Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
When Heather returned to the castle with Annie, they found Matty with her uncle James in the billiard room.
The smell of cinnamon and nutmeg was in the air; Heather noticed a tray with several mugs on one of the engraved oak side tables, featuring a large pot of what she guessed was spiced hot chocolate.
A fire burned merrily in the large fireplace: even the billiard room hadn’t been excluded from Aunt Evelinda’s decorative touch.
The hearth was hung with a number of Christmas stockings, embroidered with the names of the grounds staff at the castle.
Clusters of bright red poinsettias in forest green pots had been added to every available surface.
Before she and Annie had got back in the car, Heather checked the sisters’ group chat. She saw that Violet had posted a picture to the article about Aunt Chrissie.
Violet: @everyone I’m really proud of Auntie, even though the press seems to be clutching its pearls about the pics. I’m with her now. She’s OK.
Blossom: @Violet I’m coming up to hug her
Bluebell: @Violet @Blossom Me too. Poor Auntie
Heather tapped out a reply.
@everyone Popped out with Matty’s sister Annie for a bit. On way back now. Please tell Auntie I love her and that she is a LEGEND and the newspapers can do one; Mum says please give her a hug from her. I’ll come up and see Aunt Chrissie soon.
Bluebell: @Heather Absolutely
‘Ah, the adventurer returns!’ Heather’s uncle greeted her warmly as they walked in. ‘And this must be Annie Campbell? I’ve heard a lot about you from your father.’ Uncle James approached them and shook Annie’s hand.
‘Have you?’ She looked surprised. ‘Lovely to meet you, too, Laird Balhennie.’
‘Oh, James, please.’ He leaned on his billiard cue.
‘Oh, yes. Well, of course, as soon as Arthur got here, we realised we’ve been friends for many years.
Socially, you know, here and there. It was just that Evelinda and I had no idea that Heather was marrying into the Campbells of Glenorchy.
It was all rather secretive between the lovebirds,’ he chuckled.
Heather stood to one side, shyly; Matty stood awkwardly by the billiard table as James and Annie greeted each other.
She’d texted him when she and Annie had pulled in to the castle, and he’d told her where he was.
Yet now that they saw each other, Heather felt awkward.
The romantic part of her nature wanted to rush into Matty’s arms. The part of her that was becoming used to standing in her truth demurred.
‘Oh, I see.’ Annie nodded. ‘I guess I don’t really get involved with the social side of things any more.’
‘No, indeed. You have your own life, Arthur tells me, on the canal boat? Such a wonderful way to live. I myself had a couple of canal boat holidays when I was a boy, near Falkirk. I know he’s terribly proud of you.’ James smiled kindly.
‘Is he?’ Annie looked flabbergasted.
‘Oh, yes. Arthur always talks about you when I see him at the club in Edinburgh. He thinks you’re rather daring.
And remember, noble families are well used to nonconformists, artists and bohemians.
Look at Lord Byron. Edith Sitwell. Vita Sackville-West.’ He raised an eyebrow.
‘I believe your father’s aunt lived on her own terms.’
‘Yes. Great-aunt Emma. She was a painter. She ran away to Paris and lived there most of her life.’
‘There you are, then. Yes. Aunt Emma. Arthur holds her in high regard. You should speak to your father about her.’ James looked thoughtful.
‘And that’s something else you and Heather have in common, then.
Unconventional great-aunts.’ He raised an eyebrow.
‘Heather, is your aunt Chrissie feeling all right? I can imagine she would be rather upset about that newspaper article. I assume you know. I saw it this morning, but Chrissie hasn’t come down, and I don’t like to bother her if she’s feeling embarrassed about it. ’
‘Vi and some of the others are with her. Vi says she’s okay.’ Heather shrugged. ‘I mean, she’s a sensitive soul, but she’s tough.’
‘Hm. Like all the Balhennie women,’ James chuckled.
‘I always think that my sister Frances should have had the lairdship. But, of course, we had the old-fashioned patriarchal rules when I inherited it. And then, there’s the question of who inherits the lairdship now.
’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘It would have to be one of you girls. Women, I should say. My sister doesn’t have any children, and neither do I. ’
‘Oh. I’d never thought of that,’ Heather confessed. ‘You know that Dad believes the castle should be on our side of the family.’
‘Yes. I know that.’ James sighed. ‘He’s interpreting history rather liberally, in my view, but there is an argument for it.’
‘Is there?’ Heather was genuinely surprised. ‘I always thought… I mean, I think all of us always thought that Dad had just made up some kind of Balhennie lore of his own.’
‘Oh, no. He’s right that his direct ancestors were the lairds, until about a hundred and twenty years ago.
’ James looked serious. ‘The lands were gifted to us by Elizabeth the First, and that was to Laird Andrew Balhennie. Andrew was your dad’s great-great-great…
You know. Many-times great-grandfather,’ James said.
‘I knew that.’
‘Hm. But then, around 1908, your ancestor Dougal Balhennie ran away to sea. We don’t know why.
There were legends that he was gay, that he fell in love with someone and it all went wrong.
There was certainly a scandal at the time.
Anyway, at that point, his cousin, my ancestor, took the lairdship, and we’ve held it ever since.
’ James placed his billiard cue in the rack against the wall.
‘I think the issue your father has with it, is that it was legal, my side of the family taking it over – it’s all been documented properly, and it was what had to happen at the time, otherwise the castle and the lairdship would have gone rudderless, so to speak.
‘But he feels it wasn’t ethical, and there’s a lot of mystery about what happened to Dougal Balhennie.
I think that your father feels – well, I know he does, because he’s told me repeatedly – that Dougal was chased out.
That he was made to leave so that my ancestor could take over.
I personally don’t think that’s true, but we don’t know.
And Angus remains cross about it. I say, let bygones be bygones, but… ’ He shrugged. ‘You know your father.’
‘Yes, I do. But I had no idea about all of this!’ Heather exclaimed.
‘Why didn’t Dad tell us? He’s always talking about the Flag of the Old Ones.
That it’s a prophecy. Mind you, I think he’s been going on about it for so long that we’ve all stopped listening.
Maybe he did try to tell us about Dougal Balhennie. ’
‘Perhaps he did. I believe in the powers of the flag too. Maybe the true laird isn’t me.
Maybe I’m not the one favoured by the Fair Folk.
But I do my best to look after the castle and the lands, regardless.
’ He sighed, and gave Matty and Heather a meaningful look.
‘Anyway. I’ve blathered on long enough. Miss Campbell, why don’t we leave the lovebirds to it, and find some afternoon tea? You must be in need of a scone.’
‘I’ve been stuffed full of cinnamon buns and coffee at the Balhennie Inn, but I can always find room for a scone and some tea,’ Annie laughed. ‘Thank you, James.’
‘Certainly. I’m ravenous after my game with this one.
’ He bowed to Matty. ‘Good game, young Campbell. Remember what I told you,’ he said, seriously, before holding his arm out for Annie.
‘I believe we might find your father hiding from the wedding proceedings in the library, dear. Shall we join him there? I’ll call for tea to come to us. ’
‘Okay. I’ve yet to say hello to Dad.’ Annie sighed. ‘Dad, I can cope with. I’m happy to avoid Mum for a bit longer.’
Heather felt the silence between her and Matty stretch as they politely watched Annie and her uncle leave.
When it was finally just the two of them, she expected Matty to take her in his arms and hold her tight, but he merely sat down on one of the brown leather sofas and motioned for her to sit next to him.
‘We’ve got a lot to talk about, Heather,’ he said, in a serious tone. ‘And, this time, I want you to listen to everything I’ve got to say.’