The Family At Fairlyden by Gwen Kirkwood

Author:Gwen Kirkwood [Kirkwood, Gwen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lume Books
Published: 2016-02-18T05:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Two

Logan stood with his arms folded along the top bar of the gate which led from the rickyard into the main part of Fairlyden’s farmyard. His stance gave him a clear view of the house on this cool March evening. He looked up at the grey clouds scudding rapidly across the sky. They seemed as restless as Billy, he thought and glanced at his elder brother’s profile as he joined him. Billy rested his chin on his hands but there was still a faint droop of discontentment around his mouth.

‘So ye’re fifteen now then, Logan,’ he remarked. ‘Ye’ll soon be a man.’

‘I am a man.’ Logan straightened his shoulders. He had grown rapidly in the last eighteen months; now he was broader than Billy, though not quite so tall. ‘I’m as strong as you are, and I can do most o’ the things you and Thomas do now - except drive the binder and the mower.’ He grinned suddenly; it was not his nature to be sullen or argumentative. ‘I expect I could work them as well as ye can yourself— if I had a chance.’

‘Maybe.’ Billy’s agreement surprised Logan.

‘Och no, I was teasing ye. I’m not interested in machines, Billy. Anyway, even Grandfather admits ye understand them better than anybody else.’

‘Well, that’s praise indeed, coming frae Grandfather Logan.’ Billy smiled wryly. ‘Ye’ve spent a lot o’ Sundays down at the Mains with him this past year, haven’t ye?’

‘Och well, he seems pleased to see me since he was sae ill. Anyway I like to listen to him talking about his ain life, how he came to Fairlyden, all the things he’s learned. He doesna mind how many questions I ask him either.’

‘Ye’ve missed Nick Jamieson nearly as much as Beth, haven’t ye? I suppose it’s because ye never kenned our ain father. What does Beth dae when ye take her to the Mains? Ye’ll ken Sadie disapproves o’ her going with ye?’

‘Och, Sadie thinks Beth should work all the time, even on Sundays. Mother says she needs to get away now and then. I reckon Sadie is jealous because Beth is prettier than she is and she’s a better shape.’

‘Shape, eh.’ Billy crowed with laughter and Logan’s fair skin flushed a little.

‘Well, ye ken what I mean. It’s the way Beth walks and laughs and...’

‘Aye, I ken all right. Beth’s a real beauty, or will be in a year or two. Maybe I should start walking with her to the Mains on a Sunday after the Kirk.’ Billy’s brown eyes glinted.

‘You leave Beth alone.’ Logan growled darkly. Billy had a reputation with the girls in the village. They all liked him and Logan had recently become aware of these things. ‘She belongs to me.’

‘Does she now?’ Billy asked more seriously. ‘Does she ken that, and does she agree?’

‘I’m going to marry her when she’s old enough.’ This was the first time Logan had ever thought of such a thing as marriage. He shouldn’t have let Billy provoke him, he thought ruefully.

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