Chapter Seven- Counting down the days to the Glenbogle Fishing Derby...
A peaceful and at ease Claire sat on the rock listening to the birds while Duncan stood on shore. Claire smiled at Duncan as he grinned back and spoke, "Catch and release, it's just a flick of the wrist and you sail out yer hook and then call it back…really…" as Duncan swung his arm with the fishing rod and cast his line, just as he swung it back and then forth and back again over the river edge, and then the shore, back over the water; until the hook caught not just wind, but a green budded bush as well. Claire laughed while Duncan blushed and replied, "I'll go—get that."
Golly sat behind a few trees with binoculars, as he smiled at Duncan's awful cast and continued to view Claire. Golly tilted the binoculars in another direction just across the river as he noticed he wasn't the only one paying attention to what Claire and Duncan were doing. Golly lowered the binoculars, adjusted the strap to his shoulder pack and hiked down river.
Across the river, Ewan studied the pair, Claire all happy go lucky while Duncan showing her how to cast a fishing line. Ewan could hear her infectious giggling from where he sat, at first he smiled and then it faded when Ewan saw Duncan pull Claire close and place his hands on hers while they began to cast the fishing line. Duncan and Claire had invited Ewan along for their fishing lesson but he declined, until Lexie butted in and told him to go. Last minute, after Ewan had 'dinner' off, he simply told Claire and Duncan---he had other important stuff to do…like spy on them while they were alone. Ewan watched them while trying to remain 'unseen' until he felt a hand on his shoulder and he jumped three feet. Golly shushed him, "Laddy,"
"Ah, Golly, what are ya doing here?"
"I was just about to ask you the same," Golly replied as his eyes narrowed in on Ewan.
"I just wanted to see what Duncan and Claire were up to, Golly, like you."
"Like me, aye?" Golly's brows then rose and he glanced at Ewan.
"That is why yer here, aye? Right Golly?" Ewan asked cheekily with a grin. Golly remained stern and stoic-before he added, "Son, ye might want to start dinner soon—do yer work up at the house?"
Ewan shook his head and gave a laugh, "Lexie's prepping dinner. She suggested she do it since Duncan and Claire offered me to fish with them earlier."
"So why aren't you?" Golly asked casually.
"Eh, Golly, me fish? Don't be flaming daft. Besides," Ewan nodded his head in Claire's direction, "She's enjoying," and then nodded his noggin towards Duncan's way, "his company more lately than mine anyway." Ewan sighed while Golly opened his shoulder pack and handed Ewan his binoculars. Ewan and Golly crouched down further behind the bushes while witnessing every move Duncan and Claire made.
"You're soft on her?" Golly pried while Ewan stopped viewing the binoculars and turned his head towards Golly.
"Nah, friend, Golly…mate," Ewan piped up and on instinct picked up the binoculars again to have another look-see of Claire. A wave of unknown emotion then filled his heart as Ewan trained the binoculars on her face. Ewan shrugged it off and sighed again.
"Ah, friend, you passed up fishing to watch her, aye?" Golly challenged, and then Ewan challenged back, "yea, like you, of course, me can't fish anyway."
"Not like me Laddy, I'm just afraid they might hurt each other," Golly answered truthfully.
"Yer looking out for 'em then?" Ewan inquired before handing the binoculars back to Golly so he could now see…
"Aye, son, that's right," Golly studied Claire's face. It was so much like her mother's that old memories came flooding back to him…
Roughly twenty eight years ago…
"Ya know, fishing can be a contact sport," A young dashing and handsome Golly replied with a foolproof grin as he studied a sweet, kindred hearted and witty lass fly fishing in the middle of a river not far from her aunt's farm. Golly sat himself down on a rock waiting for the girl to say something…
"Depends on who's doing the contacting…'ello, you're Edgar, right?" The lass tipped her head towards Golly as she wore a knit hat and her red hair in two dangling downward criss-crossed braids. She also had on a white shirt, fishing overalls on and wellies too. She then cast her fishing line sent it far out along the river, swished the line back again, gave the line a quick tug and cast it out before her again…the young lass had rhythm with a fishing pole…
"That be I. You're Marjorie's…"
"I'm Annette, her niece, yes, you the next Elvis?" The lass studied Golly's hip leather jacket, his dyed jet 'black' hair and his red rugby shirt, and faded jeans and make a joke. Golly eyed her closely and then chuckled, "Not quite, still waiting for the calls from Hollywood."
"Aye, well, you didn't sound too badly at the rave last night," Annette winked, while continuing to wait for the trout to bite.
Golly gave her a sideways look as he didn't remember her at the rave, where he sang last night with his 'band'. During his day he worked on the farm and at night, Golly loved to party with the best of them, "You were---?"
"Aye," the lass laughed, as Golly stared at her and asked, "trout biting?"
"Nope, maybe you should belt out a wee tune an' they will…" Annette punned again and this time with a smile. Golly shook his head and smiled again too, "Wanna try?" Annette offered Golly the fishing pole as she wadded to the shore and Golly helped her up. Once their hands touched together it was like they couldn't let go. Annette immediately pulled her hand away and practically dropped her fishing pole. Golly snagged it up quickly as the two started to embark on a trout fishing adventure.
Ewan tossed and turned about in bed, before deciding to reach under his pillow and pull out the walkie talkie—his way of communicating with Claire. Ever since Claire moved into the house, they had their secret code---banging on the wall between their beds, separating their rooms…two knocks were, 'hello are you there?' Four knocks, one short and three long were, 'we need to chat,' and one knock was, 'turn on your walkie talkie."
Ewan raised his hand to the wall, at first he smoothed his hand down the wallpaper, feeling the texture of the paper under his fingertips and then he made a fist. One solid knock…Ewan waited, paused, prayed Claire was awake and well on the other side of the wall…
Claire had her light on as she read a book, just as she was about to remove her reading glasses from her face, and switch off her light, she peeked at the walkie talkie sitting on her bedside table and then reached out for it. Claire ran her fingers down the black box and heard the knock on the wall. Claire's mouth went into a simple child like beam as she switched the walkie talkie on.
"Yea?"
"You awake?"
"No, I'm asleep…"
"I can't sleep."
"Count sheep."
"Very funny, how many sheep are on your aunt's farm?" Ewan hit the talk button and grinned, he whispered into the device, relieved that Duncan slept through everything and their conversation.
"Twenty."
"Miss 'em?"
"Yea, s'pose, miss Tanner and Stedman too."
"Who are they?"
Claire raised the walkie talkie closer to the mouth and pressed the talk button, "the chancy sheep herders…you know, the---?" Claire released the button to hear Ewan say, "Dogs?"
"Aye, my bed warmers," Claire joked as Ewan beamed with a flirt, "Need a replacement?"
Claire laughed and rolled her eyes, "Yer the first I'll ring if I do."
"Ya sure?"
"Aye, very sure," Claire blushed and then said, "Night, Ewan, start counting…"
"Minutes that you'll ring me?" Ewan chuckled cheekily---wondering what Claire's reaction would be.
"The sheep, Ewan, the sheep, night."
"Claire?"
"Yea, Ewan?"
"You feel like going off for a ride with me tomorrow afternoon—since I have to see me mum?" Ewan asked curiously, hoping Claire would agree to it.
"Actually, I'm going fishing with Duncan tomorrow---otherwise I'd accept."
"Oh," Ewan lowered his voice and then added, "some other time then, night."
"Of course, night, Ewan."
Claire turned off the walkie talkie as her heart fluttered just a tiny bit, small unknown inkling of love, and then it went away.
A few days later, Claire and Duncan sat at the kitchen table on stools with a pair of narrow tipped tweezers, a magnify glass that Duncan had borrowed from Jess earlier and some curved tipped scissors. The specimen before them, a fly tie...or the beginning of looking like one, as Claire and Duncan studied the fish hook and its decorations. Duncan wrapped around yellow thread to hold on the trimmed wisps of the grouse feathers that they were using. Claire carefully guided Duncan on where to cut and trim the sparkly outer layer thread of the tie.
As Claire and Duncan worked on the fishing project, Ewan peeked in, as he watched, he listened and he grumbled...mostly because Duncan seemed to be taking up a lot of Claire's personal time lately because of the Glenbogle Fishing Derby and he didn't like it. Ewan's mouth went into a sinister cheeky grin as he tip-toed back into the kitchen with metal pans that he used to put underneath Lexie's herb plant pots on her gardening table outside of the castle.
"Take the reigns, darling," Claire laughed as she handed the scissors over to Duncan and he smiled, before trimming the grouse feather, "Main thing is you don't want to snip too much off the top...that's it...just a wee bit."
"Don't snip there," Claire insisted as she glanced diligently over Duncan's shoulder, "That's it pet..."
Duncan's tongue hung out of his mouth while he concentrated on where to clip the sparkly thread from the hook. Ewan with the two pans in his hand slowly crept up behind them. Duncan was about to finish the last touch of the fly tie. He reached in for a tiny clip with the scissors while holding onto the thread with the tweezers and scanning the tie through the enlarged glass...
CLANG! BANG!
Ewan regained Claire's attention after using his 'cymbals' right near Duncan's head.
"Ach!" Duncan hollered out startled as he snipped off a few feather strands too much on the fly tie and Claire grumbled aloud, while Ewan's evil grin formed once again, "Ewan!" Claire was quick on her feet as she grabbed one of Ewan's metal pans and proceeded to chase him around the kitchen, "Ewan!"
Ewan cackled out, "Nuh-uh! Too slow!" Ewan stuck out his tongue while making sure the kitchen table was between the both of them. Claire dodged to the left just as Ewan dodged to the right and Duncan shouted out, "Quit it!"
Claire dodged right around the table, bopping Ewan on the head with the tin pan just as Golly strolled on in.
Ewan spoke right up as Golly eyed the trio, "Ah, come on Claire! Duncan's hopeless at fly tying as you are at fishin'..."
"Not the point!" Claire stopped, "You broke his concentration...I told you he needs..."
"Duncan's concentration or yours? Ya know, Duncan's got work to do---doesn't he Golly?" Ewan muttered while staring at Duncan and rolling his eyes, Duncan and Claire tipped their heads at Ewan, wondering what he was getting at.
"What's that s'pose to mean?" Claire narrowed her eyes in, just as Golly replied, "Enough!"
"Sorry, Golly," Ewan immediately replied.
"Lass, I came looking for my magnify glass," Golly were about to retrieve it his eyes studied the other neatly done fly ties on the tackle box. Golly stared at the ties and then glanced in Claire's direction, "this yer handy work?"
"Blee-heh! Yeah, right…" Ewan rolled his eyes egging Claire on.
"Aye, it is," Claire answered as she stuck out her tongue at Ewan when Golly wasn't looking.
"Neat and tidy work, lass," Golly gave a nod of his head. Duncan gave Golly a look since he rarely gave anyone compliments about fly tying…or at least rarely Duncan.
"My mother showed me how actually. Very easy to do…Golly, you okay?" Claire gave him a stern look and then asked. Golly just tapped down the bill of his hat and gave her another nod, with a grunt, "Nothing I can't handle, lass. Make sure you teach the boy the ropes of tying."
Golly winked as he wandered out of the kitchen. Once Golly was outside he blew out a breath and his mind shifted again...
Golly had changed his 'look' the next few days, while he continued to work on the barn, he studied Annette from a far…his leather jacket had vanished, replaced with a coat for rough weather, all beige fabric, a navy sports shirt with a collar and then a pair of cargo pants---Golly tried to impress Annette with his change of clothing and pace. He wasn't some hot shot wannabe pop star who wandered the highlands playing at raves and working odd jobs; he was an ordinary nice guy. Annette wandered over his way as he stood on ladder painting a sign and tried to make like he wasn't viewing her.
"Hello, Edgar?"
"Annette," Golly continued to swipe his paint brush onto the barn sign and not cast his sight to her.
"Aye, Edgar, tea time?"
"I got work to do…" Golly spoke right up, and then sighed when he noticed Annette's face drop at him 'turning her down, "I s'pose, I could do with a cuppa?"
Annette grinned as he joined her, climbing down off the ladder and following closely behind her as they journeyed towards the old farm house. Golly and Annette entered the house, as he made way behind her and entered the kitchen his eyes set on a table of fishing hooks, a tackle box and fly fishing contents…
"You make these?"
Golly sat himself down at the kitchen table and nodded his head towards Annette's fly fishing crafts.
"Aye, sure did," as Annette handed him a cup of tea and then set her cup of tea on the table with a plate of biscuits and sat down beside Golly. Annette and Golly paused for a moment, not sure of what to say until they both spoke at the same time…
"Ah."
"So?"
They both smiled nervously again, before finally sipping their teas and exchanging looks. Moments passed until they leaned into each other sweetly and then kissed.
Chapter Eight---Heart to Bruised Heart
A day later, Claire and Duncan were fishing again since Lexie had given Claire some time off from the twins. Duncan was in heaven. He knew of a rave not far off from Glenbogle and decided to invite Claire to go with him. Well, he almost invited her…Duncan just hadn't found the right time to ask her yet.
"Claire?" Duncan placed a fly tie lure onto the fishing twine of the rod. Claire stood at the shore getting a rhythm going with her pole before she cast her line, "Yes?"
"I was wondering…" Duncan stuttered about as his face gave off a questioning, fearful, and half smiling expression.
"There's a rave tonight and you're asking me to go with?" Claire finished his question, just as Duncan gave her a bewildered look, wondering how she knew, "You've been stuttering on your words since we left the house or just plain quiet. Plus you seem to cutely sweat yer brow and get an expression of 'what by golly am I doing?'---
"Actually Lexie told me you were thinking about asking me to a rave tonight—something about how you asked her once and to be sure to head you off at the pass before comparing us as bonniest lasses north of Perth."
Duncan's face eased as he gave out a laugh, "You are the bonniest lass that I know."
"Ah, flattery, friendly and all, Dunc, but not necessary since---I'll go with you. Let's get fishing-hey?"
"Aye," Duncan was all smiles now and thrilled that Claire had agreed to go with him to the rave.
Late that night, Ewan heard laughing out in the hallway, and then a loud---shush! Ewan squinted his eyes at the clock and then flip flopped on his bed before he placed his pillow over his head. The sounds were pretty distracting for one who tried to sleep. Claire had been gone for hours, same with Duncan, and Ewan had no idea where they went until Golly told him at dinnertime--- 'Off to a rave.'
Ewan grumbled something incoherent before picking up the walkie talkie and turning it on. Ewan didn't check to see if Duncan was fast asleep on the top bunk of their beds. Ewan was about to do their 'secret' knock on the wall to ask Claire if she was awake when he heard coming from the walkie talkie…
"I had a great time tonight, ye betta go though…" It was Claire's voice alright, coming in loud and clear and then laughter followed as Duncan and Claire began tickling each other, and landing in a pile on Claire's bed. Claire's walkie talkie fell between the bed and the wall which it was up against. Claire's book slid right off and the talk button had been pressed in after all of the commotion…Claire and Duncan hadn't noticed the walkie talkie…
Ewan's emotions stirred at the giggles---becoming increasingly annoyed at hearing Claire with Duncan. Ewan in just his knickers and a tee shirt toppled out of bed with the walkie talkie in his hands--- "What the heck? It's 2am and she's goofing off with Duncan at this hour? What's this world comin' too?" Ewan huffed exasperatedly, and began to turn green with envy.
Ewan then heard while listening to the banter through the voice piece of the walkie talkie, "I better get on, yer right, you're just so much fun to pal around with Claire. Hard to believe the Derby is just days away, I'll miss teaching you how to fish…"
Duncan smiled warmly as Claire peered over to him, unsure about how to answer back. They sat on the bed beside each other as a moment of awkward silence wavered in, just as, Duncan and Claire were about to lean into each other. Ewan didn't knock on the door, but barged in. Duncan and Claire jolted away from each other. Claire zeroed her eyes onto Ewan, who was holding the walkie talkie, which belted out, "Ewan?"
Just as Claire said it...
"You've b—been listening in?" Claire glanced at the walkie talkie and eyed Ewan once again.
"Yea, you might wanna learn to use the off button!" Ewan narrowed his eyes in and grunted.
"What's gotten into you?" Duncan shook his head quite confused because he had never seen Ewan act this way.
"Me?" Ewan snipped and glared at Duncan, who gave Ewan an odd return look.
"It's 2am! One can't get beauty sleep with this kissy-kissy ruckus going on!" Ewan groaned, just as Claire turned to Duncan, "Ye better go."
"Yea, mebbe so," Duncan continued to focus his sight on Ewan. Claire led Duncan out of the room and turned to Claire standing out in the hall, "Ya sure about me goin' right? I mean I don't wanna leave you with the likes of him…"
"Duncan, it's leaving him with me that you should worry about. I'll help you out in tomorrow with the signs for the Derby aye?"
Duncan hung his head and then added, "Aye?"
"Yea," Claire shut the door to her room, "Okay, Ewan spill the beans!"
Ewan muttered and grumbled before sitting on Claire's bed, "I don't quite know how to explain it…"
"Well, start explaining it," Claire crossed her arms and strode up to Ewan before sitting herself down beside Ewan and fixing her floral print frock so that the bottom hem hung past her knees and the scarf around her neck.
"I dunno, I kinda thought with you moving in here, Claire, we'd be hanging out more," Ewan confessed while keeping his eyes trained on hers.
"Ewan, I'm sorry we haven't been, just I've been spending---?"
"A lot of time with Duncan, yea, but why, I mean, what's he got that I don't?" Ewan replied childishly.
Claire sat there and blinked, wondering how to answer him. And then…she knew.
Ewan started to ramble about his qualities like Claire didn't know about them, when she did, "I mean I can cook ya know—I'm the top house chef according to Lexie and I have a three wheeled car that mum gave me when I moved in here---what's Duncan got?"
Claire dipped her face in and pressed her lips to Ewan's cheek, and then Ewan turned his head as his lips brushed hers. Ewan and Claire were quite stunned at their response to being alone together. It didn't seem to matter, until Ewan remembered Claire's walkie talkie and stopped kissing her, hopped off the bed onto the floor to search for it and switch it off. Claire laughed as Ewan resurfaced from under the bed with the walkie talkie in his hand.
Ewan zipped onto the bed again and his lips met Claire's while they snuggled their bodies into each other.
Claire forgot about how she looked when she was with Ewan. Ewan grasped at her scarf while they kissed, just as Claire broke free from the kiss and sat up right.
"What's a matter?"
"You think we're doing the right thing, Ewan?"
"I dun't get you…I thought you wanted me to take you to bed?"
"Ah? Why?"
"Haven't you ever met your perfect someone?" Ewan piped up as Claire turned her head to glance at him. Claire became self-conscious of her body once again and made sure the scarf covered her chest so Ewan couldn't see a thing---well, one thing, her scar.
"I—I…" Claire began but Ewan continued, "You know someone who really knocked your socks off?"
Claire laughed now quite nervous, "Um, not sure how to answer that."
"Claire, you're special, pretty, kind, caring…you have a marvelous figure…you're---?" Ewan tried to flatter her since he meant every word. Claire became standoffish, something Ewan had never dealt with before. Claire was always so friendly and confident and suddenly she closed herself off to him.
"Night Ewan, you need to leave."
"I tell you, I put me wee heart on the line and you want me to up and go?"
"I don't know what else to say really. Ewan, you're lovely, but I need to get to bed."
"Claire, right, then…there's nothing wrong with the idea of you and me, is there? Is that why you've put on the brakes so suddenly?"
"We're mates you and me, and nothing will change it, will it?" Claire hoped Ewan wouldn't be upset that she's not ready to start anything with him when she's confused about Duncan. Something else plagued her, how Ewan would react when her body wasn't as perfect as he said it was.
"No, I s'pose not," Ewan rolled his eyes, "It's my comment about your body that's thrown you, isn't it?"
"How do you mean?"
"I mean you look great without the scarf," Ewan leaned in and stole a kiss from Claire whilst tugging the scarf around her neck. The undone scarf revealed…a very massive looking chest scar which started just below the base of her neck. Claire stared at Ewan uncomfortably and then stammered, "Get out."
"What's that?" Ewan eyed the scar and then Claire who did her best to cover it right up.
"It's nothing I can't handle or deal with…"
"Claire?"
"I said go, Ewan. Go to bed, forget this has ever happened," Claire immediately replied.
"Claire, what's wrong with---?"
"Me? Ewan, drop it, go…" Claire swiftly scooted Ewan out the door and shut it. Ewan stood in the hall, in dark, quite baffled at Claire.
The next morning, a Saturday breakfast, Ewan served a first round to the family and then went back to the kitchen to make a second round of eggs, toast, marmite soldiers, fresh fruit and juices. Lexie, Archie, twins, Molly, Golly, Jess, Lizzie and Martha, aside from Claire, Paul, Susan and Nigel surrounded the ancient table all nibbling away and enjoying each other's company. However, Duncan and Minnie were off to have breakfast at Aunt Liz's in the village.
"I guess these faces need wiping?" Lexie laughed as Wayne had his whole face covered, especially his cheeks, with ketchup from his eggs. Claire smiled as she sat on the other side of Wayne, "I'll get it," as Claire stood up from the table and decided to face the lions, well, erhm, a lion---Ewan that is.
Claire stepped into the kitchen as techno music came floating into one ear and other of the other. Claire felt pretty crummy for sending Ewan away last night, she felt worse for allowing her insecurity of her scar to set in. She never told him about her heart transplant, in all of their conversations she never once thought about telling him---Claire told others about the transplant, but they weren't Ewan.
Ewan flipped a few pancakes in the fry pan while whistling out a wee tune. He sent a couple down on a plate, and then in a separate small fryer, eggs and bacon sizzled away…Ewan then transferred the eggs and bacon to a plate as well. Ewan had a refilled huge fruit platter on the kitchen island and a few pitchers of freshly squeezed orange juice and then apple juice too. Claire wandered over to a couple drawers and pulled out a two bibs and then turned to look at Ewan. He knew she was there however he kept his eyes on the food.
"Ewan,"
"Wha--?" Ewan answered Claire still not looking at her.
"I'm sorry really,"
"Yea, sure, me too," Ewan said all sarcastic, shrugged his shoulders and continued to chop up peeled oranges and shove the pieces into a by hand juicer.
Ewan decided he would leave well enough alone as Claire had suggested last night. The hard part was he still really liked her...
"Look, I apologize for being brash with you last night. I didn't mean to wind you up…"
"Claire, you sent me away, you were obviously distraught about something or the fact that I'm not someone---Duncan," Ewan grimaced as he squished the orange half down on the juicer and out splish-splashed some juice into a small pitcher.
"Please can we leave Duncan out of this?" Claire proposed quietly.
"Yea, sure, whatever ya say," Ewan added smugly and foolishly and then said out of anger, "Yanno, Claire when you asked if we would still be mates? Well, we're not and infact, I don't like the likes of you anymore---we're fanatically different you and me. Go Claire…get on with it. Plant yer self with Duncan an' have a happy life."
Claire stared at Ewan while pondering her reply. She decided not to say anything and just walked out of the kitchen, as tears started to fill her eyes. She wiped her face with a bib and then continued onto the dining area. Ewan being cruel wasn't something she had anticipated. Claire just wanted to smooth things over yet the damage was done.
Claire walked into the dining room as her eyes met Susan's. Susan picked up on Claire's sudden mood change. Claire announced, "here's the bibbies for the babes."
Lexie smiled and laughed as Claire forced herself to be happy and grinned flawlessly back. Susan could tell something was wrong with Claire as her eyes met Claire's again as she looked tremendously troubled and not acting her usual self.
Moments later, Killwillie wandered in from the main close as he carried a few slips of mail with him and his briefcase, "Archie? Paul? Oh Ewan, there you are---Craig stopped in, and delivered me the wrong mail."
"Aye," Ewan grabbed the mail and then said to Killwillie while walking down the hall, "I'll be getting 'em," Ewan left the main room, as he traveled into the dining room, he noticed a slip of mail for Claire. Ewan placed the mail in front of Claire and didn't look at her just as Claire avoided eye contact with him and Susan observed her sister and Ewan closely. Ewan announced Killwillie's arrival, "Sir Killwillie, boss."
"Oh good," Archie beamed while saying to the breakfast club—his dear family, "Right then, enjoy the rest of breakfast, Paul and I have something to talk to Killwillie about."
"Right on," Paul smiled as he rose from the table and gave Susan's shoulder a quick rub and grinned at Nigel.
Susan stared at Claire as she viewed the mail and then opened it. Lexie tipped her head to Claire, "You all right?"
"It's Aunt Marjorie… she says she's become unable to tend to the farm and wants to sell it," Claire's face then saddened as she glanced from Lexie to Susan.