Chapter 12

…

Effie was pouring tea for the visitors when Jockie came back in. She walked over to join him at the sink.

"Can you believe what happened out there?" He whispered.

"I can't believe it Jockie, a classy woman like Miss Hagen going and doing that, what possessed her?"

"Well I think we know the answer to that." He joked.

"It's not funny Jockie, can you imagine what the entire village is going to say. Dominic of all people…and pregnant, at her age."

"Well it certainly explains her strange behaviour lately."

I thought Sheila was going to punch her."

"If Sneddon hadn't been there, she might have done."

"Excuse me Mrs MacDonald."

Effie turned around to see the hunting party watching them.

"Yes, what is it Mr McIntosh?"

"We really should get going, if you could inform Miss Hagen that it will be unlikely we shall be returning."

"Not returning, why?"

"I think you know the answer to that, we don't really need to be seeing family arguments while we're trying to relax. If you could let her know."

"Of course."

"Good day."

She watched as the men left the Big House, Jockie came to stand beside her.

"Well that will be that then."

"Miss Hagen won't be happy about this."

"She only has herself to blame."

…

Sheila stormed through the front door as Dominic quickly followed behind her and closed the door. He entered the living room to see Sheila watching him, anger evident in her eyes.

"Sheila I'm so sorry about all of this."

"Are you, some how I don't believe you? How could you be so bloody stupid Dominic, Sam…of all people?"

"Look, I know it was stupid but the night it happened…"

"I don't want to hear all the gory details thank you."

"I wasn't going too, that night…she was so vulnerable. She'd be drinking and she was so upset over everything that had happened with Odell. I held her as she cried and I don't know, in that moment I saw a side to Sam that I don't think she's ever let anyone else see and I felt honoured that she wanted to show me."

"And sleep with her in the process?"

"It was stupid I know but after that night, I felt things for her I'd never felt before…"

"Lust?"

"No, love. I loved her but she steered me away from that, told me I was too young to be having these feelings for her and so we ended it. I gave up the job at the Big House and slowly I began to get over her…but then when she came to me and told me she was pregnant, I'd never felt so happy. I mean I was shocked yeah, but so happy and I swore to her I'd stand by her if she decided to keep the baby and she did Sheila, she kept it. She didn't have too, the woman she is, I thought the first thing she'd do is get rid of it but she chose to keep the baby…our baby."

"It doesn't change the fact the she seduced a young boy…."

"I'm not a boy Sheila, not anymore. I'm in my twenties and old enough to make my own decisions and my decision is that I'll stand by Sam and the baby."

"Well clearly nothing I can say will change your mind, so I'm going upstairs…I suddenly have a terrible headache."

Dominic watched as she went upstairs before falling onto the couch and letting out a breath he'd been holding.

…

Sam stood by her bedroom window looking down as she saw Mr McIntosh leaving with the other men. Davey came up behind her and wrapped his arms gently around her waist, bringing her closer to him.

"At least it's out in the open now Sam."

"Yeah and this time tomorrow everyone will know."

"It's not the end of the world."

"No, look down there. Mr McIntosh and his party are leaving and I can bet you he won't be back. You saw the look on their faces when Sheila came storming out, the last thing a client needs to see is my personal life aired in public."

"So he's gone, he's no big loss."

"No big loss, Davey…that man is one of the wealthiest men in Manchester, he could have brought us in an extra £50,000 a year and now…thanks to Sheila, that's gone right down the pan."

"You can hardly blame Sheila….Sam, you knew how she was gonna react when she found out. You're lucky she didn't do you more harm."

Sam turned around in his arms to look up at him.

"David, what am I going to do? She just quit her job, I need her. She's my Estate Manager for god sake, she keeps things running smoothly. Without her, I don't know how I'll cope."

"Then go and talk to her."

"I hardly think Sheila will want to talk to me right now, kill me perhaps."

"Hey listen to me, whatever happens. It doesn't change the fact that you are having her Grandchild. Whether she likes it or not she needs to accept that. You both need to sit down together and talk about all of this…calmly."

"Calmly, is that actually possible?"

"You're both grown woman, act like it."

"You're right of course, but not today. I don't much feel like working anymore today."

"One day off wouldn't hurt."

"Will you stay, this place won't fall apart without us for today at least."

"Of course, how about I go down stairs and get us some tea?"

"That would be lovely, thank you David."

…

Davey came down to the kitchen to see Effie clearly waiting for him.

"Well it's about time you came back, what on earth is going on?"

"Did you not hear well enough earlier?"

"So it is true…Miss Hagen is pregnant with Dominic's baby?"

"Yes…"

"Oh my word, what is the world coming too. A woman of Miss Hagen's age."

"Oi, she wasn't the only one there that night, it took two people to make that a baby. Don't go laying all of this on Sam."

"Well I wasn't, I was just…."

"This is why she didn't tell people sooner, she knew she'd be the one who'd be judged. Lady Laird Sam Hagen taking advantage of a young man, well he's just as responsible as she is, for god sake….he's not a bloody child anymore. He knew very well what he was getting into when he slept with her."

"Alright, alright…calm down. How's Miss Hagen now, after, well…earlier?"

"Okay I guess but she's afraid….of what everyone in the village will say."

"What did Sheila say?"

"Not much… yelled a lot and then told Sam where she could stick her job."

"Ah, well I have some other bad news I'm afraid. Miss Hagen won't like it but it concerns Mr McIntosh…"

"He's pulled out has he?"

"I'm afraid so, Jockie tried to go after him, talk him out of it but he refuses."

"It's alright, Sam saw him leaving and assumed that's what had happened. After what he witnessed, I can't say I blame him."

"Let Miss Hagen know that if she needs anything, just to ask." Effie smiled.

"Well you could start by making some tea for her, she's gonna be resting up stairs for the rest of the day.

…

Davey waited as patiently as he could for Effie to make the tea before he made his way up the stairs to Sam's room. He took the tea into Sam's sitting-room and sat it down on the table.

"SAM, THAT'S YOUR TEA HERE….SAM?"

Davey didn't get an answer from her and thought he heard a strange noise coming from Sam's bedroom. He felt a slight panic as he made his way into her room, only to have his fears confirmed. He walked in and found her hunched over the side off the bed, rubbing her abdomen, clearly in pain.

"Jesus Sam, what is it…are you okay."

"No, of course I'm not okay. David it hurts, it really hurts." She cried.

"It's okay, you'll be okay. I'm calling an ambulance."

Sam watched as he rushed off to phone for help and cried to herself, praying the baby would be alright.

…

To Be Continued…