The Crofter's Daughter by Eileen Ramsay

Author:Eileen Ramsay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bonnier Publishing Fiction

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

In March 1917 the German Army retreated to the Hindenburg Line and on 6 April the United States of America entered the conflict by declaring war on Germany. In May American destroyers arrived in Britain, which had been suffering from the unrestricted German submarine warfare.

Mairi helped her furious father deliver two sets of twin calves, male and female. Colin was angry because he knew that for some reason the males would be useless. Male twins always were. Thank God most of the sheep were dropping twins or even triplets in some cases; no problems with male lambs. Another good year. The war was good for farmers, good enough that Colin could send a donation to the Scottish Rural Workers’ Friendly Society which had told members that there were now fifteen thousand members on active service and so even more money was needed to help the Society make small sickness and disability payments. Everyone was looking for money. Churches wanted funds to help with Sunday morning refreshments to soldiers. A Parcel Fund for Prisoners of War had started.

Colin worked as he had never worked before and he had always been tireless. Only by exhausting his mind and his body could he hope to fall asleep when he reached the haven of the old double bed he had slept in alone for over twenty years.

‘When’s somebody going to ask for a donation for people like me, Mairi?’ he asked in despair as he watched his daughter work beside him. He had never wanted her to soil her hands with farm work. Useless for her to tell him that she was happy. How could she be happy?

But Mairi was happy, as happy as she could be. She loved tying herself into a pair of Ian’s old trousers and working outside, day in, day out. She loved watching the sky in all its moods; she enjoyed seeing lambs making up games to play with one another. If only, if only . . . but she would not think, she would not allow herself to think.

‘Mairi.’

The voice from behind her was a voice she dreamed about but had not heard for too long. She forgot that she was wearing her brother’s clothes; she forgot that her nails were broken and her hands were dirty. She turned round and joy shone out of her eyes.

‘Robin,’ she said and threw herself into his arms and then, rigid with embarrassment, she pulled herself back. ‘Sorry,’ she stumbled. ‘It’s just so lovely to have someone come back alive.’

She sensed him pull away too. She looked up at him. There were grey wings of hair above his ears. Robin? Grey? He was only twenty-eight. I’m twenty-six. We forgot to celebrate my birthday. She laughed ruefully and Robin smiled, relaxed again.

‘Do I look so funny?’

‘No, you look . . . distinguished. As you should, a decorated soldier.’

‘I’ve only just heard about Ian. Can you tell me what happened? I didn’t write because I didn’t know, Mairi, not because I didn’t care.’

‘It’s so wrong, so very wrong.

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