gown, the petticoats and skirts swishing against her legs. Exquisite lace adorned the dress from the bodice to the train. Her blond hair fell gracefully to her shoulders and her dark eyes beamed with excitement. I wondered silently if she realized just how beautiful she was. Rose moved her head slowly from the girl and turned to face me.
“Nothing specific, really. The job kinda just happened. I studied to be a nurse when I left school. Then Gran went missing and I lost focus. Mum was gutted when I dropped out of university,” she said, turning back to watch the girl. “For a while I just hung around at home and did nothing. Then one day Mum came home from the city and said I should give the Hall a ring as they were looking for staff.”
“Is that where you met Angus?”
She shook her head and turned to face me. “No, I met Angus when I was student.”
We walked along the river, still swollen and lapping at the banks. The park was full of families with young children running in and out of the trees. We stopped and watched one little boy with an ice cream. He reminded me of Duncan the first time Simon gave him the sugar stick - his little face and hands all covered in sticky sweet goo.
“Corran?”
“Sorry, I was lost in thought,” I said, shaking my memories away.
“You should see a doctor,” Rose said.
“Why? I’m not unwell.”
“Yeah, I know you’re not ill. Just people in this time see a doctor when they’re expecting.”
“Expecting?”
Rose smiled, “You know, up the duff.”
“Oh,” I nodded, wondering how many different words there could be to describe pregnancy.
“Honest, it’s worth seeing a doctor, Corran, I mean, what if something goes wrong?”
“I’ll think about it,” I promised, hoping not to have to.
Before, during, and after our evening meal Simon and Duncan remained glued to the laptop. It was worse than the television and struck me as the most antisocial tool invented by man.
“Is everyone like this with these things?” I asked Rose as we cleared away the plastic containers and rinsed the plates from dinner.
“A lot are, yes.”
“What is the attraction?” I asked.
“Different things for different people,” she said, drying a plate I had just passed her.
“Like…?”
“Well, some guys play games on them. Others use them to keep in touch with people, and most use them for work.”
“What do you suppose those two are using it for?” I asked.
“Not to keep in touch with people,” Rose said with a laugh. “And they don’t look like they are playing games, so I’m kinda guessing they must be working.”
“I hope they appreciate what a loyal friend you are,” I said, sending us both into laughter.
“So, what plans you got for tonight?” Rose asked when at last we stopped laughing.
“I thought I’d finish off here and then turn in. You?”
“Pretty much the same to be honest. I ordered a new book and it arrived today. I think I’ll take it upstairs and have a quiet night with a cuppa.”
“Don’t suppose you have a spare book I could borrow?”
“As it goes I do. I’ve some in my room. I’ll give it you when we get upstairs.”
“Thanks, Rose.”
A mug of hot chocolate and a warm shower later and I was snuggled up in bed with the book Rose had lent me.
I was so engrossed in the book that I didn’t hear my husband enter the room. It was only once he sat down on the bed beside me that I noticed him.
“Good book?” he asked, raising his eyebrows at the cover.
“Actually it is,” I replied.
“A love story?” he asked.
“I saw your face when you noticed the cover. You already know it’s a love story.”
“Care to share the details with me?”
“No. If you want to know, you’ll have to read it yourself,” I replied, bringing the book back up to cover my face.
“I’m in the shower if you need me,” he said, clearly annoyed at being ignored.
I continued to devour the book until my eyes grew heavy, and
“Nothing specific, really. The job kinda just happened. I studied to be a nurse when I left school. Then Gran went missing and I lost focus. Mum was gutted when I dropped out of university,” she said, turning back to watch the girl. “For a while I just hung around at home and did nothing. Then one day Mum came home from the city and said I should give the Hall a ring as they were looking for staff.”
“Is that where you met Angus?”
She shook her head and turned to face me. “No, I met Angus when I was student.”
We walked along the river, still swollen and lapping at the banks. The park was full of families with young children running in and out of the trees. We stopped and watched one little boy with an ice cream. He reminded me of Duncan the first time Simon gave him the sugar stick - his little face and hands all covered in sticky sweet goo.
“Corran?”
“Sorry, I was lost in thought,” I said, shaking my memories away.
“You should see a doctor,” Rose said.
“Why? I’m not unwell.”
“Yeah, I know you’re not ill. Just people in this time see a doctor when they’re expecting.”
“Expecting?”
Rose smiled, “You know, up the duff.”
“Oh,” I nodded, wondering how many different words there could be to describe pregnancy.
“Honest, it’s worth seeing a doctor, Corran, I mean, what if something goes wrong?”
“I’ll think about it,” I promised, hoping not to have to.
Before, during, and after our evening meal Simon and Duncan remained glued to the laptop. It was worse than the television and struck me as the most antisocial tool invented by man.
“Is everyone like this with these things?” I asked Rose as we cleared away the plastic containers and rinsed the plates from dinner.
“A lot are, yes.”
“What is the attraction?” I asked.
“Different things for different people,” she said, drying a plate I had just passed her.
“Like…?”
“Well, some guys play games on them. Others use them to keep in touch with people, and most use them for work.”
“What do you suppose those two are using it for?” I asked.
“Not to keep in touch with people,” Rose said with a laugh. “And they don’t look like they are playing games, so I’m kinda guessing they must be working.”
“I hope they appreciate what a loyal friend you are,” I said, sending us both into laughter.
“So, what plans you got for tonight?” Rose asked when at last we stopped laughing.
“I thought I’d finish off here and then turn in. You?”
“Pretty much the same to be honest. I ordered a new book and it arrived today. I think I’ll take it upstairs and have a quiet night with a cuppa.”
“Don’t suppose you have a spare book I could borrow?”
“As it goes I do. I’ve some in my room. I’ll give it you when we get upstairs.”
“Thanks, Rose.”
A mug of hot chocolate and a warm shower later and I was snuggled up in bed with the book Rose had lent me.
I was so engrossed in the book that I didn’t hear my husband enter the room. It was only once he sat down on the bed beside me that I noticed him.
“Good book?” he asked, raising his eyebrows at the cover.
“Actually it is,” I replied.
“A love story?” he asked.
“I saw your face when you noticed the cover. You already know it’s a love story.”
“Care to share the details with me?”
“No. If you want to know, you’ll have to read it yourself,” I replied, bringing the book back up to cover my face.
“I’m in the shower if you need me,” he said, clearly annoyed at being ignored.
I continued to devour the book until my eyes grew heavy, and
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