Chapter 10
Ciaran was not sure whether Roxie’s grandma’s recipe had helped or whether the stomach upset had run its course, but after a good night’s sleep he felt more like himself again.
Even so, he did not go near Oaklands View for five days to make sure he didn’t spread any infection to his mother or Roxie.
They both thought he seemed subdued when he did arrive for his lunch again.
Roxanne knew there were several cows due to calve and it was Ciaran who always attended to them, partly because Billy’s house was a distance away from the farm and he needed to be up early in the mornings to get the milking done so could not be expected to be up during the night as well if a cow needed help, as so often seemed to happen.
It was true, Ciaran had had several disturbed nights, but he was pleased he’d not lost any calves and the cows were all producing well.
What really troubled him was Billy’s moodiness, almost as though he resented someone else doing his job, even though he had not been available himself.
He didn’t realise that Billy detested the thought that a mere woman could do what he did, and he did not take kindly to the leg-pulling from the tanker driver and several other locals.
It was about two weeks later when Ciaran asked Roxie if she would like to go with him to the little theatre in Dumfries. He seemed unusually diffident about asking her.
‘It is a very small theatre, you know. The performers are not professionals as you would see in Edinburgh or Glasgow.’
‘I would be happy to give it a try so long as your mother doesn’t mind me leaving her on her own for the evening.’
‘I’m sure she will think you deserve a night out,’ Ciaran said. ‘We’ll ask her.’
‘Ask me what?’ Amy was making her way into the kitchen.
‘If Roxie can go with me to the theatre in Dumfries.’ Ciaran grinned.
‘Of course she can go! You don’t need my permission, Roxie, if I know you are going out. It’s a lovely little theatre, the oldest in Scotland. I believe Robert Burns, Scotland’s famous bard, is supposed to have been a regular visitor, as well as the man who wrote Peter Pan, or so they tell us.’
‘J. M. Barrie went there? I loved Peter Pan when I was a little girl.’ Roxie smiled at the memory. ‘If it was good enough for such illustrious people, then it is good enough for me. Are Donald and Jenny coming too?’
‘No.’ Ciaran frowned. ‘I didn’t ask them. Do you mind us going on our own?’
‘Of course not. I’m flattered you asked me.’
‘You might not be if the performance isn’t as good as you’re expecting. We shall need to have an early tea so I’ll pick you up about six thirty.’
* * *
Ciaran was a little late, but Roxie was waiting and hurried out to the car. He was still eating the remains of a sandwich.
‘Had a bit of a delay,’ he mumbled. ‘A cow with milk fever. I didn’t want to leave her until I saw she was going to be all right. I think the calcium has done the trick.’
Although it was a cold night, the sky was clear with the stars shining brightly. Roxie wished she’d brought her smart winter coat with her instead of her anorak. In the end, she had opted for her blue tweed suit. She’d managed to get her anorak on top, but it was warm in the car.
She was fascinated with the small theatre. It seemed warm and friendly, and nothing like the big impersonal theatres often shown on television. She had only been to a London theatre once and that had been while she was still at school.
‘That man has a lovely voice,’ she whispered close to Ciaran’s ear during the applause for a particularly good performance.
It was a light musical and the costumes were colourful and seemed to suit the characters.
There was an enjoyable duet between another tenor and quite a good soprano, but Roxie was pleased when her favourite performer of the evening came on again for the finale.
As they made their way back to the car, Roxie repeated how much she had enjoyed the performance, and especially the male soloist.
‘Yes, we-ell, he was always a good singer even when he was a choirboy and he was always in the school concerts. He enjoyed performing.’
‘You know him? You were at school together?’
‘Yes, that’s partly why I bought the tickets, but I hoped you would enjoy it.’
‘Oh, I did, I really did.’
‘These days, Daniel is a bank manager.’
‘Really? In my humble opinion he is a lot better singer than many we hear on television.’
‘I agree, but I imagine acting could be an uncertain profession. Daniel always worked hard at school and he did well, too. His parents were not all that wealthy and he has two brothers, so I expect he opted for a more secure occupation and kept the theatre for a hobby he enjoys.’
‘Mmm, a wise man then, and his talents made the evening for me.’
‘So,’ Ciaran said hesitantly. ‘If I hear they are putting on another evening show around Easter, will you come again?’
‘I would love to, so long as you enjoy it too,’ she said shyly.
‘I do, especially with good company.’ He gave her a warm smile. ‘Er, I didn’t get much tea. Do you mind if we stop for fish and chips?’
‘Of course I don’t mind. We passed a fish-and-chip shop on the way here, didn’t we?’
‘Yes. It’s the best one, if I can get stopped there.’
‘I will run in and get what you want if you find a place to wait. What do you like? Fish and chips, salt? Vinegar?’
‘Everything, and mushy peas as well if they have them. What are you having?’
‘I’ll just ask for a small portion for myself to keep you company. Shall I bring you a drink?’
‘Yes, please. Anything will do, so long as it’s wet.
’ He looked at her with a faint smile. ‘You know, I did wonder if you were disappointed I had not asked Jenny and Don tonight. I’m never sure where I stand with you.
Sometimes I think we get on well together on our own, but I don’t know how you feel. ’
‘I think I’m always the same, but I do feel your mother’s care must be my priority. Now we have discovered we have some interests in common, like the farm and breeding cattle, we always have things to talk about.’
‘Yes, we do, but there are other more pers . . . Ah, here we are.’
Roxie wondered what else he had been going to say.
‘Looks like you’ll have to double park. I’ll run in and get them if you wait in the car, ready to move if needed.’ Without waiting for an answer, Roxie jumped out.
The service was fairly fast as fresh batches of fish and chips were being lifted out as she entered the shop, and there was still plenty left when it came to her turn. The smell had made her hungry too, but she knew she would never eat a whole fish supper herself.
‘Mmm, the smell makes me famished,’ Ciaran said as she climbed back into the car.
‘I will drive a bit further along the road. I know a turnoff where it will be less busy.’ He soon found the turning he wanted and parked on the grass verge beneath some trees.
They both tucked in with relish, but, after eating the fish, Roxie knew she could never finish all the chips, even though she had asked for a small portion. She hated wasting food.
‘Want me to help you?’ Ciaran asked with a grin.
‘Yes, if you can?’ She moved closer to him, but instead of putting the chip in his own mouth he fed it to her with a chuckle, before eating a couple himself.
‘They were extra good or I was extra hungry,’ Ciaran said as he started the car again.
‘A bit of both, I think.’ Roxie smiled. ‘If you had told me you hadn’t had any tea, I would have brought you something to eat while I drove us here.’ They chatted in a friendly manner all the way back until Ciaran drew the car to a halt outside her door.
‘That was a lovely evening,’ Roxie said with a sigh. ‘Thank you for taking me.’ He turned towards her.
‘So, do I get a goodnight kiss?’ he asked. Roxie leaned closer, expecting him to kiss her cheek, but he cupped her chin and turned her face to his. He kissed her tenderly on her mouth.
‘I’m pleased you came,’ he said softly when he released her. ‘I wanted to repay you for milking all the cows for me. I don’t believe I ever thanked you properly.’
‘Oh,’ Roxie said flatly. ‘I would help any friend in an emergency. Good night.’
Ciaran knew by her tone, and the brisk way she got out of the car and slammed the door, that he had said or done something that had not pleased her.
Roxie chewed her lower lip as she unlocked the door and let herself in. She was not a weepy person, but, for some reason, she felt her eyes filling with tears. She tried to blink them away when she heard Amy call from the sitting room.
‘I’m ready for bed, Roxie, but I thought I would wait to hear how you enjoyed your first visit to our little theatre.’
‘I enjoyed it very much,’ Roxie replied and wished she didn’t need to see Amy face-to-face for once.
‘Come on in, dear and tell me about it. Was it a good performance? Some of them are very talented, although they all have other jobs to do.’
‘Yes, they were good. One man was especially good. Ciaran seemed to know him.’
‘That would be Daniel. I remember him in the school concerts. He is a talented young man. He often won at the music festivals when he was younger. So, what bit didn’t you enjoy?’ Amy asked shrewdly.
‘I-I enjoyed it all. Ciaran was famished so we stopped for fish and chips. He demolished them in no time. He’d had to skip tea due to a cow with milk fever.’ Roxie knew she was babbling.
‘I see. But, Roxie, my dear, I can see by your expression that something has upset you.’
Roxie couldn’t stop herself from blurting it out. ‘I’m not upset. I thought he enjoyed my company, but he only took me to repay me for doing the milking for him! Friends don’t need repaying for helping out. I wouldn’t have gone if I’d known he was only doing it for that reason.’