Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
It was well after two a.m. when the last of the party-goers finally left. My friends had departed much earlier. I had hugged Mara and the others goodbye, but I felt since I was with a family member, I needed to stay up and finish out the party.
But I was dead on my feet. As soon as the last guest slipped out the double doors, I took off my heels. I didn’t care what anyone thought, my feet couldn’t take one second more.
I had danced with my friends, and with Ewan, all night.
And yes, I was the first to admit it had been fun.
“You must be exhausted,” he said, as he left his mother to talk to the orchestra leader. The musicians were packing up their instruments.
“It was fun,” I said. “Thank you for the invite. Are you sure we aren’t over-staying our welcome by sleeping here tonight?”
“Not at all. Mom just told me she expects us at breakfast tomorrow morning at ten. I hope that’s OK. It means we’ll be getting back to town a bit later than expected.”
“It’s the weekend, and I don’t have any patients scheduled,” I said. “Sleeping in sounds good to me.”
“I’ll show you to your room.”
We climbed the center staircase up a floor and turned down a long hallway.
There was what had to be a fifteen-foot tapestry with scenes of war, partying, and unicorns on it. “Does your family have a thing for unicorns?” I remembered unicorns on a tapestry in the castle where our friend Angie had been married.
He chuckled. “Unicorns have long been the national animal of Scotland,” he said. He held up a hand. “I know, it may seem silly to an outsider. But we are known for our folklore and myths. Unicorns are a part of all of that.”
I smiled. “I think it’s fun. When I was a kid, I wanted a unicorn for a pet. For some reason, that never worked out.”
We laughed.
“It must be incredible knowing your family’s history and having these homes that express that.”
He sighed. “Aye, but I’ll be honest, sometimes it can feel a burden.”
“Why is that?”
“It is a great deal of responsibility keeping the homes up, and making certain the legacy continues. It has only been in the last decade I was able to talk the family into using the castles and estates for nights like we just experienced. It helps to cover the costs of the upkeep.”
I remembered him telling me that before.
“Does it all fall on your shoulders? What about your father?” While he often spoke of his mother, and I’d met her earlier, he never spoke of his dad. “Did he retire?”
He cleared his throat. “A long time ago, he passed over the family business and accounts. Dad loves nature and his books. He is a writer and avoids crowds at all costs. I was surprised he was here tonight.”
“I can relate to the problem with crowds.”
He chuckled.
“You said he didn’t usually come to the events your mother holds, but he was here tonight.”
“That’s because his family was the one who funded the children’s charity that was the recipient of tonight’s donations.
Mum likes to joke that the secret to a happy marriage is they live apart most of the year.
She has charities and boards she sits on.
Dad has his nature preserves and books to write.
We usually get together for the odd holiday or birthday, but otherwise they live apart. ”
I shrugged. “I’m the last person to judge a relationship. If it works for them, that’s a good thing.”
“It does and has for years. Like I said, Da handed over everything to do with the businesses and the properties when I was twenty-one, including the lairdship.”
“That is very young to take on that kind of responsibility.”
“Aye, it was. And he left it a mess. He’d been ignoring things for years, which was one of the many arguments we had back then.”
“Have you always been so responsible? You have taken on the running of Sea Isle, and even the job of ACC. It seems to me, you could have at least passed those duties on?”
He stopped in the hallway, and I paused with him.
“What did I say? Did I offend you?”
He shook his head. “No one has ever asked me that question. Everyone just assumed I would do whatever was necessary to keep the town running.”
“And you do. I’m not trying to get rid of you, but I’m curious why, when you have estates all over Scotland, you chose Sea Isle as your home base.”
“My grans,” he said. “I’ve told you about my parents, and because they lived separately, I spent a great deal of time with my grandparents. They lived in the estate in Sea Isle, and as a young boy it felt like a magical place. Being right on the sea, and I had the run of the town.
“For me, Sea Isle was home. My grandfather taught me how to run the farm, and care for the animals. And how to fish. My grandmother was a nurse and would often help the former Doc look after the townspeople. I suppose I grew up feeling the same sort of responsibility they did.”
“Everyone in town adores you,” I said. “I don’t know what they would do without you.”
He laughed, and then started walking again. “Everyone who lives there is like family to me,” he said. “And many of the older folk see me as a nephew or grandson. That can be a good and a bad thing.”
I smiled. “I can see that.”
“And aren’t you feeling that pull as well? I’ve seen you interacting with the town. You aren’t just the doctor. You’ve quickly become an important part of the community. For which, we are all grateful.”
“Aw. Thanks for that. I’m amazed how quickly this past year has flown, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else.
I mean, during February when the wind never quit, and I felt like I was a popsicle most days, I may have thought about a warmer climate.
But I’ve come to love the town and the people.
I like that people genuinely need me. I think there is a part of all of us that appreciates that sort of thing. ”
“Aye. As usual, you’re right. Here we are,” he stopped outside what I assumed was my bedroom door.
“Thank you for tonight,” I said. “I had fun. Goodnight, Ewan.” I don’t know why, but I rose up on my toes and kissed his cheek.
His eyes went wide, but he just nodded. Then he quickly turned away. “See you in the morning, Doc,” he said as he walked away.
We’d seemed so close there for a moment in time, but we always fell back into that awkwardness that came between us. That said, I’d had fun. Even with everything that had happened with the accountant and his wife.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d danced so much or relaxed into the arms of a handsome man.
It was a great night. One I would not soon forget.
I shut the door behind me and took in the room where they’d put my things.
There was an enormous canopy bed dressed in blue and gold brocade.
The wooden furniture was ornate and fancier than anything I’d ever own, but it fit the overly large room that was big enough for a sofa and chairs in front of a fireplace that was taller than me.
It was hard to believe that Ewan came from such opulence. He was so down to earth, but this was his world.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever fit into it.
The next morning, after packing my overnight bag, I headed downstairs. Ewan and his mother were in the dining room right off the stairs.
“Good morning,” she said as I walked into the room. “Did you rest well?”
“I did. How are you?”
She laughed. “I’ll need a day to recover. These old bones need more and more time after these parties.”
“You aren’t alone, my feet may never be the same. I’m glad I brought my sneakers for today. Hi, Ewan.”
He put down his phone, which he’d been looking at, and nodded my way. “Doc.”
“Son, I would hope I’ve taught you better manners than to be on your phone at the table.”
“Catching up on a case,” he said. “I wasn’t trying to be rude.”
“Did something happen?” I asked. “And have you heard about Mrs. Burns? Is she OK?”
“Aye, she was released from the hospital this morning. She’s doing well,” his mother said. “I had my assistant contact the husband. Thank you again for looking after her. We are lucky you were here.”
“It was no problem,” I said. “I was curious how you knew them.”
I glanced at Ewan, and his eyebrows went up.
“Oh, she’s lovely and sits on several of my committees. She’s a hard worker. I dinnae know much about the husband. I think that may have been the first time I’d met him. I’m so glad she’s doing much better.”
“That’s good news,” I said. She had most likely been dehydrated. After some fluids, she and the baby should be fine.
“That was quick work, Doctor. You’re lucky to have her in Sea Isle, son.”
“Aye. We are,” he said. His cheeks were pink again. His mother had a way of embarrassing him that was nothing short of delightful.
Ewan’s phone buzzed and he glanced it.
“Ewan, really.”
“Sorry, mum. I need to get back to town. Doc, can you be ready to go in fifteen?”
“So soon? I thought I’d get the day with you and the good doctor.”
“I explained about the Highland Games. The crowds are much bigger than we expected. My team is already stretched thin. We need everyone there.”
Once we were in the car, I turned to him.
“What is really happening?”
“There’s been an incident at the fairgrounds.”
“Oh?”
“Several of the stalls were burgled overnight.”
“Why not just tell your mother that?”
He sighed. “She looks for any excuse for me to move back to Edinburgh or even Glasgow. She thinks I’m wasting my time with Sea Isle. We’ve had a murder, and now this. She’ll think I’m not very good at my job.”
I shook my head. What was it about men and their mothers? “I don’t think you could be more wrong. She thinks you hung the moon and is quite proud of you.”
His phone rang, interrupting the conversation. He pushed the button on the dash to answer.
“Sir,” Henry’s voice came over the speaker. “We’ve caught one of them. It’s John Hamburg. We’re thinking he and his friends were having a bit of a contest last night.”
“How did you know it was him?”
“Caught him trying to return the goods, as that was a part of the contest.”