Fiona was very glad her children chose to come to her first with their hilltop discoveries. She listened in amazement to the tale and asked for clarification several times so she could make sense of the proper order of the exciting events they described.
“Right, you two scallywags! It’s a right good story, but we’ll wait until after supper for you to tell it to your Dad. Go off now and attend to your chores, and make sure you come to the table with clean hands and faces tonight.”
She carefully prepared the evening so that nothing would upset Gordon. After a long day’s work on the estate in the driving rain, he would not be in the mood to hear how his older children had ventured into possible danger without permission or consultation.
The words of her Granny came to mind. “It’s a mither’s duty to stand atween the bairns and their faither when things gang awry.”
She knew her Gordon was not a father in the mould of the fearsome Scottish patriarchs, such as his own father, but he was a busy man and this news might not be to his liking right at the moment with so much on his mind.
She considered the meal she had prepared. There was a hearty scotch broth, followed by one of his favourites, mince and tatties with lots of onion, carrots and turnips; a good meal for a cold wet night for sure. She wondered if a quick version of a sherry trifle might add to the atmosphere of goodwill she was aiming to create, and detoured into the kitchen to make sure she had the ingredients to hand. She would make separate plates of the pudding so she could add a liberal serving of the sherry to Gordon’s portion.
With everything prepared, she settled down, with Neil playing happily on the carpet by the fireside, and waited for her husband to arrive.
Fergus and Shona, clean and polished, and a little nervous, were already seated at the table with bowls of broth in front of them before the sounds of the Land Rover were heard outside.
Fiona put Neil in his high chair beside Shona and went out to meet Gordon.
“What a day of weather we’ve had. It feels like winter has come back to haunt us. The house is warm and your supper’s ready. Go on upstairs and wash. We’ll be waiting for you.”
She gave him a quick warm hug, kissed his ear, and saw the glimmer of a smile cross his mud-spattered face.
There was nothing in the world to beat a welcome like that after a difficult day. He left his boots and outer gear on the sheltered step outside the glass doors and went up the stairs to the bathroom with the heated floor where he dropped everything else and dressed in clean warm clothes. He could smell the broth and the appetizing aroma of savoury mince on the stove and his mouth began to water in anticipation. He was not sure he had actually eaten anything since breakfast but this good meal with his family gathered around him, made up for everything that had gone wrong in the day.
Thank you God, for all my blessings! Chief among which is my darling, Fiona.
It was a refreshed, and rejuvenated Gordon Campbell, who joined his family at the kitchen table. He did not pause for breath until he had scoffed the first bowl of broth. Then he tickled his youngest under the chin to make him chuckle with glee and turned his gaze on Neil’s brother and sister who were waiting for their main course to be delivered.
“Well, now! You two are looking particularly smug this evening. I take it you have good news for your Dad?”
Fergus, who had experienced his father’s knack of clairvoyance before this, was not taken aback by the question.
“Yes, Dad! Shona and I have discovered something, but Mum said you need to finish your dinner first before we can tell you about it.”
“Aha! It’s a conspiracy, is it? Well, your mother always knows best about these things. I’ll try to be patient.
With a full stomach and a dose of sherry making him feel quite relaxed, Gordon positioned himself by the wood-burner and waited for the story to be recited.
Fiona had done everything she could. It was all up to the children now. She took Neil upstairs to bed and left them to it.
Fergus and Shona sat down on the sheepskin rug in front of their father and began
“You know that old map you gave me, Dad?”
“You know the bothy on the hillside?”
“Wait a minute, you two. This is not a competition. Take turns.
Fergus, you start.”
He nodded his head, and Shona settled back until she could tell her part about what happened in the circle of ancient oaks.
Fergus did an efficient job of explaining the process of discovery. He had the ‘king’ stone in his pocket and brought it out to show his father.
“Now that’s a very interesting thing, Fergus. I think it should have been better left where you found it but I can understand why you brought it to me.”
He turned the stone over and examined both sides then looked at his daughter.
“Shona, I can tell there’s more to this. Go on now, lass.”
There was an uncomfortable moment when Gordon realized his only daughter had been abandoned inside a dangerous mystical circle of oak trees, but he refrained from interrupting and soon found out how Fergus had come to her rescue.
“So then, my chicks! Not one, but two discoveries! I am thinking we need to get the experts onto this.
I am glad you returned safe home with no damage done. You took a risk, of course, but it sounds to me as if it could all be worthwhile. There will be interest in these matters in Edinburgh and beyond. Don’t be surprised to be doing interviews with the television people soon, but keep it between us for now.”
The children ran upstairs to tell their mother.
Fiona had been listening with the door open while she rocked her youngest to sleep in her Granny’s old wooden chair. She was thinking ahead.
This discovery could well bring attention to the Glenmorie Estate and add to the attractions for the future festival.
“Have you made up your mind, Rena?”
They were seated at home in front of the roaring fire after a long day with a group of hill walkers collecting rubbish left on the slopes of Ben Nevis. There were over thirty volunteers and among them they gathered a lot of bottle tops, wrappers and empty snack packs.
Rena agreed to the slower pace of this Sunday activity and was proud of her contribution, but she was glad to be resting her weary legs before the start of the new school week.
“I must give my final decision to the committee tomorrow, Steve. It’s a big challenge but I think I can do both jobs with a bit of organization and a lot of staff goodwill.
I’ve been looking into the activities and programs of Oban High School. Do you know they have a women’s rugby team that wins awards, a pipe band and also a twelve-week police volunteers training course that provides helpers for various local events including the Winter Festival and Oban Live?”
Steve looked up from the newspaper he was reading.
“Honestly, Rena, I am constantly surprised by the depth and width of the community involvement in this small town. These people fight way above their weight in many spheres. The council meetings I attend are a fund of information. That’s where I heard about the annual Real 3 Peaks Challenge. The clean-up we did earlier today, is repeated on Snowdon in Wales and Scafell Pike in the Lake District. So many people really care about their beautiful environment and will do anything to preserve it.”
“I agree about the community involvement. Just look at the way we have been accepted into this community. After all the terrible things I went through in Toronto, it’s hard to believe how comfortable I feel here. It’s as if the past has been wiped out by the good feelings that surround us now. We made the right move coming here from England, Steve. Thank you.”
He reached out a hand to tenderly touch her face. He loved the way she had blossomed in this different environment. It was truly a new beginning for them. More than once the thought had crossed his mind to sell his house in Sussex and buy a permanent home for them in Oban.
It was too soon to broach that topic. Rena had enough on her plate but he was confident she would succeed in the new double-school responsibility that had been offered to her.
This lovely woman who had escaped the clutches of a crazy man with a bad case of Borderline Personality Disorder and created a disguised life for herself in another country, could surely knock into shape a few hundreds of students and their teachers in a small town in Scotland.
He pulled her closer to him and stroked her fair curls.
“Thank you, my darling!”
Solomon turned his head to look at his master and mistress. He could not know what they had been talking about but he sensed all was well. He licked his paws once and slid back to sleep. After today’s climbing efforts he deserved his rest. There was also the possibility of a substantial meal soon, and, if he was lucky tonight, he might be allowed to sleep at the bottom of their bed.
This Scotland place was a good place for dogs.
On Monday morning the weather reversed back to spring. Daffodils popped up among the primroses and the banks of crocus displayed their colours, bending their fragile petals to the gentle, salt-scented wind from the sea.
Rena walked down the hill from her splendid rented house and thought how wonderful it was to see this view out to Kerrera and beyond, most days of the week.
How many Head Teachers get to experience a walk to school like this one? I am so fortunate in so many ways. I will submit my letter of acceptance today and by the time the summer break arrives it will all be in place, God Willing. It’s a big step to take on two schools. I can only hope Steve is as happy with his work as I am with mine. I do not want to start the major process of blending two schools and staffs if he is ready to return to England.
By mid-morning the news was out and Rena Collins was receiving congratulations from everyone who could spare a moment to do so.
She emerged from her office after speaking on the phone to the Governors and found Fiona Campbell waiting for her.
“I won’t take up your time, Rena. Clearly, there’s something special in the air today. I just want to thank you for alerting us to the Arts School. Gordon and I went for the tour and the place is incredible. We think it will be perfect for Fergus after he leaves here.
There is another matter related to both my older children. There may soon be some publicity about a discovery the two of them made recently on the estate. I’ll fill you in later, but Fergus and Shona will likely need some time off school to deal with the matter.”
“This sounds intriguing, Fiona! I can’t wait to hear all about it. Call me tonight. I am very pleased to know about the Arts School. It’s just the place for a creative child like your Fergus, and I know Steve is happy to help with the driving part whenever he can.”
“Good! I’ll get out of your hair now, Rena. It looks like a busy day for you.”
There was a line forming in the office to speak to Rena as Fiona left.
She headed to the Tesco store to do some shopping. Neil was with Marie again and she wanted to get home to see how the new relationship was going. If all was well with the pair, she planned to do some work on the major project to further the estate’s ability to attract visitors and boost their coffers. Her research had revealed an article in the Oban Times about the October Wolf Awareness Week.
The article stated that wolves had been extinct in Scotland since the 17th century but the Royal Zoological Society had established a European grey wolf pack in the Highland Wildlife Park.
Fiona thought if the keepers could be persuaded to provide Glenmorie with its own breeding pair of wolves, it would be a huge attraction for visitors.
Strangely, this idea had a connection to Fergus and Shona’s discovery.
The article continued with wolf information.
The Ardross Wolf, an ornate carving on a Pictish stone, showed that wolves were once revered rather than feared in Scotland.
The name given to the Scottish island of Ulva, was believed to be a Gaelic corruption of the Viking name ‘Ullfur,’ which means Wolf Island in Old Norse.
Fiona considered it was a sign of sorts that she was on the right track. It was just another in the links between the ancient peoples and their traditions that lingered on in the stones of this land.
She wondered if Fergus and Shona’s Viking stone gaming pieces might one day, be added to that roster of connections.
This is not helping me to focus on the contents of my larder!
She shook her head to dispel dreams of wolves roaming free on the Glenmorie estate and returned to the daily tasks that she must accomplish.
Her final thought was to wonder when Anna would return to her Oban house. There was a gap in her life until she could relate all these exciting recent events to Anna. That wonderful woman would have advice and support, second to none.