remember she milked cows as fast as everyone else, even your Dad, although she was an old woman. She was always threatening to chase Sam and me with the byre broom, or tan the hide off us.’
‘ Funny,’ she said innocently, ‘she never threatened me.’
‘ That wee dimple still betrays you when you’re trying not to laugh, Megan. You never could keep a straight face when you played tricks on Sam and me.’ The light died from her eyes.
‘ I still miss him terribly, Steven. We haven’t even a grave.’ Her voice wobbled and he wanted to hug her. At one time he would have done it but he remembered the feel of her and her blushes. She was growing up.
‘ I miss him too, Megan,’ he said quietly. ‘I reckon I always shall.’
‘ I know.’ She swallowed then gave him a wavering smile. ‘Come on, I’ll show you where the milk pails are.’
‘ Sometimes we were sent out to farms to help with hay or harvest when we were in camp. I never missed a chance to look around. I’ve dreamed of nothing else but getting back to farming. Now…’ he shrugged his shoulders, ‘now my future is a blank.’
‘ All the local farmers think you should have been the one to stay home and farm. None of them have much respect for Fred, or his methods but that doesn’t help, does it?’
‘ No. I’d like a good long walk around the old haunts after the milking is finished. Will you come with me?’
‘ After supper, I’d love to, if you’re sure you don’t want to go dancing. There’s one in the village hall?’
‘ I’d rather go for a walk,’ he smiled, ‘but if you…’
‘ No, I just thought you might be missing the social life.’
‘ I can’t tell you how much I’ve longed for the hills and glens of home or how much I appreciate your letters Megan. I hope you’ll still have time to write to me when you go to college?’
‘ Of course I shall.’ She blushed shyly. ‘I love getting your letters too.’
Steven was kept busy emptying the milking units and carrying the milk to the dairy while Megan and her father milked the cows down each side of the byre. By the time they had washed down the stalls and taken the cows back to pasture they were hungry for supper.
‘ Natalie Turner called while you were all at the milking,’ Mrs Oliphant told them as she carried a steaming dish of cheese pudding to the table.
‘Natalie? She called here?’ Megan echoed in surprise.
‘I think she hoped to catch Steven. Her father is letting her borrow his car tonight. She wondered if you would like to go to the dancing in Dumfries.’
‘Oh Megan,’ Steven said contritely, ‘you should have told me you and Natalie usually go to the dancing.’
‘I’ve never been to a dance in town.’ Natalie Turner barely gave her the time of day. Her heart sank. It was Steven Natalie wanted to drive to the dancing and she was used to getting her heart’s desire.
‘It’s all right,’ Mrs Oliphant said. ‘I told Natalie you had other plans but I said you would telephone her if you decided to go to the dance instead. She said something about using her influence to help you with your little project, Steven.’
‘ Did she…?’ Steven frowned. ‘I asked Mr Turner if he would give me a reference if I put my name down for the tenancy of a government small holding,’ he explained. He had been looking forward to an evening walk with Megan up the glen and through the long wood where they used to gather the bluebells and play at pirates but he didn’t want to offend the Turners. He didn’t know who else he could ask to give him a farming reference. He didn’t know anyone else with Mr Turner’s influence so it wouldn’t do to offend his only daughter.
Six
Steven was quiet as they all tucked into their evening meal but when they were all replete he began to tell John Oliphant about his mother’s suggestion that he should try to get a government smallholding to rent. He had always been able to talk to Sam’s father and he
‘ Funny,’ she said innocently, ‘she never threatened me.’
‘ That wee dimple still betrays you when you’re trying not to laugh, Megan. You never could keep a straight face when you played tricks on Sam and me.’ The light died from her eyes.
‘ I still miss him terribly, Steven. We haven’t even a grave.’ Her voice wobbled and he wanted to hug her. At one time he would have done it but he remembered the feel of her and her blushes. She was growing up.
‘ I miss him too, Megan,’ he said quietly. ‘I reckon I always shall.’
‘ I know.’ She swallowed then gave him a wavering smile. ‘Come on, I’ll show you where the milk pails are.’
‘ Sometimes we were sent out to farms to help with hay or harvest when we were in camp. I never missed a chance to look around. I’ve dreamed of nothing else but getting back to farming. Now…’ he shrugged his shoulders, ‘now my future is a blank.’
‘ All the local farmers think you should have been the one to stay home and farm. None of them have much respect for Fred, or his methods but that doesn’t help, does it?’
‘ No. I’d like a good long walk around the old haunts after the milking is finished. Will you come with me?’
‘ After supper, I’d love to, if you’re sure you don’t want to go dancing. There’s one in the village hall?’
‘ I’d rather go for a walk,’ he smiled, ‘but if you…’
‘ No, I just thought you might be missing the social life.’
‘ I can’t tell you how much I’ve longed for the hills and glens of home or how much I appreciate your letters Megan. I hope you’ll still have time to write to me when you go to college?’
‘ Of course I shall.’ She blushed shyly. ‘I love getting your letters too.’
Steven was kept busy emptying the milking units and carrying the milk to the dairy while Megan and her father milked the cows down each side of the byre. By the time they had washed down the stalls and taken the cows back to pasture they were hungry for supper.
‘ Natalie Turner called while you were all at the milking,’ Mrs Oliphant told them as she carried a steaming dish of cheese pudding to the table.
‘Natalie? She called here?’ Megan echoed in surprise.
‘I think she hoped to catch Steven. Her father is letting her borrow his car tonight. She wondered if you would like to go to the dancing in Dumfries.’
‘Oh Megan,’ Steven said contritely, ‘you should have told me you and Natalie usually go to the dancing.’
‘I’ve never been to a dance in town.’ Natalie Turner barely gave her the time of day. Her heart sank. It was Steven Natalie wanted to drive to the dancing and she was used to getting her heart’s desire.
‘It’s all right,’ Mrs Oliphant said. ‘I told Natalie you had other plans but I said you would telephone her if you decided to go to the dance instead. She said something about using her influence to help you with your little project, Steven.’
‘ Did she…?’ Steven frowned. ‘I asked Mr Turner if he would give me a reference if I put my name down for the tenancy of a government small holding,’ he explained. He had been looking forward to an evening walk with Megan up the glen and through the long wood where they used to gather the bluebells and play at pirates but he didn’t want to offend the Turners. He didn’t know who else he could ask to give him a farming reference. He didn’t know anyone else with Mr Turner’s influence so it wouldn’t do to offend his only daughter.
Six
Steven was quiet as they all tucked into their evening meal but when they were all replete he began to tell John Oliphant about his mother’s suggestion that he should try to get a government smallholding to rent. He had always been able to talk to Sam’s father and he
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