. They couldn't hear what was said but there was no mistaking the gentle kiss that they shared before she waved to them and was off round the corner again.

"Short and sweet, eh, Dunc?" Lexie called across to him.

Duncan had adopted his embarrassed look once again.

"She was just passing actually. On her way to open up the pub so she couldn't stop." He paused. "Do you think she'll wait for me? For when I come back?"

Archie and Lexie couldn't help laughing.

"Well it's not as if you're going to be away for very long, is it?" Lexie responded, "You make it sound as if you're going to be away for ages rather than just a couple of weeks. If she can't wait that long then she probably isn't worth it. Right Arch?"

"Oh, right, yeah," Archie replied. However his mind had skipped into a different train of thought and he could feel those guilty feelings growing inside him again. He stood next to a cheerful Lexie and waved Duncan off with a smile on his face but already he was becoming absorbed by the thought of what makes a man leave his gorgeous wife for months on end to travel half way round the world in order to fulfil some vague promise to his father. If he could not sort it out in his own mind how on earth could he explain it to Lexie and make amends. She really didn't deserve to have a husband like him.

They watched as the land rover headed down the lane and turned the corner out of sight and then headed back into the house.

"You know it's going to be a lot quieter round here without Duncan." Lexie sighed.

"It was lovely to see Lucy come and say goodbye wasn't it? You know I think she's really serious about him and she seems like such a nice girl. You never know, Arch, maybe she could be the one to tame our Dunc. What do you think?"

"Erm, yes, maybe." Archie murmured.

Lexie turned to looked at her husband with an exasperated expression.

"Archie!"

"Yes?"

"Archie Macdonald, have you been listening to a word I said?"

Archie looked a little sheepish. "Something about taming?"

"Oh Archie, for goodness sake. I was saying that Lucy and Duncan make a nice couple, don't you agree?"

"Yes, yes, I suppose so. Look Lexie, I just need to pop out to the shop, I won't be long."

Without waiting for her reply he hurried out of the door. Lexie stared after him. He was acting oddly at the moment she thought. In fact he hadn't truly been himself since their night away when they had talked things through and she thought they had managed to clear the air and move on. She wished she could put her finger on what the problem was now. He seemed preoccupied with something and she had often found him just standing around daydreaming. She wondered where exactly he was going and hoped that he wouldn't be long. Then she jumped as she remembered something and dashed out into the yard. Archie was just driving out.

"Archie! Archie!" she yelled, and he glanced across at her without stopping.

"Archie, don't forget we've got a meeting with Dan in the pub at eleven. You promised we'd go together."

Archie gave her a quick wave as the car began to pick up speed.

"Archie, remember, 11 o'clock at the pub," she shouted after the fast disappearing car.

Lexie turned and went into the house. She had no idea whether he had heard her or not but could only hope that he had or would remember the meeting that they had arranged the previous week to discuss possible catering projects with Dan. He was keen to hire out one of the back rooms in the pub for small functions and had suggested that they market it as a package to include catering by 'Occasions and Celebrations'. Although she knew it was a good idea and they could do with the business she couldn't help but be put off somewhat by Dan's pushy attitude and his rather sleazy innuendos, which always seemed to be aimed at her.

"You'd better be there, Archie Macdonald," she stated defiantly.

Wanting to distract herself from worrying about either Dan or Archie, she wandered into the kitchen and noticed the hamster cage needed more water. She lifted Pickle out of his quite luxurious accommodation and popped him into the deep butler sink while she changed his water and put in some fresh food and a carrot to gnaw on. Pickle had been a present from her wayward father before he disappeared yet again and the name had seemed very appropriate. She had nearly lost the little rodent when he managed to escape once.

She picked up Pickle and began stroking him. It was a familiar action for them both. When Archie had been away climbing mountains, she had often sat for hours stroking him on her lap. Somehow she felt comforted by it.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the telephone and she hastily placed the hamster back in his cage.

"Hello, Occasions and Celebrations, can I help you?"

She grimaced. "Oh, hello, Dan."

It was the one person she did not want to hear and she was even more frustrated by his news that he wanted the meeting at the house rather than the pub because as he put it "we need to sit somewhere quiet and talk". She tried to put him off but he was remarkably persistent and there was no way she was going to let on that she was alone in the house at the moment.

'Never mind' she told herself. 'I'll have to give Archie a ring and get him to come back early and not go to the pub.'

As soon as Dan had rung off, she dialled Archie's mobile number. From a distant part of the house, probably their bedroom, she heard the familiar tones of his mobile phone.

"Damn," she thought, "Double damn. What a day to leave your phone behind. Now what am I meant to do?"

For the next half an hour Lexie paced around the house hoping that Archie would be back before Dan. She had even phoned the pub to try and put Dan off. Only to discover that he was out all morning and wouldn't be back until after lunch. So she left a message for them to redirect Archie when he turned up and continued with her fretting.

She tried to work out why she was so freaked out by Dan. After all she didn't think he was actually going to jump on her, at least she hoped not. She had met people like him before and had always been able to cope by giving them the big put down, so why not now.

Then it came to her. In this case she couldn't just give Dan a few cutting remarks and maybe slap him across the face if he got too cheeky. This was a man that they would have to do business with. He lived in the village. He ran the local pub, which was the main meeting place. He was in the centre of everything in the area and it would be a bad idea to make an enemy of him.

"Come on girl, pull yourself together," she said to the mirror.

Lexie heard a car pulling up outside and went to the window thinking for a moment that it might be Archie.

" Damn, why does he have to be so early?" she said as she looked out and recognised Dan's red sports car.

She marched out of the front door bravely.

"Hi Dan, you're early. I'm afraid Archie isn't back yet but I'm sure he'll be here very soon."

Dan grinned.

"Well then, we'll have to make the most of the time we've got," he leered at her and headed in to the kitchen.

"Actually Dan, why don't we sit at the picnic table. It's a shame to go inside when it's so lovely out here in the sunshine."

He hesitated but duly obliged her by heading for the table outside. She waited until he had sat down and deliberately placed herself on the opposing side. Although she felt a little less threatened with the table between them she now felt the strength of his gaze fixed in her direction.

The conversation continued in a rather aimless fashion for a few minutes before Dan leaned forward towards her.

"You know you're a really pretty girl. I hope Archie appreciates that. If I were him, I would never leave you all alone in the big house like this. You never know who might call. You did say he wouldn't be long didn't you? Any idea when?"

Lexie cursed Archie under her breath and prayed for salvation.

Thankfully, God answered her prayers in the unlikely form of Jill's mother, Mary.

She walked round the corner, wheeling her bicycle and carrying a collection tin for the local hospice. Before she got as far as saying anything she had taken in the body language of the two people in front of her.

Lexie leapt up from the picnic table.

"Oh, how lovely to see you Mary. I was only saying to Jill the other day that she must get you round here soon and now here you are. What have you been up to then – collecting for the hospice? Oh that's such a good cause. Wait there and I'll go and get some money for you."

Lexie hesitated. She had to find a way of keeping Mary on the premises.

"Actually, you do look a bit tired. I really think you ought to sit down and I'll go and make us a cup of something. Dan's here to talk to Archie and me about some catering jobs but Archie's running a bit late. So maybe you'd like a cup too Dan?"

Dan shook his head and looked a little disconcerted as Mary smiled at Lexie.

"Oh that would be lovely dear. A coffee would be much appreciated. I've been round most of the village now and everyone has been so generous, but it does get a bit tiring. Do you mind if I come in and look at your kitchen?" she said, seeing how obviously uncomfortable Lexie was. "Jill's told me all about it. I've always fancied an aga, myself."

As Lexie led Mary into the kitchen, Dan stood up.

"Look Lexie, as Archie's not back yet, maybe we'd better leave it until another time. I don't like leaving the pub at lunchtimes and I've a feeling it's going to be busy today. I'll give you both a call later in the week and we'll arrange it. OK?"

"Yes that's fine Dan," she lied. "Sorry about Archie, but he went out in such a hurry I'm not sure if he remembered or not. I'll get him to call you. I'm afraid it was a wasted journey for you. Perhaps we'd better make it at the pub next time so that we don't waste your time."

Dan said goodbye to Lexie and turned to Mary.

"Nice seeing you again Mary."

She did not return his offering of a handshake, but instead gave him a long hard look which caught him rather off guard.

"Well Dan, I expect you have better things to do than hang around here with us. I hope all your family are well?" she added with some meaning in her voice.

He looked a little startled before replying "Fine thanks" and left hurriedly.

Mary turned to Lexie.

"I hope you don't mind me inviting myself into your kitchen but when I came round that bend I thought you looked like you might need a bit of rescuing."

Lexie wasn't sure quite what Mary knew about Dan so she was cautious in her reply.

"Oh, I'm sure everything's fine. Besides Archie should be back soon. He knew we had a meeting planned. Anyway the kettle's boiling so shall we have that cup of coffee we were talking about?"

Mary looked at Lexie.

"Well dear, let's just say that Dan is not as popular with the villagers as you might think and I'm not the only one who could tell you that. Now, let's have a look at this aga of yours."

The conversation turned away from Dan and on to things more culinary as Mary gave Lexie a few tips about some favourite recipes. Lexie found that she got on well with Mary. She was a friendly open person and Lexie could see where Jill got her good manners and humour from. In some ways she reminded her of Molly. They came from different backgrounds of course but they both had a hidden intelligence masked by a kind and gentle personality.

Mary was still there half an hour later when a car drew up outside and Archie strolled into the kitchen.

"Oh, hello, Mary? How are you feeling? Better I hope."

"Yes, thank you Archie, much better," Mary replied.

Archie turned to Lexie.

"Do you fancy eating out for lunch?"

She stared coldly back at him. "You forgot didn't you?"

"Forgot? Forgot what?"

"Em, I think I'd best be getting back. I have to call in and pick up Emily from playgroup. Nice to see you Archie. I expect we'll run into each other again."

She picked up her collecting tin and headed for the door. As she passed Archie she gave him a particularly meaningful look.

"Now you make sure you look after this young lady," she said as she disappeared through the door.

Archie was somewhat confused and looked at Lexie.

"What was all that about?"

"You really don't remember do you?"

"Tell me," he implored.

"Well while you were off to lord knows where your friend Dan decided to move our meeting – yes, the one you arranged – to here. I was left to entertain him and all I can say is that I'm very grateful that Mary turned up when she did. You know how I feel about that creep."

Lexie's pent up tension was beginning to show itself as she continued.

"What's the matter with you at the moment. Your head seems to be in the clouds. You need to pull yourself together and start thinking about other people for a change. Surely you heard me yelling to you this morning. How are we supposed to run a business if you keep forgetting appointments and wandering off?"

Archie could only respond with one of his little boy looks and a "sorry".

"Well sometimes Archie sorry just isn't enough." Lexie shouted and stormed out of the kitchen.

Archie grimaced as he heard the bedroom door slam.