II
The same night as Justine and Archie's restaurant opening: Jamie's Coronation and Celebration
Far away, in the fog and pine tree Scottish Highlands, the stone castle was another 'hopping' place aside from Flying Fish in London. Cars driving down the dusty track to the house, coming to a halt outside the front step and as Duncan and Golly greeted guests for the beginning stage of Jamie's 'lairdship'. Most of the guests, the MacDonald men, sported Kilts and dress coats and emblem hats and the women had tartan dresses or fancy ball gowns with MacDonald striped sashes as the folk and finery poured into the 400 year old family dwelling.
Upstairs in the bedroom, Jamie's room, with the huge picture window that over looked a balcony and the loch, Jamie finished getting dressed up. He fiddled with his bow tie at his neck, his flipped down the collar of white crimped shirt and straightened black short coat with diamond buttons. He wore his black and red pin striped kilt and his three-tasseled sporran on his front side. Finally, he set on his head a Tam O' Shanter with the emblem of MacDonald pinned with grouse plumes on the front, a pom-pom off to the left and a bow on the back. Hector insisted he wear the hat over and over again and show his MacDonald pride. Jamie looked into the full length mirror and grinned at the housekeeper and his long time friend Lexie standing in the door, "Picture perfect yer lairdship."
Lexie giggled, as Jamie snagged up the traditional 'aristo' sword from the bed, "I look horrendous, Lex. All dolled up and no one special to share it with, but people I hardly know."
"No, you dun't. You look hunky, stylish and you'll knock them all dead. Just lemme thread and bow yer boots…" Lexie noted Jamie had his outfit almost complete except his boots were still untied. Jamie looked down at his feet and laughed nervously, "It's the new statement I'm trying to make, don't you know? Wear the sword and trip over my unlaced feet as I glide down the stairs. I'm train wreck just waiting to happen, Lex."
"Oh hush up-ya! Aye there…nice and neat, prim and proper…" Double pony-tailed Lexie in her hot pink shirt and long black-skirt with her floral apron tied around her hips, bent down and crossed over his boot laces before looping one side and pulling it through. Lexie then finished tying his other boot before Jamie set the sword to a side and bent down to look at her, "I wish you weren't doing kitchen duty."
"Eh, no biggie, Jam, I can handle it all while you have fun."
"No I mean it, you're important too, you should be enjoying yourself…you've been slaving all day even at the main event," Jamie tried to tell Lexie in a roundabout away that he needed her comfort, support and security.
"Jamie, yer sweet…" as Lexie was about to comment further about Jamie wanting her at the celebration, she heard Molly and Hector stomping down the hall.
"Where is that blasted girl? She should be serving the chilled wine! LEXIE! What on earth am I paying you for---girl? To chat about!" Hector hollered out as he poked his head into Jamie's chamber. Molly nipped closely at Hector's heels, "Hector, she deserves the night off…it's…"
"Nonsense, Lexie's job is to cater my needs and tonight the clan's too! I will not have her puttering about! She's holding up the event---LEXIE, you silly girl get a move on!"
"I love you too Hector," Lexie retorted with an eye roll and chimed, like nothing was wrong to Jamie and Molly, "Cinderella to the kitchen, and reporting for duty!"
"Cinderella should be at the ball, Mother…" Jamie whispered about Lexie to Molly when Hector was out of an ear shot, "I tried dear, knowing your father he doesn't listen."
Meanwhile, the guests were in the main hall, dancing to reel music, enjoying themselves and waiting for the laird to appear. Hector blazed down the stairs, and tipped his head to Golly as it was time for him to play the pipes. Lexie had traveled down the back way to the kitchen with a tray of chicken legs and more cut up vegetables, as she peered out to the main hall, and waited to see Jamie appear too. Lexie set her eyes on the last guest to arrive, the school teacher Katrina Finlay dressed in a periwinkle frock with a shawl and topping her outfit off, black and white saddle shoes. Lexie muttered something incoherently negative when she saw Jamie light up like a Christmas tree at the sight of Katrina on the main hall staircase.
Molly came down the stairs and nodded to Hector, who signaled Golly again to play his pipes. Jamie then began to march down the stairs and the family applauded and cheered him on. And when Golly's melody stopped, Jamie had officially made his stance as laird. To Jamie, his siblings were missing and he hated the fact that he couldn't be with Archie at his restaurant opening or with Lizzie and her boyfriend Gerald manning the bar. Jamie shoved the thought out of his mind when he saw the couples and the reel music on cue play up again. And Hector grinned as he snagged Molly for a dance. Jamie met Katrina and added, "You came?"
"Aye, wouldn't miss the big night, land dinosaur."
"Well, care to kick up your heels, Anne Shirley?"
"Of course, Gilbert," Katrina accepted and smiled as Lexie narrowed her eyes at Katrina and Jamie wondering what they were talking about. It was then the actions of the pair that made Lexie's emotions go out of whack unexpectedly…
Jamie handed his sword to Golly and then pulled the Tam O' Shanter off his head and sent it flying like a Frisbee to Duncan. Katrina and Jamie joined the family, twirling arm in arm, two-stepping footing and also waving rows of pointed toed and dancing people, one of women and one of men crossing in and out. Lexie stared at Jamie and Katrina becoming increasingly uncomfortable as Jamie's eyes met Lexie's during a mid arm twirl with Katrina. Lexie stormed off onto the dinning room and Duncan followed behind her, "I'll help you Lex!"
Lexie ignored Duncan's vows of help and continued to shuffle the food on the dinning room table. Lexie was still slightly miffed, with a scrunched up face and a pout as she set down a box of extra silverware and collected up a few dirty glasses.
Duncan stared at Lexie like a love sick puppy dog—waiting for her eye contact and her reply. Duncan still had a huge crush on her and loved it when she was in 'Lexie-woman' mode. Lexie could care less for the bumbling estate hand and she spent a great portion of her time making fun of him.
"Take off Jamie's hat too while you're at it---we're not playing dress up, you know ya numpty bam pot!" Lexie snapped at Duncan as she noticed him still wearing Jamie's Tam o' Shanter and trying to stand tall as if he were the laird of Glenbogle. And then Lexie responded, "Take this-aye!" Lexie shoved the empty wine glass tray at Duncan's chest, narrowly avoiding dropping the tray on the floor.
"What's gotten into you?" Duncan spat out upset while juggling the tray.
"Just get out of my sight, Duncan—Dun-can't!" Lexie ordered as her mood became more dismal and dim.
Lexie couldn't describe it until her mind registered the fact that she was a bit envious of not being dressed up in a ball gown with tiara on her head and sparkles on her cheeks and her arm entwined with Jamie. Lexie wanted to be the one kicking up her heels to the eight sum drum reel with him.
Lexie had put up a brave front all day for her dear mate—missing the important moment where the proctor presented the laird sword to Jamie because she had to set up a formal dinner. Missing the moment that Hector presented the quake to Jamie because she had be instructed by Molly to make sure the fatty calves weren't burnt to a crisp and the vegetables were steamed, and cut to garnish around the meat on the platters--presentation was everything or Hector would have Lexie's head on one of them. And most of all Lexie missed the moment when Jamie put the family stone together with Hector's brothers as he pledged becoming the head of the family because she was 'too busy' pressing and creasing kilts, tartan trousers and men's dress shirts, aside from last minute mending to Molly's tartan sash for the celebration.
Lexie sighed out again sadly before picking up a tray of dirty dishes and marching towards the kitchen. Just as Lexie wandered out of the room, Jamie wandered in, noting how miserable Lexie looked tending to the party's needs and not being apart of his special night.
Jamie whispered—disappointed too, "The truth comes out," after hearing Lexie's sighs and then Katrina bickered with Hector about laird duties that Jamie had to his people out in the hall as they called out, "Jamie will settle this! Where's that dear boy!" And then Jamie shouted out unenthusiastically while staring in the direction of the kitchen where Lexie went, "I'll be right there!"