‘This is how I know you don’t have children of your own,’ he replied. ‘Even though it drives me doolally, the sound of those three going at each other is a happier tune than that of an empty house, especially one this size. Balmaclay was never meant to be an empty nest.’
I squirted another burst of Cranberry Bliss on his back and he sucked his teeth in at the freezing cold liquid.
‘When me and Lizzie got married, my parents were still with us, God rest their souls. They helped raise all three kids, the way families are supposed to. I thought we’d have the sound of wee ones running through the halls again by now, that’s why Lizzie’s been working so hard to get the house back on its feet, to make room for the kids’ kids when they come.’
‘Is that right.’
I applied a little more pressure to his rhomboids than necessary.
‘I’m sure your mum and dad feel the same.’
‘I’m sure.’
If there was an Olympic medal for biting your tongue, I deserved gold.
‘That’s the thing about being a parent,’ he went on, blissfully ignorant of my situation. ‘You get to a point where you’re so knackered, you can’t wait for a minute’speace but by the time it comes, you’re counting down the days to the grandkids. Me and Lizzie wanted to have kids right away when we got married but it took a while. Better to have bairns when you’re young enough to keep up with them, that’s what I say. The sooner Cal moves back home and gets on with it, the better.’
‘But he doesn’t want to move home,’ I said. ‘He’s already told you that.’
‘He doesn’t know what he wants.’ Derek’s voice turned gruff and he shifted under my touch. ‘This time last year, he wanted to marry Shiv.’
I transferred all my weight into my elbows and pressed down until he squealed.
‘No pain, no gain,’ I reminded him, pulling back before I could cause any damage. ‘Sorry.’
‘It’s fine for now,’ he replied, fidgeting in place. ‘Running around London, playing games in the kitchen, but he has a duty to Balmaclay and I know my son, he won’t let the family down. You couldn’t possibly understand, love, this house, the farm, the land, they’ve passed from father to son for generations. Cal isn’t going to be the one who draws a line under that kind of legacy.’
He was right, I didn’t understand.
‘What about Elsie? She loves the farm, why can’t she inherit Balmaclay?’
Derek let out a laugh so loud, he almost lost his little towel. ‘Elsie will always have a home here but what if she gets married? Am I supposed to hand the keys over to whichever goon from town ends up being fool enough to take her on? She wouldn’t even be a McClay any more!’
And I’d thought Lizzie was the problem. Derek McClay wasn’t quite the happy-go-lucky, laugh-a-minuteman he made himself out to be after all. Nope, he was nothing more than a good old-fashioned chauvinist.
‘You’re supposed to realise it’s the twenty-first century,’ I said with distaste. ‘She might not get married. She might get married and not change her name.’
He was still laughing as though I’d said something hilarious.
‘My point is, your children don’t always see what’s best for their long-term future when there’s something bright and shiny right in front of them.’ He turned his face towards me, pink and creased from the pillow. ‘As the parent, it is your job to point them in the right direction, even if they don’t thank you for it until much later.’
‘Callum isn’t a child.’ I held his gaze without blinking. ‘And he’s perfectly capable of making his own decisions.’
‘That’s what we all think when we’re your age,’ he replied. ‘Callum wants his freedom, he wants to roam. For now. But Scotland is in his soul. This house isn’t just a home, it’s part of who he is. In the end, he’ll realise what’s best for him and I would hate to see anyone get hurt when he does.’
‘Anyone meaning me,’ I guessed.
It wasn’t too difficult to put together his not-even-slightly subtle clues. I might not be a very good massage therapist but I wasn’t a complete idiot. I was, in fact, a brain surgeon.
‘Don’t take it personal, Caroline. I’m sure you’re a very nice girl—’
‘Then you’re mistaken.’
He blanched, hesitating for a second before he carried on.
‘But I don’t know if you’re cut out for life as a farmer’s wife.’
‘Is there a job description I could have a look at?’ I asked. ‘What’s the salary? What’s the holiday allowance?’
