said.
“Never! It’s white and fat, and happy looking. The seagulls in Govan are thin and dirty lookin.”
As the trio made their way down the entrance and the road beyond, Mary was startled to hear someone call out: “Mary Gregg! Mary Gregg over here.”
It was the first time in years she had heard her maiden name being used and with a puzzled frown she turned her head towards the owner of the raucous voice.
Granny immediately intrigued said: “Somebody ye know? Another ghost from yer past? But by the sound and looks o him a pretty solid phantom.”
Mary made no answer to Granny and instead went on staring at the kilted Highlander who had hailed her by name, and her maiden name at that. Unsure how to respond to this greeting, she decided to play it safe and merely gave a nod and a fluttering of her hand in the general direction of the stranger.
Close to, Mary felt blood rush to her cheeks.
It can’t be, she thought, but it is. It’s none other than the coachman from Kinnaird House. Bold as brass and handsomer than ever. The would-be romantic swain o my youth.
Reaching his side, Mary accepted his outstretched hand which she shook warmly enough. Despite herself she was inordinately pleased to see a kent face this early on her arrival back in bonnie Argyll.
“Well Ah never, if it isn’t Archie Cooper himself. After all these years.”
Archie grinned. ‘Well, Mary at least ye remembered my name. That really is something.”
He nodded absently to Granny then spotting Elenor he said: “Sorry, Ah called ye by the name Ah knew you by, but Ah knew no other although Ah would hazard a guess ye’re a mistress something or other by now.”
“ Ah’m now Mrs Drummond, if ye must know.”
Mary prepared to move on, but Archie bent towards her and with a nod in the direction of Elenor said: “Looks like ye made it to the marriage bed after all. Good for ye, Mary.”
Mary blushed and annoyed with herself and in a voice much sharper that she intended said: “Right, Granny, Elenor it’s time we were on our way. Miss Patten will be waiting for us up at Ivylea.”
As she made to pick up their assortment of bags and bundles, Archie put a detaining hand on her arm. “Just leave all that to me, Mistress ... Drummond.”
Mary cast a withering glance first at his hand where it rested on her arm and then at Archie’s face. “Thank ye, but there’s no need. Ah’ve managed this far without yer valuable aid.”
He started to protest and Granny looked somewhat askance at Mary. She realised that the sarcasm in her voice, which she had intended, had most certainly not gone amiss. Pleased with this success she decided to press home her advantage.
“Anyway,” she gave a sugary sweet smile, “Ah mustn’t keep ye from yer duties at the big house. And doubtless ye have a wife and a squad of bairns waiting for ye as well.”
“If ye mean Kinnaird, Ah no longer work there. Ah’m self-employed now. As to the other ...”
He waved a dismissive hand and let his words trail off unfinished.
Hmph. The same Archie – he’s probably fathered a dozen bairns the length and breadth of Argyll by now, but a legally wed wife of his own? Not his cup of tea.
Archie’s voice broke into her thoughts. “It’s time we were going, Miss Patten hired my pony and trap to escort ye and Ah’ve left wee Tam in charge of the conveyance long enough”
At Mary’s expression Archie laughed. “No need to look so surprised, Mistress Drummond. Surely ye realised Ah was actually waiting for yer party. Ye couldn’t have thought Ah was just standing here like some lovesick swain calling out yer name on the off chance that ye’d turn up out of the blue after all these years.”
He ushered them and their bits of luggage towards the waiting pony and trap.
When Elenor realised she was actually to go in such a stylish mode of travel, she gave an impromptu little jig.
All three adults laughed at such childish exuberance and Archie said:
“Never! It’s white and fat, and happy looking. The seagulls in Govan are thin and dirty lookin.”
As the trio made their way down the entrance and the road beyond, Mary was startled to hear someone call out: “Mary Gregg! Mary Gregg over here.”
It was the first time in years she had heard her maiden name being used and with a puzzled frown she turned her head towards the owner of the raucous voice.
Granny immediately intrigued said: “Somebody ye know? Another ghost from yer past? But by the sound and looks o him a pretty solid phantom.”
Mary made no answer to Granny and instead went on staring at the kilted Highlander who had hailed her by name, and her maiden name at that. Unsure how to respond to this greeting, she decided to play it safe and merely gave a nod and a fluttering of her hand in the general direction of the stranger.
Close to, Mary felt blood rush to her cheeks.
It can’t be, she thought, but it is. It’s none other than the coachman from Kinnaird House. Bold as brass and handsomer than ever. The would-be romantic swain o my youth.
Reaching his side, Mary accepted his outstretched hand which she shook warmly enough. Despite herself she was inordinately pleased to see a kent face this early on her arrival back in bonnie Argyll.
“Well Ah never, if it isn’t Archie Cooper himself. After all these years.”
Archie grinned. ‘Well, Mary at least ye remembered my name. That really is something.”
He nodded absently to Granny then spotting Elenor he said: “Sorry, Ah called ye by the name Ah knew you by, but Ah knew no other although Ah would hazard a guess ye’re a mistress something or other by now.”
“ Ah’m now Mrs Drummond, if ye must know.”
Mary prepared to move on, but Archie bent towards her and with a nod in the direction of Elenor said: “Looks like ye made it to the marriage bed after all. Good for ye, Mary.”
Mary blushed and annoyed with herself and in a voice much sharper that she intended said: “Right, Granny, Elenor it’s time we were on our way. Miss Patten will be waiting for us up at Ivylea.”
As she made to pick up their assortment of bags and bundles, Archie put a detaining hand on her arm. “Just leave all that to me, Mistress ... Drummond.”
Mary cast a withering glance first at his hand where it rested on her arm and then at Archie’s face. “Thank ye, but there’s no need. Ah’ve managed this far without yer valuable aid.”
He started to protest and Granny looked somewhat askance at Mary. She realised that the sarcasm in her voice, which she had intended, had most certainly not gone amiss. Pleased with this success she decided to press home her advantage.
“Anyway,” she gave a sugary sweet smile, “Ah mustn’t keep ye from yer duties at the big house. And doubtless ye have a wife and a squad of bairns waiting for ye as well.”
“If ye mean Kinnaird, Ah no longer work there. Ah’m self-employed now. As to the other ...”
He waved a dismissive hand and let his words trail off unfinished.
Hmph. The same Archie – he’s probably fathered a dozen bairns the length and breadth of Argyll by now, but a legally wed wife of his own? Not his cup of tea.
Archie’s voice broke into her thoughts. “It’s time we were going, Miss Patten hired my pony and trap to escort ye and Ah’ve left wee Tam in charge of the conveyance long enough”
At Mary’s expression Archie laughed. “No need to look so surprised, Mistress Drummond. Surely ye realised Ah was actually waiting for yer party. Ye couldn’t have thought Ah was just standing here like some lovesick swain calling out yer name on the off chance that ye’d turn up out of the blue after all these years.”
He ushered them and their bits of luggage towards the waiting pony and trap.
When Elenor realised she was actually to go in such a stylish mode of travel, she gave an impromptu little jig.
All three adults laughed at such childish exuberance and Archie said:
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