Coming Home (18 page)

The
two of them talked about farming for a little while but during a lull in both conversation and music Maryanne asked, ‘Have you recovered from being out all night with Pauline’s brother, Megan?’ She giggled. ‘I must say you look lovely tonight, but you looked terrible the next morning coming down on the train.’

Megan
felt Steven stiffen beside her and she said sharply, ‘Don’t exaggerate, Pauline. I was not out all night.’

‘
Well maybe not
all
night but it was well after midnight because I met Pauline on my way to the bathroom and she was putting a hot water bottle in your bed and worrying about you still being out with, with what’s-his-name.’ Megan glanced at Steven. He was sitting straight backed, watching her intently but the laughter had gone, his blue eyes were shadowed with disappointment – and something else – sadness? But why should he feel sad? Maryanne was only teasing; she was never malicious, but it was obvious that Steven believed her. Megan’s heart sank. Rufus had heard Maryanne too.

‘
I thought you were supposed to be a model student, Megan? It seems you have hidden depths when you’re away from home,’ he grinned. ‘Does my sister do anything naughty I should know about?’

‘
Of course not, and neither do I,’ she said irritably. Rufus raised his eyebrows knowingly, as much as to say “pull the other leg”. Megan rolled her eyes and grimaced in annoyance.

‘
Come and have this dance with me and tell me all about this exciting college life.’

‘
No thanks, I’m sitting this one out.’

‘
I’m surprised you’re here at all,’ Maryanne said with genuine sympathy. ‘Pauline said you had blisters on your feet by the time you got back. Are they still very sore?’

‘
A bit. I…’ she looked unhappily at Steven. ‘I think we’re leaving soon.’

‘
Oh but they’re serving refreshments after the next dance. You must wait for the interval,’ Maryanne urged.

‘
We will,’ Steven nodded, then he looked at Megan, ‘but I see you weren’t exaggerating about having sore feet. We’ll go home after that.’

As
far as Megan was concerned the evening was ruined even before Natalie butted in. Having heard only the tail end she demanded to know why they were leaving early. Rufus filled her in with a wildly exaggerated account of Megan’s escapades at college. She listened helplessly, knowing none of them would pay any attention to her denials. She had often heard it said, he who protests too much, convicts himself, so she sat tight lipped and silent, miserable on account of her throbbing feet, but she was more miserable as she sensed a growing constraint between her and Steven. How could he believe Maryanne’s tale about her being out half the night with Derek Cameron? But she knew he had already drawn his own conclusions. She wanted to explain, but why should she feel guilty? She had done nothing wrong, except be too naive.

‘
Now we shall have a dreamy Scottish Waltz until you’ve digested your fish paste sandwiches,’ the compere announced in jocular tones after the interval. ‘After that we’ll liven up the rest of the evening with some of the new dances.’

‘
I’d like to stay for the waltz, Steven,’ Megan said eagerly. She turned to him and he nodded and smiled down at her, taking her in his arms and drawing her close as the band began to play, but she had seen the shadows in his eyes. For the first time in their lives there was a barrier between them.

Fourteen

Natalie
couldn’t wait to tell her parents about Megan’s escapades. She was tired of them thinking their herdsman’s daughter was a paragon of virtue, as well as being clever and intelligent. She recounted Rufus Anderson’s version about her staying out all night with the brother of a college friend.

Even
her mother considered Megan neat and pretty with her ready smile and pleasant manner, but it was her hair which Natalie envied, although she had to admit there was no conceit about Megan. Natalie was also irked because she suspected Steven Caraford was more than a little in love with her, whether he realised it or not, and to make matters worse she knew Dr. Lindsay Gray would have been dating Megan by now if she’d given him the slightest encouragement. At work he never missed an opportunity to enquire about her. So Natalie relished being able to inform them Megan Oliphant was not the perfect angel they had all believed.

Even so, Natalie would have been surprised if she had realised how seriously her parents would regard Megan’s misdemeanours. They had a genuine liking for her, but they were also concerned for John and Chrissie Oliphant. They had loved their children dearly and the Turners knew how deeply the loss of their only son had affected them. They had even contemplated giving up their work and emigrating to Australia when Sam was killed. Mr Turner had a healthy respect for his herdsman. John Oliphant had grown up with dairy cows; he had a wealth of experience as a herdsman and he and his wife made a good team, moreover they were honest and conscientious and almost impossible to replace. Murdoch Turner didn’t want Megan bringing them more heart break, or causing a scandal which might make them want to leave the area. As a parent himself he decided John Oliphant should be warned about his daughter’s escapades. The following morning, just before lunch he proceeded to repeat Natalie’s account of Megan’s behaviour while she was away from home and their parental guidance.

John Oliphant stared at his boss in angry disbelief.

‘I can’t believe Megan would get herself a reputation for being one of those loose young females who stay out half the night with different men!’ he exclaimed.

‘Aah but there’s different standards since the war,’ Murdoch Turner declared. ‘Young people don’t see things the way we did. They need more guidance, more discipline, if they’re to keep on the right path through life.’ John Oliphant scowled at him. In his eyes it was Natalie who needed the discipline but in his heart he knew there was something bothering Megan, and he didn’t believe it was just sore feet, however bad they were. Was she in some kind of trouble? His heart sank at the possibility of Megan ruining her life with some man they had never even met.

‘
Thanks for the warning, Mr Turner,’ he said stiffly. ‘I shall have a word with Megan.’ He strode grimly towards his house.

Megan
was helping her mother prepare their midday meal.

‘
What’s wrong, lassie?’ Chrissie asked gently, ‘You don’t look your usual happy self. You were back early from the dance last night. Did you and Steven have a quarrel?’

‘
No. Oh Mum, I almost wish we had. At least it might have cleared the air between us.’ Her chin wobbled in an effort to hold back her tears.

‘
How do you mean, Meggie?’

Megan
took a deep breath. ‘He-he looked so disappointed in me, as - as though I’d let him down. Sam might have looked the same if he thought I’d been out half the night with a man when I was supposed to be in bed in a students’ hostel. B-but Steven isn’t my big brother, a-and he d-didn’t say anything, or ask questions like a brother would, so how could I explain? Anyway I haven’t done anything I’m ashamed of. It was Rufus Anderson exaggerating everything for Natalie’s benefit, but Steven was listening too.’

‘
Wh-what do you mean? What happened last night?’

‘
It wasn’t last night, and it was only Maryanne having a bit of fun. But I could see Steven took it seriously. Then Rufus made things worse by exaggerating and teasing even more and giving Natalie a stupidly exaggerated account. You know the way she looks – all big eyes and then pretending to be shocked.’

‘
But what about? Start at the beginning, lassie. Has this something to do with the blisters?’

‘
Yes.’ Megan gave a huge sigh. ‘I wanted to give Dad and you a surprise. I wanted to show you how well I was doing with driving a car. Pauline Cameron’s brother lives fairly near the college and he offered to teach both of us to drive. Pauline was too nervous and he lost patience with her, but I was really keen to learn and getting on all right. So when Derek said he would teach me I seized the chance. I-I was getting on fine…’

‘
Until you crashed his car?’ Chrissie said fearfully. ‘Was he badly hurt?’

‘
No! No, nothing like that. You might have a bit of faith in me, Mum!’ Megan said reproachfully. ‘It was… I–I thought Derek enjoyed teaching me to drive. I thought it gave him satisfaction. It never occurred to me he might think I was a-attractive or anything.’

‘
Oh.’ Chrissie tensed, her mind leaping ahead to the blistered feet. ‘Wh-what happened then?’

‘
We hadn’t arranged a lesson for the last night of term. I hadn’t expected him. When he arrived I was pleased so I grabbed my coat and went. I followed his directions but I’d never been on the back roads before and when we were on this narrow road running through some woods I got nervous. Derek said he would drive until the road widened. When I got out he – he seized me a-and…’

‘
Oh Dear Lord,’ Chrissie whimpered.

‘
Don’t be like that, Mum! Nothing happened. Honestly. B-but he wouldn’t stop k-kissing me and I- I suppose I panicked. I screwed his nose really hard to make him let go and th-then I ran into the woods. I was scared to go back to the car. When he couldn’t find me he drove off. I made my way out of the woods but it was dark and I’d no idea where I was and it was coming on wet and – and it seemed to take me for ever to find my way back and it was so wet and c-cold and my feet were sore.’ Megan burst into tears and Chrissie took her in her arms, offering silent prayers that nothing more serious had happened to her precious bairn.

‘
Hush, hush lassie. There’s no harm done and your feet will get better soon. At least you don’t seem to have suffered from getting wet.’

‘
No. Derek phoned Pauline. He said he was sorry he’d frightened me. He – he told Pauline he hadn’t believed I was s-such an in-innocent. She was waiting up to let me in at the back door. She was so anxious and she’s so kind and motherly. She’ll make a lovely teacher if only she can pass her exams.’

‘
She’s better than her brother then by the sound of him.’

‘
Yes, b-but I suppose it was a bit my fault. I was just so eager to learn to drive and to give you and dad a surprise. It never entered my head that he wanted to go out with me or anything.’

‘
No, lassie, I don’t suppose it did,’ Chrissie said wryly, ‘but you are a very attractive girl you know.’

‘
Oh Mum,’ Megan gave a watery smile, ‘you’re not prejudiced of course.’

‘
Of course not.’

‘
Pauline said he was really worried and he wanted to apologise. She put her hot water bottle in my bed as well as my own.’

‘
She does sound a nice lassie then…’

‘
Who is a nice lassie?’ John demanded grimly, coming into the kitchen for his dinner. Over Megan’s head his wife gave him a speaking glance.

‘
We were talking about one of Megan’s college friends. Now lassie go and wash your face and then we’ll have our dinner.’ Megan was glad to escape and Chrissie whispered, ‘I’ll tell you the whole story later but I know now how she got the blisters.’

‘
The dinner can wait. What I want to know is why she was out half the night?’ her husband said sternly. Chrissie raised her eyebrows.

‘
I wonder where you heard that, but I’ll explain that too,’ she added hurriedly, ‘and there’s nothing to worry about so take that look off your face, John Oliphant. We have a good and precious daughter and we should be proud and thankful. Her only concern is what Steven might think after Rufus Anderson told tall stories to Natalie Turner, just as a tease.’ John looked doubtful but he held his peace until the meal was over.

Two
days later, John Oliphant suggested he and Megan should drive down to Steven’s and help him sow some of his early potatoes and some of his vegetables in the garden. He regretted his lack of faith in Megan. He ought to have guessed Natalie had made the most of spreading rumours around. She had always been jealous of Megan. He wanted to make up to her.

‘I’ll send a pan of soup and some sandwiches for all three of you then,’ Chrissie offered, ‘then you don’t need to hurry back.’

‘We’ll go as soon as I’ve finished the morning milking and cleaned up the byre,’ her husband nodded.

They had almost reached Schoirhead when he gave his verdict.

‘
Well Megan, you’re a lot better driver than your mother is so far. I’m impressed.’

‘Thanks Dad,’ Megan mumbled uncomfortably, ‘I suppose I have had a few more lessons than Mum. I really wanted to surprise you both. Now all I want is to get a driving licence and then I hope you’ll lend me the car sometimes?’ She gave him a wary smile.

‘To come down to see Steven I suppose you mean?’ he asked, suppressing a knowing smile.

‘Sometimes, and other places too,’ she said defensively.

‘And are you going to be helping your mother and me in the dairy during the summer holidays? Ian will be leaving us by the first week in July. He’s going to help his folks with the harvest before he goes to agricultural college. He’s been a good lad but we shall need to look for another helper so I need to know what your plans are.’

‘
I’ll certainly be there to help all summer until I return to college in September.’ She sighed. ‘I wish I didn’t have another whole year to do.’

‘
It’ll be worth it, lassie. Look at the money you’ll earn and the long holidays you’ll get. Your mother will be real proud to be able to say “my daughter is a teacher”. I can just hear her now,’ he grinned.

‘
I suppose so,’ Megan sighed.

‘
And look at it this way, since the war even married women can go back and teach they tell me, not that I’d want my wife going away and leaving me every morning,’ he added with a frown. ‘Look on it as an insurance. We never know what lies ahead. If Steven’s mother had been a teacher, she could have gone back to work instead of bringing up that idle scoundrel.’

***

Steven seemed pleased to see them but Megan was conscious of a slight constraint. He was quieter than usual and the spark of humour was missing. Several times as they worked side by side she sensed his eyes on her. She helped him make the measuring lines with string and the two big pegs he had made, then they marked out the plots. They left her to plant the onions while Steven and her father rowed up and planted early potatoes.

While
Megan was clearing up after their dinner Steven and her father went out to inspect the two fields which he had sown with oats. Afterwards, she planted some carrots and beetroot and a row of peas and one of beans while they finished earthing up the potato rows.

‘Well that looks neat and tidy now,’ Steven said with satisfaction.

‘We’ll come back in a couple of weeks, or before Megan goes back to college anyway,’ John Oliphant suggested. ‘We’ll bring some cabbage plants and put in more carrots and peas and some later onions.’

‘That’s only if you want us to,’ Megan said diffidently and her father looked at her in surprise.

‘
Of course,’ he said quietly.

Mrs
McGuire shouted over the wall to tell Steven she had baked some fresh scones and would he like some for his visitors. He winked at Mr Oliphant.

‘
She’s curious to see who is here,’ he said in a low voice. ‘Will you go round and collect them, Megan? I suspect she wants to see you.’

‘
Of course,’ she nodded. For the first time since she had arrived she saw a twinkle in his eyes and he seemed more like the old Steven.

Her
father went to look at the dairy and through the byre while she washed their tea things but Steven stayed behind.

‘
It’s not much of a house from a woman’s point of view, is it?’

‘
It’s much better than you lead us to believe, Steven. In fact there’s nothing wrong with the house, it just needs the homely bits added.’

‘
The woman’s touch,’ he said with a grimace. ‘Well it will be a long time before it gets that.’

‘
So long as you’re warm and comfortable…’ Megan broke off when her father returned.

They
didn’t see Steven again until the day Megan and her father went back to finish the garden.

‘
I thought Steven might have been up to see us while you were at home, Megan, especially now he’s got a motorbike,’ Chrissie said.