Anne Douglas (27 page)

‘Probably Grant’s fault, so the doctor thinks,’ she whispered, ‘though I don’t mean it’s really his fault, you understand, but he won’t accept it anyway, won’t even speak of it, so that’s it.’

‘Shame,’ murmured Cassie. ‘But at least he’s let you come back to work.’

‘Yes, but he’s not telling anyone at the bank because they’d think it strange. And as for my neighbours, they’re just so disapproving. I’m supposed to spend my time cleaning, or shopping, going to the butcher’s or the grocer’s. And when Grant comes home he tells me about his day and he asks what I’ve done and I say, “Well, I went to the butcher’s, I went to the grocer’s and I cleaned all the windows. Want to swap jobs?”’

The girls laughed with her as they commiserated, all agreeing that looking after a house was very nice if you wanted to do it, but why shouldn’t you still go out to work if you’d rather?

‘Especially if you’ve no bairns,’ put in Isla, and Willa nodded.

‘That’s my point. If I’d had a baby to look after it would’ve been different. But there was just me and my dusters!’

‘So lovely that you’re back now,’ Shona said warmly. ‘I’ve been thinking about it and when I’m married I’ll want to work, too.’

There was a silence as Cassie and Isla stared, while Willa looked from face to face in surprise. ‘You planning to get married soon, then?’ Cassie asked abruptly.

‘No, I didn’t mean to say I was getting married at all,’ Shona cried, colouring furiously. ‘I should have said “if”, no’ “when”. Don’t know why I didn’t.’

‘Don’t you?’ Cassie turned aside. ‘We’d better get on.’

‘If anyone wants me, I’ll be in the plant room,’ Shona said coldly. ‘Willa, you said you’d make a start in the workroom, eh?’

Oh, how stupid she’d been, Shona thought as she stamped into the plant room, which she intended to sort out. Whatever had possessed her to make that slip of the tongue? Now Cassie’s face was like a thundercloud, and what could she do about it?

She was reorganizing the house plants, pulling off leaves, checking on watering when Cassie, looking apologetic, sidled in. ‘Sorry, Shona, for upsetting you. Didn’t mean it.’

‘That’s all right. I thought it was you who was upset.’

‘No, there’s no point in me getting upset. I know I’m nowhere when it comes to – well, even getting Brett to notice me. We all know who he’s keen on, and I just thought, maybe you’d got plans to wed.’

‘We are going out together,’ Shona answered cautiously, judging that now was not the time to mention the ‘understanding’ between herself and Brett. ‘But you and me have been friends too long to have anyone come between us, eh?’

‘You’re right,’ sighed Cassie. She fiddled with the leaves of a weeping fig. ‘Guess who came in yesterday, while you were over at Morningside?’

‘Who?’

‘Archie Smith.’

‘Archie?’ Shona gave a reminiscent smile. ‘I haven’t seen him for a while.’

‘No, he said that. I told him you were out but he said he’d like a wee chat with me. Seemingly he’s been invalided out of the navy – damaged his leg in a fall during a storm at sea. He’s working in Leith now, something to do with a ship’s chandler’s.’

‘Fancy. I’m sorry he’s had to leave the navy, he really liked being a sailor.’

‘Yes.’ Cassie was looking rather embarrassed. ‘Thing is, he’s asked me to go out with him. We’re going to the pictures tomorrow night.’

‘Why, that’s grand, Cassie! He always had his eye on you, I seem to remember.’

‘When you weren’t around. Of course, typical of Archie, he’s picked the film – an old Charlie Chaplin –
The Gold Rush
. Still, I don’t mind seeing it with him. He’s no’ so bad, old Archie.’

‘He’s a nice lad, even if he did sometimes call me Carrots. You go and have a good time, Cassie.’

When Cassie had left her, Shona heaved a sigh of relief. It looked as though the problem of cheering up Cassie had been solved with no effort on her part, and she was about to return to her work when a customer walked in. And not just any customer. It was Mark Lindsay.

Shona could scarcely believe it. Mark coming into Maybel’s again? She had quite decided he would not return – at least, not to see her. And then, of course, Brett had come into her life, and even the thought of Mark had moved out of it. Yet here he was again. And she had to admit, she was pleased to see him.

‘Shona!’ he cried, shaking her hand. ‘So nice to see you. Cassie said it was all right for me to come in here – I am a customer.’

‘Hello, Mark. Yes, if you want plants or bulbs you’re in the right place. If it’s flowers you need to be in the front shop.’

‘I do want plants, actually. But also to see you. Thought I’d see how you were getting on, and when Jay said she’d like some house plants to brighten up her orphanage, I told her I’d ask your advice what to order.’

Now it was house plants for Miss Ruddick? Without her, it seemed Shona and Mark Lindsay would never meet.

‘We have a good selection,’ Shona told him coolly. ‘I’m sure you’ll find Miss Ruddick just what she wants.’

‘But which do you think would do best? I mean, not die if they’re neglected. Jay wants the children to take care of them themselves.’

Shona laughed. ‘Well, you can’t go wrong with Spider plants – they survive anything. Then there’s the Weeping Fig, the Snake plant, or the Peace Lily – the children might like cacti – they’re such strange shapes. People are only just getting interested in house plants, you know. At one time there were only aspidistras but now, as you can see, there’s quite a variety. How many would you want?’

‘We thought about fifteen or so. Could they be delivered? If you could just send those you think best, I’ll pay for them now.’

Mark was taking out his wallet when a dark head came round the door and Brett stepped in, smiling, until he saw Mark, when he halted and began to apologize.

‘So sorry, Shona, I didn’t know you had a customer.’

‘That’s all right. I’d like you to meet Doctor Lindsay anyway. Mark, this is my cousin, Brett Webster. He’s here from Canada.’

‘Shona’s cousin?’ Mark exclaimed, shaking hands with Brett and gazing at him with wonder. ‘This is a surprise. I knew about an aunt in Canada but I hadn’t realized there were any cousins. You over here on vacation, Mr Webster?’

‘Sort of, but I’m working temporarily as an accountant for Mr Kyle.’

‘Doctor Lindsay here is the doctor at the orphanage where I was brought up,’ she told Brett. ‘He was always so kind.’

‘Spare my blushes,’ said Mark. ‘Mostly what I can remember is showing you the Handkerchief Tree.’

‘The what?’ asked Brett.

‘You never told him?’ Mark smiled. ‘It was just a rather special tree that made Shona feel better when she was homesick.’

‘I see.’ Brett’s dark gaze slid to Shona. ‘Well, I just came to tell you that Mr MacNay’s not feeling too well so I’ve offered to run him home. Mr Kyle’s at Morningside at present, but if he comes in and wonders where we are, could you explain?’

‘Of course,’ Shona was beginning when she was brought up short by the sight of Cassie running in, looking anxious and excited.

‘Doctor Mark – thank goodness you’re still here! Please could you come up the stair? Miss Elrick’s just told us Mr MacNay’s been taken very ill. She’s sure he needs an ambulance.’

‘Where is he?’ asked Mark, moving at once into his doctor’s role. ‘Take me to him.’

‘I’ll take you,’ Brett insisted. ‘This way, Doctor. I knew the poor chap wasn’t feeling too good, but looks like he’s worse, then.’

To Shona, following the men up the stair to the offices, what was happening was something she’d seen before when Mr May fell ill and had had to be taken to a nursing home. They’d thought then that it was a heart attack. Could Mr MacNay’s illness be something the same?

Whatever it was, it was serious. Anyone could tell that just by looking at the poor fellow, sitting doubled up at his desk, his face ashen, great drops of sweat lining his brow, hardly able to speak. ‘The pain – the pain,’ he gasped, but as Mark began gently to examine him he almost screamed. ‘Don’t touch me, don’t touch me!’

‘I’m sorry, Mr MacNay, won’t take a moment, then we’ll get you to hospital. Mr Webster, has someone called for an ambulance?’

‘I have!’ cried Miss Elrick, visibly shaking. ‘I didn’t wait; I knew Mr MacNay’d need it.’

‘Quite right.’ Mark stood up, biting his lip. ‘If only I’d had my bag, I could have given him something, but of course I wasn’t on duty.’

‘It’s no’ his heart, then?’ Shona whispered.

Mark shook his head, looking down at the patient, who had now closed his eyes and had begun breathing in long loud gasps.

‘Probably a perforated ulcer,’ he said, keeping his voice down. ‘But now I think we should clear the room. Shona, if you have a number, could you ring the patient’s relatives? Tell them he will be taken to the Western General. Mr Webster, can you inform his employer?’ He glanced at his watch. ‘The ambulance men should be here any minute. I’ll go with the patient to the hospital.’

Everyone scattered as Isla ran in to say that the ambulance had arrived, and it was with a huge feeling of relief that they saw Mr MacNay taken aboard, accompanied by Mark, and then being driven away.

‘Thank God,’ Brett muttered. ‘Just hope they’re in time to save him.’

‘Oh, you don’t think – you don’t think Mr MacNay’s going to die?’ Miss Elrick cried. ‘Surely, they’ll be able to do something at the hospital? They’re the best, everyone says so.’

‘I’m no doctor, but Stuart looked pretty bad to me. And I’ve heard that time is of the essence with these ulcers that burst.’

‘Burst?’ echoed Shona.

‘Well, what else does perforated mean?’ Brett ran his hand over his brow. ‘Poor devil, eh? All this time struggling with an ulcer! How’d he manage it?’

‘He never went to the doctor,’ Miss Elrick said in hushed tones. ‘Just said it was indigestion and took his peppermint. Whatever will his parents say? He still lives at home, you know. Such a quiet man.’

‘I’m going to put the kettle on,’ Shona declared. ‘Come down to our staffroom. We’ll feel better if we have some tea.’

Though the front shop was cheerfully busy, with Cassie and Isla serving customers who knew nothing of the drama that had taken place overhead, the atmosphere in the staffroom was of course subdued. It was true that Stuart MacNay was a quiet man, not someone to be at the forefront of things, but the way he had looked on being taken ill had quite shaken the onlookers, bringing them face-to-face with something they didn’t usually have to worry about, which was the frailty of the human body.

Brett, smoking a cigarette, was looking particularly thoughtful. Probably, Shona decided, considering how the senior accountant’s sudden collapse was going to affect him. Watching him closely, she knew he’d be waiting now for Fraser to arrive, all decisions being his.

First came Willa, ready for a break from her work on an arrangement for a christening party, who had to be told what had happened, for she had been on her own in the workroom. Though she’d only briefly met Stuart MacNay, she was of course deeply shocked, and as she put on the kettle for her own tea, said it reminded her of what she’d heard about poor Mr May’s illness.

‘He got better, thank goodness,’ Shona murmured. ‘We’ll just have to hope that Mr MacNay makes it too.’

‘Amen to that,’ said Brett, and Willa fixed him with her large blue eyes.

‘This will make a difference to you, Mr Webster,’ she said, putting into words what everyone was thinking.

‘Yes, I might have a new boss.’ Brett drew on his cigarette. ‘Only temporary, of course. It’ll be up to Mr Kyle to decide.’

‘He’s good at that,’ Willa returned. ‘And quick.’

‘The quicker the better. Then I know where I stand.’

‘So, this is where you all are!’ came the voice they’d been waiting for, and Fraser, still wearing his overcoat, appeared in the doorway, seeming as usual to overpower the whole staffroom with his presence.

‘What a thing to happen to poor Stuart, eh? Has there been any news since you phoned, Brett?’

‘No news, sir.’

‘It’s a bad business, I can’t get over it, but you’d better come up to my office. We’ll need to talk.’

‘Yes, sir,’ said Brett.

It was some time later, when the girls were almost closing the shop, that Mark Lindsay returned from the Western. Stuart MacNay was already undergoing an emergency operation for a perforated ulcer – there could be no news yet of how he had survived. His elderly parents were at the hospital and his own doctor had arrived and expressed horror that his patient had never told him of his symptoms. All anyone could do now was hope for the best.

‘I’m so glad you were there,’ Shona told Mark earnestly, when they spoke together. ‘You were such a help to us all.’

‘I wish I could have done more.’ Mark rested his vivid eyes on her face. ‘But I’ll be in touch with the hospital, and you should know anyway how Mr MacNay is tomorrow.’

‘I put your order through, by the way,’ she told him as he prepared to leave.

‘What order?’

‘The plants for Miss Ruddick’s orphanage.’

‘Good God, I’d forgotten all about them. Don’t believe I paid you, did I?’

‘We’ll send you a bill; no need to pay now. You look all in.’

‘I feel it.’ He rubbed his hand across his brow and gave a wry smile. ‘You know, I did come in here for Jay’s plants, but I was also wondering if you and I might have had another of our little get-togethers. Better leave it for the time being, I think.’

‘Yes, maybe. Can only think of what’s happened to Mr MacNay.’

‘And then you have your cousin to look after.’ Mark’s look on Shona was long and considering. ‘Seems a very personable young man.’

‘Look after? How d’you mean?’

‘Well, he’s a stranger here – you’ll be taking him round, showing him Edinburgh and so on. When he’s got time, that is. I suppose he’ll be in charge of the accountancy work for the time being?’

‘He is, as a matter of fact – he’s just told me that Mr Kyle has asked him to run the office until Mr MacNay comes back.’

‘Might have to wait some time for that. Well, I’ll say goodnight, Shona. I’ll be in touch.’

‘Goodnight, Mark.’