1. Beginnings
We are somewhere in the Caledonian Highlands; the sun is well over the horizon and the birds are chirping. A long drive parts a well tended lawn like a river. It leads to a sprawling Victorian castle, with arches and turrets and conical roofs and a facade of alternating dark and light stone. A flag of Scotland flies from the topmost tower; a dungeon awaits visitors below. We stop to take a picture of the grand edifice before us. Click goes the camera and the image is recorded.
We look about and see a loch surrounded by snow capped mountains, forests of Scots Pine, moor lands covered with heather, and rivers full of salmon and trout. We will visit these places later. Right now, we hurry through the front door and find our way to the dining room, with its polished mahogany table and sideboard, and its collection of antique family silver in the cupboard. We are quite impressed with this room until we notice the faded, tattered upholstery on the chairs. The dining room reveals that the owners of this once grand estate are rich in land and little else. We have come to the dining room because this is where we hope to find the MacDonalds of Glenbogle House. Luckily, they are still at breakfast. The young laird sits at his place at the head of the table. He is rather ordinary but likeable looking and dressed unpretentiously in jeans and a jersey. Two women sit on either side of him. One is his mother. Graceful and blonde, she looks much younger than her years. The other is his wife. Young and pretty, she sports two blonde streaks in her dark brown hair and a shaggy fringe. We stop to listen to their conversation.
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"You're not eating much this morning," Molly remarked to her daughter-in-law. "Are you sick?"
"I'm just no' hungry." She spoke like the girl from Glasgow that she was, not the English educated nobility she had married into.
"You haven't even touched your coffee," Archie frowned.
"I'm no' in the mood," Lexie said, stirring her cereal with a spoon, but her blue eyes were without their usual sparkle
"We don't want you sick for Opening Day tomorrow. I can wash the dishes and you can rest, if you like." Archie began collecting dishes and cutlery.
"I'm awright", Lexie said. She picked up the remaining things on the table and followed Archie into the kitchen.
Archie had filled the sink with hot water and was putting on rubber gloves. "I'll take those" he said relieving Lexie of some glasses and spoons and putting them in the sink." He plunged his hands into the soapy foam.
"Archie, I think I'm pregnant."
Archie's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Are you sure?"
"Almost sure. I'm 5 days late and I woke up feelin' sick."
"Oh, he said still taking it all in. "That's wonderful. Not that you're feeling sick, but that we are going to have a baby." He went over to embrace her but realized his hands were dripping with soap. Instead he planted a kiss on her cheek, his arms bent like a W. "You don't look happy," he said sympathetically.
"It wasna exactly planned," Lexie blurted out.
"No," Archie said. "But these things do happen."
"No' usually to people who are as careful as we are."
"Hmm," Archie said thoughtfully. "There was that time in the new croft..."
Lexie's eyes widened and she showed a hint of a smile.
"Oh, I have to go." Archie said. "I have a job interview to do."
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Outside on the vast estate, Golly (the ghillie) and Duncan (the head ranger) were preparing for tomorrow's opening day of the Glenbogle Wildlife Centre. Spring and fall the Centre was open on weekends only; whereas in the summer it was open 6 days a week. The two men were raking trails and tossing brush into the woods.
"Do ye think we'll be ready fer tomorrow?" Duncan asked, his smudged knees showing from beneath his kilt.
"Aye," Golly said, ripping up a root that had grown across the path. Golly, nearly twice Duncan's age, wore the more commonplace jeans and jersey. "Ready enough. After all, we don't get so many visitors this early in the season."
"I wonder who Archie's gonna hire this year for the admissions stand and gift shop?"
"There are plenty of people in the village who'll be more than happy to do the work."
"That's what I'm afraid of. We'll get some more of those punk kids like he hired last year."
"Scuse me," said a woman said who was coming along the path. "I think I'm lost." The woman had tousled brown hair and wore a gaily patched denim skirt and jacket, plaid tights, and red trainers. She had a purse hanging from the bend in her arm.
"What are ye looking fer?" asked Golly.
"The way oot."
"I can show ye," Duncan volunteered. He walked the woman back along the way she had come.
"Thank ye so much," she said. "I get lost all the time." She spoke with a high, almost childish tone of voice, although she was about 30.
"What are ye doin' here? Don't tell me," Duncan said putting his fingers to his temples like he was reading her mind. "Ye got lost."
"No," she laughed. "I applied for a job at the Glenbogle Wildlife Centre. I'm gonna be the ticket vendor."
"Really. I work here too. I'm Duncan McKay, Head Ranger."
"Head ranger. That sounds important."
"It is," Duncan said nonchalantly.
"I'm Rosie McLean. Nice to meet ye, Duncan."
"Nice to meet ye, Rosie."
They came to the wrought iron front gate, which Duncan opened for Rosie. She skipped out to a waiting police car, driven by PC Callum McLean and called out "Bye". Duncan waved back nervously. PC Callum McLean scowled at him.
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Archie walked into the parlour, where Molly and Lexie were hanging plaques. "Do you ladies have everything under control?" he asked.
"Aye," Lexie said. "Come look at these plaques I been workin' on for the past three months. We had old photographs of yer family reproduced and I wrote descriptions fer each one. Look. That's your grandfather as a lad posin' by this fireplace."
"Hey, that's terrific, Lex. So you have the tour schedules worked out between the two of you?"
"Yeah," Lexie said, looking disappointed.
"And we have all the valuables locked up." Molly said.
"Archie, doncha wanna see what we did in the other rooms?"
"Later, Lexie. I need to check on Golly and Duncan."
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Back on the path, Golly was hammering in a sign identifying it as trail #2C. Archie came by. "This looks good," he said. "Do you need any help?"
"Naw, we're almost done."
"Then you'll have time to sweep the Gift Shop and put out the stock?"
"Aye,"
"Good, then I'll be in the estate office if you need me."
Duncan came running back, all arms and legs. "Hi Archie," he said, nearly bumping into him. Archie went on his way. Duncan picked up his rake.
"Her name is Rosie McLean. She's got the ticket vendor job."
"Good," said Golly. "At least it's not one of those punk kids."
"She's married to PC McLean. He was waitin' fer her at the gate in his car."
"Ach, that's too bad, Duncan. She was lookin' like mebbe she was eligible."
"Naw, I wasna interested in her, Golly. She's not my type. I think she's a bit of a numptie."
"Oh, then she's definitely not yer type, Duncan." Duncan didn't seem to be sure whether he was being complimented or kidded.
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A young man came to the door of Glenbogle House and Lexie answered it.
"Mrs MacDonald," he said with a gleam in his eye and a cocky smile. "I'm Ewan Brody. Archie hired me."
"Yer the new cook/hoosekeeper?" Lexie said with surprise. "Ye look even younger than I was when I started here. I hope ye cook better."
"I been trained by the best," he said puffing out his chest.
"Really, well come on in. I'm Lexie, by the way."
"Nice to meet ye, Lexie."
"What's a nice Glasga boy like yerself doin' in a place like this?" she teased.
"Probably the same as you. Lookin' to get away from the city and find inner peace and harmony in the lovely countryside."
"Ha, that's a good one. If yer anythin' like me, yer runnin' away from home and takin' yer first chance fer a decent meal and a roof over yer head."
"That too," said Ewan.
Lexie gave a knowing laugh. "I'll show ye the kitchen first. Ye'll make dinner 6 days a week. Ye get Monday off. The rest of the time ye'll be cleaning hoose. Ye do clean, doncha?"
"I been trained by the best," Ewan said. Lexie looked sceptical. "My mum," he explained.
They came into the kitchen.
"This is it?"
"This is it."
The room looked like it was last renovated in the 1950s. The appliances were old. The walls and the cabinets were painted institutional green. There wasn't even a dishwasher.
"Uh, this is great!" Ewan said. "Ye do have electricity, doncha?"
"Usually," Lexie said. "Except when the fuse blows."
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Duncan was whistling as he walked to the gift shop, the keys in one hand, a broom in the other. He unlocked the door and found the light switch. The room smelled a bit rank. It contained a few boxes filled with leftover stock from last year.
Duncan did a double take when he noticed the cat lying in the corner eyeing him suspiciously. It was a tabby cat, large and fat, with a short, ringed, bushy tail.
"Hello, wee puss," Duncan said congenially advancing towards the cat. "How did ye get in here?" Then Duncan noticed the hole in the rotted floor boards.
The cat arched and hissed. Its fangs looked the size of Duncan's finger and its mouth looked like it could fit Duncan's fist, or so Duncan thought.
Trembling, Duncan backed away and fell over one of the boxes, making a racket. He picked himself up, ran out the door and locked it behind him.
Golly came upon the scene with a handcart carrying new stock for the gift shop.
"Golly, ye can't go inside. There's some kind of a mad cat in there."
"Ye think I might catch mad cat disease?"
"I'm not kiddin'. It's ferocious. It has killer fangs."
Golly peered through a window. "Oh yeah, I see it. It's not foamin' at the mouth so I trust it willna attack." He took the key from Duncan and unlocked the door. He approached the cat slowly and quietly.
The cat hissed but Golly held his ground. He backed out calmly and shut the door. "Laddie, what we have in there is a wildcat."
"Is it dangerous?"
"Not normally, but in an enclosed space like that, I wouldna get too close."
"What do we do," Duncan asked, his eyes gleaming. "Use the tranquilizer gun?"
"No, we save that for an escaped wolf. The cat will probably leave tonight on its own to look fer food. Then we fix the flooring that rotted away so it canna get back in. We should let Archie know aboot it, though."
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Golly and Duncan found Archie in the estate office.
"Why don't we catch the wildcat in one of those cruelty free traps," Archie suggested, and display it in one of the animal pens. It would be perfect for opening day tomorrow."
"We don't have a trap like that," Golly said, "But I think Reverend Alice may have one. She had squirrels over the winter."
"I'll ring her and see if we can borrow it," Archie said.
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Archie returned to the estate with the animal trap. He met Golly and Duncan and they set the trap with ham from the kitchen. "I hope this compares favourably with mouse," he said.
He insisted on accompanying them to set the trap. He hadn't yet seen the ferocious cat who had nearly bitten Duncan's hand off.
"It is big," Archie agreed, getting a view through the window.
Golly put the trap in but the cat didn't move towards it.
"All right, Duncan," Golly said after a while. "Let's yew and me finish fixin' that animal pen. We'll check on Kitty cat here when we're done."
"Let me know what happens," Archie said.
The three men parted, Archie heading towards the house.
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Archie retrieved a small shopping bag from the car before going inside, where he met Molly in the great hall.
"Hello Mother. Have you seen Lexie?"
"She said she was going to lie down."
Archie headed up the stairs towards the bedroom. He found Lexie sitting up in bed with the laptop in her lap and a yellow notepad by her side. The Spaniel, Useless, was at her feet.
"I got through to the vet. He said we can give the wildcat the same food we give the wolves only an 1/8 of the amount, twice a day. Also, it needs a cave to sleep in durin' the day. An overturned rubbish bin will do. He's gonna stop by tomorrow to examine it."
"That's great, Lexie."
"And I found some information on wildcats on the internet. I've written up a summary that we can put on a plaque. They're nearly extinct."
"I knew I could count on you. Look, I bought something for you, us really" he said. He handed her a brown paper bag.
She looked annoyed but accepted the bag and pulled out a box. "A home pregnancy kit." she said in a tone of mock surprise. "Well this explains why our business is all aboot the village."
"What do you mean?"
"Everyone knows I'm pregnant."
"How can they? We don't even know for sure yet."
"Ye bought this in the village?"
"Yes."
"Well, my wee man, that's how they know. The postman congratulated me when he dropped off the post."
"Blimey, they're fast."
"We might as well find out for sure. How do I use this thing," she asked examining the box.
"Just go to the loo and follow instructions."
"Thanks," Lexie smirked as she left the room.
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"Golly, what do you think we should name this cat?" Duncan asked, as they were hammering chicken wire to the posts that provided structure for the pen.
"I dunno, what do ye think?"
"How about Stripey? We had a cat named Stripey once."
"How about Fang, or Killer, or Ferocious?" Golly suggested.
"Okay, mock me," Duncan said self pityingly. "I'm used to it."
"Awright, Son. Stripey it is."
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"Archie, we're gonna be parents," Lexie said when she returned. She looked so downcast that Archie's heart began to sink. She sat down next to Archie on the bed. He put his arm around her. Useless, now on the floor, looked on sympathetically.
"Look, Lex," he began. "I know this is supposed to be a happy time for a couple. But it was, as you say, unplanned. It may take some time for you to get used to it."
"What if I never get used to it?"
"Do you really think that might be the case?"
"I dunno. I just know that right noo, I don't have any positive feelings aboot it. All day I've been wishing that it wasna true. I feel like my life is oot of control, my body is oot of control."
"But you always said you wanted to have a family."
"I know. I do. But no' noo."
"Why not?"
"I dunno. I'm no' ready. I want to do it in my own time. Like I put it in my calendar first and then it happens."
Well, it looks like someone else put it on the calendar this time.
Lexie looked so sad and there was nothing Archie could do.
"Come on, let's go to dinner," he said checking his watch."
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Molly met Archie and Lexie in the hallway. "I don't know how it is that I'm the last to know, but I must say I was a little suspicious at breakfast this morning," gushed Molly. "In any event, I am so happy for you."
Archie and Lexie stared at her glumly.
"Oh dear, the Glenbogle Grapevine can't be wrong. Is something the matter?"
"Nothin's the matter," Lexie said. "But we found oot only today. We just weren't ready to have the news broadcast on Talk Scotland yet."
"I'm afraid that was my fault," said Archie.
"When are you due?"
"I havena figured it oot yet."
"Well, the midwife will let you know. Do you have an appointment scheduled?"
"No' yet."
"Well you should make one right away, dear."
"I'll call tomorrow. Just leave me alone, awright?" Lexie stormed ahead and went into the kitchen to see if Ewan needed any help .
"Lexie, you look radiant. How ye feelin'?"
"Awright. How are you, Ewan?"
"Great. I made extra tonight. I hear yer eatin' fer two."
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In the dining room, Ewan was clearing away the dinner dishes and Lexie was thanking him for the meal. She turned to Archie, "Come see the work Molly and I did fer the hoose tours."
"I can't now. I have to check on the wildcat." Archie left via the kitchen to collect the evening feeding.
"Busy, busy," Lexie said, trying to look cheerful.
"Maybe tomorrow," Molly suggested.
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Golly put his finger to his lips as Archie neared the gift shop. "We got him," Golly said in a low voice. "We don't wanna startle him any more than necessary."
Golly opened the door, went inside, and lifted the trap. The wildcat was howling piteously. "It's awright, Stripey," Duncan said. "We're gonna take good care of ye."
"They brought the animal to the wildlife centre and Golly put the cage in the pen they had prepared. Archie threw in the food and Golly opened the cage door.
They watched as the wildcat sniffed around the open door. With some hesitation it went outside and immediately found the food. It was the most easily caught meal the wildcat had ever had.
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"Molly, I'm sorry I snapped at ye," Lexie said when the two were seated in the parlour.
"I understand," said Molly. "One can be very touchy in early pregnancy."
"Thanks."
"But you look unhappy," said Molly. Lexie nodded. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"I'm no' sure I'm ready to be a mother," confessed Lexie. "It was an accident."
"Oh," Molly said sympathetically. "I felt the same way with my first pregnancy."
"Did you gradually get used to the idea, so that by the time he was born ye were okay with it?" Lexie asked, hopefully.
"It wasn't quite that simple. First of all, Hector and I weren't together when I found out. I had left him and I wasn't sure I was going back. I considered having an abortion. I even started making inquiries, but it wasn't legal then so it could have been dicey. In the end I went back to Hector, hoping the baby would bring us closer together."
"Did it?"
"Yes and no. You know that Hector wasn't the most romantic man. I did come to love him and my children, so I made the right decision."
"So ye liked being a mother, then?" Lexie asked. "You didna mind the nappy changing and the late night feedin's?"
"Oh, I didn't do those things," Molly said. "We had Nanny for that."
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Duncan had invited Ewan to his place to watch TV. He was taking the beer out of the fridge while Ewan was surfing the airwaves with the remote. "Comedy Circus. This is the best," he said. "Have ye seen it?"
"No," Duncan said. He didn't know he could get more than one channel.
"Every week they have a different stand up comic, performin' live from some place or other. Let's see who they have tonight."
The voice from the TV announced, "Tonight live from Edinburgh, we present, "Hamish Whips it Out." (Sounds of cheers and applause.)
The two men leaned forward in their seats.
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Lexie and Archie were lying in bed. "My mum didna want me and now I'm havin' a baby that I'm not sure I want," Lexie said.
"Lex, come on. Give it some time," Archie cajoled.
"I mean it. If I end up treatin' our child the way my mother treated me, I'm gonna hate myself and ye will too."
"You won't."
"And yew," she continued. "It's not like ye had much of a role model for a father in Hector."
"True," Archie agreed.
"What I fear most is me behavin' like my mother and ye behavin' like your father."
"But Lex, it's not going to be like that. You know that."
"No I don't.
"Right, like our baby is born and the first thing I'm going to do is take up golf."
Lexie laughed. "And I'll dye my hair red and wear too much makeup."
"You see. We're not like them. We're us."
"Aye, I suppose we'll hafta make our own mistakes."
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Once more it was morning in the highlands but this time Archie and Lexie were at breakfast earlier than usual. Even so, Archie dismissed the oatmeal that Lexie placed in front of him and gulped down his coffee and toast.
"I was hopin' that ye would have time to look at the work Molly and I been doin' around the hoose."
"Sorry, not now, Lex," Archie said. "It's opening day. I have to be on-site."
"We don' open for another two hours," Lexie pointed out.
I have to meet with Golly and Duncan. But later. I'm interested."
-------
Two hours later when the gates opened, Golly was stationed at the Wildlife Centre, which now featured the wildcat as well as the grey wolves and the rabbits and the owl. Duncan was stationed near the entry way to give directions and generally be helpful. People began trickling in shortly after opening time. Strolling the area, it wasn't long before Duncan found himself at the ticket booth.
"How's it goin' Rosie."
"Hi Duncan. Everythin's fine. Want a sweet?" Rosie held out a white sack, invitingly.
Duncan looked in. "Jelly babies," he exclaimed. "I havena had those since I was a kid. Thanks."
"Yer welcome."
"Let me know when ye wanna have lunch. I'll take over fer ye."
"Thanks Duncan. That's fair sweet of ye."
"No, not really," Duncan said. "Archie told me to. We all get lunch breaks. We just hafta take them at different times."
"Oh, too bad we can't take them together. That would be more fun... Some more jelly babies?"
"Thanks," Duncan dipped into the bag with relish. "I guess we're lucky havin' a constable's wife workin' here." He laughed. "If anybody nicks anythin', the law will be here in a jiffy."
Rosie laughed too. "Who's that?" she asked.
"What?"
"Who's the constable's wife that's workin' here?"
"Yew, isn't it?"
"No, I'm not married."
"You're not married to PC McLean?"
"Oh you mean Callum. He's my brother."
"Ohhh...I'll have some more of those jelly babies, if ye have any."
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Dr Murray arrived in the afternoon to look at the wildcat. He wore thick protective gloves. Archie, Golly, and Duncan gathered round to watch the examination.
"It looks like you might have a purebred here," Dr Murray said. "That's very unusual. Most of them are inbred with feral housecats." The recipients of this news looked at each other approvingly. "We'll see what her kittens turn out to be," Dr Murray continued.
"Kittens?" Duncan repeated with interest.
"When is she due?" Archie asked.
"Two weeks, maybe."
"That's just when the wolves will be havin' their cubs," Golly said. "We'll have our hands full.
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Lexie was in the village to pick up some tea that Molly suggested for settling her stomach. She was coming out of MacKecknie's when she heard her name called.
"Katrina," Lexie answered back. "What brings ye to this backwater?"
"I had some work to do in Inverness, so I'm visiting Maureen."
"Well, yer lookin' good."
"So are you. I hear you have some good news."
"Aye," said Lexie without enthusiasm.
"You don't look happy about it, Lexie. Is something wrong?"
"I canna talk aboot it here," Lexie said. "It would be all over the village before I got home."
"Well, I was going to the Ghillie's Rest to kill some time while Maureen was grading some papers, but why don't we get in my car and go somewhere quiet."
"Okay."
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Lexie and Katrina found a quiet spot by the river. "I'm afraid havin' a baby could change my whole life," explained Lexie. "And not fer the better. I've been enjoyin' the committee work and the public relations that I've been doin' as laird's wife. I don't wanna hafta give that up."
"You shouldn't have to," said Katrina.
"What am I gonna do, take the baby with me everywhere?"
"The baby does have a father, too, you know."
"I doubt that Archie wants to play Mr. Mom all day either."
"Not all day. But a few hours every day would be reasonable. That way you could both work and be parents."
"That sounds good. I wonder if Archie will go fer it?"
"He will if he wants a family, otherwise you have options."
"I know, but…"
"Here," said Katrina, pulling out a notepad and pen from her handbag. "Why don't we list all the things you want from Archie as a father. It will help you when you talk to him about it."
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Lexie returned to Glenbogle House and went to her room to drop off her handbag, her shopping bags, and her notes from Katrina. She then went downstairs to the kitchen to check on Ewan. It was a good thing she did. The stove was acting up, and she showed him how to fix it.
While she was in the kitchen, Archie came home and went to their room. He could see that Lexie had been shopping. He also noticed a folded up piece of paper on her bureau, which he guessed was an advert or flyer. He unfolded it and took a look. His face darkened as he read it. This is what he read.
Lexie's career will be considered as important as Archie's work as laird.
Parenting responsibilities shall be shared equally by Archie and Lexie in all areas, including but not limited to changing nappies, feeding, bathing, dressing, and bedtime.
Whenever possible, Archie will arrange his day so that he can take care of the baby when Lexie is performing duties for the estate or the village.
Household tasks, including cooking and cleaning, shall not be Lexie's sole responsibility. Whatever is not done by Ewan will be divided among the adults of the household.
From time to time a babysitter will be employed as needed.
He looked up as Lexie walked in. "Hi Arch." she said.
"Lexie, what is this," he asked accusingly.
"Some notes," said Lexie. "To help me sort things oot."
"This isn't your handwriting."
"No it's no'. Why are you makin' me feel like I'm on trial."
"Because I find what's written here offensive. Who wrote this?"
"Katrina but...,
"I should have known. What were you doing with Katrina?"
"Just talkin'."
"I can't believe you let her talk you into this crap."
"I didna let her talk me into anythin'. She just wrote doon what I said."
"Oh Lexie, no," Archie said in disbelief.
"Oh Archie, yes," Lexie said with rising fury. "Ye are just like yer father if yer not willin' to do yer share of the work of raisin' a child." She stormed out of the room...
"Lexie, wait."
... And slammed the door.
---------
At the end of the day Duncan went to the ticket booth to talk to Rosie. "How did the first day go?" he asked.
"It was so excitin'," she reported. "I havna talked to this many people in one day since I was in school."
"Really," Duncan said, surprised. Last year's ticket vendor hadn't been anywhere nearly as enthusiastic. "What were ye doin' before this?"
I was at home takin' care of my mum and auntie. Mum got so barmy I couldna take care of her. She's in a nursin' home noo. Auntie needed lookin' after too, but mostly she'd sit and not say a word. She died a month ago. That's when I came here to live with Callum. I couldna bear bein' alone anymore.
"Ach, that's sad, Rosie."
Rosie shrugged and smiled. "Callum willna be here for another half hour. Maybe ye can show me around."
"Step right this way," Duncan said gallantly. "Allow me to show ye the Glenbogle Wildlife Centre."
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"These are the wolves," Duncan said. "They used to live in the wild in Scotland".
"They're beautiful," Rosie said. "Look at their fur, so warm and soft."
"That'll be good for the babies. Two of the females are havin' babies soon." He pointed out which ones.
"Look, those two are kissin'," she said of two wolves sniffing noses. "Oh dear, now it's kissin' the wrong end."
"Maybe you'd like to see the wildcat now." Duncan offered. They walked a short distance to the pen but they couldn't see the wildcat.
"I think it's in that overturned rubbish bin. That's its cave." Duncan said. He squatted down to look in but he couldn't see anything, as it was beginning to get dark out.
"Stripey, are ye in there? I hope it didn't escape." He pulled out a small torch from his pocket and shone it in, but the torch was too small to reach inside the bin.
"I better go check on it," Duncan said. He took the keys out of his pocket and opened the pen. He tiptoed in, torch in hand, and shone the light into the rubbish bin.
"Mrroggh," the cat howled.
Duncan tore out of the pen, panting, and shut the door behind him. "It's in there," he said.
"Aye," Rosie laughed. "I think ye woke it up. Ye didn't like that did ye Stripey," she said. The beast was now sniffing the opening rim of the bin.
"Of course, I'm used to this sort of thing," Duncan said in a self important tone. "As Head Ranger, I get this sort of thing all the time. Ye just hafta be faster than they are."
"Let me take a look at it," Rosie said, opening the gate, which Duncan forgot to lock.
"No Rosie, it could be dangerous."
"Don't worry, Duncan. I have ye here to protect me." Rosie walked into the pen and stood there. She crept forward until the cat made a low guttural sound. Then slowly she sat down.
"Rosie, I don't think this is a good idea," Duncan whispered.
"Shhh."
In a matter of minutes, the cat crept out of the bin and inched towards Rosie. It put its head in her lap and let her stroke its head. It began to purr.
Duncan was dumbfounded. Not so Golly who had just arrived to feed the animal. "How did she get in there?" he whispered.
"It's a long story," Duncan said.
Golly threw the food in the pen some distance from where Rosie and the cat were sitting. The wildcat leapt towards the food and ate. Rosie stood up, brushed herself off calmly, and walked out of the pen.
Duncan hurriedly locked the gate.
"I think Callum must be here by now. Would ye mind walkin' me to the entrance?"
Duncan didn't mind at all, until PC Callum McLean snarled at him again.
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Dinner at Glenbogle House was very quiet that evening. Except for Molly's futile attempts at conversation, all that could be heard was the scratching of cutlery against plates and the ticking of the clock.
Finally Molly stood up abruptly and said, "No pudding for me tonight. I'll leave you to sort out whatever's bothering you."
Archie and Lexie finished the last bits on their plates in silence. Finally, Archie reached over the table so that his hand came near Lexie's. Lexie placed her hand in his.
"May we talk?" he asked.
"We can try."
"Lexie, I'm not the Neanderthal my father was," Archie said. "I've always intended to do anything and everything that needs to be done for our child, including, but not limited to, changing nappies, playing patty-cake, singing lullabies off key, and pushing the pram."
"And ye support my keepin' up with my work?"
"Yes, of course. I'll help. Mother will help. If necessary will hire a babysitter for a few hours a week."
"Then why did ye make such a big fuss over the notes?"
"Did you ever read them?" Archie said with feeling. "The ideas were all right but the wording was like a legal document, like one of Katrina's manifestoes."
"I suppose they were. I'm sorry, I didna mean for them to sound like that."
"God, I'm glad I married you and not that woman."
"Archie, I'm glad I married ye too. And I think I'm beginnin' to get used to the idea of our havin' a baby."
Ewan came out of the kitchen with a trifle. "Pudding anyone? Where's your mum?"
"She's finished with dinner, but we'll have some," said Archie.
"Thank ye, Ewan," said Lexie.
"I'll be out in a moment with yer tea, Lexie" said Ewan.
Soon he was back, pouring a cup for Lexie. "And one fer you sir," he asked with a cheeky formality.
"What is it," Archie asked. "Is that the stuff that's supposed to help with the morning sickness?"
"Aye," Lexie said, "It doesn't taste all that great."
Archie thought it over. "We're in this thing 50-50, right?
"Right".
Then pour me a cup please, Ewan."
"Good. And after we drink our tea, I can give ye a tour of yer hoose."